Question of the week: How long have you been maintaining your loss?

I was having a read back over then various older threads here in the Maintenance Forum and came across a series of threads entitled Question Of The Day. The OP explained that she would sometimes post a Question Of The Day in the Atkins forum, but thought it might be nice to do the same in the Pre-Maintenance & Maintenance forum. She also felt that it would be a good way of keeping this forum active.

I also think it's a great idea, so thought I'd revive the idea. However, instead of a daily question, I think it would probably be more beneficial to pose a weekly question.

Obviously, it doesn't have to me just me who poses a weekly question. If anyone else wants to start a new QOTW thread, then please feel free. The only criteria you should bear in mind, is that it must be relevant to Maintenance.


So, here's what I hope is the first of many questions:


How long have you been maintaining your loss?

I’ve been maintaining my goal weight since February 2008, so 3½ years.



Having previously got to goal back in 2002, and then gradually put all the weight back on again, and more, I was determined to stay the course this time. So far, it looks like I’m succeeding.

Though I have had a couple of bigger blips along the way, I tend to fluctuate between 148 and 151. I will admit that it hasn’t been easy, especially over the last year for reasons that many of you will be aware of. However, it has been totally worth it and I am determined that I will maintain my weight forever.

You have great progress Demi and are doing very well in maintaining!
Me, I reached my goal July 21, 2007. So 4 years for me. I did recently get up to 146lbs and said to myself "that's enough"
It is so hard to lose the weight (took me 7months) that it scares me to death to think I would have to do it all over again, so I am determined. This mornings weight was 141. To be honest, I fluctuate anywhere between 141 and 145. Would like to drop a few pounds and maintain at lower weight so we will see...... I am hoping posting daily weights in my journal as well as weekly on the maintenance thread will help.

OK, I'll play too!
Here's my graph:
I reached my goal on 12/18/2005. Thats almost 6 yrs ago now and I'm so happy to be able to say that I've finally achieved maintenance success.
I've lost and regained so many times that I had started to feel like the boy who cried wolf too many times. I had zero credibility when it came to my weight. I was ashamed to even tell anyone when I started, just in case I quit yet again.
But this time was the charm for me, the pain of staying the same had become greater than the pain of change....I embraced the change!

That's just awesome Judy!

Thanks Tracy!!

I'll play too!

I started logging/recording when I joined this site.

As you can see I was able to get down into the 150s that lasted for awhile.

Then I start to gain--due to a severe back injury, chronic pain, and a crappy attitude that I just didn't care (it's hard to give a shit when you're in chronic pain). Tried numerous times during that time to get back in the saddle but just wasn't able to capture the head space again. Lots of anger and shame during that time. Fast forward to May 2009--a few days before my 49th. Finally sick and tired of feeling the anger and shame. To quote one of my own, the pain of staying the same FINALLY became greater than the pain of change. I did not want to hit my 50th feeling anger, shame, fat, no energy etc. The day after my BD I re-committed to stay on plan until my mom relocated close to me--exactly 60 days. I haven't looked back. It hasn't been easy, but I can say I've more strings of easy days than difficult. The lowest I've been has been 135 for a few months--a bit to low in my opinion--just looked a bit "drawn" and found I was having to work "too hard" and my hunger was starting to rear it's ugly head which for me begins a downward spiral. 140 seems to be my sweet spot--feeling good, able to maintain if I keep to my maintenance plan. I allow my self a 3-4 pound rise but once I hit that 4 pounds, it's back down to induction levels until it's gone. I'm hoping I learned the lessons from mistakes past so that I never re-live the place that I was May 17, 2009.

That's great Lisa! Where or how do I get the graph?

The graph is one of the functions in MY PLAN--found under the "Progress & Charts" heading on the left. Just plug your weights in with the date and a graph is generated.

Thanks! Im at work, will give it a shot when I get home if I can't do it from here!

I've been maintaining at this weight (150) since March 2011. I maintained at 160 for almost a year before I dropped the last ten pounds.

Glad you revived the idea Demi. And great first question!

It is interesting seeing all the graphs. Mine looks more like a VERY scary roller coaster than a pretty steady downward and then steady line.

I'm curious, Lisa, do you just put a weekly weigh-in on your graph?

Thanks for posting everyone!

No.
Once a month.

1/2 of 2006, 2007 and 2008 was extremely sporadic--not once a month, and sometimes maybe only 2-4 times a year (which reflects the time when I was struggling and gaining).

Freckles, my graph also looks like a ride at Six Flags. I suppose the good news is that despite the ups, we never gave up, huh?

Well, I don't feel quite so bad now.