How did you feel?

Honestly when I hit my original goal weight, it was a huge let down. I weighed myself, got all excited, and then had a reality check-I didn't magically wake up that morning and suddenly look like a VS run way model :grumble:

So, I decided to keep at it and actually have lost almost 20lbs more than my original goal weight. I lost that at a more leisurely pace over the summer and officially transitioned into maintenance this past fall (though I consider myself to have been in semi-maintenance since I hit my original goal last spring, because I didn't hit those last pounds aggressively and I also did a lot of experimenting with different ways of eating during this time).

This fall I called second goal and felt really good about where I was at. I still didn't look like a VS model, but I'm not shabby for a 35 year old mom of three kids :glasses: At this point I changed focus from weight and now have fitness goals I'm working towards. Some days it's a bit overwhelming to have so many calories to eat, but I've found what works really well for me is to eat less calories during the week and then Friday-Sunday I eat higher calories. This pattern is allowing me to eat how I want and keep within my maintenance window

I gradually increased my calorie intake WHILE losing weight. Once I hit my goal weight, I was already eating reasonable calories, so I just took more days off from tacking and let in more leeway on weekends.

I pretty much still do just what I was doing while losing, but I have more of what some call "cheat" days. It works for me. I've been maintaining a 130+pound loss within a 5 pound range for 16 months. I go down a little while I'm in my running training phase, up a little while in my weight training phase (or after Christmas! ha!) but generally, I wasn't nervous because I didn't make any major changes. I still track my food at least 5 days a week, I continue to exercise at least five days a week.

I have been maintaining since April. I only increased my calories by 100 at first. The plan was to continue to increasing monthly until I hit the suggested amount, but I didn't. What works for me is tracking during the week and not really on the weekends. Weekends are my big workout days so I just kind of eat whatever I want. With my job and my kids, I can't really workout that much during the week so I track my calories on those days. I have a 5 pound range like most others. If I get above that, I tighten up a little more.

I just went up by 250 when I hit goal (I was at 500 deficit) and, since I was maintaining, stayed there. It's been since June. Everything else stayed the same. I've lost inches since then, but not weight.

More exercise (just fitbit walking) has bought me additional calories.

I took a big sigh of relief when I finally hit the goal number. Finally, all the hard work had paid off and now I could work on another goal.

While I was reaching for my weight goal, I constantly had little goals that I wanted to attain. Some of the little goals were to be able to do a pull-up, do a handstand push-up or run a mile by a certain time. Now that I have reached my weight goal, I am still setting those little goals. I don't focus on the weight on the scale. I focus on the weight of the barbell or dumbbell, how far or fast I can run, and how many reps I can perform. Always challenge yourself. I never thought I could do so many things I can do now.

I hit my goal on Dec 22nd 2012 - right before Christmas - not the ideal time to be learning to maintain! But I enjoyed myself over the Christmas period and then started eating healthily in the near year. Luckily it worked out and I now have a good balance and a constant weight.