So what are your secrets?

[homestretch]

I was wondering if everyone would like to share some maintenance secrets. I think we all have our little tricks to stay on track or nip it in the bud once we gain a few pounds but what are they?

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

There is so little information about the life of a maintainer and lots of information about losing so I thought this thread may be really enlightening!

[homestretch]

So here are my answers....

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?
I think of how much better I look and feel. I think of clothes that I would like to wear even if I never buy them. I enjoy the feeling of going in public and feeling normal. I like to feel my hip bones. I think of how nice it is to look healthy for my husband and kids (I always felt bad that they had a fat wife/mother).

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?
I am always playing with this. I cannot tolerate too many carbs even though sometimes I trick myself and push the envelope which always results in a gain. Generally I eat a moderate fat low carb diet.

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?
Generally I nip it in the bud right away but this spring I have really struggled to get my head in the game and stick with it long enough to lose the 8 pounds I have gained. I lose 2-3 and then gain them. I am at it again and back to basic induction.

How often do you exercise and what do you do?
I walk 3 miles most days and just started a weight lifting program.

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?
This past winter I gained 8 pounds because I just ate too much. Lots of the overeating was on lowcarb foods but too much is too much regardless of what you eat. Last spring I got two pounds under goal.

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?
I do but I have noticed that it is not quite as exciting as it was right after I reached goal.

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?
I have gotten support and also some jealousy. I have one person in my life who thinks it is my job to see to it that she loses weight because I have been successful but she does not take my advice. That person has been a drain on me and constantly puts me on a guilt trip. I was always much bigger than her and she cannot deal with me being smaller.

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).
Well I kind of answered this. I have found that self care is a package deal and I feel better when I use self tanner, exercise, and keep my nails done. I don't always have the time but I notice when I am not taking time for myself to do these things my diet gets off track too....it is weird but true. A little Jergans Natural Glow and a bottle of nail polish goes a long way!!!

[Chef]

Originally Posted by homestretch

I was wondering if everyone would like to share some maintenance secrets. I think we all have our little tricks to stay on track or nip it in the bud once we gain a few pounds but what are they?

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

There is so little information about the life of a maintainer and lots of information about losing so I thought this thread may be really enlightening!

Hi HS,

Great Post! it is so good to talk from a point of success. That I hope will encourage others. We both know how hard it is to do and maintain.

I love you have a friend in need of your supervision to lose that is a help for you. You are not alone.

If I eat off my plan or not I only have me to talk to about it. After three plus years most folks are not interested in my day to day. This is why I love this site. I like that there is interest on a day-by-day basis because to keep this weight off is hard and takes effort.

I always fall back to the 6 week body makeover diet when I get off track. The diet is eggs vegetables apple chicken so it is alot like LC WOL I am on.

I exercise everyday unless I am mowing the lawn ,snowblowing or on a trip.

I love to exercise that took two years. It took 6 months to not want fries or fried foods.

Everybody has to push themselves to become a LC exercising WOL person then all works. Of course there will be times we eat wrong or lay around and be couch potatoes. But if we continue to try to maintain we will maintain.

Than you for one of the best post ever HS.

Cheers,

Jim

[LoraJR72]

I was wondering if everyone would like to share some maintenance secrets. I think we all have our little tricks to stay on track or nip it in the bud once we gain a few pounds but what are they?

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

[COLOR=Red]Glorious movie watching!
[/COLOR]
How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

[COLOR=Red]I re-started Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition (3 Meals a Day Option) to help with the binge creep that has occurred over the last 2 months due to personal issues.[/COLOR]

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

[COLOR=Red]See above![/COLOR]

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

[COLOR=Red]6 days a week with 3 days of weight training. I also ride my bike during the weekends when there is good weather.[/COLOR]

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

[COLOR=Red]I go by how my clothes feel. When the baggiest pants of the bunch begin to fit properly, I am in trouble![/COLOR]

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

[COLOR=Red]Yes and no.
[/COLOR]
How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

[COLOR=Red]They said that I look wonderful either way.[/COLOR] [COLOR=SeaGreen]Which may not be a good idea if they take me to restaurants/bars with tempting food and drinks.[/COLOR]

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

[COLOR=Red]I stay on track when I help others in their quest for health success. I am helping a friend with exercise and eating. I/We am motivated![/COLOR]

There is so little information about the life of a maintainer and lots of information about losing so I thought this thread may be really enlightening!

[COLOR=Red]Thank you![/COLOR]

[annabird]

I am not at goal yet but really appreciate this thread! Thanks, congrats and hope others will share!

