Continued from How to Maintain Weight after Weight Loss. You lost some weight and you think the struggle is over? Think again.

Maintaining weight loss can be just as difficult as shedding the pounds in the first place. Here are some tips on how you can keep the weight off for good.

Keep up with the healthy food habits that helped you lose weight in the first place. Pay attention to portion control and eating the right foods. Eat “across the rainbow” and always try and fill your plate with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Allow yourself to splurge on occasion. Plan for it in advance so that you don’t binge later. You shouldn’t feel deprived.

Stay active as much as you can. By the time you’ve hit your weight-loss goal, you should be pretty active. So try and keep active for at least 30 to 60 minutes at least five days a week with a variety of strength-training, cardio and resistance exercises.

Keep a healthy mind-set. Stay positive and conscious of your weight-loss strides and continue to recognize your success. Continue rewarding yourself with little things (preferably not food!) so that you stay on track.

Try not to get overly confident. It’s great how far you’ve come, but if you keep saying, “I can eat this; I’m looking great,” soon enough it’ll catch up to you.

Reinforce all the positive behavior changes. Just because you’ve lost weight, it doesn’t mean that you can pick up all those bad habits you had prior to the weight loss.

Write down what you’re eating and your activity levels. This way you can see that you’re staying on track and noting what you’re putting in your mouth; you may think twice before doing it.

Get a support team. Keep people around you that are healthy and positive. Whether they are walking partners or people that cook healthy meals with you, relationships for support are crucial. [via]