The battle is on!

Elina, you have many of the characteristics of successful weight loss, but until you come to terms with the need to exercise, including strength training, you may not be successful at weight maintenance.  To maintain weight loss and to prevent a lot of regain, exercise is MANDATORY. ALL the research supports this. If one does not exercise, weight regain will occur. Of course, going off program doesn't help, but we all have to have those occasions when we indulge.

I have been in official maintenance for the past 3-4 weeks, and this will be the most challenging part of the journey. I do not want to go back to where I started from. I HAVE to exercise, cardio for cardiovascular health, and strength training for bone health and overall fitness. Exercise helps to preserve lean muscle mass, which is vital for our metabolism. The more lean muscle mass that we lose, the slower our metabolism becomes, and the easier it is to gain weight. That isn't even talking about how exercise improves our metabolic profile and resistance to illness.

Just my 2 cents worth. I have become a believer and accept that this is what I have to, and want to do, to maintain my weight loss.

Gail

Thank you for your reply.  I am well aware of the health benefits of exercise, and yet I have not chosen to incorporate it into my life.  It might become necessary to do so in the future, at which point I will consider it.  Exercise is an important part of my doctors program, and there is no doubt about the benefits of exercise for one's overall health.  And yet I am still unwilling to go there.  For now I have been maintaining for one and a half years without it by staying vigilant about my eating.  Is this the best way? No, I believe exercise is a necessary component.  Since I am unwilling to do it, I must be extra careful about the calories going in.  I have been able to eat a varied diet without too many carbs and to keep my calories between 1200-1800 for this year.  I have not gained much, we are talking about a two pound gain around my time of the month.  I was back on program today and believe I will be successful in the long term whether I add in exercise, or not.  I could be wrong, and if I am I will fix it but for now I am sticking to my imperfect plan.

Love your post...just goes to show that this is a life long journey for us.  The fact that you can recognize when you go alittle stray is a hugh winner in my opinion!  We have the tools...we just need to keep using them.  You are always so inspirational..thank you!!

Happy Mother's day

By the way....your husband is fabulous...you are a lucky woman  (and he is very lucky too!)
How do I get his meatball recipe??

I go away on the 18th for a business trip and back on the 21st....after that I am ready for a girls day out...ready too?  Let's go shopping!

OX
Patty

Hi Patty,
I have not forgotten about the meatball recipe, he's just been very busy so I am not bugging him too much.  He is setting up the dinning room now for both of our families for Mother's Day brunch.  We are having 15 people over this morning and he will not let me touch a thing and made me french toast on P28 bread with berries this morning.  I don't know what I did in my former life to deserve this, but it must have been huge.

Just let me know when you come back what your schedule is like and we will plan a girl's day out.  Sundays are good for me.  Just let me know.