At what point did maintenance become really hard?

I am 17 months out, and have been at my goal weight since the Fall.  I think it is important to remain mindful and I think that for me that will be a lifelong effort - I make sure I am getting adequate protein, and fluids in every day, and have a host of small things that I think about.  I also exercise - five days a week, and my nutritionist did a test to determine how many calories I have to consume to maintain - most days I am under this.  Every few months, I log food for a couple of weeks to keep myself honest.  So far, so good - but as I said earlier - I think it is important to be mindful, always.  Best wishes to you!

I am 27 months out and I would say the last 6 months has been much harder. I have gained a few, lost a few, gained a few --- I have to monitor it closely!

I am about 29 months out and I would say at about the 2 year month things got to be harder.  I regained about 5 pounds and have since lost it.  It's a daily battle to make good choices and continue to eat on plan and not succumb to carbs.  It's effort now.  I calculate calories in my head daily and weigh daily and make adjustments.

I didn't quit losing until 20 months out, and did fine until about the 3 year mark.  By that point, I really had to be vigilant about not allowing too many carbs to creep in and about my portion sizes or it showed up on the scale.

Yes, you are still experiencing some of the various aspects of the "honeymoon" period, both in terms of malabsorption and the "psychological rose colored glasses".  Many people are not even INTO maintenance at only 16 months out.

Lora

I think the important thing is to stay on top of it.  It is a lot easier (although not easy) to lose 5 lbs then 50 lbs.

I have an upper limit of 5 lbs over my goal that if I find myself approaching I cut back on the carbs until it backs off.  I am at the point that if I am up 2 lbs for more then 2 days I cut back.  It is a lot more manageable then to wait until it is more.

The important thing is for me not to go into denial about my weight.  I weigh myself daily.  In the past when I have gained a lot of weight it always followed a decision to avoid the scale, conscious or not.  I knew the numbers would be up and I wasn't ready to stop what I was doing so I stuck my head in the sand until I was forced to face things, usually at a doctors appointment, and by then it was harder then hell to make changes.