A quick note of encouragement for maintainers

I haven't posted in years, but wanted to drop in and give some encouragement to those in maintenance, especially those who've newly arrived. A lot of the focus on the boards goes - understandably - to losing weight, and the lifelong task of maintenance can get some short-shrift. Some of this, though, may be because people like me have taken the advice here to heart, incorporated it in our lives, and are here very infrequently because we've been successful. I've managed to stay at my goal for six years now despite occasional fluctuations, and though I have to be mindful on a daily basis, am mostly on auto-pilot now.

You can do this! While there will always be obstacles, you have the knowledge to deal with them. There will be times when setbacks will make you want to give in further, or when it's frustrating to have to tighten up more than you really want to. At those times, just go back to first principles and keep your focus. I find it helpful not to focus on "I want to be this particular weight because it seems like a good number", but rather "I feel good and am physically healthy at that weight."

Good luck! You can do this!