Losing weight is just half of the battle. Only about 20% of people who lost weight can keep it off after their diet. Let me help you to keep the weight off. 


8 actually helpful tips to keep the weight off after losing it

Losing weight is just half of the battle. Only about 20% of people who lost
weight can manage to keep it off [/reverse-dieting/]. Especially, if you were on 
a crash diet [/1000-calorie-diets/], you're more likely to regain the weight
you've lost (or even more). However, it's not impossible.

You just lost weight and don't want to gain it back? Then read on.

Why do people regain the weight?


Our bodies are very able to adapt to change. Being on a restricted calorie diet
for some time affects not only your body fat, but also your metabolism.

See, our bodies are a lot smarter than we think. Your metabolism adapts to the
amount of energy you feed your body. It's main goal is to balance energy intake
with output. By decreasing your calories and eating less than your body burns,
your metabolism naturally begins to be more efficient. Hence, you burn less
energy while at rest.

The first thing people do, after a restrictive diet, is to go back to their
normal caloric intake, which means a drastic increase in calories. That's one of
the worst things you can possibly do, because you still burn less calories.

Why is it so hard to keep the weight off?


Again, our bodies are little smart-asses. Your brain knows exactly how many fat
cells you have and how big those fat cells are. It wants to hold onto those fat
cells as "energy-storage" for later use.

Even after you've reached your goal weight, your body wants to get them back.
Basically, your brain is constantly telling you to eat. And you're more likely
to give in to your cravings.

How to keep the weight off after losing it
1. Increase your caloric intake gradually
What you need, is slowly increasing your food intake back to normal levels
without gaining too much body fat. To calculate your new initial calorie target,
simply add 150-200 calories per week to what you eat at the moment. Best case
would be to gain no more than 0.5kg/1lbs per week. If you're gaining more, adapt
your caloric intake. This is with weight training of course. You want to gain
mostly muscle, not fat.

If you want to stay where you are, increase calories just very little and build
up your metabolism again.

2. Make healthier versions of your beloved desserts


I know it can be very tempting to grab your favourite chocolate bar every time
you want to. Think twice, before you do so. However, you don't have to cut out
your favourite desserts completely. You can make your own homemade and healthier
version of it.

After my bikini competition [/2-weeks-after-the-competition/] I was craving
brownies madly, so I made these incredibly delicious and much healthier
3-ingredient brownies [/healthy-3-ingredient-brownies/]. You can enjoy them
without feeling guilty! It’s a perfect combination of unsweetened apple sauce,
cacao powder and almond butter (or peanut butter for those of you who don’t
follow a paleo lifestyle).

3. Know how to deal with cravings
If you had cravings during your weight loss diet, be prepared that they might
get stronger afterwards. People somehow think after they lost weight, they can
eat exactly the way they ate before the diet. Doesn't make much sense, does it?

I know, it's hard to stay strong all the time and resist those cravings. You can
give in from time to time and enjoy some "naughty" foods - but in moderation.

If the urge to binge strikes again, here are some simple tips to fight it:

 * Enjoy a cup of black coffee. It suppresses your appetite and increases your
   metabolic rate
 * Go for a walk to distract yourself
 * Talk to a friend. People who know your story can encourage you to stay strong
   and follow the plan
 * Workout. This one helped me a lot. Every time I was about to give in to some
   sugary doughnuts, I went to the gym for an extra session to get my mind off
   the food
 * Enjoy what you crave. If you just can't fight it, sometimes it's the smartest
   thing to just give in and enjoy it mindfully and in moderation

4. 80/20


I personally recommend the 80/20 approach. Meaning, 80% of your diet should come
from clean whole foods and 20% can come from less cleaner foods. This might help
you with cravings.

Balance, guys! You only live once, so if you want that snickers bar, work it
into your plan! At the end of the day "black and white"- thinking doesn't help
if you can't enjoy life. Plus, there's no such thing as "healthy" and
"unhealthy" foods (except for alcohol and trans-fats). Everything in moderation
is totally fine. Too much of everything isn't healthy at all.

5. Keep lifting
Weight lifting is just as important [/how-weightlifting-changed-my-attitude/] 
after your diet as it was during your diet! Why? Because it keeps your
metabolism going and sets you up for some potential muscle gain.

So push those weights hard, it will be much easier for you, now that you have
more energy due to your higher food intake. It's also a crucial part for
improving your body composition [/how-to-bulk-and-build-muscle/].

