I haven't been frequenting the boards here lately which is always a bad sign for me! When I am not here its usually because I am feeling guilty about not being on plan. I am back with renewed strength to finish losing this weight once and for all. My issues started before Christmas when I decided to take a break and eat at a maintenance level throughout the holidays. Shortly after, I lost another pound and ended up at 144 which was a pound less than my original goal of 145. I was feeling good and although I could have lost the last 5 or 10 I planned on, I decided to take a shot at maintaining for a month or two as a "break" and to decide if I really wanted to lose any more.

Well, I am back and I am ashamed that I have to move my ticker up three and a half pounds. At least, I think I have gained this much. Some of it could be excess fluid from eating more salt. I will get a proper weight over the next week. This has been an accumulation since Christmas which is about a pound a month. While that is not horrible, I still feel letdown and a little nervous about my abilities to keep the weight off when I finally hit my goal. Everyone always says that maintaining is harder than losing and I just didn't get that. I figured that I had what it takes after accomplishing a loss of 100 pounds. It didn't seem all that complex to just eat a little more and enjoy an occasional treat. Problems started when I stopped officially calorie counting and I just eyeballed portions. Honestly, there were times when I knew that I was eating way too much but I told myself I would get back on track tomorrow, then tomorrow led to the next day etc. For myself, it's the internal dialogue that does the most damage. I can talk myself into believing that an extra large chocolate bar is acceptable as a snack lol.

Anyway, I just needed to make a post for accountability and to explain why my ticker has moved..in the wrong direction . I have been totally on plan today and I am ready to get back on track.
I hope nobody is annoyed that I am whining about a pathetic 3-4 pound gain. The amount of weight is not really the issue. My issue is that I failed at maintenance and I fear I may always struggle with my weight. The last thing I want to become is a Yo-Yo dieter.

I'm glad to be back and I feel a strange sense of relief that I am back on plan and I don't need to feel guilty about my food choices again. I have spent the last couple months feeling guilty and unsettled about everything I ate. It's not a good way to live.

No, nobody here is going to be annoyed or thinking that you whining. Not at all.

You aren't a maintenance failure. Fluctuations are normal, I tend to jump up and down within a 5-6 pound window pretty easily. And, if you don't like where you are there is no one to tell you it is silly to worry about three pounds. Taking control and getting back to where you feel comfortable is the best thing that you can do.

I used to feel guilty about everything I ate, but have found that they have slowed down over the last few years. I also find that I'm more comfortable now with the fluctuations than I used to be.

Good luck honey, and welcome back. We are here for you.

Absolutely nobody is going to be annoyed about you at all.

What you have experienced is what all of us "maintainers" experience. It is very difficult to keep those "regain demons" in check. Those lbs. we have lost are just waiting to reattach themselves to our bodies.

While fluctuations are very normal, they do need to be watched. I keep myself within a 3-lb. window by weighing myself each and every morning. If I find that I have gained more than the 3-lb. I have allowed myself, I know it is time to do something about it. So I do it.

Maintaining a weight-loss is difficult, but it can be done. You are showing that you are aware that it is going to be difficult, good for you.

So enjoy life. You have lost a lot of weight, be very proud of that. Just be a little cautious and you will be just fine in the maintaining of that weight loss.

This is my first time losing weight with 3FC; but, I have gone up and down more times than I want to count. I am hoping that this will be my last time, because I am hoping I will have YOUR power to admit I am going up and need help to start over at 3 or 4 pounds, rather than at 40, 50, 60...

CONGRATULATIONS!!

This is what I was thinking exactly! I hope that I have the same awareness you had. One of my fears is getting to my goal weight and starting maintenance. I think that is one of the reasons why I keep lowering my goal weight. LOL No, but really, you truly are an inspiration for getting to your goal weight and keeping it off. Because although you MIGHT have a 3 or 4 pound gain --- you are still VERY SUCCESSFUL!

Congats!

Maintenance is hard! I'm a lifetime WW member. Lost the weight, maintained for the 6 weeks to make lifetime. And then, it was like, well now what? I've won all the awards.

So over a period of 3 years I gained back 30 pounds. Now I'm back down to within 10 pounds of my original goal weight. I'm trying to wrap my head around this maintenance game. I've lost and gained off and on my whole life.

I joined the local gym and while sweating my butt off today on the treadmill, on my LUNCH HOUR! I thought about it. About how I have to have some new goals to meet, more fitness related than weight loss related. I thought about finding balance. I think the balance to me is going to be staying on track during the week, but giving myself a little breathing space on weekends. Say from noon on Saturday, to supper time on Sunday. Then it's back on tracking. And not go crazy on the weekend, but enjoy a few things.

Just my thoughts. I don't want to have to lose this weight again!

I could have written your post word for word.

Maintenance IS hard.

