Weight loss vs. weight maintenance are very different animals. It’s almost easier to be in the camp of losing pounds rather than maintaining equilibrium.
Almost.
There are 3 simple strategies to help end yo-yo dieting and give you the confidence you need to stay in your happy place.
In order to drop those excess pounds, you had to develop a certain set of habits and skills. You still have them, only they can now be adjusted to suit your lifestyle. 
For instance, you’ve already mastered:
- An understanding of the foods that work best for your body, avoiding those that don’t align with your goals
- Ways to incorporate activities you enjoy into your week
- Consistency in this healthier way of living
You know how rewarding it is to feel this good in your body.
I CONGRATULATE you and ACKNOWLEDGE your work!
With everything from a pandemic to extreme levels of stress to an overabundance of highly addictive foods, hitting your health and fitness goals is a CHALLENGE.
Now that you’ve hit your goal, here are the strategies to help you stay the course.
#1. It’s okay to say ‘YES” to that special treat sometimes. Let’s say you have been avoiding going out for pizza with friends, eating cake at birthday or graduation parties, or enjoying a glass or two of wine with dinner.
Remember my rule of “only eat (or drink) it if it’s AMAZING” and enjoy that special something. When you say “YES” to the treat, be fully present to the occasion and be happy. Do not feel any guilt when you decide to add a bit of festivity to your life!
You may want to journal about how it felt to be a bit “frivolous” and if it was worth it! Completely denying yourself of fun food experiences with friends will send you back into a full-blown eating frenzy that will not end well.
Practice this attitude of moderation and track the results until you are comfortable. If you go overboard, reign in your “YESSES” before you are out of your happy range.
#2. Adjust your Life Dials. During your weight loss program, perhaps you hit the gym for an hour 3x/week and walked 20 minutes most days. Of late, your job got crazy, and you’ve missed a few of those workouts and/or walks. You may notice that your appetite has diminished a bit, so honor that and eat less.
Or if your stress level has increased, you may dial up those workouts in order to enjoy more restful sleep and minimize stress eating.
You may be feeling a bit isolated from family or friends for any number of reasons. Finding a way to restore those connections will help you maintain your desired weight and health goals.
Health is your body plus the way you live, think, feel, and connect with others. Once you’re in maintenance mode, you are able to be more attentive to EVERYTHING that may influence the number on the scale. 
#3. Connect with your deep reason to stay motivated. It can be rather novel and exciting to begin a health and fitness program. When the appeal wears off, the habits kick in. Once you’ve reached your goal, well…
Time to dig deep. WHY did it initially matter for you to lose weight, improve your lab numbers, feel like a million bucks, and love who you are in your body? WHAT difference does it make in your life and in your relationships? HOW are you affected if you revert back to your old ways?
Ask yourself WHY any of this matters to you. Then ask yourself WHY that reason matters. Ask WHY, 5 layers deep. Get to the HEART of the matter and use that as your driving force to stay motivated.
Your meaning and purpose can replace weight loss and become your exciting goal—for life.
Trust yourself to be flexible and make the necessary corrections when necessary. You’ve got this!
Much love,
Carol
“What’s wrong with extreme dieting and hard-core fitness plans is that they don’t take into account the rest of your life.”— Alison Sweeney
