Today I was working on my sons year two book. Every year, well there's only been two, I do a photo book in memory of that year. It's birthday to birthday. So I was going through photos from a year ago, which was 50 lbs ago. At that point I felt pretty good, I was already down 70 lbs and had lost the baby weight I'd gained back. I was at a plateau but glad I'd lost whay I had gained back. PBut looking back at the photos and comparing them to more recent photos was really interesting. Part of me was proud, but part of me felt for a moment like I had gained it all back. It just made me realize how truly terrified of regaining I am. I'm not sure when or if that fear will ever subside, but I need to gain the confidence that I can succeed in maintenance the way I've suceeded at weight loss; because I can't go back there.

I think I need to realize that just as there was a transitional period when accepting this new lifestyle there will be an adjustment period into maintenance. For the longest time I was angry I had to eat salads and chicken and less dessert. But eventually it just felt right and I willing choose and craved those things. I can't stay low cal forever just because I feel like I have more control there or because I'm afraid I'll binge away my weekend. I have to accept and learn how to eat more properly.

Anyway, thanks for listening...

Maybe if you "arm yourself" with knowledge, as they say, you'll lose some of that fear. I can totally relate, and I try to tell myself that I'll only gain all that back if I slip into my old habits. Think about it, you didn't get that way by eating healthy and staying active. You WON'T get that way by eating healthy and staying active.

See if there are any nutrition classes available. I know some YMCAs do them, and my gym does them. And again.

Can I just say your achievement is awesome and inspiring and thanks for sharing some of the vulnerability you feel as a "loser." As a yo yo dieter trying to break that cycle, I feel maybe that's what I lacked, that introspection. When I lost the weight, I felt I was invincible and my "weight problem" was a thing of the past. Now I know that no matter what weight I am I will always have to be very vigilant against over eating and over drinking, and getting enough sleep and exercise and the rest of it. Thanks for the insightful post!

That fear will keep you from going back until maintenance becomes an ingrained habit. Embrace it.

that is awesome!

I know how you feel. I'm not even at goal yet, but I also have a fear that I will not know how to maintain my loss once I get there. For the last 8 years I've been either losing weight or gaining weight. It seems that's all I know how to do.

i have the same fear. I am nowhere near my goal yet but I am terrified that I won't know how to do the maintenance and will gain it all back. But I am trying just to tell myself to learn what I can about healthy eating now and once I hit the maintenance part of my journey that I will have the food knowledge to make wise choices.

Regaining is definitely a fear of mine, as is a permanent stall. I think that because of the nature of weight problems, if I want to become and stay at a lower weight, I have to remember how easy it is to gain. But you're right - we need to accept the fear and learn/continue to eat better.

I know I'll need to settle into a lifestyle that I can stick to and alter when needed, just like I did when I was consistently gaining weight.

I think a big hardship with accepting and sticking with a healthy lifestyle is that our culture does not support it. It does support our old lifestyles of being unhealthy. It's hard enough to keep with it, but it's worse when almost my whole home country is against me on it. It's convenient to eat like I did - not so convenient to eat like I do now.

maintenance is like being on a diet, you just add a few hundred calories and maintain like that. You can't go back to your old ways or the weight will come back on. I've maintained a 50 lb loss for about 2 years. It's still a struggle, I fact it's just like a endless diet.