Hi everyone-
I feel kinda stupid, since you all seem to have a rapport, but I need some advice.
I'm just starting off here on maintenance. I'm finding myself "letting go" and eating everything I want. Though I know, this is not the PLAN, I do it anyway. Probably rewarding myself, then getting stuck in the dreaded cycle.
Can anyone share some wisdom??

I appreciate your advice.

Thanks-
Sarah

Sarah:

What you're experiencing is so normal! I think we get to our goal and breathe a sigh of relief that we've made it and figure we can just start eating what we want (even though in our mind we know we can't go back to eating the way we did and keep the weight off). I don't know if you attend meetings but one LT member many years ago told me that you should continue to attend meetings for how ever many weeks it took you to get to your goal. Maintenance is a different balance, it's a learning process to see how many more points you can use and maintain your goal within two pounds. It's scary to see the scale going up/down each week but that's what maintenance is. It's easy to "loosen up" and not keep track. The best advice I can give you is to do what you did when you were losing weight.

Congratulations on reaching your goal!

Thanks, Melissa. I have been still attending, which helps. I guess I'm just going to try and re-focus. I've got to get myself back into the daily workout habit, too. That should help. I found that when I was working out, I cared more about what I ate!

Well, Thanks again...
Sarah

Sarah, you can always bring this up to your leader or in the meeting--you're not alone in what's happening. I know I lost my focus when I first reached my goal but was able to pull things together. I still struggle with keeping my focus because I've been doing this for almost 10 years now. Hang in there!

Congratulations on reaching your goal Sarah! It's definitely hard not to reward yourself with food. Isn't that the way we all celebrated happy occasions before WW? Probably all of us really slacked up after reaching lifetime, but maintenance is definitely a learning experience; and just as hard as losing the weight in the first place. I was unlucky enough (or lucky depending on how you look at it) to get a REALLY bad stomach virus a few weeks after I reached my goal weight and lost another 7#. It took about a month before I felt like eating again so I've tried to stay a few pounds under goal just to have a cushion there. Makes those monthly WI's a little less stressful. It's been 2 years now and I still have to stop and count points occasionally if I start slipping. As Melissa said, going to meetings helps and don't stop exercising. You lost the weight so you know what to do, and this is a great group when you need a little motivation! - Theresa

Wow! I just looked at my sig line and it's been THREE years this month! Feels like yesterday. Hope that doesn't mean I'm getting old and forgetful! - T

Thanks for the advice, Gramma!
It sure does seem like a very warm group of gals here.
Happy Anniversary!

Congrats RolyPolyPolly for making your goal and thanks for the question. I have lost 8.6 pounds so far in a month on Flex and I am surprised at how well the program works*. I had been working out but maintaining at about 20 pounds over my goal. Now I am seeing that smaller portions have to go along with working out! But I am so pleased with the program; I start to worry about gaining the weight back. Hence, how do people maintain? The responses on this thread are already helping me: i.e. keep tracking food if that is what seems to work.
Edited to add: and how much BETTER I feel, physically and emotionally.

Hi Sarah: Congratulations on making your goal! You're not alone in what you're going through. I've hit goal and somewhere in my mind I can hear my mom saying, "I've lost weight, so I can eat anything I want to." I imagine it's like being an alcoholic: when you reach sobriety, that doesn't mean you can drink anything you want. It is a lifestyle change.

As for letting go, it happens. But make sure you go back to plan, as soon as you can. If you let go at lunch, you can still salvage the rest of the day, you don't have to wait until next day to go back on plan. It freaks me out whenever I have a gain, but I try not to fear the gain, just be mindful of it. It helps me determine what I have to adjust.

You've come so far ... savor your accomplishment! Good luck to you Sarah.

Hi Sarah, Glad to find this thread as I am in feel I am in the same boat as you. I've been at goal since June and it is a struggle sometimes. Thanks everyone for your replies they are helping more than one person.