I'd love to pick the brains of the Maintenance Gurus, and see how you feel about weight loss AFTER reaching your goal. I have been pretty steady at 115-117 for the last 1 year or so, but due to an illness about 4 weeks ago, I lost a few more pounds. I've been about 112-113 pounds since then. Not a huge change, I know, but it makes me wonder. Should I just monitor from here? What if I'm ill again, will I have the reserves to heal well? I am reluctant to just increase my calories (1400 per day- STRICTLY), because I have a history of binge eating when I increase calories, and I have been doing so well! Gaining weight just to reach a number feels counter-productive to me, but maybe that is just the old "losing is good, gaining is bad" mentality that I have tired to kick. How have you guys handled these little weight losses- do you just say "well, here I am", or try to regain the losses?
Thanks, guys, you are all such a great inspiration to me!

Boy, I wish that unintended weight loss would happen for me! Unfortunately, it never has, so this is purely theoretical.

What about just continuing on with your normal maintenance routine -- not trying to gain and not trying to lose -- and seeing what happens? My guess is that your body may go back to it's pre-sickness weight, assuming that's where it's comfortable.

But if you continue to maintain at the lower weight level, then you could assess whether you feel it's sustainable to maintain there and if you feel healthy and fit. If it's yes to both, then you could always keep maintaining there. The nice thing about being a little lower than your maintenance weight is that it gives you a little buffer for special events and vacations. Really, it's all about what weight that you feel is healthy and sustainable!

Congratulations on your continued maintenance success!

Hi, I am glad you asked this question, as I've wondered myself. My situation is a little unusual in that I am significantly below my goal weight, which I chose because it was a "normal" BMI for my height and also the lowest weight I could remember having been as an adult (a very food-indulgent adult. I kind of forgot that...). I achieved it almost a year ago and was quite happy. So I kept on exercising as I had been (I had found I really liked exercise and chose to do it more as the process went on, and I got better at it) and kept eating as I had been (my diet is regulated by diabetes concerns, so I eat reduced carb and am very careful with counting that and calories). I continued to lose weight to where I am now, and have been stable now for maybe 3-4 months. I think this is a sustainable weight for me for the present.

This is different from the incremental loss you mention, but it all happened in increments that just added up. As each bit happened, I wondered if I should worry? Was it too much?

I am still within a normal weight range, my doctor tells me I am in excellent health, and for diabetes, thinner is better in my case. I have plenty of energy and I eat enough to be satisfied and not hungry, in general. So all those people who have said, "You're STILL losing weight?" have stopped worrying me, as like you, I wondered if I just had such a fear of gaining that only losing seemed normal.

I came to the conclusion that my body wanted to be at this level, and as long as other signs are ok, I'll just go along with it. For me, I think my original goal weight was too high for all the other factors I now have going, like the change in diet, the exercise, and I have to understand it was just a stab in the dark. Probably something more realistic was about 140. So I look at it that it does give me some flexibility if I should need it (I think back to when I broke my elbow a few years ago and could not exercise for weeks.)

I would not have tried to do this on purpose, but for me it's been about - do the exercise, change the diet, and then let things work out. This is just where it went. I'm shocked, but unlike so many things, it was a pleasant shock!

I think your body will stabilize on its own if you are happy with your diet and exercise. Goal weight numbers take on such significance, maybe sometimes it's more about how you feel and how your overall health is. Either way, you have done so well, I congratulate you!

When I have had my weight dip in the past when I was sick, the weight came back after I went back to eating normal. So I would just go back to your normal routine and see where you are in a few weeks. You most likely lost a little lean body mass when you were sick, and as soon as you return to your normal routine, it will return.

Pink Geranium, I think the BMI is really a bad indicator what weight you should really be. I would go by your body fat reading instead. I'm personally happy with my body in the 18-20% range and find I can maintain that without too much effort. If your body fat drops below maybe 12% that is when you are starting to get into the maybe too lean range that might be a problem, although given that most body fat readings are an estimate and that there is some individual differences in where it really gets to be too lean. Some people feel better a little leaner than others I think.

Thank you guys so much for your thoughtful posts! I tend to get so micro-focused on a couple of pounds that I forget that "cycles" and fluctuations are really much more natural than staying at one arbitrary number for the rest of my life. The weight has stayed down, but my percent body fat is still the same. I think I'll use this as an interesting experiment in how my body responds to stresses like a stomach bug, and just enjoy slightly looser clothes!

Hi, BarbaraB, I agree with you about the BMI vs body fat. Mine (body fat) is 20-21%, I'm happy with that. And all the signs point to it being a good spot for me, since I'm not suffering to maintain it.

Wish I'd known about it when I started losing, but .. my nutritionist focused on BMI and since it fit in with past history, I went for that number. (Maybe it's better I didn't know because I might have had 2nd 3rd 4th thoughts about trying and I was already hostile enough about the whole thing! And I think she was thinking the same thing - if she'd mentioned a body fat number at the time I think I might have just left her office and never come back. )

Anyway, I've become more educated as time has passed and I agree with you about BMI. Not the best indicator of health, a good weight, etc.