I've lost like 60 lbs, and I'm starting to get scared that I'm going to gain it back. It sounds silly, because of course its within my control. But in the past, this is about the lowest-ish weight I'd get to then I'd stop working out and starting over eating and gain it back.

I feel like this time is different because I'm not "on a diet" but I've made lifestyle chages, but I feel like somehow I'm going to revert back to my old ways and gain it all back. Like this healthier me is only a phase, like it has been in the past.

Anyone else feel this way? Does it ever feel "normal" to be a healthier person? Will I ever break free of the "fat girl on a health kick" feeling that lurks in the back of my mind???

I ALWAYS feel this way. I've been at this for 2 months and have lost 16 lbs. but I've done that before, many times. Three-ish months is my standard. And I wasn't extreme, crash dieting in the past. I was making fairly sensible changes. In those past attempts, it was easy while it lasted and then it's like a switch was flipped and I just didn't care a lick about all the good changes I'd made. So yeah, I'm afraid it's going to happen again. But all I can do at this point is to try and keep on soldiering on.

I worry about this too - I keep catching myself thinking about all the foods I can eat once I've lost 'the weight'. I know this is a really bad way to think, as I'm sure I would only gain the weight back. On the other hand, the thought of never ordering pizza or eating a cream cake again fills me with dread. Is being thin really worth it?

I think it's about control - Yes, I can order pizza again and eat the whole thing, but then for the rest of the week be super-healthy and up the workouts.

You say you've made lifestyle changes and that's brilliant, you're definitely on the right track. The longer you maintain, the longer you'll realise that the healthy you isn't a face, it's your new, happier, healthier way of life, and the overweight you is a thing of the past. Stay strong!

I'm scared too. I feel like I'm going to wake up one day and all of my new habits will just melt away, despite being very happy and satisfied every day. Even when I feel like eating extra, and I have a few extra hundred calories, I end up just feeling stuffed and not well anyways so it's become totally not worth it. But somehow I feel like it's all just going to come back! I hope this fear does fade...I'm thinking that it will with time?? I've only been maintaining for a few weeks...actually I'm still slowly losing....need to do a bit more tweaking!

For me, the feeling never goes away that some evening, at the stroke of midnight, I'll be turned back into a pumpkin.

And it's been a couple years now since I lost 100 pounds.

Every day in which the fat remains in remission is still something of a gift.

Look, we don't know what life is going to hand us next. No one ever knows. Things happen & it's hard to maintain a healthy routine & healthy habits. We just have to keep doing the best we can, under whatever circumstances, and be consistent. There really is nothing else we can do.

It's entirely up to us. It's a series of choices we make all day long, every day.

I carry that fear every day of my life. I carried it every time I've lost a significant amount of weight (30-40 lbs). Eventually my fears became reality...I've always gained the weight back, PLUS more.

HOWEVER ... by losing significant amounts of weight 6-7 times in my adult life, I have proven to myself that IT CAN BE DONE. I can do it! I've done it! I know what has caused me to revert back to old eating habits & stopped exercising in the past. My challenge to myself is to find a way to NOT do that (AGAIN!) Sounds simple, eh? Well, it is! But by no means is it EASY. I fight with myself every single day about what foods I KNOW are not "good for me" ....but they TASTE so heavenly! I fight with myself almost at every meal "wow, that was delicious! I want some more!!" ....And hey, I'm a physical kinda broad, but some days I just want to mellow out in front of the boobtube & be a lazy chica! UGH!

So I *fear* that I will never beat that fear. Even tho I'm not at goal on *this round of weight loss*, I still fear gaining back up to my highest weight (192). And even when I was at 128 about 12 years ago, I STILL had that fat feeling ("why can't I get down to 120????" etc) and feared each little pound that showed on the scale, even when it was clearly water weight fluctuation.

For me, the bottom line is I FEAR FAT. In all its forms. I don't think I'll ever NOT fear it. And maybe that fear is outlandish, & maybe it hinders me somehow... but maybe, just maybe, it's a healthy fear in its own way & that's what's kept me from being 250 lbs (or more).

I'm afraid, too. And I've been maintaining a 60+ lb. weight loss for several years now.

I think the thing that sticks in our minds is that a huge percentage of individuals who have lost weight regain it. It's scary!

However I weigh myself daily so I can nip any regains in the bud. I continue to eat carefully, stressing the healthy mix of foods. I continue to push myself to exercise. I'm hopeful . . . .

Wow, this is so ME too! I ate off plan last night and the scale registered a gain this morning. I know for a fact that it was water retention (the soup I ate might as well been a bowl of salt) but it's things like that that scare me. I endulged in a creamy, calorie rich food item and my mind is messing with me. I won't be happy until I see that water loss. So, yeah -- is it really worth it?

To that I say, "HECK YEAH!". As long as I am constantly keeping myself in check whether it be in weight loss mode or maintenance. Because I love getting dressed in the morning. I love shaving my skinnier legs. I love my energy. I love looking good in jeans again. I love working out. I love being happy. I love having my smile back. I LOVE ME! Every morning I want to give myself great big !

I say hold onto that fear and vulnerability because that will give you the incentive to wake up everyday with a renewed resolve to stay healthy and thin.

Congratulations to you (ALL OF YOU) on your tremendous weight loss. Think back to when you started your journey. Do you really want to do that all over again? I think not!

This is a real fear for me too. I've lost 125- maintained it for years, gained back 50, lost some, gained some, ended up back at 267, lost down to 190, gained back to 235 and am now at 198. I have finally come to the conclusion that I will have to journal my calories for the rest of my life. If I want pizza I have 2 slices and a big salad- rather than half a pizza and a soda.
I never want to gain that weight back, but I never wanted to gain it in the first place. I will always struggle with this.
I quit smoking a year ago and I still want a cigarette when I get stressed, when I finish a big project (cleaning the house), and at various other trigger activities. I know I don't want to be a smoker, so I don't listen to these cravings. But I can just not buy cigarettes. My food addiction... I feel like I might always be in recovery.

I fear this too (even though I haven't really lost that much as of yet - I just fear I can't keep going) - and I'll start not caring .....

... I've had a few setbacks recently and am too scared to hop on the scale....

....Stress at work has always ended my efforts in the past ....

My food plan is all over the place but I have kept up the exercise ... I know I've picked the wrong one if I want to lose weight but i'm hoping I'll get back to a more balanced life soon .....

I'm not scared in the slightest.

Understanding that fat loss or gain is a matter of calories and not an arcane science changed everything for me.

My personality is one where I feel I can control most situations and outcomes. Even the ones I know I can't control I know I can contol my reaction to them.

I am not scared to gain the weight back, but I do remember when I was heavy how bad I felt and how sick I was. I couldn't go back to that if I wanted to. My whole regime is different and I've created new habits. Totally addicted to this lifestyle. Not scared, but if it were to happen it would really be unfortunate and shameful for me.

I have times when I feel I can maintain and others when I worry that a light will be switched for me too and I'll go back to binge eating.

Last night, I watched The Biggest Loser and it was fascinating because they had the finalists record a message to their thinner selves and they watched their heavier selves on the t.v. telling the thinner self to keep at it and to never go back. It really made me cry! I wish I had thought of sending myself this kind of a message as a reminder, but instead, I'll just think back to their messages as a motivator.

It's so easy to fall off track and sabotage myself, but I am going to do my very best to never do that again.

Yes, I am. I want more kids therefore I KNOW I will face this obstacle again.

I haven't even lost it yet and I'm already scared of gaining it back because I always do.