Keep Your Weight Down for Good With This Sneaky Exercise Plan, Expert Says

You lost some weight, and that's great for you! We don't want to sound like a downer, but sometimes, keeping that weight off can be more difficult than it was to lose it in the first place. Don't despair, because we chatted with Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA, chair of Jenny Craig's science advisory board, co-director of Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center and faculty at Harvard Medical School to learn a sneaky exercise plan that will keep your weight down for good. Read on to learn more about these particular exercises, and next, be sure to check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Running, biking, and swimming

A study published in the journal Obesity reveals that losing weight may cause substantial changes to your metabolism, which can actually prompt your body to fight the ability to lose more weight. Dr. Fitch sheds some light on the subject, explaining that the most important fact to know is that in order to make a difference in your weight, you cannot simply focus on just one kind of exercise, like strength training or cardio. Rather, it should be a combo of several types of exercise that will have you on the right track to losing weight.

Dr. Fitch shares three activities that are wonderful to combine into a holistic fitness routine: running, biking, and swimming. These activities are proven to torch fat and calories, which is integral to any weight loss journey. "These are more vigorous exercises that get your heart rate up and help you burn more calories faster. The best part is that you can do them in a gym or at home, depending on what you prefer," Dr. Fitch says.

Strength training

middle aged man pushup outside — Shutterstock

When mixed with an activity such as running, Dr. Fitch recommends adding a day or two of strength training to your weekly workouts. "It not only helps you shed pounds, but it also prevents you from losing muscle mass as you lose weight," she says.

HIIT

Also known as high-intensity interval training, HIIT workouts consist of short bursts of vigorous exercises followed up by longer stretches of "slower, less demanding activities," Dr. Fitch tells us. She notes they've been proven to help torch more fat than if you were to stick to just one maintained activity.

"Walking is fine for this," Dr. Fitch says. "You could also try a gym specifically designed for HIIT workouts."

You can also consider time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting

As far as additional healthy habits you can adopt to lose weight and maintain it, Dr. Fitch suggests, "Try time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting. Traditionally, only the quantity and quality of meals and snacks were the main focus of nutritional planning. Now, the 'when' or timing of eating has emerged as one of the most powerful factors associated with optimal nutrition."

She adds, "The best way to practice this is through time-restricted eating (TRE), a form of intermittent fasting, in which you "honor the body clock" and stay in synchrony with the waking and sleeping hours of the 24-hour day. The simplest TRE plan is 12:12, which means you eat over the course of 12 hours and then spend the next 12 hours in a fasting state with only water or water-based beverages (tea) consumed." According to Dr. Fitch, this is what Jenny Craig's Max Up plan is all about.