This maintenance thing is....different. :/
 

I reached my goal on Wednesday (yay!!) Now, of course, I've started the whole six-week maintenance "adjustment" period. When I was actively trying to lose weight, I was at 29 points per day. This week, I've bumped my daily points up to 35 to see if I can stop losing and start maintaining.

But, oh my god, I'm finding it a bit difficult. I think the main reason is because I am pretty damn active, so this week I have chosen to eat my activity points rather than "keep" them, which was what I was doing when I was losing. And I guess it just seems really strange, after 14 months of actively trying to lose, to suddenly be eating more. It's hard to turn off that switch.

I mean, I went to the gym today and did an hour of high-intensity cardio, during which time I burned 887 calories (I wear a heart rate monitor and chest strap.) I couldn't just leave that kind of calorie deficit, since I'm trying to maintain now...but man, didn't it feel weird to eat that much more food than usual?

I guess I'll get used to it after a while, but....it's just such a strange switch. Does anyone relate to what I'm going through?

Congratulations!!!!!
I went through it too! Maintenance was harder for me than weightloss was. I had a big problem with figuring out how many extra points to add, and it took me all 6 weeks to figure out that 3 (instead of the 6 they tell you at first) was just enough for me. I am currently 11 lbs under my goal weight (which was the highest healthy number in the BMI chart to begin with) and my body seems really happy there. Don't fret if you go up and down over the next 6 weeks. The only weigh in that you have to be no more than goal +2 is the 6th weigh in.

Yeah, I think 6 extra points might be too much for me, too. I'm finding myself trying to consciously eat enough to get those extra 6 in, and I think I'll find myself having to drop a few points this week (I weigh in tomorrow night and I have a feeling I've gained over the 2 pounds, although I am trying to avoid the scale like the plague this week, lol.)

I know I can stay in the maintenance phase for longer than the six weeks if I need to, but obviously I would love to be able to figure this out before the six weeks are up.

Maintenance IS tough! It's funny how we sometimes think that once we've reached goal, everything will be sunshine and rainbows. Contrary, it may possibly be harder than the actual weight loss journey.

I was under GW for 4 years and struggled a lot to maintain... to the point where the stress (and almost boredom?!) led me to regain 20lbs. It's made me realize that it's a lifelong battle. There will be no finish line.