[dilleight]

I read maintainers often and find it really motivating and inspiring. The thing I'm wondering is how you managed to keep going after you started to look a lot better and keep on until you looked fantastic (which you all do!)

I've lost 20lbs since April and look a lot better (see profile) which is great but I know that I could look really good if I lost another 7-14lbs (I weigh 140lbs at 5ft5 and 27% body fat). I don't like the flab on my belly and I don't like being bigger than most girls my age. The thing is that these feelings are not as consistently motivating as my emotions when I felt really fat.

How did you all stay motivated rather than resting on your laurels?

Dill

[almostheaven]

For me, it's by keeping around an old outfit and plenty of old pictures...as constant reminders of what I never want to be like again, and what I had to go through to get here. Never ever go back.

[Ilene]

For me, lately, I say lately because this is what works at the moment because it does change... It is looking in the mirror and seeing myself looking good in smaller clothing. It is also feeling stronger with every workout, seeing muscles where I had none... It is feeling good after a healthy meal rather than lazy, lethargic, bloated, etc. after an unhealty meal... It is coming to this site for support every day. Even when I've done badly I can always find motivation here... This site is all I've got because I know very few people personally who live healthy lifestyles and understand the ups and downs of maintaining...

[dilleight]

Yeah you see those sorts of things make me motivated enough to maintain but not enough to put in that extra effort to go down to my ideal weight. Like almostheaven, how do you aim for 135 and not just think how great 140 is compared to 240?

[almostheaven]

Oh, I actually DO think 140 is great. And I'm sitting here for awhile. Just as I thought 150 was great and sat there for several months. Eventually, a renewed interest kicked in and I dropped that additional 10 pounds. I'm just maintaining until I get another burst to drop some more.

[vmelo]

Originally Posted by almostheaven

Oh, I actually DO think 140 is great. And I'm sitting here for awhile. Just as I thought 150 was great and sat there for several months. Eventually, a renewed interest kicked in and I dropped that additional 10 pounds. I'm just maintaining until I get another burst to drop some more.

This is the way it works for me, too.

[jansan]

In the book Thin for Life, the author (Fletcher) says many maintainers lose their weight over time in different phases. For many it was not a matter of starting at their high weight, then only stopping at goal. There were interuptions or pauses along the way.

Jan

[dilleight]

Thanks guys,

I've just seen a few people over take me quite severely but I'm glad it's not just me who sticks around at a weight for a bit. I'm a bit lazier than you though almostheaven since I've not lost anywhere near as much!