[fviegas]

-What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

How good I look in a bikini, and how I want to stay that way!

-How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

Usually low carb with some binges on nuts, dark chocolate. Trying to moderate those...

-What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

I feel bad at myself and guilty, and go a few days to very low carb, meat
and fat, and run off the excess water.

-How often do you exercise and what do you do?
I run. 3 times a week, half and hour or a little more. Been racing lately.
Also Pilates once a week.

-How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

I oscillate between 59 and 62, so that would be 6 pound range, my mininum
was 58.5 when I was worried about a personal issue and didn't eat much.

-Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?
Yes, absolutely. Especially when I look in the mirror naked and realize
how different my body looks.Not only smaller but really different.

-How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

My husband thinks I am too skinny, but likes me anyway I am... My
mother is always warning me about being too skinny, but is also now
starting on a low carb diet, as she sees the results.

>Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take c>are of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on >track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

Yes, when it is sunny and I go to the pool, this definitely makes me
stay on track, as I like to look good.

Take care!! It is not easy maintaining, not so much incentive as losing.

[ladyathome]

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?
I sort of take it one day at a time. I remember how I wanted to lose weight and how much better I look and feel now. It helps make it all worth it when I keep my thinking positive.

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?
I guess it's pretty much Atkins maintenance. I average between 45 and 60 grams per day of carbs. I eat eggs daily for breakfast. By this point, I eat an occasional slice of bread as long as I know the carb count. Also, I eat some fruit here and there. Rarely do I eat off plan foods, but will very occasinally indulge. I also keep a daily log of what I eat and count my carbs.

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?
So far I haven't had to deal with this. If I think I have overdone my eating, then I just back off the next day and eat really clean, and have fewer carbs.

How often do you exercise and what do you do?
I walk or go bike riding a few days per week.

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?
I began maintenance around the end of last year, and lost a few more pounds over the last few months. For the last couple of months, I am really maintaining.

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?
Yes,especially when I bought a new swimsuit.

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?
Basically, this is a neutral answer, I guess. My dh doesn't care one way or another how I eat. He does think I have gotten too skinny and could stand to gain a few pounds, but he does not try to make me eat off plan or sabotage me in any way. A few other people have made the "dont' lose any more weight" to me. Honestly, I don't get it. I am in a healthy weight category and still have curves and I am not skeletal looking.

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

Yes, I try to do little things to take care of myself and make me feel self confindent. I try to buy myself small things like a new pair of earrings or some makeup.

[Deb2005]

I'm too paranoid to "maintain" I guess.

I'm almost (at least, 99% of the time) zero carb.

Occasionaly I'll have a salad or something, but not regularly.

I really hate exercising. Blech. I do run to my car (if it's raining) but that about sums it up.

I have been below induction levels for a long time now. I suppose the Cliff's Notes version is that's how I maintain.

[Keptewe]

I am 7 lbs away from goal and am anxious to learn as much as possible from all of you successful maintainers! Thanks for starting this thread.

[Teresa123]

I'm definitely interested too....I am really struggling with maintaining so any and all tips are much appreciated---keep them coming please!!

[sugarless4life]

Originally Posted by homestretch

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

[COLOR="Purple"]I think about how hard I've worked to get where I am. And I also think about my future and how its my goal to avoid the so-called inevitable ailments of getting older. I'm 53, that's motivating enough.[/COLOR]

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

[COLOR="purple"]I follow Dr. Atkins' recommendation of "controlled carbohydrate eating". In 7+ years, I've never once felt deprived or bored eating foods the way God made them. I don't eat processed foods or grains and very limited starches. Lots of healthy protein, higher fat, and non-starchy veggies. Most fruits except watermelon...[/COLOR]

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

[COLOR="purple"]I really don't overeat. I have learned to stop eating when satisfied. Scale fluctuations happen ... when they do, all I need to remind myself is that a pound is 3,500 calories and there's NO WAY I eat that many! [/COLOR]

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

[COLOR="purple"]Well, just in case there is SOMEONE on the planet who doesn't already know........I am a runner and I religiously put in 30-35 miles EVERY WEEK, running 4 days. More if I am training for an event such as a marathon. I also lift weights for the upper body and do core strengthening exercises at least 3 days a week.[/COLOR]

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

[COLOR="purple"]My weight stays pretty stable and has for the past few years. At one time back in 2004, I got down to 93.5 pounds which was silly. My life was kinda stressful at that time, and when I'm stressed, I don't eat. That was then ... nowadays ... I hang at about 100-102 pounds and feel and look best there.[/COLOR]

