Maintenance: Not an ugly word

When I started losing weight I was frequently asked, "how much are you trying to lose? What's your goal?" I really didn't have a specific number in mind which made it hard to respond. I wanted to lose it all, every little bit of fat that offended me, made my clothes too tight and me uncomfortable in my own skin. What I found out is that, after losing about 25 pounds (hurray for me!) I still have a little softness, a little roundness, in all the right places. I call it "sexy fat." You might say, eeewwww gross! But with the backlash against super skinniness I think I'm right on target.

The other part of the equation was effort. My weight loss, while not effortless, was done in a reasonable fashion. Since I was looking to make the change for life I ate regular food, exercised, and really watched those calories. I held to about 1400 per day. If I felt like having something sweet, I ate it and didn't agonize about it. Maybe I did sometimes but I tried not to obsess about food. This was where working with a nutritionist was really helpful. She was one of my best cheerleaders.

I have been at my "end" weight for about two months now. I know, not a super long time but I still feel successful. I keep a close eye by weighing myself almost every day. I've mentioned that me and Mr. Scale are buds. The number tends to fluctuate 2-4 pounds. For example, it took two weeks to shed the pounds I gained over superbowl weekend. Taquitos, anyone? I also write the number down on the back of a business card that I keep in my underwear drawer. I can quickly scan how I've been doing so I don't fall so far away from where I think I should be.


I still "snack" on different exercises. During the winter, running has fallen by the wayside because I don't have a treadmill. But I replaced it with stationary cycling. I still also have swimming, walking, weightlifting and the delicious hot yoga. Summer triathloning is right around the corner.

It's almost March, and I have a big birthday coming up. I'm glad I reached this level of physical fitness although it's always a work on progress. I'll let you know how it goes and if I'm able to keep moving forward and feeling fabulous.