I lost 67 pounds and I've kept it off for the past two years. I'm still afraid that I'll gain it back because I hear everyone does. Is it really true that most people who lose weight gain it back?

Yes, I believe I can help.

You're right. Weight gain after weight loss seems to be the norm. But it's important to note the research studies that come up with this finding are primarily short-term studies conducted over weeks, months, at best, a year. This makes a difference.

Research on long-term, successful weight-loss maintainers paints a very different picture. I think you definitely qualify as a successful, long-term maintainer. If you look at these studies it's clear that people who maintain a weight loss for two years, like you have, are much more successful at staying at their ideal body weight for good.

If you've come as far as you have in successfully maintaining your weight loss, you've changed your behavior a lot. Overeating and engaging in those behaviors that kept you overweight probably used to be automatic for you. In order to maintain your weight loss for so long, you must have activated new automatic settings in yourself. The things that are automatic to you now are things that are keeping you right at your weight loss goal. That's a very good place to be. When you reach this stage of weight control, you should have every confidence about staying there.

Keep the faith.

© Maria's Last Diet. Maria’s Last Diet is an online weight loss support website for women. At Maria’s Last Diet, you’ll find the tools to fix the thoughts, feelings, and automatic habits that fight against you when you diet. Because it’s never just about the food. Visit www.mariaslastdiet.com for more diet tips and weight loss motivation.

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