One year ago I walked into Weight Watchers for my weigh in, fingers crossed that I would make my goal weight.  I did it, and today I walked in and weighed exactly the same as I did one year ago.

I did it!  I can remember people telling me things like “Only 5% keep it off by their one year anniversary.”  Guess what?  I am the 5%! That is a terrifying number but I did it.

But why?  Why do only 5% make it?  Maintaining your weight is hard.  Yes, losing weight is hard, but in some ways maintaining it is even harder.  Now I know when I had about 40 pounds to go I would have wanted to smack someone upside the head that would say such a thing, but it’s true.

At first you are focused on getting to you goal, you know what to do, and you do it with these great little surprises along the way.  It’s different for everyone – maybe some want to get rid of a double chin, see a smaller pants size, or just plain feel better.  When you get to goal everything is just normal and stays the same.  You don’t have all those exciting little developments anymore, so you have to find different things to keep you excited.

Here are some of the things that kept me at goal for the last year:

Get involved in new things!  Go kayaking.  Roller skate again for the first time in decades.  Write a book.  Do those things that you couldn’t or wouldn’t do before.  Get out there and enjoy life!

Know your tribe!  Weight loss is not a solitary experience.  If Weight Watcher meetings are not for you, find someone that understands what you are going through and do it together!  You need that support.

Even though it’s been over a year and a half since I first started Weight Watchers my best friend and I still cook a healthy meal on Sunday and split them so that we have something different to eat for lunches/dinner that week.  It also forces you to prep, because you don’t want to let your friend down.

Weigh yourself.  I know some of you all hate the scale, but it is a scientific measurement of your progress or lack of progress.  It can be a huge wake up call and can be just what you need to keep yourself on track.

Go back to basics.  Messing up is mandatory, and giving up is not optional.  Have I slipped?  You betcha. Life will never be perfect.  It’s messy and unpredictable.  You have to make that commitment that when things go horribly awry that you will hop back on that wagon and get it under control.

Of course that is easy said than done, but I find it easier after I peruse some old pictures to do that.  I’ve been really lucky.  Even though a few times my weight might have slipped above goal a few times this year I always managed to meet my goal at my monthly weigh in, every time.

That’s was no coincidence.  Every time I would see my weight go above my goal weight on the scale I immediately went back to my weight loss plan from maintenance.  It is no fun re-gifting fat, and the less you re-gift, the better.

This is my day 14 of my two week challenge.  It wasn’t an accident that I did this when it would end on this day.  I didn’t need to lose anything, but I did need to be reminded of the program that made me so successful. I did need to get back on track before I went off the rails.

Forgive yourself.  I’ve always hated when people say this, but it’s true.  I mean eating a brownie is not the same as hurting another person, so what is there to forgive?  Unfortunately we have been trained to think that food is good and bad, and therefore we are good or bad depending on what we eat.

I call bullshit on that, but deep down we all get mad if we royally screw up and wonder what the hell is wrong with us, why we can’t stick to a simple program.  Guess what, it happens to everyone and isn’t the end of the world.

Catching it and gaining control over the slip is what matters.  The sooner you reign it in, the better.

It really is that “easy”.  Trust me, if I can do it anyone can!  So happy 60 pounds gone for a year to me!

Aside from writing this blog, I have a new novel out.  Going Home is a book about second chances, set in a holiday obsessed town.  If you like Hallmark movies, you’ll love this book!

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