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

[COLOR="purple"]Well I look at myself with a critical eye (don't we all?), but mostly I'm very content and proud of myself. (sounds boastful, but it really isn't)...[/COLOR]

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

[COLOR="purple"]DH and DD are my biggest cheerleaders and are very supportive. They are so proud of my achievements both weightloss and my running. My extended family thinks I've lost a few screws along with the pounds. They're all overweight and seem to think they are normal and I am not. I suppose they have a point .. its unusual to be 53 and shopping in the junior department at Macys! And I suppose its unusual to run in the west central Florida heat/humidity year round ... [/COLOR]

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

[COLOR="purple"]Running FORCES me to take better care of myself. I've learned that with exercise, more is not necessarily better. I've learned to listen to my body and allow it to fully rest and recover after long runs. I've learned the importance of properly fueling and hydrating my body to look and perform at its best.[/COLOR]

Betty

[fischdeb1]

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

I think that I like what I see in the mirror. I like that I am a size 6-8 and not 14-16. I like shopping for clothes. Most styles look good on me. I used to dread shopping!

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

I usually eat the foods on The Scarsdale Diet. Low cal, low carb...plenty of protein. I get carbs form fruits and vegetables.

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

Usually 1 or 2 days of The Scarsdale Diet does it for me.
I weigh myself often.

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

I run 3-4 miles every other day. I also do 50 sit-ups.

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

I haven't gained anything in a year.

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

YES!

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

I am a teacher and most of the teachers in my school have been inspired by me! They are all looking great! Some are doing The Scarsdale Diet...some Weight Watchers...some South Beach.
My husband thinks I could use a few pounds, but he doesn't sabotage my efforts.

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

running

Deb

[BellaHMB]

Thanks for the questions!

I am SO much happier at a lower weight as I usually dont experience self loathing
and hatred about my body. While it's not perfect I am growing to appreciate it more.

I exercise 6 days a week and eat a low carb diet all the time. No sugar or white flour.
My plan is amost always the same with the same foods but it works! I eat a salad for one meal every day too.

I gained 12 lbs last summer not paying attention- it crept up on me slowly! So I went back to induction. Now if I go up 5, I try to take it off right away. It usually takes more time though.....maybe about 3 weeks to lose it as I dont do strict induction.

Bella

[homestretch]

This is so awesome!!!! I am learning a lot from the input....Thank You All! Keep them coming, please!

[Rick-g]

Thanks for the great thread! Your bang-on! We don't know much about each other.

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?
How I never want to be that guy I keep a picture of on the fridge.

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?
I eat low carb, 30-40 per day, meats/salad/vegs but I'm not a fruit fan.

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?
I weigh every morning, if my weight is stable or going down I'll allow a low carb snack before bed(while watching Sienfeld reruns) but if its up I say NFT no food tonight, sounds silly but little verbal reminders keep me true to me!

How often do you exercise and what do you do?
Every second day, high rep/cardio weight training.

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?
Because I watch closely I only allow a gain of a couple of lbs before I make adjustments. I continue to lose nice and slow!

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?
I was mega heavy so much of my life that my mental picture of me may always be poor, I'm still shocked to catch a glimpse of my self in the mirror and realize it's me!

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?
My wife has been the greatest support and reason for me! She shows me off to our friends and loves to hug me around my belly! It was 52", it is 34"


Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).
No, I'm pretty stable that way but I came to realize long ago that I can't let my emotional well being affect my goals.

There is so little information about the life of a maintainer and lots of information about losing so I thought this thread may be really enlightening![/QUOTE]

[Rena_G]

I am 6 lbs from goal. This is great information. Please keep it coming!

[bluebirder]

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Well, that is what has happened since Christmas. I'm up between 3 and 5 lbs. and they are just not coming off. I'm not gaining any more but I need to get serious and cut back to get them off. [/COLOR]

How often do you exercise and what do you do? [COLOR="DarkRed"]Everyday I walk 4 miles or ride bike or walk on my WalkFit for 30 minutes [/COLOR]
How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?
[COLOR="DarkRed"]see above[/COLOR]

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?
[COLOR="DarkRed"]Yes! I LOVE being able to wear size 6-8-10 clothes!!! I can't remember ever being able to wear these sizes....EVER![/COLOR]

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

[COLOR="DarkRed"]DH and DD are fine with everything I do. The inlaws--still tease me about being "afraid of sugar". But I am thin and they ARE NOT! My mom gave me a hard time at first and said I looked like the "runni' gears of a cadidid" But I told her I feel much better and she has not said a thing since![/COLOR]

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

[COLOR="DarkRed"]I can't wait until school is out and I can have my 40 minutes of sun time on the deck in the pm. I bet I'll drop weight once I get home for the summer.[/COLOR]

BTW: Thanks for starting this thread, I've be needing to re-connect here. I hope I can get inspired to dorp these few lbs. I just don't want it to get away from me again!

