Boy oh boy are you lucky! I say that because I understand that, yet even after the loss, after really loving my "new" healthy lifestyle, adopting and loving exercise, I still struggle every day. I know it's a matter of cals, but that doesn't seem to keep the urge to binge away for me. I guess it depends on your situation, I'm coming to realize we're all wired differently when it comes to food and you just have to find out how you're wired and find that grove that works for you and that's when it comes to losing it and keeping it off.

I'd love to say that maintenance is awesome and easy, but it's hard fricken work and it's WAY harder that weight loss. This is something I've been secretly thinking, but I'm kinda glad I've gained about 10 lbs back because it means I get to go back to weight loss mode which is a simple safe place where I know the terrain and I know what to do, like John said - calories in, calories out. But the other good news is that I'm snapping back after 10 lbs and not 100 so...that is a very positive thing for me, that I feel insure I won't gain it all back.

I am lucky in two ways.

1) I am very big. Even though my BMR is low for my size I still maintain around 2800 calories so unless I'm really making bad choices I can eat a lot.

2) I found and love intermittent fasting. Since I don't eat till 2 PM I am able to eat larger and more satisfying meals.

Between the two of those things - maintaining is a breeze. Of course I still have to watch it - I can eat with the best of them.

I try not to even think about the possibility of gaining everything back, because I'm not even halfway to where I want to be yet...and thinking about the possibility of gaining it all back would most likely send me into the binge to end all binges.

But, I think that's where my determination to think of this as anything but a "diet" comes in. I know that in a thread recently there was a bit of a debate about the actual meaning of the word versus the psychological meaning, and for me, I cannot think of this as a diet, or I will fail. End of story, case closed. Because all my life, I have witnessed people who have "gone on a diet", lost the amount of weight they wanted to lose, and then stopped "the diet." If I do that -- if I get to my goal weight and give up what I've been doing -- then the weight's going to come back.

So obviously, for me personally, I can't think of this as a diet, no matter what the actual meaning of the word is. It's different for everyone, of course, but there you have it.

Right now I am at my lowest weight in about 15 years, and I can't really imagine what it'll be like to arrive at my goal weight (I still have 52 pounds to go.) But I'm sure that once I get there, I'm going to try my damndest to remember, every day, the work I put into getting there, as well as the health benefits I've given myself. Hopefully that will be enough to keep me from gaining any back.

I had gastric bypass surgery and lost 150 pounds. I gained half my weight back. The regain started (the first 50 pounds of it) because of medication, and I kind of said to myself, "Well, ****, if all that work has already gone to waste, screw it!" I got lazy, both in my activity and in my food choices. I got complacent and started grazing all day. I ignored everything I'd been taught until one day I couldn't ignore it anymore.

What's keeping me going this time is that I've done it before. I KNOW I can lose the weight. I KNOW what I look like and what I feel like at a smaller size. And I KNOW I do not want to look or feel like THIS again EVER.

I got married this past October. My wedding pictures are beautiful because we had an amazing photographer and we are clearly so happy and so in love. But part of me hates those pictures, because it's the FAT me in those pictures. I can never redo that day and put the thin me into those photos. I looked beautiful, to be sure, but I was still fat.

We have a post-wedding session reserved with our photographers. It was supposed to be a "rock the dress" shoot, but my DH and I decided to wait until we've each lost more weight and do some photos this fall for our anniversary. He'll be about forty pounds lighter, and with some hard work, I'll be about 65 pounds lighter, than the day we were married. So, while it won't be a redo, it will be a nice reminder of how we spent the first year of our marriage - helping each other get healthy.

I call myself 4xcharm, because I've been here 3 times before, and gained the weight and self-despising back. I joined a weight support group this time. TOPS, and so far the weekly weigh-ins have kept me on track. My goal, I think keeping a fresh goal in mind also helps, is to keep to my goal weight for a year. 3 more months to go. It is very hard....but it can be done!

I have lost this weight once before and this time I am keeping it off! I do have concerns that I will gain it back sometimes but I have been losing slowly, I started September of last year. I think I have lost all of 6 pounds since January but I am more toned and stronger than I ever have been.

All my attempts in the past were to lose quickly and revert right back to my old habits- no exercise and huge portions. This time I have found a love for pilates, I can't imagine skipping a week of it. Also, my love of cooking has gotten stronger and even though there might be a week or so where life gets in the way and I don't cook I know that I will come back to it and get back on track.

I am. I am just 5 months into maintaining and I still worry about it. Especially given the fact that I do not have children yet I wonder if I will be able to regain my figure after having babies. But my approach so far is working - I take it a day at a time and I make sure I weigh every morning to keep tabs on myself.

Totally agree here! But I find it easier now that's it been over 2 years maintaining for me. I know what makes me gain and what doesn't so it is easier now that I'm trying to drop another 25lbs...weight loss is hard right now. LOL!

Me, too. I've yo-yoed so much in the last 25ish yrs. Lose 20, gain 40, lose 40, gain 30. Lather, rinse, repeat.

This time, I am doing the emotional work I need to do. I am figuring out what triggers binges. I am figuring out how to cope with stress without food. I am figuring out how to have fun without food.

That isn't an unreasonable fear. Most people gain the weight back. Maintenance only works when you've accomplished a real lifestyle change, and most people don't change their lifestyles when they lose weight, so most of them gain the weight back.

Lisa - your story brought a tear to my eye, in a good way! It's lovely to hear that you have found love, and you're so positive about getting healthy with your husband - I wish you both the best of luck on your journey to a healthy happy life together!

This has really helped me to stay hopeful. It's great to know that you can deal with life getting in the way and get straight back on track again, I hope I can have the same attitude to you once I reach maintenance!

Awww, thanks! I am feeling pretty positive and you want to know why? I've done the depressed and ashamed thing, and it did nothing for me. I just continued to gain and feel awful, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I had two epiphanies this year. First was when my mother told me she'd been diagnosed with diabetes. I knew that I had to get myself in check so that didn't happen to me.

I'm turning 40 in September, and I've been dealing with the angst that comes along with that milestone. My second wake up call came in March, when two college friends passed away - one by an "undisclosed" reason (and we can't get any other info!) and one from brain cancer. Both of these men were 40 years old, and as I cried over their deaths, as I considered the families they left behind, I kept thinking they were too young to be taken. Then it hit me - if 40 is too young to die, then it can't be too young too live.

J didn't choose to have brain cancer. He didn't choose to leave his wife and three small children. He was a vibrant, funny, intelligent, generally awesome person who had to deal with too much in his young life. If J could fight his battle so valiantly, what excuse did I have for sitting on my couch, crying about being fat and turning 40?

So that was it. This is something within my control. No more whining, no more angst, no more excuses. Time to be positive and live my life.