November/December weight management challenge

[goldfinch]

Goldfinch, I'm in the exact same place. My weight has stabilized at 143-145 (I'm 5'11") after years spent working on weight loss (started at around 350lbs). I've been this weight since July and I'm scared to death to loosen the reins. I still weigh myself daily. I still count calories and weigh/measure everything I eat. I've worked so hard to accomplish this and the fear I could gain it all back easily is huge.

Exactly!

Here is a link to the story from NPR:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011...at-and-biology

Maintenance is really a challenge! Goldfinch you're not alone

I have read a lot of research on weight loss. I lost the rose colored glasses about keeping it off a while ago. My goal is to make it a year and get on the national weight control registry. http://xnet.kp.org/permanentejournal.../registry.html . And then make it two years. It does sound like once you make it two years your odds of continuing to keep it off improve. Exercise also is key.

Goldfinch, perhaps you are thinking about how tough maintaining your weight loss is going to be. With all of the negativity around about how hard it is to live a healthy lifestyle, sometimes we feel like we are the only ones with this goal.
As for your other concern, while losing weight does help with the health issues you talked about, it is not a cure. My DH takes bp medication, has 2 stents, and also takes 2 cholesterol lowering drugs, and a blood thinner. He rides 2-3K miles a year and is thin. He looks like a very fit, healthy person. Genetics plays a large part in this. Perhaps you should look at it from the point of view that if you hadn't lost the weight, these conditions would be worse.

I know my genes are not on my side. I still had really hoped that at least the sleep apnea would be resolved and now I am learning to live with the fact that I am a CPAP lifer. It is a bit difficult to take.

My mother died at 39 of a heart attack. My dad's first heart attack was in his early 40s. He died at 63 after multiple heart attacks. I know that I am better off with less weight so that helps with motivation. But the real problem is that motivation can be strong but so can the drive to eat. Hormones are not necessarily our friends. There is some research that indicates that after losing weight levels of leptin remain abnormally low (an appetite suppressant) and levels of hormones that stimulate appetite are abnormally high. But I think knowing that, though a bit depressing, can help because I know that I have to be extra alert to any slip in maintaining weight. I have to catch it right away and jump on the issue. I have to exercise. And at the same time I have to not beat myself up for imperfections.