[csoar2004]

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

[COLOR="Red"]I don't look at maintanence as a diet, but a way of life. I eat what I eat because it's healthy and I'm worth it.[/COLOR]

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

[COLOR="Red"]I stay within the Fat Flush lifestyle food protocols. In terms of carbs, you'd probably call it carb conscious or moderatre.[/COLOR]

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

[COLOR="Red"]I do a quarterly detox - return to Phase 1 of Fat Flush and that pretty much takes care of scale creep. However, I'd like to make it clear that I learned, in my Phase 3/lifestyle foray, that I am sensitive to dairy and gluten. So just because a food is "legal" in FF lifestyle, that doesn't mean I get to eat it. [/COLOR]

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

[COLOR="Red"]Not as often as I should/did. Used to rebound daily but recently completed building our eco-friendly home so I guess -if you agree house-building is exercise, then I've been doing it 4/7. [/COLOR]

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

[COLOR="Red"]I tend to be over/under my goal of 150 pounds/size 6 by 2-3 pounds at any given time.[/COLOR]

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

[COLOR="Red"]oh yeah![/COLOR]

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

[COLOR="Red"]Well, I've been in maintenance for over 6 years and many folks view me as the skinny one. During my weightloss journey, however, as long as I did not explain what I was eating (whole, mostly organic, completely UNprocessed veggies, fruit, and grass-fed beef, wild caught fish, etc), I was routinely supported. [/COLOR]

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

[COLOR="Red"]Well, I learned that I am much better able to offer support and love to others if I offer a little to myself first. Truly, if you don't feel good about yourself, how can you give your nearest and dearest the care they need? [/COLOR]

[homestretch]

This is wonderful advice and wisdom......Keep them coming maintainers!!!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

[COLOR="Sienna"]

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

I want to feel good, look good, I want my clothes to fit well, I want my family to be proud of me, I want to be strong and fit as I grow older, I want to feel confident as an aging woman.

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

Carb rotations. They're the most effective way to burn fat, fuel my muscles and body for the necessary energy to train effectively, and to enjoy life w/o constant restrictions. Having once been a carbophobic, I realize that our bodies need carbs, GOOD carbs, and that eaten at the right time and in the right amounts, we can have the best of both worlds and do our bodies a favor at the same time.

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

I've learned that scale fluctuations don't always translate into "eating too much," that the flux happen for lots of reasons, and I've learned to embrace those flux, not weigh too often, and to focus more on the mirror, the way my clothes fit, and measurements being far more effective in gauging progress of weight loss and/or maintenance.

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

Usually an hour, six days a week: Weight training, Callanetics, cardio, running.

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

I've met goal twice. Having gotten close last fall, I regained over the holidays about 8 lbs. Have since lost that and about 6 more.

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

Yes. But I'm more excited about my muscle gain.

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

Some people give me a hard time for religiously tracking my food or weighing my food, being meticulous about my nutrition. But it's my body, and it's obviously paid off, so they'll have to get over it.

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

I am usually inspired to stay on track when I find myself in public, surrounded by other people my age whose bodies, body language, and wardrobe choices witness that they don't make fitness a priority.
[/COLOR]

[maria40nc]

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

I think I am a soldier fighting a battle every day against pounds that are trying to infiltrate. But generally I feel good!

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

Seems I'm VLC, but still trying to find balance. Mostly meat, eggs, green veggies, occasional tomatoes, some cheese, nuts

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

Meat and Egg Fast!

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

Run about 12 to 15 miles a week, hand weights three times a week, swimming twice a week, occasional hiking and biking.

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

I continue to fluctuate 2 to 4 pounds and have to fight it back off.

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

Not really. I've never been happy with my mid-section. Need to do more toning. I feel good about my appearance, but I would not call it "delighted." However I AM delighted about how exercise and fitness makes me feel!

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

Just my BF.

