You've Lost Weight, but How Do You Keep It Off? 

Thanks to a huge trove of data on people who have maintained weight loss for at least a year (and often far longer), researchers have identified the factors that help prevent scale creep.

"There are specific habits that set successful weight maintainers apart. Here's what we can all learn from those who have kept the pounds off." 

Get on the scale. 

If weighing yourself every day drives you nuts, do it once every week or two. If you know where you are weightwise, you're less likely to let stealthy weight gain get out of control. 

Think habit, not diet. 

Behaviors that are automatic take way less effort. By eating meals and exercising and going to bed at the same time every day, those healthy, weight­stabilizing habits become second nature. 

Move more. 

"People who maintain their weight get about 300 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous exercise - twice what the guidelines for minimum exercise say. They also engage in more routine light activity than most of us. On average, they replace one hour of sitting with one hour of movement. And when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, every minute of movement matters.