I'm fighting the 10 pounds I keep gaining and losing. I swear I feel worse at 170 than I ever did at over 200 pounds. But, even knowing how much I love being 160, I am still fighting the demon of emotional eating. I go on week long binges where it feels like I'm in a trance. It takes a lot for me to get out of them, too. And before I know it, I'm looking at 170-172 on the scale.

Anyway, yeah, I understand. You aren't alone.

I know no one wants to hear this, but for me maintenance is much harder than weight loss. It's very complicated to explain, but I've finally decided that my issues with weight run much deeper that the scale or my dress size and I've decided now that the physical work is done for me it's time to do the mental work. It really is a body & MIND transformation. My mental work envolves a lot of positive self talk and coming to peace with food and putting my life in balance so that it doesn't consume me.

I always thought that dealing with the mental issues of weight loss was just too much work and that "loving yourself" was so cheesy, but I can't tell you how important it is and how much I wish I had done it along the way. If I had I don't think I'd be struggling with binging the way I am now and I think I would have felt like my current weight was enough instead of wondering what 5 more lbs would by like.

The good news is it's never too late. I am currently working through my issues and making some pretty great improvements and while I know these kinds of issues don't plaugue everyone it's a pretty good bet that many of us aren't overweight or struggle with maintenance just because we over eat from time to time, why we over eat is a big part of the equation.

Anyway, sorry for getting so wordy and philoshopical, but this post struck a cord with me because I agree maintenance IS hard, but it doesn't have to be if we want to do the work.

Thanks girls . I really needed these posts this morning! I hoped on the scale for the first time this week and I was 150!! I haven't seen the 150's for so long now. I could have cried but I had to put my mom face on and get the kids off to school. I am not moving my ticker just yet because I a still hoping that at least some of it it salt related and not that buffet that I indulged in on a date night a few days ago. This is a place I would have never went to when I was on track. I told myself that I was going back on a "diet" so I should have a big meal and make it count, one last time . Well, it counted alright, counted on the scale. I wonder if, subconsciously, I gained a bit of weight back on purpose so I could have the "rewards" of seeing myself lose weight again. Like shcirerf said, once the loss is over there are no awards to be won, hence no motivators.

I am feeling reassured that I am not alone in the maintenance struggle. Ncuneo, I could not have put it better myself. It is time to focus on the emotional aspects of my eating. This is where I am going wrong. These mind games I play with myself, have to stop if I am ever going to be successful. I think I should pull out the Dr. Beck book that I only half read. Perhaps that would be a good place to start

Yep, I had to change my ticker yesterday to reflect a 3 lb. gain. So now sitting at exactly 100 lbs lost. Which was my original goal, but then that was so close to "normal" BMI I set my goal lower. But somehow lost my motivation for a final push. Instead of increasing my exercise, I let other things in my life take a front seat and cut back my exercise. Still exercising, but not enough to keep a calorie deficit going. Not logging food anymore with excuse that I don't cook for myself anymore (new beau cooks). I keep trying to redesign my plan to fit my new life but the redesigns seem to include some scary eating behaviours I thought I left behind in my 20s so still working on something that will work for me now that I'm down at this part of the scale.

If you like Beck, may I suggest the IOWL podcasts by Renee Stephens, so much more powerful.

Thanks for the tip! I will have a listen

I am happy to report that I have been on plan since Monday and I am feeling positive again. Its such a relief to not feel guilty about my food choices anymore. I have decided to stay off the scale for a week or so to let my sodium levels and bloating settle a bit. Another 150 weigh in is just too discouraging at this point.

thanks again girls

[QUOTE=ncuneo;3769040]I know no one wants to hear this, but for me maintenance is much harder than weight loss. It's very complicated to explain, but I've finally decided that my issues with weight run much deeper that the scale or my dress size and I've decided now that the physical work is done for me it's time to do the mental work. It really is a body & MIND transformation. My mental work envolves a lot of positive self talk and coming to peace with food and putting my life in balance so that it doesn't consume me.

i always liked NCUNEO's goal of "happy". I think learning to be happy with your body and life is a big part of being healthy. It also reflects the mental part you have to deal with. Taking joy in movement and exercise, joy in the food you eat without it taking over your life, and taking joy in your life outside of food.
I have been hovering too for a while, and put on a couple of pounds too while breaking from weight loss efforts. So I am with you sweetnlow, time to push off what we put back on and even push for the next loss. I decided I want to lose to about 160 before summer.
Here we go!

sweetnlow28: the Beck book really helped me with these issues. If you like it, consider joining us in the Beck thread on 3FC. It's a very supportive place for losers and maintainers alike.

This is exactly where I am too, Cali Doll. Ever since Christmas holidays it's just been creeping emotional eating, binges, periods of "I don't care." Up and down, right now I am up and terrified to weigh.