It's not a diet; it's a life style

It is over! The weightloss is done! I can finally relax! I can eat more!

I can eat more!

I can eat brownies, candy, cake, beer, wine, I can... wait, what? I only get 300 calories more per day now?

What the f...!? I'm supposed to get by on these tiny amounts for the rest of my life? I can't have treats again? I have to watch my habits every single day until I drop dead? That's not what I had in mind when I set "drop dead gorgeous" as my goal!

Okay. Fine. I guess going back to my old eating habits will get me back to my old weight. I suppose I will have to accept that. But just in case you're listening, metabolism, THIS IS NO FUN!

I kind of like being fit and healthy and look good though. It's nice. It's fun. It's worth it. It's time consuming. Who am I kidding here?

Yeah, I have a new lifestyle alright. And it seems to consist of working out for a couple of hours every evening and counting everything I eat for the remainder my days.

And smile gratefully and try so hard not to hurt people who tell me that I don't have to watch what I eat, because I don't need to lose weight. I should hope not, as hard as I'm working to avoid ever having to do that again! Now understand that I don't need to gain either, so I'll pass on the 500+ calorie dessert, thanks.

I am maintaining. I am at a steady weight.

Hang on, I'm not. It fluctuates! Why does it fluctuate by 2-3 pounds almost every week? What's going on here?

Oh. It's supposed to do that? Well, how was I supposed to know that the best I can do is stay at a weight range, not one single steady number? And if I'm going to gain three pounds next week anyway why can't I have that brownie and wine?

Someone needs to tell me these things ahead of time!

But at least I'm not gaining weight, right? Right... Hooray. Go me. Go away treats. I'm counting calories. I'm winning.

Why didn't anyone tell me it was so hard to maintain once I had lost the weight? At least when I was losing I could see progress. "Hooray nothing happened today either!" sounds a bit hollow compared to dropping two inches off my waist line in a week.

I am maintaining my weight. I am enjoying the glorious end result of months and months of hard work: Harder work.