Focus on more heavy compound exercises [/full-body-workout/], like the squat,
bench press, military press and deadlift. Have fun!

6. Keep tracking your food and your weight


Food tracking is meant to estimate how many calories you've eaten. There are
small volume foods that you won't even associate with "food", which can be
really calorie-dense.

Things like olive oil (1 tablespoon has 110 calories), salad dressings, dips and
sauces, spreads and toppings, milk and sugary drinks. If you're not tracking
everything, you will sabotage your own weight management.

Also keep weighing yourself on a regular basis, for example weekly (at the same
time of the day, preferably in the morning). Therefore, you can react and adapt
much better, if you gain too much weight.

7. Fill up on protein
It's no myth that protein is absolutely crucial [/cheapest-protein-sources/] for
building and maintaining muscle mass, to recover faster from your workouts and
to feel more satiated after meals.

How much is enough? Eat 2g of protein per kg bodyweight, or 1g of protein per
pound per day. That's totally enough and easy to remember.

8. Don't let setbacks hold you down


Nobody's perfect. A treat every once in a while will definitely not destroy all
your hard work. Being lean isn't about being 100% perfect all the time. It's
okay to give yourself a break [/7-cheat-meal-mistakes/].

An occasional slip up doesn't mean you can't reach your goals anymore. Move on
and make healthy choices day by day [/regain-focus-after-a-cheat/].

I know diets can be quite restrictive and everyone's happy when they finally
reached their goal. But it's crucial to have a plan for after the diet. Take
what you've learned during your diet and implement it in your new life. Make it
a lifestyle change and not a short-term solution [/give-up-on-fads/]!

A healthy snickers bar made with only 7 raw, infancy ingredients and no added refined sugar! All it takes are basic ingredients and basic kitchen tools.

The Best Raw Homemade Snickers Bars You've Ever Tried! 

Are you guys in for a real treat today? Snickers are my true big love. I mean,
come on - what could be better than a Snickers bar?

A healthy Snickers bar made with only 7 raw, infancy ingredients and no added
refined sugar! You know me by now: I basically crave a snickers bar all day,
every day. And I know I'm not the only one. That's why I'm sharing the most
delicious and simple recipe for raw homemade Snickers bars. It's ridiculous!



Look at them! The bottom consists of a slightly crunchy, coconutty cashew base.
Followed by a layer of date caramel softness. Topped with peanut and drizzled
with sweet chocolate. Doesn't that sound mouthwatering?

And here comes the best part: They are so easy to make. All it takes are simple
ingredients, basic kitchen tools and 20 minutes of your time. Don't let all
these layers scare you.



I couldn't believe how well these turned out! You have to make them! Thank me
later.

Ingredients
For the base

 * 1 1/2 cup (220g) cashews
 * 1/2 cup (30g) shredded coconut
 * 8 Medjool dates
 * 3 tbsp honey

For the caramel layer

 * 8 Medjool dates
 * 1/4 (24g) cup PB2 (or 60g smooth peanut butter)
 * 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
 * 1 tbsp honey

For the topping

 * 1/4 cups (35g) peanuts
 * 1/2 cup (150g) chocolate chips

Macros per slice (1/14 of the tray)
 * Calories: 270 kcal
 * Carbs: 36g
 * Protein: 5g
 * Fat: 13g

Instructions
 1. Add cashews to a food processor and blend into small pieces. Add shredded
    coconut, 8 dates and 3 tbsp honey and blend again, until a sticky dough
    forms. Press the dough into a loaf pan, that is lined with baking paper. Put
    it in the freezer for approximately 10 minutes.



 2. Meanwhile, add water to the PB2 so that it forms a peanut buttery
    consistency. Add the other 8 dates, PB2 cream, honey and almond milk to the
    food processor and blend until a smooth caramel forms. Take the cashew base
    out of the freezer and spread the caramel on top.
    
    
 3. Scatter peanuts on top of the caramel and press them down slightly. Melt the
    chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Drizzle the
    chocolate over the peanuts. Place back in the freezer for 20 minutes, then
    cut into bars and enjoy these delicious bars.

The Best Raw Homemade Snickers Bars You've Ever Tried! Gluten-free, Vegetarian and refined sugar-free

When we're trying to lose weight, two important hormones come into play and might hinder your progress. I'm talking about leptin and ghrelin.

