Fitness & exerciseNutritionWeight loss

6 proven strategies to lose weight—and keep it off

Learn about research-backed and expert-approved ways to help maintain weight loss.

Jan, 2026
LearnWeight loss6 proven strategies to lose weight—and keep it off
Slide 1
Consider keeping track of your weight
Practice mindful eating
Eat a well-balanced breakfast
Track your diet
Move more and sit less
Limit your screen time

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Slide 1

Losing weight is not always simple, and keeping the pounds off can also be challenging. Some research suggests dieters who have successfully lost weight are likely to regain weight in the months and years that follow. Some may even gain more than they lost.

Weight regain can be caused by a variety of factors. These may include an unhealthy diet, overeating, or a lack of physical activity. However, some things that aren’t directly in your control may also contribute to weight gain. Your gut hormones control the link between your brain and senses of hunger or satiety. When you lose weight, changes in your gut hormone profile can happen, and those changes can disrupt this mind-gut connection.

Metabolic adaptation can also happen, when the amount of energy you expend while resting becomes much lower after weight loss. But despite these difficulties, there are some proven strategies that can help you maintain a healthy weight.

Charan Donkor, MD, a bariatric surgeon and founder of the Center for Advanced Robotic and Endoscopic Surgery in Plantation, Florida, reveals some of his top tips for maintaining a steady weight.

 

Written byTaylor Lupo.
Medically reviewed byMark Arredondo, MD.December, 2024
Sources: Johns Hopkins Medicine. Maintaining Weight Loss. Page accessed April 15 + 14
  1. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Maintaining Weight Loss. Page accessed April 15, 2024.
  2. Busetto L, Bettini S, Makaronidis J, et al. Mechanisms of weight regain. Eur J Intern Med. 2021 Nov;93:3-7.
  3. The National Weight Control Registry. NWCR Facts. Page accessed April 15, 2024.
  4. Vuorinen AL, Helander E, Pietilä J, et al. Frequency of Self-Weighing and Weight Change: Cohort Study With 10,000 Smart Scale Users. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Jun 28;23(6):e25529.
  5. Harvard Health. Mindful Eating. Page last reviewed September 2020.
  6. Li ZH, Xu L, Dai R, et al. Effects of regular breakfast habits on metabolic and cardiovascular diseases: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 Nov 5;100(44):e27629.
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Healthy Schools: Childhood Nutrition Facts. Page last reviewed August 5, 2022.
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Keeping It Off. Page last reviewed May 15, 2015.
  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight. Page last reviewed March 8, 2023.
  10. Raber M, Liao Y, Rara A, et al. A systematic review of the use of dietary self-monitoring in behavioural weight loss interventions: delivery, intensity and effectiveness. Public Health Nutr. 2021 Dec;24(17):5885-5913.
  11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight. Page last reviewed April 26, 2023.
  12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How much physical activity do adults need? Page last reviewed June 2, 2022.
  13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Benefits of Physical Activity. Page last reviewed August 1, 2023.
  14. Statista. U.S. TV consumption: daily viewing time 2009-2022, by age group. September 1, 2023.
  15. Alblas MC, Mollen S, Wennekers AM, et al. Consuming media, consuming food: investigating concurrent TV viewing and eating using a 7-d time use diary survey. Public Health Nutr. 2021 Jul 21;26(4):1-10.

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