I had a revelation this month. I have tried different "diets" over the years which of course never work in the long term unless you stick with it. I needed something that would work for ME. So enter 3FC. I stumbled upon this site and have been so happy to have found it. I read many stories and was so impressed. Especially Meg, Amanda, Glory, and several others I can't think of right now. I realized if I wanted to be a "maintainer" that I need to know more about what they do. So I've been reading alot here and all over the forum and have been impressed. I also purchased the Thin for Life book and it's wonderful.
So thanks to all that have shared what you know and for the welcoming community I have found here!

I am right there w/you would love to be a maintainer can't wait for the day that I am, I was very close and this past year lost it gained weight back but now I am looking forward to getting back on track

Welcome both of you! And you are both maintainers right now.

If you've lost just one pound, then you're maintaining that loss regardless of how much else you want to lose. Every pound we lose is precious and takes us one step further to our goal. And every pound we lose is one that we never, ever want to regain and have to lose again. So we focus on maintaining that loss, even while we're working on losing more.

So we here in Maintainers like to say that maintenance starts on Day One of your diet.

We're glad you're both here and hope to hear lots more from you.

Welcome Chrystal and good luck with your plans. I like what Meg just said about maintaining as we lose. But..um, we all still want to be just like you, Meg!

Thanks Meg, I read your story and that is just awsome a great motivator, I had lost 130lb at one point had ended up gaining 45 back now I am trying to get back on, hoping to get back to were I was a year go by June if not more,

Wow, congratulations on keeping most of it off! At least you caught yourself before it got completely out-of-control. Sadly, so many people gain it all back, and then some.

Stick around here with us and we'll help you stay focused and back on track. You'll be back to where you were in no time -- and then you can finish the job.

It's very exciting when you "finally" come to the conclusion that this whole "diet" thing must be for life. It's when we finally realize that there is no starting and stopping - just continuing. And that realization is what will get us to and keep us at a healthy weight - forever. Sure, we'll struggle at times, but hey, we're in this for life - so yup, we'll get there and stay there.

Good luck to you Chrystal and you too it's my time.

Thanks Meg Yeah and I have a great supporter THE Heather is who showed me this site and so far I am really likeing it.

Thanks everyone! Good luck it's my time! Robin, your story was also so inspiring for me!

The smartest thing to do is think about maintenance when you start losing weight. So many times I lost weight and had not one single plan what to do when I reached my goal weight - no surprise that I gained all the weight back over and over!

This time, I thought about maintenance before I even started, I really think it's key! Good luck

Welcome, ChrystalM and it's my time! How smart of you to think ahead. Congratulations on your successes thus far.

I definitely want to be just like Meg and Mel when I grow up, too! I've found a lot of great role models here at 3fc.