Hi all! My question today is, are there any maintainers here that noticed it became harder to "maintain" as they got older? If so, when did you notice this change?

I ask because I just turned 30, and I'm wondering what my future looks like so I can proactively plan that out. Thanks!

30 ! My you are antique , aren't you ? I don't think age has anything to do with it. Planning is the key. I planned all my meals ahead of time when I was losing and I still do to maintain. It has become a way of life.

I was afraid it may sound like I was complaining about my age like that! Sorry! But my main concern was just with the fact that so many people have told me that the older you get, the harder it is to maintain/lose weight. I may be 30, but I feel like I'm in my 20's still, unlike when I was at 250, I felt like I was in my 50's!

I have heard many maintainers say that it's harder as the get older. I'm a newbie and can't comment, and I'm also ONLY 31 soon to be 32. But as far as I'm concerned I'll just keep on keepin' on til I stop seeing the scale stay still and my clothes stop fitting. Then I figure it may be time to drop the cals or change up the exercise.

I haven't noticed it getting harder over the years from an age standpoint. I started maintaining at 36, am about to be 39. I know women who have said it gets harder over 40, but don't know.

Actually age has a lot to do with it. You can count on cutting 100 calories from your meals or adding 100 calories more of exercise every day for every 10 years starting at 40.

30? ...well aren't you a collectors item girl! ha ha ha NOT! As for myself, NO. I got to goal right before I turned 40 & so far so good approaching 44 & I'm still holdin my own within the range! Of course menopause will be in my future oneday so who knows what that may bring to the "maintenance front" when the hormones get even wonkier & if the metabolism slows down etc. but I try not to worry about that until the time comes instead of making myself ! Life happens, things change, so of course we may have to adjust & tweak things as needed I areckon as we get older, to adapt to our bodies older needs!

Food, exercise, sleep, age: they're all variables which affect weight loss and maintenance.

As Meg sometimes says, we are all an experiment of one. This may affect me but not you. That may affect you but not me.

I think I'd recommend you just keep a weather eye on all the variables as you get older. See how your particular case is affected (or not). And how you feel. I don't feel like eating as much now as I did 20 or 30 years ago. And as a parallel, I'll just mention all the stuff that's written about the peri-menopause and menopause (Doom! Heat! Moods!). Fingers crossed, none of that has happened to me yet and I'm 55. Actually, I'm much less moody. Some might say I'm quite cheerful.

I certainly EXPECT to need fewer calories and carbs as I age. That is a reasonable result of the aging process.

Every day I was in weight loss mode, I was planning my maintanence journey. I realized that it is very easy to live in denial about reality with what my body needs. So to keep me aware, I weigh daily when at home, and record all my food. When times are difficult I preplan. When I go out to eat, I know ahead of time what I am eating. This level of attention, will keep me at my weight goals. It does not matter what those levels are because, I will adjust to them.