Losing weight is only the first step

[JennyR]

Hi y'all. A friend of mine has been on a diet for as long as I've known her (a good decade or more). She manages to lose weight, but she keeps gaining it right back, hence her reason for dieting for so long. I just wanted to say that losing weight is only the first step of a weight loss goal. The second and , in my opinion the most important, is keeping the weight that you have lost from coming back. Weight maintenance and management is the real challenge of losing weight. Anyone can lose weight, but keep it off is a whole other story. This is often why short-term diets just don't work. You need to make a permanent change to your lifestyle if you want the progress you make to stick, otherwise you're just going to give up or you are going to be dieting for the rest of your life like my friend.

[Charlotte]

Very true! Keeping it off really is the biggest challenge.

[PamelaPoison]

It's true. Weight loss is actually only phase one of a lifetime of treating yourself better. It's basically just a process of breaking old habits and learning new ones

[KenTraver]

Good point. When it comes to maintaining, that's when the REAL willpower is needed!

[Firefly77]

Good point. When it comes to maintaining, that's when the REAL willpower is needed!

Isn't that the truth! Sometimes I wish willpower wasn't so hard. It should be quite simple to have self-control, but sometimes it is a real trial. Especially when you love food!

[Lady Greenfairy]

Ya...you'd think that losing weight would be the hardest part...but, no. It's making sure you don't gain it all back that really is the challenge.

[JennyR]

Glad so many of y'all agree!