As of November 1 I've been maintaining a 50-pound weight loss for 2 years. In some ways I consider myself one of the "worst" maintainers around, because I still carry a lot of bad habits with me. I also have a much more freewheeling eating style than many other people on this board. I eat mostly healthy foods and virtually no processed or fast foods, but I eat lots of carbs (about 60% of my cals) including some products made with white flour and sugar. I still overeat massively on occasion, especially when at a restaurant or catered event. I nibble quite a lot throughout the day. I pay no attention whatsoever to my fluid intake, which includes about 4 cups of coffee and 8 oz wine per day.
But if the proof's in the pudding, I guess I'm doing all right. I attribute this to three habits:
1. Consistency with exercise: I work out 4 times a week for a total of 3 hours. I started this regimen after losing the weight and haven't missed a single week.
2. I have fairly small suppers. (I seem to function best if I eat most of my food earlier in the day.)
3. I don't snack much, if at all, in the evenings.
I suppose I may also have some luck on my side: at almost 57 I can maintain on about 2,000 cals per day.
Freelance