Stay Slender — for Good!

Adopting the right habits, says Sandra, makes maintenance a breeze. Here are her three favorite strategies:

1. Shop ’til you drop
While it may seem smart to hold off on buying new clothes until you’re at your goal weight, Sandra sees new purchases as an investment in your future body. “As you lose, buy something new or take in your regular clothes,” she advises. Nothing keeps you motivated like looking good in the things you’ve always wanted to wear.

2. Avoid junk-food traps
Whenever Sandra leaves the house, she takes along water, as well as fruit or an energy bar. “When the noshing urge strikes, it will be easier to avoid the food court,” she notes. Similarly, prior to cooking dinner, Sandra pops in a stick of chewing gum. “It makes me think twice about snacking.”

3. Seek hidden workout opportunities
Keep gym shoes in your car, so if a chance to take a walk turns up unexpectedly, you can get moving. When Sandra takes her daughter to soccer practice, she brings along her own sneakers, too. “I jog on the track when she’s out there on the field nearby,” she says.