7 ways to maintain a healthy body weight
Follow Canada’s Food Guide and eat a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of vegetables and fruit and lots of fibre each day, with healthy fats, little sugar and very few processed foods.
Try to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. When you are active or when it is hot, drink more water. It’s a great zero-calorie way to stay hydrated and helps with healthy digestion.
Move more, sit less
Aim for 30 minutes every day of moderate activity that gets your heart going. Keep it simple. Look for ways to fit activity into your life naturally, including taking the stairs, walking instead of driving and getting outside as much as possible.
Missing a meal will mean you’re even hungrier later and likely to overeat instead of eating just enough to satisfy your hunger.
Some weight loss and exercise programs and products promise quick and easy results. Most diets fail because staying at a healthy weight depends on more than just cutting down on the amount of food you eat or exercising for a short period of time. This checklist from Obesity Canada can help you choose a program that is right for you.
Everyone’s personal best looks different. And everyone’s approach to getting to a healthy weight will be different too. Small, gradual changes to what you eat and how active you are can make a big difference over time.
Maintaining your weight or losing weight, if you need to, can be challenging. There are healthcare professionals who can help you, including your doctor, a registered dietitian and others. Your partner, friends and family can also support you. Maybe they’ll even join you!