Reached Goal...Now what???

I don't know much about the maintenance part of the program but I think you are eating too few
points to begin with. The minimum number of points for the Flex Plan is 20. So if going to 22 scares
you, try going to 20 instead for a while. BTW, the 4 is a guesstimate by the leaders as to how many
points you can add without gaining. My old leader told folks to try 2 and then go to 4. Also, many
of the folks in this group have chosen to continue losing weight after reaching their goal. This
gives them a "clothing cushion" for weighins in the winter.

"{Sherry Lynn}" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:733-3FB6F92A-25@storefull-
2358.public.lawson.webtv.net...

Quoted message said:

Actually I think I may have been in here before but got so wrapped up in life and work and loosing
the weight that just about everything has escaped me....I have sort of a problem now and was
hoping someone might have some advice for me....I have reached my goal weight, finally after
struggling for the last 6 weeks, gaining and loosing a pound or two, finally I've made it below my
goal....and now I feel like thats it....I've reached the goal, now where do I go from here? Im not
feeling really motivated to do the maintenece, and adding the 4 points my leader tells me too add
just scares me to death, Ive been eating at 18 points a day and the thought of 22 points makes me
feel nervous, I just know I'll be eating things I shouldnt be eating because the points are
there.....has anyone else felt this way? Sometimes I feel like I am silly for being scared to have
finally reached my goal....I feel like maybe I didnt set my goal low enough...maybe I need to
loose a few more pounds? I dont know...Ive made it to a size 6....133 pounds...from a size 14 and
160 pounds in April of this year....not too bad I dont think, but it was a long hard road, and now
Im not sure whats next?

Anyone have thoughts on this? I would appreciate any input 🙂

Sherry

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

You are definitely not alone in those feelings. Add just two points and see how that goes. Unless
you really do want to lose more, you will need to add some points. Maintenance is an UP and DOWN
routine but I think that is really how it goes, unless you eat the exact same thing each and
every day and never vary your clothing or exercise or water intake, there will be variations - it
is NATURAL. Expect it to go UP and then watch it go back DOWN. Just stick to the program. WW and
healthy eating do not end when you reach goal. It really is a life-long program or you will
regain it all.

Good luck

Fred
219.2/159./164.0 (Lifetime) Started WW: Oct 29, 2002

(and to add to the signature, it has been up to 162 and down to 158.2 and up to 161 and down to 160
and up and down over the last 4 months)

({Sherry Lynn}) said:

Actually I think I may have been in here before but got so wrapped up in life and work and loosing
the weight that just about everything has escaped me....I have sort of a problem now and was hoping
someone might have some advice for me....I have reached my goal weight, finally after struggling
for the last 6 weeks, gaining and loosing a pound or two, finally I've made it below my goal....and
now I feel like thats it....I've reached the goal, now where do I go from here? Im not feeling
really motivated to do the maintenece, and adding the 4 points my leader tells me too add just
scares me to death, Ive been eating at 18 points a day and the thought of 22 points makes me feel
nervous, I just know I'll be eating things I shouldnt be eating because the points are
there.....has anyone else felt this way? Sometimes I feel like I am silly for being scared to have
finally reached my goal....I feel like maybe I didnt set my goal low enough...maybe I need to loose
a few more pounds? I dont know...Ive made it to a size 6....133 pounds...from a size 14 and 160
pounds in April of this year....not too bad I dont think, but it was a long hard road, and now Im
not sure whats next?

Anyone have thoughts on this? I would appreciate any input 🙂

Sherry

Unfortunately, reaching goal and the maintenance stage of ww doesn't mean the program is over... it
has to be your new way of life. Finding the motivation to stay where you are will help you be
successful. With the new flex plan, you should be eating a minimum of 20 points per day - can add
the flex points and activity points if you feel you need or want to. Adding 4 points back into the
routine IS scary. What many of us have done is increase the points by 1 single point, see what
happens after a few weeks. If you are still losing, add another point into the equation, watch it
again for a few weeks. It's a slow process, but eventually you will figure out how much you can
safely eat to keep your weight steady.