Leptin and it's key role in weight loss - The Hunger Hormone

Imagine the following scenario: You eat a good-sized meal and then a short while
later, you find yourself thinking about a huge tub of chocolate ice cream. You
are not hungry, but your brain just doesn't stop screaming "Eat!". Are you
familiar with this scenario?

Well, me too! No, we're not doomed, there is a scientific reason behind it.

When we're trying to lose weight, two important hormones come into play and
might hinder your progress. I'm talking about leptin and ghrelin. Both play
crucial roles in regulating your appetite.

What is Leptin?


The hormone leptin is produced by body fat cells. You might have heard of it as
the 'satiety' or 'starvation' hormone, but it has many other functions - besides
regulating hunger - such as regulating your metabolic rate, motivation, libido,
immunity and fertility.

However, it's most important role is the regulation of energy balance. Meaning,
leptin signals your brain that you have enough energy stored in your fat cells,
so your body can expend energy at normal rates.

As your leptin levels rise, your appetite diminishes, and as they fall, your
appetite increases. Basically, leptin should keep you from starving
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/8-valuable-no-starving-tips-to-eat-healthy/] or
overeating.

How does leptin work?

This principle is pretty simple. As mentioned, leptin is produced by the body
fat's cells
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/what-kind-of-body-fat-do-you-carry-and-why-its-important/]
. Therefore, the more body fat you carry, the more leptin you produce.

Leptin is carried in the bloodstream and into the brain, where it sends a signal
to the hypothalamus (the area of the brain, that controls how much we eat).

After eating a filling meal, leptin is produced and send to the receptors, which
tells our brains that we are full and no longer need to eat.

Yes, it's as simple as that: We get hungry (leptin levels are low), we eat
(leptin levels raise), our body 'tells' us it's full, it stores some of the food
as fat, we go on with our day, burn energy and fat, our body tells us it needs
more energy (leptin levels are down), we get hungry again, we eat until we are
full (leptin levels are high again) and so on.



While being on a calorie restricted diet to lose some extra body fat, leptin
production decreases. This tells our body that it's in an energy deficient state 
and that it needs to expend less energy and consume more calories.

Long story short: Leptin isn't a 'obesity'-hormone, like it's often claimed.
It's actually quite the opposite. Leptin should prevent us from getting fatter
and fatter over time.

What is ghrelin?

Ever found yourself deep in a Ben & Jerry's tub after a stressful day? Well, say
thank you to ghrelin.

Our stomachs make ghrelin when they are empty. Similar to leptin, ghrelin is
transported into the bloodstream and ends up in the hypothalamus, telling us
that we're hungry.

Unlike leptin, ghrelin is high before your eat and low after you eat.

Feeling stressed out, depressed or anxious, can lead to an increase in ghrelin
levels in the brain. This might lead to emotional or binge eating
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/break-free-from-binge-eating/].

Furthermore, a lack of sleep can spike ghrelin levels, leaving you feeling
hungry even when your stomach isn't empty.

Here's the big problem: both hormones - leptin and ghrelin - and their signals,
get messed up with obesity.

Leptin resistance


I mentioned above how leptin is supposed to work. Sadly, it doesn't always work
like that.

Being obese means you have more body fat, therefore more fat cells. More fat
cells means more leptin is circulating in the body. In an ideal scenario, all
the leptin in your bloodstream should signal the brain that there is plenty of
stored energy left, so we should feel satiated.

The problem is, that many obese people suffer from leptin resistance. Meaning,
the brain isn't able to detect all the leptin that's circulating in the blood. 
Instead, the brain tells the body to eat more and conserve energy by moving
less.

This leads to even more weight gain.

Causes of leptin resistance
 * Inflammation: Inflammation of the markers in the blood, lasting over a longer
   period of time, hinder the transmission of the leptin signal
   
   
 * Chronically increased leptin levels: It's more likely to develop a leptin
   resistance, if you have chronically increased leptin levels, like obese
   people for example.
   
   

Symptoms of leptin resistance
 * Food cravings: You're constantly snacking
   [https://blog.slickcoach.com/the-reasons-you-may-be-craving-sugar/], but
   never feel really satisfied? Then there's a good chance, that you have
   developed a leptin resistance. It can cause endless 'hunger' and cravings,
   when leptin isn't able to signal your brain that you've had enough to eat.
   
