I recently declared maintenance because I'm happy with my body as far as my weight loss. I was wondering what your guys experiences were and what I can expect while I try to figure out my calories? Did you guys lose or gain more? How did you change your mindset to stop losing? Things like that...Thank you

When I reached goal, I decided to stick to the same eating plan as when I was losing weight, with just a bit more latitude. I think that's why I've found it easier to maintain this time. In previous attempts I reverted to old habits and quickly regained the weight.

F.

I didn't change much, I still did everything I did when I was losing. I added a treat once in awhile but didn't make any major change.

I didn't change much either. Same idea, just more calories. I wound up losing 10lbs more though AFTER I increased my calories. Probably a combination of strength training and the increased cals or something.

I actually eat very similar to how I did when I was losing and the extra calories I need usually come from a protein shake or a second portion of a lean protein

I don't count calories, which I sense isn't going to be helpful to you. I just kept eating the way I had while losing but watched the losses slow down and then stop entirely. I dropped a few more pounds last summer, after I changed up my exercise routine and added strength training. Then I regained a little after a very stressful event in my life which forced me to relocate and completely changed my routine. My experience with maintenance hasn't consisted of flat-lining at a single number but rather monitoring myself within about a 10-pound range that zags up & down a lot, with me reacting as promptly as possible to the zags upward.

I've been attempting maintenance since Nov. 2011. I seem to have found the calorie amount I can eat (2200 per day) with my current exercise schedule (2 hours of mainly moderate walking most days).

I will tell you that it isn't any easier. In fact, it seems harder to stay within my larger calorie range than it was to eat within my losing range (1400 per day). Some days, I feel as if I'm hanging on by my fingernails.

I declared myself at goal because calorie counting was becoming too much for me. I had decided at the beginning of my journey that I refused to even start doing things that I was unwilling to do permanently. I did continue to lose after I hit maintenance--12 lbs over the next 3 months.

Maintenance is pretty much like losing. Calorie counting taught me many things and generally helped me lasso my eating. I don't have any trouble with regular exercise, it's the eating that gets me into trouble. Like Lin, I have good days and bad days. I just aim to have more good than bad.

I basically stopped calorie counting, but continued to eat the same foods I was eating and continued the same exercise routine. Just stopping calorie counting, even though I'm still conscious of portions, was enough for me. I listen to my body, eat when I'm hungry and eat reasonable portions and that is how I have maintained my weight for the last year+

My weight fluctuates in a 5 lb range at all times. I lost a little more at one point and gained some recently (but it's muscle, I've been weight lifting)- so basically I've stayed the same size the whole time. Same jeans. I was just thinking "Hey, these jeans are wearing out!" It's been awhile since that happened! I kept changing sizes so many times during weight loss, they never had the chance to wear out.

I'm one of the weirdos who has found weight maintenance a lot easier than losing weight was, so far.

I never "officially" hit maintenance - I stopped losing because I developed a binging problem, which put 5-10 more pounds on me, and now I am slowly becoming leaner and losing a few pounds since I stopped binging and have recently begun to work out a lot more.

Counting calories may be what drove me crazy, but different strokes for different folks. I don't really consider myself a maintainer because I'm always going to want to lose 5 pounds, but I have stayed within a stable weight range for a couple months which is essentially maintaining, isn't it? :P

I basically try to eat intuitively and make sure I get balanced nutrients. I feel physically and mentally better if I don't overeat, so I try to avoid overeating. My diet is not different from how it was when I was actively losing - maybe I eat a little more now, but it's all the same food.

I just slid into maintenance. I never had a goal weight, just continued to lower my calories until I levelled out a size/weight I was comfortable with. I never got that "increase your calories and lower your exercise once you hit maintenance" thing either. I just continued pretty much the same diet and exercise regimen, cleaning up my diet a little.

As I've become fitter, I have increased the intensity of my exercise, while putting in the same hours each week. And since I started doing barre and kettlebell workouts, I've lost a pants size while gaining a little weight (but since the extra weight is muscle, like k8yk, I don't count that as a regain).

I used a meal replacement program to lose weight, so I had a long transition back to "real" food and gradually upping my calories and exercise. It took about 10 weeks for me to get to a place where I thought I was really in maintenance. For me I made changes once a week and then saw what happened then made another change, etc. I lost another 7 lbs during the transition. So far I have been maintaining in a range that is 3 to 7 lbs under my goal weight for 6 months. My advice is to take it slowly and really think about what you can sustain for the long term. Good luck and congratuations!