4 years out... maintaining is not as easy!

Okay, I see that she changed her original posting, maybe because people were making comments on her husband and marriage? So I see where some of the posters read that but she didn't ask for comments on her marriage and husband. 

Unfortunately there are people on every forum on the Internet that feel they have to comment on your posts that don't even speak to the issue at hand.  They just have to answer questions you didn't even ask and give their uninformed opinions.  You mentioned you were a walker, not that your husband wouldn't let you go to the gym. Plus as part of a married couple you have to discuss finances with your partner. We always discuss expenses before we make them. Maybe the person that commented was having a really bad day. Just ignore it.  We come to these boards for help, not to be picked on. Now that I have given MY unsolicited opinion😄, back to the issue at hand. I am able to walk at work in air conditioning on a track. Walking outside when it is hot isn't the greatest. I just melt into a puddle.  You can become dehydrated. I purchased a copy of Leslie Sansone Walk away the pounds ultimate collection.  It is basically walking in place with some other exercises thrown it. I won't lie, it can be pretty boring. So if I can't walk at work for some reason I just pop it in the DVD player.  That way I can get my cardio in which works best for me. You can get it on Amazon for under $10 and a small fee for shipping and handling.  Keep it up, you will get there!

I'm not as far out as you, so take this advice with a grain of salt; hopefully the real vets around here will chime in with advice for you. :)

Have you tried using something like MyFitnessPal to track your food? It's kind of eye-opening when you see just how many calories you can get, even eating relatively small portions. While exercise is great for overall health and cardiovascular fitness, losing weight is truly mostly a function of food intake. What does a "strict diet" mean for you? I have the most success losing weight when I'm focused on protein and cut the carbs to almost none - it's what will maximize your restriction and will keep you full longer. Good luck to you!

I'm a newbie compared to you so you need to bear that in mind with my suggestions, which have helped me when I struggled:

-  don't eat after 7 pm (assuming a 10-11 pm bedtime)

- write everything in my fitness pal and cut carbs from just one meal per day, to begin with

- as for exercise, take stairs at work instead of elevator. At home, if you have stairs, run up and down them a few extra times just to get steps in.

- can you incorporate exercise with the kids to be an outing like going to the pool, or an indoor activity centre so its fun and family oriented and you're still burning calories?

- park your vehicle a little further away from your destination for extra steps when out of the house.

For me, sometimes it's about doing any activity and not "exercise" and then it's fun, not an obligation yet I'm still burning calories.

Sounds like you've maintained really well and this is a small bump in the road, you'll be back where you want to be soon enough! Kudos to you.

Here's some suggestions...

may be some WII fitness games like dance or boxing 

that the kids could play with you

or even some dance cardio workout DVD's...

if you could rise a little earlier to get them in, if possible..

sometimes I just put on satellite radio and dance my butt off 

for 20 min in the family room!!!

kids love witnessing that fiasco!!!

i am also struggling with some regain, I am the same height as you 

but felt 138 was skeletal on me, my comfort zone is 145-150

im up 10 lbs..it'll come off..trying not to obsess...

Great suggestions !!!

frisco

Wow....sounds like you have done very well.  I am no where near maintaining and so far still enjoying the pleasures of losing.  But I do limit calories, carbs and fat and make sure I get exercise even if it is just tracking steps.    I wish you the best.  

Forget about the exercise. Extra weight is from extra food. Try weighing all your food and tracking it really closely. If you cut back on calories, you will lose weight, no ifs, ands, or buts.

I like the Leslie Sansone videos on YouTube. 

The videos are on YouTube?!!! Thanks!