Cambridge B1 Preliminary
B1 Preliminary - Reading Multiple Choice Exercise 3
Read the text and then for each question, choose which of the four possible answers is best. Think also about why the other three answers are not possible.
Keeping Lost Weight Off: The Key to Long-Term Weight Management
One of the biggest challenges faced by people who have lost weight is keeping it off. Successful long-term weight management requires an understanding of how to balance food intake and physical activity, but it's also about more than that. The key is finding a sustainable lifestyle that you enjoy.
To begin with, it's crucial to understand that maintaining your weight does not mean reverting to your old eating habits once you've hit your weight loss goal. The diet that helped you lose weight should be the foundation of your eating habits moving forward. Of course, you can afford some occasional indulgences, but these should be the exception rather than the rule.
Physical activity is another crucial component of long-term weight management. Regular exercise helps burn off calories, but it also improves your physical health in countless other ways, making you feel better overall and boosting your motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
One often overlooked aspect of keeping lost weight off is the role of social support. Having supportive people around you family, friends, or support groups can make a huge difference. They can provide encouragement during tough times and celebrate with you when you achieve your milestones.
Maintaining your weight also requires regular monitoring. This doesn't necessarily mean weighing yourself every day. Becoming obsessed about your weight is not a healthy habit to develop, but keeping an eye on your weight trends can help identify any small weight gains early so they can be addressed before they turn into larger problems. You don't want to find yourself back where you started with a large amount of weight that needs to be lost.
Another important factor in weight maintenance is mental health. Stress and depression can often lead to overeating and reduced physical activity. Learning how to manage stress and seeking help for depression can be crucial components of keeping off the weight you've lost.
In conclusion, successful long-term weight management is about balance. It requires a combination of healthy eating, regular physical activity, social support, regular monitoring, and good mental health. It's a lifestyle change, but it's one that comes with many rewards.