Lisa, it felt strange to me at first, too. In fact, when I first tried it, I gave up. Then, someone suggested that I create a "start" time rather than just loosely start with "dinner." So, I set the start time for the day's calorie count with 5 p.m. That seemed to do the trick, and I've been starting my day's count at 5 p.m. ever since.

Update (for those who are interested): I weighed in today, and I'm 135, so I've continued to lose even while averaging more than 2000 calories a day. At this point, I'm going to try to cut out one exercise session per week and increase my calories to 2100 per day. I don't really want to increase my calories more than that because I tend to get into the overeating mode when I feel I have too much "calorie freedom"---if that makes sense.

Lin, I'm having the same issue. I've been eating 1800 calories a day but have still lost weight! I'm very active so I'm thinking I might need to go up to 2000 calories too.

It seems kind if nuts though, since I weigh 120

Please excuse this very dumb question, but as someone who has never maintained a day in her life, this is interesting to me.

My plan was to just eat so that I was not hungry, but basically eating as I do now and doing the same fitness as I do now - 5 hours a week and just see wherer that takes me for weight. I figure 160 is possible for my height and frame size, but, if I just keep doing what I'm doing, I might end up weighing less and I figured at some point I will just stabilize.

Why didn't you guys do that? Out of pure curiosity, not being critical.... I am curious, because as I look at my tummy of loose skin, I wonder what will be as I hit maintenance.... Will I still look flabby? Will I just slowly keep losing for awhile? Or what?

No, it's not a dumb question at all. Actually, I did intend to just eat the way I wanted to eat (i.e., at the calorie level I thought was appropriate) and do the activity I was willing to do and "let the weight fall where it may" so to speak. However, when I got to the size I wanted to be and finally weighed myself (which I didn't do throughout my weight loss journey), I found that eating at the calorie level I thought appropriate was actually putting me below my weight loss goal. The reason that matters is that I tend to look gaunt when I get below a certain point (between 135-140). I know that seems odd because I'm short (5 ft 3) and, theoretically, I should still look fine at even 125, but in reality I do not look my best when I'm under 135 or so (even now, I'm getting "you're too skinny" comments). That's why I'm having to play around with calories / activity level now so that I don't lose more weight (which is a problem I never thought I would have!).

I'm toying with the idea of just following my hunger cues and seeing if I just settle somewhere. It's actually pretty scary though as I'm not sure if I can trust my hunger cues. I've found I had to schedule meals and snacks just to be sure I was eating enough to lose--let alone maintain!

It's one of the reasons why I don't understand why people say "I don't know how you can eat 1200 calories" because 1200 calories was actually enough food for me! :o

Before I would just eat out of boredom. When I eliminated that...there wasn't much left that I was actually eating.

Ever since my little fiasco with my scale being off 10 pounds, I've realized I shouldn't live by the numbers. I never would have attempted to get here had my scale been reading the "right" amount (or maybe I would have, I don't know). Although a few more things make sense now, why I was "stuck" in the 140s for a while when I was really in the 130s.

I like where I am now though. I really would like to just maintain this weight for a while if nothing else and see if I like being here or if I can and should go lower.

I still have a flabby stomach, but it's a lot less flabby than it was 20 pounds ago. It sucks because my arms and legs are really muscular now, but for some reason my core just doesn't respond to anything! Blah! :dizzy:

Thanks guys (gals). My stomach is horrible and I figure it will be forever. It's like a bowl of jelly. I'm having a hard time figuring out if it is fat or loose skin with fat attached to it that will stay with me. I know I'm not at goal yet, but I would like to have an idea when I get there. I would like to feel it's "over". I don't know why I feel that way as I know it will never be over. I will always have to be vigilant, but I just want my head to be at the "maintain" mode and not think about why am I not losing any more. And don't want to be at a weight that I have to be so vigilant that I can't have an occasional dessert or larger meal.... It's tricky.

Thanks guys (gals). My stomach is horrible and I figure it will be forever. It's like a bowl of jelly. I'm having a hard time figuring out if it is fat or loose skin with fat attached to it that will stay with me. I know I'm not at goal yet, but I would like to have an idea when I get there. I would like to feel it's "over". I don't know why I feel that way as I know it will never be over. I will always have to be vigilant, but I just want my head to be at the "maintain" mode and not think about why am I not losing any more. And don't want to be at a weight that I have to be so vigilant that I can't have an occasional dessert or larger meal.... It's tricky.

Yeah, I hear ya. Oddly enough, in many ways, it seems easier to restrict than it is to eat up to my maintenance calories (2100-2200 per day). I almost feel guilty for eating what I'm eating----which is odd since I allowed myself treats many times a week when I was losing. Weird!

As for the stomach, I know what you mean. I still have a pooch and my belly-button is a frown. It's not pretty, but I do look good in clothes, and frankly, that's enough for me. I'm trying to focus on the positive---what looks better and what feels better.

Good luck to you!