Dear Coach Gila,

I recently lost a significant amount of weight very quickly. I love the new me. I feel fantastic in my new body. I am able to shop for clothing I always admired and love the way I look in current styles. I light up from the inside when I walk into a room and people notice my transformation. I know this is the “me” that I’m supposed to be. Not the unhappy, overweight person I was before. There is a small seed of fear inside of me that is terrified of gaining the weight back. I never want to be “her” again. As each day passes my small seed of fear grows so that while I am falling in love with myself all over again, I am truly afraid of waking up one day in the body of my former self. Any advice on maintaining my new weight would be really appreciated.

– Recently Slim

Dear Recently Slim,

Congratulations on your weight loss! I am truly happy for you.

Living with constant fear of regaining your weight is not healthy; it is a stress the body does not need.

The keys to maintaining weight loss are your healthy habits. My clients and I maintain our weight loss by using the exact set of healthy habits we developed while losing the weight. It’s not about deprivation and restrictions; rather, it’s about nourishing our bodies with our healthy habits.

Nourish yourself with water. I recommend drinking a tall glass of water first thing in the morning. You can “upgrade” your water by adding fresh lemon and/or apple cider vinegar. I heat my water, let it cool a bit and then add my lemon and apple cider vinegar.

For any coffee drinkers out there, after your water nourishment you can have your regular morning coffee. If you use artificial sweeteners in your coffee, please begin eliminating them from your coffee. It took me some time but I now enjoy my coffee without Splenda!

Nourish yourself with whole foods. What to eat is such a hot topic! I believe it can be stated simply—eat real food! Choose more whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and fewer processed foods with ingredients you don’t recognize.

Eat nutrient-dense, tasty and healthy-for-you food. Don’t sacrifice taste and pleasure when eating. You can maintain your weight loss happily, healthily and permanently without feeling hungry or deprived. You don’t need willpower when you are truly enjoying the quality and quantity of the food you are eating.

Don’t be afraid of healthy fats. Eat fat to lose fat or to maintain your weight loss. There are so many delicious options, for example, avocado, olives, coconut butter and a drizzle of healthy oil on your crisp salad or cooked vegetables.

Be mindful while you eat your delicious, scrumptious food. Chew your food 20–30 times per bite. Chewing your food makes it easier to digest, slows down your eating and therefore allows your body to recognize when you are full.

Nourish yourself with exercise. The goal is to find a balanced and enjoyable routine that works for you and your schedule. Implement activities that increase your endurance and strength and you will be creating another healthy habit.

Nourish yourself with self-care. You have to put your oxygen mask on first—period—just like on the airplane. It is not selfish for you to carve out time to take care of yourself. You must do it. Self-care is a healthy habit and one that will go far in helping you maintain your weight loss.

Nourish yourself by getting the sleep your body needs. Turn off your devices an hour before bedtime. Create a sleep schedule for yourself that will allow your body to receive all the benefits from a good night’s sleep.

There are so many healthy habits one can incorporate into one’s life and these are a great place to begin. Creating these healthy habits will occur when you take consistent action. Work on these habits from a place of love and kindness instead of fear and you will be more successful.

Best of luck to you!

Coach Gila

To readers: Please send your health- and wellness-related questions to [email protected]. I look forward to answering them!

As a mom of five who lost over 50 pounds, while maintaining that weight loss for four and a half years, Coach Gila understands the struggles and triumphs of food-related health goals. She believes in the mind-body connection, utilizes a whole-foods approach and stresses the importance of changing one’s habits to create sustainable health. She can be reached through her website at www.mainassethealth.com or at 917-647-1788.