Absolutely right !

Thank you for posting this! There is no way I would ever want to eat the junk and go back to how i was before. It truly is a lifestyle change.

Well I am not at goal, but I have been maintaining my loss now for almost a year. I don't eat obsessively, but I don't eat with no limits either. I eat in balance, thus my weight is in balance. What will keep it in balance, gaining or losing, will change as my weight drops, but there is no way I can eat like I did at 260-270 pounds and not expect to look like that again! A serving of candy or an extra slice of pizza once in a blue moon or scheduled into my daily calories won't make me fat again, but there are definite limits to how much junk I can eat and it is at the LOWER end of consumption.

I was always able to lose but wan't able to maintain. I went thrugh the lose,regain.lose regain many times. When I got to goal the last time, I asked the people on themaintainers forum how they were able to maintain their loss, some of them for years. I was amazed to hear that you maintain it the same way you lost it. What a concept ! I tried it and it works ! I still count calories, still plan all my meals ahead and still exercise.

I still eat the same delicious foods, in the same portion sizes. I keep to my definite no's, changing them up from time to time as need be. I still pre-plan ALL my foods, I still count (estimate) calories. I take snacks with me when I'm on the go, bigger meals with me as necessary. I bring actual journaling in and out as needed as well as a few other tricks in my bag when necessary. I am *on top* of my weight, as it's one of the most important things in my life.

What I have changed? I have the occasional planned splurge meal, from time to time. I've had more than quite a few unplanned splurges as well and a few stretches of time of *off* eating. The longest one was 10 days. I've had an 8 day one as well. When I was losing - this was NOT the case. I was not willing to have a stall or a gain. When I made the DECISION to lose the weight, that was that.

I think those *cheat* meals do lots more damage than the actual calories themselves and it makes this whole process not only much longer, but much,much, much harder.

This healthy way of eating now IS my lifestyle. Almost like a religious thing, kinda, sorta. It is automatic and for me to do differently would be ludicrous and out of character. For me, there was no losing the weight and than *going back to normal*. I created a new normal. A sane one. A delightful one.

I still "cheat" frequently. I don't like calling it cheating or splurging or even treats though. I still eat off plan frequently, perhaps, but a key in my plan is the fact that I've allowed myself to eat junk food sometimes so it's not even really "off plan."

Shoot, yesterday I ate a turkey drumstick and french fries and didn't feel guilty.

90% of this whole process has been mental for me. I know that to keep myself mentally in the game, nothing can be forbidden. So even with my frequent and significant "cheats," I still lost the weight at a good pace, and I'm not going to change my eating habits if it doesn't affect my maintenance.

So no, I haven't changed my eating habits from loss mode to maintenance mode. I still have my indulgences. The only thing that I changed was adding 100 and then 100 more calories to my "on plan" eating days. I no longer eat 1300-1600, I eat 1500-1800.

I'm with you. All the "cheat day" and "eating anything you want when you go out" post are just people who will be on different diets all their lives because they never learn that if you continue to eat the foods that made you overweight in the first place, in the wrong quantities, etc. you will just be a yo-yo dieter and never maintain.

I do speak from experience. I joined WW in 1972 weighing a whopping 356 pounds. I reached my goal weight in 1977 (took me awhile to learn it had to be a lifestyle) and maintained that weight until a few years ago when I had some bad health problems that now required me to go on Prednisone several times a year. I have 8 pounds to get back to goal.

Back in the early '70s we had no fat-free, low-fat, 100-calorie packs, etc. We learned to eat real food and limit the quantities. I do make use of fat-free and no-fat from things like cheese, margarine, and salad dressing and mayo. I do not use any prepared foods or box mixes, etc. I allow myself one dessert of no more than 200 calories once a week. The rest of my food is fruits, vegetables, lean meat, seafood, beans, whole grains, dairy, good fats (including nuts). Fast food, most desserts, snack. foods are too sugary/salty, fatty and don't taste good anymore. I do not feel deprived.

Life is good!

The whole thing - losing weight and maintaining that loss - is a process that is never-ending.

I weigh myself daily, without fail. I eat carefully, within reason. I enjoy life and the good foods that God has provided.

I could regain all the weight I lost, but I won't. It would be very easy for me to regain it all. I could do it so easily, so quickly. But I won't because I am working on this healthy life I have found and I certainly don't want to lose it.

I eat the same way, but more. For occasions/celebrations, I will now allow myself things which I did not have while losing (alcohol, dessert), but the rest is now so second nature to me that I just know that I`ll make it up (rather than being anxious that I may set myself up for a week of bingeing).

JoJoJo puts it so beautifully.

I enjoy being thinner, happier, healthier and I can do things now as an older person I couldn't do when I was younger and much heavier. I like eating cleaner, healthier food. I like the way I feel eating less and moving more. I enjoy my life more. I am not yet at my goal weight, but I will be soon and I am delighted with living this way.

I guess it depends what you mean by "cheating". I for one never considered an occasional zero deficit higher calorie meal cheating. I hate the WORD cheating because it implies not following a plan, when in many cases the PLAN is to have a higher fat/calorie meal once a week. If it is part of the plan, it isnt cheating.

I just posted on the buffet thread about my strict "chocolate every day pizza every week" diet.

Although I have to admit I find some of my planned zero deficit days really really fun. (I never have a deficit the day before a race I really care about). And that isnt cheating either. It's my plan.