I have talked quite a bit about losing weight, so I thought I might touch on maintaining and sticking with the plan you choose.   I have tried to lose weight so many times, I should have become an expert at it.  Maintaining is hard.  Not only do you have to keep up with your exercise, you have to shut that voice up in your head, that you can go ahead have anything you want to eat after you put that work out in.  Well, that’s what got me here in the first place.  Do I want to be lazy and just grab whatever is in front of me, yes I do!  Do I make up reasons in my head of why I can’t make it to gym each day? Yes I do.  Everyday day is a challenge to be successful.  I am my own coach.  I have to tell myself I am going.  When I get there I immediately kick in to my routine.  The thoughts I had about staying home have disappeared.  I leave gym happy with myself for going and working hard.  There are days where I feel completely lost, I have to remind myself of where I came from.  Why I still have to carry on with workouts and food choices.  It’s so easy to slip with food choices because that thought in your head is saying you earned it.  Putting work in at the gym will help you from gaining or it will help you lose.  It’s your choice.  If unhealthy food is more important at the moment, then tomorrow is where I will put in more just have that treat.  If I want to lose weight unhealthy food isn’t an option that day.  I have to remind myself not to sabotage my current day workout and have to work myself to total exhaustion on the following days.   Is everyday perfect? No.  But I am aware of what I am doing and how I’m going to fix it.  That is the focus.

Stick to your plan.  It doesn’t matter what path you choose, you are responsible for your results.  Don’t let the negatives weigh you down.   If the path you chose is failing you, it’s time for a change.  We get in a comfort zone and think that if we keep eating the same thing (same exercise) that we will stay the same.  Not always the case.  You need to change it up.  Change foods, get even healthier!  It’s good to have new stuff!  Stay a few minutes more (like 15-20mins) in the gym or join a new class/activity.  Part of maintaining your weight is your attitude.  If you don’t continue to make yourself happy with your progress, it will affect the way you eat and efforts in exercise.  Which causes exactly what we don’t want, an uphill climb on the scale.

I get the question a lot, am I still losing?  No.  I haven’t dropped any weight since May.  Try not to panic for me.  There a lot of reasons for this.  My workouts are very different from when I started. I do a lot of strength training with weights and body weight.  For my height and weight on a chart I only have 10 pounds for me to be at the top of my BMI.  I would rather put my efforts into tightening up my body, than being stick thin.  I know a lot people are concerned with the scale, I am now focused on improving my strength (I am planning a strength training vs. cardio blog soon).  In turn I may become smaller but muscle weighs more than fat.  What skin and fat I have will be muscle, is my goal.  So my BMI will continue to come down. I am happy either way.  I just know that when I put the work into myself I am still making myself better.  Bonus: It’s fun!

I had a pleasant conversation with a lady in a clothing store last week.  She told me, she has lost close to 100lbs.  She is doing weight watchers and walking.  She asked me how I got rid of the extra skin after all of my weight loss, well I do have some, but not as much as others.  I really think it has to do with the weights.  I haven’t given my body a reason to keep extra “room.”  Her motivation for losing her weight was to fit into an airplane seat.  Her and her husband love to travel, she didn’t want to be embarrassed anymore.  Getting older weighed on her mind, she needed to do something.  She said she can’t believe the difference it’s made in other parts of her life.  She is 58 years old and can take flights of stairs with ease now.  She and her hubby take many trips with no obstacles.  She is still working towards the rest, but isn’t overwhelmed because it’s just become her life and so far she has handled it very well.  Great story!

So if you are at the same stage I am and just trying to keep the weight off here’s my thought on how to keep going.  We are concerned, aware and just going on as if the past didn’t happen.  Remember where you started, never forget.  Look at your life now as a comparison, how much easier things are.  If you slip up no harm, back on track.  Stay focused.  Keeping walking the same path with the determination you had. It’s what got you where you are. Only you can make yourself go backwards.

Take care everyone!