Maintainer Introductions - 3 mos in Maintenance & need some support

I'm altogether new to this forum. I didin't find it until I was finished with my diet and on maintenance. I just need to know that there are others out there travelling along the same road.

I had back surgery 2 years ago and during the forced confinement and inactivity, I ate and ate and ate. I gained and I gained and I gained.

I've always been in good health and as soon as the doctor told me that I could resume a normal routine, I began dieting and excercising. My diet was 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Small portions, no sugar, as little fat as possible, lots of whole grains and veggies. . .and fat free milk. I have always hated milk.

It took me 7 months to lose 55 pounds. I've been on maintenance now for 3 months and have lost another 7 or 8 pounds. Not what I planned. I don't want to lose any more.

I'm 60 years old and my hangy skin will never go away, but I'll just wear blouses and shirts with sleeves that hide my upper arms. And at my age, I don't go around in shorts anyway.

My husband - I've been married 39 years - tells me that I look like the girl he married.

Maintenance is hard for me. I worry too much. I wind up not maintaining at all, but continuing to diet.

Help!

:welcome: to maintenance GCG! I am 62 and am on my second journey of weight loss. I lost nearly 70 lbs in 1999/2000 and maintained it for a few years, and then lost my focus and gained a good part of it back, so I've been working to get back down. Sigh. It is hard at our age. I exercise and lift weights, but like you, my arms will seldom see sleeveless outside of the gym. :lol: Come join us on the weekly chit-chat threads.

:wel3fc: Rosie!!!

Be patient with the extra skin, it sometimes gets better with time. I also lift weights, I lost most of my weight in 2003. I'm just now starting to feel like my skin is catching up. :lol:

:bravo: on your loss!!!

Hey! Welcome!

I am new to maintenance, but I know what you mean about "continuing to diet" because of worrying too much. What has helped me is to use a calorie target and counter, and a nutrients target, so I don't have to over-think it.

I have been doing maintenance one tiny little week, and my weight is the same today as last week, so I guess I'm doing it right.

Be sure you eat enough protein. I try for 100 grams a day, or 30% of your major nutrients.

Good luck!
Jay