Tips for maintaining a healthy weight

I'm very lucky and have never been in a position where I need to lose weight. I've maintained an average weight of 9 stone for the past 6 years. Here are some of of the things I do or have done that may be useful to anyone else trying to maintain their healthy weight.

1. Walk wherever and whenever you can. Walking is free and can be great fun too. Make sure you wear suitable shoes for walking in.
2. Always take the stairs. It might not sound like much, but if you always take the escalator or lift think of the extra exercise you could be getting just by running up an extra flight of stairs.
3. Take one less sugar in your hot drinks. If you take two sugars in your tea, cut down gradually to one and a half and then down to one. Eventually you could even go without any sugar in your drink.
4. Eat smaller portions or fill up on vegetables. For example if you're having sausage and mash and you usually have three sausages, try only having one sausage and give yourself extra mash if you're still hungry.
5. Take a packed lunch to work. If I don't take lunch with me I end up buying junk food out of the vending machine. It's much better to take a sandwich and some healthy snacks from home. This also saves you money!
6. Snacks are fine in moderation. I try to keep lots of healthy snacks in my cupboard. Dried fruit is a good alternative to sweet treats and crackers are a good alternative to crisps. Everybody is entitled to a naughty treat now and then, just try and limit yourself to one or two a day. Don't beat yourself up if you binge on chocolate once in a while!
7. Go for the low-fat options wherever you can. For example, today I had a reduced fat blueberry muffin instead of the full-fat version. I didn't notice any difference in taste. Do check the ingredients though as some low-fat foods contain other hidden nasties instead.
8. Know your size. Measure your waist and chest to make sure you are wearing the right size clothes. There's no shame in having to buy a bigger size, the important thing is that your clothes fit correctly and make you feel good about yourself.
9. Weigh yourself. You might not like the look of that number on the scales, but you need to know it, otherwise how will you know if you've lost or gained anything?
10. Enjoy life and love yourself. If you are happy and confident then it won't matter what size you are. Also if you're busy having fun you won't be sat on the sofa comfort eating that junk food!

Please note: These are advice only and may or may not work for you. Seek medical advice before making any drastic changes to your diet or lifestyle.