big fear
 

I am half way to goal but I am also very worried about gaining all my weight back once I get there, how does one REALLY make the lifestyle change and keep off the weight?

Hi Petra.

I understand your fears. I reached goal for the third time in December 1999 and have succeeded in keeping off 25 lbs since then.

I'm sure there are many different strategies out there, but for me, the secret has been regular exercise and a conscious decision to make low-fat, healthy food choices. Don't get me wrong - there are still times when I fall back into bad habits, but I never let the weight gain go beyond a certain point. It's much easier to shed three or four pounds than, say, 20 - 30. So far, that approach has been working for me.