This was posted in the "When does this become normal" thread, I read it, and thought it was so very important to us here in this forum, that it really should have it's own post so that more folks here could see it. It is originally posted in the maintainer's forum - but I really think all of us here should read it. It is written by Meg ~

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51478

Thanks so much for linking this here. That was VERY informational, and a good read!!! Now I know more about what I have to look forward to.

lol - I just had to add:

Scientific Proof: Life's not fair!

That is REALLY an eyeopener, but really good to know!!

Thanks for sharing. Now, I can start preparing my mind for maintenance. Subconsciously, I catch myself thinking about what I can eat once I get the weight off. In reality, I won't really get to eat everything like I dream of.

It kinda makes me want to cry because there will never be an off day. Either way, I like being active and eating better. I feel better since getting off the fried foods.

Sure you can have an "off plan" day! You just have to plan it! And make sure that you get right back on board with healthy eating. Last weekend, I had a huge piece of birthday cake plus gelato and some other things I won't mention. But I got right back on plan and today I weigh what my ticker says. An occasional indulgence won't cause a person to gain it all back--it's making those indulgences an every day occurrence that does it.

Oh, wow, how right you are, Sheila! An occassional indulgence isn't what got me to 246 pounds, it was the daily over-indulgences!

I'm with Sheila on that one, definitely! I'm a firm believer that this notion that you can NEVER have an off day is the biggest factor that derails people's weight loss efforts. You just have to get right back ON after your off day! I've had off days and off meals all throughout my weight loss journey, and yet my loss has been consistent. We need to LET GO of the idea that you can't eat certain foods ever again. Yes, I know some foods can trigger a binge and if so, you should avoid them. But the idea that you will never again eat bread or cake or whatever else you're studiously avoiding is, for most of us, unrealistic. For years, I thought I had to completely forbid certain foods, and when I did all it made me do was get frustrated and annoyed and binge on those very foods. When I realized I could do the moderation thing, I lost 108 pounds. I just made sure I didn't go over my calorie limit on ALMOST every day. And now that I'm about to enter a maintenance phase fairly soon, the same will still be true. Sorry, I just won't live a life that doesn't include the occasional slice of birthday cake. But you CAN have a thin, healthy body and the occasional slice of birthday cake! They're not mutually exclusive!

(Sorry, I get a little crazy on this topic!)

Indeed! I'll have days off, but it's going to be a mission of mine to weigh myself regularly, so that I can stay on top of things and make sure I don't lose control.
Very interesting reading.