1. Weigh yourself daily
Whether you've always been at your happy weight or you're reaping the benefits of successful weight loss, between a slowing and a lower-impact lifestyle, staying at your current size can be a challenge as you get older. And while just a pound a year may not seem like much, even that little weight gain can translate into 20 pounds or more -- and several dress sizes -- over a couple of decades. But putting on the pounds as you age isn't mandatory.
Extra weight can sneak up on you, so to keep track of any weight gain, researchers are now recommending weighing yourself regularly, even daily. A daily weigh-in has been shown to help people maintain weight loss, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006. But study authors note that it's not the act of weighing yourself that makes a difference; it's changing behaviour based on what you see on the scale that counts. So weigh yourself daily -- at the same time, wearing the same amount of clothing (even if it's none) is best -- and if you notice the needle creeping up, sneak in a few extra workouts or cut back on dessert and snacks until you stabilize again.