   
 * Stress and tiredness: Being stressed and having a lack of sleep over a very
   long period of time will spike your cortisol levels (the 'stress' hormone).
   Having a high cortisol level can lead to leptin resistance.
   
   
 * Overweight or underweight: Both can be a pretty good sign, that your leptin
   isn't working properly.
   
   

Reverse leptin resistance

Suffering from leptin resistance isn't irreversible. By changing your diet and
lifestyle, you can easily reduce inflammation and reverse leptin resistance.

 * Exercise: Moving more throughout the day and regular exercise
   [https://blog.slickcoach.com/full-body-workout/] is important, if you want to
   improve your overall health and leptin resistance.

 * Add more fibre to your diet: Fibre plays a key role
   [https://blog.slickcoach.com/what-is-dietary-fiber/] when it comes to weight
   control and satiety. By moving slower through your digestive system, it keeps
   you feeling full longer.
   
   
 * Reduce unhealthy snacking: Establish a daily meal plan routine
   [https://blog.slickcoach.com/create-your-own-meal-plan/] with a few meals
   spread evenly throughout the day and mix some healthier snacks
   [https://blog.slickcoach.com/15-low-calorie-foods/] in. This will help to
   stabilise leptin levels and prevent spikes.
   
   

 * Eat more protein: Adding more protein
   [https://blog.slickcoach.com/quick-and-easy-protein-loaded-snacks/] will not
   only help you with your weight loss goals, but also prevent leptin
   resistance. Aim for 2g per kg/1g per pound of body weight.

 * Cut the junk: Eating a diet rich in refined sugars, processed and junk foods
   are linked to inflammation, which is linked to leptin resistance. Add more
   fruits, veggies, healthy fats and lean protein
   [https://blog.slickcoach.com/14-simple-food-swaps/] sources to your meal
   plan.

Boost Leptin levels and your weight loss


The first few weeks of a weight loss journey are the easiest. You get your
workouts in, stay in a caloric deficit and you lose body fat week after week.

There will be a point however, where your fat loss slows down
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/how-to-break-through-plateau/], your energy levels
drop and you lose focus during your workouts. Your goal seems now further away
than ever [https://blog.slickcoach.com/stay-on-track-with-your-weight-loss/].
This is the point where most people start to cheat again and again. Happened to
me several times as well!

There's hope and you don't have to decrease your caloric intake dramatically
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/1000-calorie-diets/] to reach your goal.

Regular 're-feeds' for fat loss

After being in a caloric deficit for a long time, your leptin levels drop. This
causes a slow down in metabolic rate
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/metabolism-explained-and-5-natural-ways-to-boost-it/]
, an increase in appetite, a bad mood and lack of motivation.

If you switch it up and increase your calories, you'll find that not only leptin
levels get a boost, but also mood, fat oxidation and motivation.

How often should I do re-feeds?
Good question. As a baseline, if you're at the beginning of your fat loss
journey you don't need one. If you're deeper into it, as a guy over 10% body
fat
and as a girl over 20% body fat
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/how-to-determine-your-body-fat-percentage/], aim
for one re-feed every 2 weeks.

When you are really deep in your diet, decide based on how you're feeling. At
the end of my bikini prep
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/bikini-competition-journal-2-weeks-out-just-let-me-lay-here-for-a-few-seconds-or-maybe-hours/] 
I needed a re-feed every week.

How much should I eat on re-feed days?
Basically, a re-feed means that you're eating in or just slightly above your
maintenance calories. You don't want to overindulge or go completely nuts.

You can use our calorie calculator below to calculate your maintenance caloric
intake.

What should I eat?
Carbs! Aim to eat mainly carbs, just very little protein and fat.

Why so many carbs? Carbohydrates are the most effective way to increase leptin
levels. Plus, carbs are stored as glycogen, which will fuel your workouts.

And, as a bonus, carbs taste good!

Conclusion
There's so much attention towards testosterone, oestrogen and cortisol, that you
can easily forget about other very important hormones in your body. Therefore, 
we've made an online course
[https://www.udemy.com/the-no-bullshit-guide-to-nutrition-and-fat-loss/], which
explains the reason why and how our bodies burn body fat or gain muscle mass and
how to build a meal plan for yourself or your clients, in order to reach your
goals.

What are you enjoying on a re-feed day? Let me know in the comment section
below!