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

Entering races keeps me on track because I'm always working towards that next goal date. Keeping plenty of LC food on hand is a must. I also enjoy watching all the obesity shows on TV. I find them very enlightening and they also help keep me on track.

There is so little information about the life of a maintainer and lots of information about losing so I thought this thread may be really enlightening!

True. I don't even consider myself a maintainer since I still have to battle the same few pounds over and over again. But I typcially remian within goal range.

[mcarr36]

Hi friends,
I just joined this site today but I have been lurking for years. I have been maintaining my goal weight for over 6 years. Here are my tips:

I weigh myself everyday. I do not allow myself to go up more than a couple of pounds. If I gain wieght, I make changes right away....

Lower carbs (under 20)
Drink more water and green tea
Take more chromium
Cut back on nuts
Eat more protein
Eat more fiber (usually flaxseed and flaxmeal)
Stop eating after 5 p.m.

I think about how good I feel at my goal weight and how nice my clothes fit. I use positive self-talk. I am kind to myself.

I am not afraid of gaining back the weight. I feel empowered when I take control right away and make changes.

I love my lowcarb lifestyle!!!

[vli1127]

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?

Why would I want to mess with a good thing

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?

I have never counted my carbs or anything since doing this WOE. I would have to say moderate though since I do eat fruit daily in my plain yogurt.

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?

I haven't been maintaining all that long, maybe a month. Initially, I got back over my goal of 170 after a week of maintenance. I limited the snacking and extra helpings.

How often do you exercise and what do you do?

I have never had a problem with exercising. I exercise 45 min - 60 minutes daily varying what I do from wt. training/strengthening to aerobic exercises: brink walking, biking, spinning, elliptical etc. I like variety. I have around 30 or so exercise DVD/tapes

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?

3 pounds over my goal. I belong to TOPS and I am allowed a leeway of 3 pounds over and 7 pounds under for a 10 lb wt range. This seems managable to me.

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?

Yes, I do. Sometimes I am still surprised that it is me looking back at me in the mirror.

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?

They have been very supportive. I have struggled with wt all of my life basically. I started on the huge wt loss over 10 yrs ago when I bagan with stomach stapling, moved on to a gastric bypass and now this WOE

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).

I can't think of anything, other than exercise. Although, even when I was regaining wt a couple of years ago after reaching the bypass low wt, I was exercising. So, for me, exercise is only a piece of the success. What I put into my mouth is the other part. All calories are NOT the same.

[JuliaL]

Here are mine:

What thoughts go through your mind to keep you maintaining?
I think about how miserable I felt before and how great I feel when I eat right and exercise. I remind myself that I never want to go back to the old me.

How do you eat on maintenance? Very low carb, moderate, Atkinsish or other?
I do a modified version of BFFM. It's a lower carb version (what Tom Venuto would consider "moderate carb" but most low carbers would consider high carb. I eat oats, lean protein, veggies, some fruit, low fat dairy. I don't eat any processed foods or white flour-based foods. I eat 5 times per day, each meal containing a complete protein.

What happens if you eat too much and the scale goes up?
I know when I eat too much, and I stay off the scale for a day or so when I do. I don't see any reason to torture myself with scale numbers. It's important to note that I rarely eat too much. I hate the feeling of being over-full, so I avoid it as much as possible. If I choose to eat something off plan for a treat, I only eat a small portion. Whenever I do make the choice to eat off plan, I make sure that I get right back on plan the next day.

How often do you exercise and what do you do?
5-6 days per week. In the summer I mostly cycle because the winters are so long here, it's hard not to take advantage of the nice weather. In the summer I go to the Y. I take spinning classes, step classes and do the elliptical for cardio. I do video weight-lifting workouts at home on alternating days with the cardio.

How much is the most you have gained/lost since being on maintenance?
My goal weight was 140. I stay between 143 and 145 now.

Do you still look at yourself and feel delighted at your weight loss?
Absolutely! I have good days and bad days - "fat" days and "skinny" days, just like I did before, but I never forget that I used to wear a size 16, and now on my fat days I wear an 8.

How have the people around you supported your continued success or not supported?
Everyone in my life is very supportive - especially my husband.

Do you find that other things in your environment impact how well you take care of yourself? For example I find that I feel better about staying on track when I get some sun or use a little self tanner (sweet vanity lol).
Yes, it's harder to keep my nutrition and exercise routine top of mind when I'm under a lot of stress, but I try to remind myself that I can't take care of anyone else unless I take care of myself first. I have made clean eating and exercise so much a part of my life now that I feel weird if I don't eat right or workout for a few days.