How long have you maintained?

I'm virtually at maintenance; maybe a couple of pounds to go, which are coming off very slowly. I expect to continue with MFP, logging daily, and continuing an exercise regimen. Having been overweight most of my life, and having lost weight before, I understand that maintenance is probably the most difficult phase. I also accept that this is what I will have to do to maintain a normal weight and continue a healthy lifestyle. When I lost weight previously, there was a sense of "I'm done now, so I can go back to being like everyone else." The truth is I am not like everyone else: I have a natural tendency to tip toward obesity and toward being sedentary. I have now become a person who eats less and moves more. I don't expect that to change much. This is my new normal. One thing that I see consistently in articles about being successful at weight loss/maintenance is that exercise may be helpful for weight loss -- but it is crucial for weight maintenance.

I have gone up and down by the same 4 pounds for about 2 years.
I guess this is maintenance.
If I'm careful for about a month it's down if I let myself go it's up.
I will never let it go more than 4 pounds though before I rein it in again.
good luck!

for every 15 pounds I lose my trainer makes me STOP and maintain it for a week so that I know the triggers for gaining weight. I go up and down some--but after all this time I know what I can and can't have and so I just view this as a lifestyle change and not a diet. But I do not deny myself something I want--may only be a tablespoon of whatever--but I do not feel deprived and can live with that.

I've pretty much been maintaining since January of 2012 with the exception of a few pounds of fluctuation and a small gain of 6 pounds after a major surgery. My life has been chaotic to say the least and pretty much all I had the capability to do at some points was count calories with no exercise at all and it absolutely worked. The only reason I gained a little after surgery was because awesome people were bringing us free meals and I decided to just eat to feed my healing brain.

Over a year. I don't count anymore really (though I did log today). I think they're getting at the point it's inconvenient. And it is. If I start going up however, counting usually gives me a reality check.

2.5 years

I have maintained for over a year now. Actually lost a little bit on maintenance while tracking so I stopped tracking and stopped cardio. I think I have finally found my balance. I am what you might call "skinny fat". I need to tone but have been putting it off. I do track when I feel bloated and disgusted with myself. It is just a form of control, it makes me feel good and helps me to control what I eat so I don't bloat up and feel bad.

I've maintained for a longer time than I spent at my heaviest weight. I was really only at my heaviest for about 5 years, and I've been at least 15 pounds lighter for about 18 years. I wasn't counting calories the whole time. Keeping the last 5 pounds off requires calorie counting.

I have maintained for 18 months now! Even after surgery for continued Grade 4 Endometriosis. And working 12hr night shifts.

The key for me is mfp logging. Walking hard. Meal planning. Higher fat. Higher protein. Lower carb. And a new closet full of cute clothes.

When I joined mfp I only weighed 4 pounds more than I do now. I've been using mfp for over a year, on maintenance. It's easier to be on maintenance and stay there consistently since joining mfp. I'm not strict about the calorie counting. I estimate and eyeball. I keep within a range (calorie needs are always changing). I take days or weeks off (and can still eat the same way, even though I'm not counting or tracking). I enjoy myself. But, it gives me an understanding of the calories in my food and what works and doesn't. It helps me track my protein and calcium. I see this is as being an effective way to maintain and continue working on my fitness, especially as I get older. And I've learned a lot from doing it, which would make maintaining easier if I did stop counting (as a result of all the counting I have already done).

I lost 50 lbs 6 years ago and never gained any of it back. The highest I ever got was 3 lbs over my goal weight (125) which was in hopes it would increase my fertility.

I do it by portioning my food, counting calories when the scale goes up, and eating certain foods in moderation. I basically changed my lifestyle to one I am comfortable living with. Its basically entirely by diet. I have worked out often and not at all and saw no difference in the scale. When I work out, I get hungrier and eat more. If I do not work out, I am less hungry and eat less.

I haven't found maintaining difficult...YET. I am expecting that may change as I age.

I have been maintaining since May 2012. I hit my goal (135), went into maintenance, continued to lose until I stabilized around 130. I kept counting calories until this summer, when I tried not logging, and started to gain a little. I got back around 135 again, and started logging again. Now I am around 133 avg.

Maintenance is not hard at all - I like logging, it works for me (I am also a runner, so it helps me make sure I am eating the right amount) - I definitely estimate a little more and am a little less accurate and more likely to take a day or two off logging.

I weigh myself most mornings, and if I consistently start seeing a weight above the top of my "happy range" then I know I need to do something.

I was only just bordering on overweight when I lost more than twenty pounds, back in 2001/2. I went below my goal weight initially, then maintained at around 147-150 lbs until January this year, when I decided to lose the ten pounds that had been bugging me for years! I've been maintaining at 140lbs since Easter (i'm 5'8).

For me, maintaining is about constant vigilence, and being determined to lose those few pounds you inevitably gain while on holiday/at Christmas etc. If I can mix my metaphors, it's so much easier to nip things in the bud than to bury your head in the sand!

I lost the ten pounds by doing 5:2 fasting. I'm maintaining by fasting one day a week. I like it because it means only really watching what you eat for one day in every seven. The rest of the time I eat pretty much what I like, within reason.

i lost about 60 pounds, and pretty much have been maintaining for about 8 months now....i have come to the conclusion that I just won't ever lose the last 5- 7 pounds I want to , so maintenance lifestyle for me :happy: