How much leeway do you allow yourself?

I work on +/- 2lbs but treat that as a fairly flexible target anyway. I'm a daily weigher so I'm used to seeing the normal fluctuations.

If there's a good reason why I've gone over (a very sociable weekend for example!) then it's obvious it's just a temporary blip. It can take a little while to find the sweet spot but as you only had a small deficit you won't be far off.

Well done on your success. :flowerforyou:

Apparently a little too much. I am a high risk food addict and have been know to reoffend. Keeping on track after an infraction is difficult but I AM working through it, my future health depends on the good changes I have made and in sticking to my program. When I am losing I am totally commited and on board. When I hit plateaus I sometimes fall into my "old self" habits of eating over my program. I'll get it under control though. I see myself improving and changing as I go along in my journey.

My current weight is around 51Kg, and once it goes up to 52.7+ kg or so then that's when I start to get worried and start watch what I eat closely again.

I wasn't following a traditional calorie restricted plan when I was actively losing weight (was not a mfp member either). When I reached my original goal weight I started experimenting with different ways of eating for maintenance and over the course of several months I lost an additional 16ish pounds. My weight is finally stabilizing, give or take a couple pounds, but it's been a wild ride lol. I now have a new goal weight range of 3 lbs, but I'm currently under the low end by .5lb Figuring out maintenance is a process of trial and error as you find what works best with your body.

Hello and congratulations on your loss :-)

Rather than have specific amounts in mind, I plan to do something slightly different when I reach my target. I currently am in weight loss mode, and weigh myself every morning....I need to keep a tight control! Once at target, I'm going to try and wean myself off the daily weigh ins, and go for once a week on a Friday morning. My plan is to go back into weight loss mode if I gain weight two weeks in a row. Whatever that gain may be.

I'm hoping to be able to maintain my weight by having a stricter control on my eating through the week, and relax it a bit at the weekends. Weighing myself every Friday morning should give my body a chance to 'even out' any normal fluctuation due to salty food, alcohol intake etc eaten over the weekend, by the following Friday...if the scales show a gain one week, and a gain for a second week - it's back to weight loss mode for me!

my husband hit his goal weight of 180 lbs. in June (down from 277 in January), and has been maintaining ever since. He weighs daily, and his weight fluctuates between 177 and 186, mostly depending on his salt intake. He's happy having that wide a range because it allows him to indulge now and then without feeling like he's messing up his whole program.

Congrats to your husband! This is what has been working for me as well. I try to stay at the low end of a 5 lb range. During the week I eat well and stay at a slight deficit. During the weekend I'm more relaxed with my eating and I usually gain a couple of lbs.

Then I repeat the same the next week, lose that weight/water weight during the week, the weekend comes (pizza, yes! ice cream, uh huh!) and rinse and repeat. This helps me to stay in control, maintain my weight and enjoy my treats.

As a woman? +/- 5LBS depending on ovulation, menstruation, and what I ate (which is why I weigh daily).

Kristen - we are in almost exactly the same place and at the same height. But I don't think of that as bouncing 10 pounds. I'll be interested in seeing whether I get up to 155 pounds this year.