Maintenance Defined by Dr.C

My clothes were't feeing too much different, but one day, tried on one of my smaller size pants, and they were almost too tight, I couldn't deny that something was going on. The scale battery thing is something that I will have remember.

Gail

Ah.  reality check.  I gained 7 pounds in Hawaii and then the holidays happened.  I have stayed UNDER goal, but I want that 7 pounds gone, so yes, I am back in WL mode. Just because I'm under goal, I'm not where I want to be.    Thanks for this Frisco!   *slapping self up-side the head*.

I disagree. (Though I suspect I don't disagree with what Dr. meant only with how you guys are presenting it.)

First, I think maintenance is anything you want it to be. Second, I think it's ALL MENTAL and your weight on the scale is irrelevant.

As an example, how many people are there on the main board who are less than a year out and not at goal, but haven't lost in months? I see them all the time. They say they are in a "stall" because they aren't at goal weight. Bull. They are in maintenance. They aren't mentally where they  need to be to lose weight and they aren't doing what they need to do in order to lose more weight.

As another example, I got down to my lowest weight and stayed in my range (whatever that means ) by month 10 or 11 and stayed that way for the entire second year post-op. So I was in maintenance, right? Well, I said I was. Everyone acted like I was. But my head was completely in WL mode.

A lot of you are in that space too from what I see. You are still obsessing over every pound, watching everything that goes in your mouth, forcing yourself to exercise, and still willing to make the sacrifices that a person losing weight makes. You may be using your Dieting Mentality to keep your weight the same (as I was) but you (and me at the time) are totally still "On a Diet."

Second, I don't have a "weight range." I have decided the scale is a big fat liar and will not tell me what I need to know. I still use it. It tells me some things. But that number on the scale is not precise or accurate enough for me. Therefore, if the way to tell if you are in maintenance or not is whether or not you are "above your weight range", well I'm screwed. 

Right now, my weight is 126. When I did IMC, my weight was right around this. And I was in the best shape in my life and I could fit into my skinniest jeans. So, if you just go by weight, I'm in maintenance! Yeah, right. I am not. (Well, I am because my definition is different. But not by what I think Dr. C probably meant.)

That's because I am totally "On a Diet" right now. Or at least as much "on a diet" as I am willing to be. I am tracking my food and, if the end of the day comes, and I want to eat something but my calorie deficit is not big enough, I will not eat it. I am also losing weight. I have also started to workout again (though very, very slowly.) So, I'm definitely more in WL mode than not in WL mode. Even though I'm "in my range" such as it is.

It's hard to explain what the difference is. But I know it when I see it and I know when I cross over the line from one side to the other and it's not based on the scale but on what's going on in my head.