Maintenance questions???

So...I wasn't sure when I would ever be able to ask this question or prepare for it, but what does maintenance look like?  Do I just continue what I am doing now?  When did you start maintenance?  Any advice, tips, or experience would be wonderful!  Thank you!!!  AND Happy Holidays!

For me, maintenance just happened - I lost all the weight, I stopped losing weight - I was in maintenance!!!!   Ta da!!!

I just kept doing what I was doing ...

Now, I see people choosing weights, altering diets, stressing over it - not sure why people need to manipulate it but whatever!   I think I chose the easy way 

I got about 5 pounds below my goal weight and stopped losing .... I fluctuated within those 5 pounds for about 3 years pretty easily.

Some people keep losing and work to slightly increase their intake ... Maybe switching from 4 oz or protein to 5 ounces ...... Better than adding in carbs.

I did Weigh****chers, they have you add about 100-150 calories per day and weigh weekly ... And if you maintain, you keep that level, if you lose, you add around 50 more calories a day, if you gain, you lose 50 calories a day.

You do that for 6 weeks to see what it takes to maintain.

I would also recommend you keep doing what you are doing. You could possibly start adding 100 calories a day, but I would not do more than that. Over time we can naturally eat more and our servings may become a bit larger.

This may sound silly, but do not ever think you are "cured" and go back to the way you ate pre-op. Sadly many of us seem to do that and come back between year 2 and 3 complaining about regain. Remember what you have learned and keep doing it.

There is no maintenance.  You stay on the same plan for life.  Your body will stop losing when it is ready.  Between year two and three, if there is a regain, then you will have to cut some calories to stay at your goal.

Maintenance is a Weigh****cher's term where you get to goal and then add back the foods that made you fat.

We never want to go back to eating like before surgery.

Ok let me clarify please. When I said maintenance I was not implying the plans and lifestyle changes revert ever back to what they were. I was simply wondering how does your body stop losing and maintain the weight it is meant to be at? I was wondering if calories were adjusted. I was wondering what a person that is at their goal weight does or eats or whatever to stay where they are. 

I got to a point below where I felt "right" - about 5-10lbs below where I wanted to be. Then I just allowed myself some leeway.

While losing, I made healthy choices maybe 80% of the time; while maintaining this dropped to maybe 70%. I allowed myself a little butter on my veggies, eat the sauce on meat rather than scraping it off. For example, I still have fat-free milk in my lattes but don't worry if only half-fat is available! In weight loss mode, I simply would not have had it! Over this three day Christmas period, my healthy food choices are virtually zero! The Brussels sprouts, I suppose! Oh and the turkey. 

But for me, the key is daily weighing and a "comfort zone".  I actually find most of the people I alewis thought were "naturally" slim live like this. Not being too worried about intake (within reason) but then if the pounds do go on, going back to basics until they have gone again.

i know we are supposed to change life style! And to a large extent I have done. But I am very much more relaxed than many. For example, White Dove and I do maintenance very differently. Her way would not work for me, mine wouldn't work for her. She keeps control better than I do! My way involves more catch-up. Hers is probably the more sensible way! But the one thing we both do is rely on very regular and very frequent weighing! 

Simply put, you will end up weighing what a person of your activity level, size, and eating pattern should. I know that's vague. But if you work at a desk, don't get a lot of activity, and eat 1400 calories a day, you will weigh x pounds. If you are a foot taller, work a physically demanding job, stay active, and eat 1800 calories a day, you'll weigh z pounds. No one can be more exact than that.

You'll hear a lot of talk about your body having a "set point," or "knowing" when to stop losing. That's crap. If you eat 900 calories, you'll end up weighing less than if you ate 1200. That's your set point. If you eat too much, you won't reach goal, or start to gain.

You got some good advice above. It's natural to start thinking ahead. But just keep following your plan, keep weighing yourself, and be careful not to let portion sizes or grazing to start adding on unwanted calories. If you end up staying the same weight for a few months or more, you are in maintenance.