That said... don't be surprised to find your weight bouncing all over the place. This appears to be
totally normal when trying to maintain. Food quantity intake will change day to day, depending on
exercise, water retention/fluid intake, plain old body system stuff. It's taken me several months,
but I've finally become accustomed to the fluctuations. What goes up, comes back down ... if we
don't ever ignore it. <g>

Joyce
228.8 (2/5/02)/130/150 ---> 2/21/03 - total lost 98.8 lbs. LIFETIME: 4/4/03

({Sherry Lynn}) said:

Actually I think I may have been in here before but got so wrapped up in life and work and loosing
the weight that just about everything has escaped me....I have sort of a problem now and was hoping
someone might have some advice for me....I have reached my goal weight, finally after struggling
for the last 6 weeks, gaining and loosing a pound or two, finally I've made it below my goal....and
now I feel like thats it....I've reached the goal, now where do I go from here? Im not feeling
really motivated to do the maintenece, and adding the 4 points my leader tells me too add just
scares me to death, Ive been eating at 18 points a day and the thought of 22 points makes me feel
nervous, I just know I'll be eating things I shouldnt be eating because the points are
there.....has anyone else felt this way? Sometimes I feel like I am silly for being scared to have
finally reached my goal....I feel like maybe I didnt set my goal low enough...maybe I need to loose
a few more pounds? I dont know...Ive made it to a size 6....133 pounds...from a size 14 and 160
pounds in April of this year....not too bad I dont think, but it was a long hard road, and now Im
not sure whats next?

Anyone have thoughts on this? I would appreciate any input 🙂

Sherry

Can't help you, Sherry, but just wanted to congratulate you on reaching goal. Elaine K
331.4/222.2/179

{Sherry Lynn} said:

Actually I think I may have been in here before but got so wrapped up in life and work and loosing
the weight that just about everything has escaped me....I have sort of a problem now and was
hoping someone might have some advice for me....I have reached my goal weight, finally after
struggling for the last 6 weeks, gaining and loosing a pound or two, finally I've made it below my
goal....and now I feel like thats it....I've reached the goal, now where do I go from here? Im not
feeling really motivated to do the maintenece, and adding the 4 points my leader tells me too add
just scares me to death, Ive been eating at 18 points a day and the thought of 22 points makes me
feel nervous, I just know I'll be eating things I shouldnt be eating because the points are
there.....has anyone else felt this way? Sometimes I feel like I am silly for being scared to have
finally reached my goal....I feel like maybe I didnt set my goal low enough...maybe I need to
loose a few more pounds? I dont know...Ive made it to a size 6....133 pounds...from a size 14 and
160 pounds in April of this year....not too bad I dont think, but it was a long hard road, and now
Im not sure whats next?

Anyone have thoughts on this? I would appreciate any input 🙂

Sherry

----------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not at goal yet and your feelings are the same ones I expect myself to have once I get there. If
you've been "bouncing" around for the last 6 weeks, perhaps you were already pretty close to your
points range. I have a (rough)rule of thumb I use. 50 cals = 1 point. 3500 cals = 1 lb.

4 points extra a day equals 28 points extra a week or roughly 1400 calories/week extra. Just shy of
a half pound of extra calories you'll be consuming a week. If you feel that a half pound will send
you over, cut it back to 2-3 points. You have more of a feeling for what you eat and how easily you
gain than anyone else. Just a thought. Good luck and congrats! Wayne

Yeah, what Joyce said is exactly how it is for me too.

"Joyce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately, reaching goal and the maintenance stage of ww doesn't mean

the

Quoted message said:

program is over... it has to be your new way of life. Finding the

motivation to

Quoted message said:

stay where you are will help you be successful. With the new flex plan,

you

Quoted message said:

should be eating a minimum of 20 points per day - can add the flex points

and

Quoted message said:

activity points if you feel you need or want to. Adding 4 points back

into the

Quoted message said:

routine IS scary. What many of us have done is increase the points by 1

single

Quoted message said:

point, see what happens after a few weeks. If you are still losing, add

another

Quoted message said:

point into the equation, watch it again for a few weeks. It's a slow

process, but

Quoted message said:

eventually you will figure out how much you can safely eat to keep your

weight

Quoted message said:

steady.

That said... don't be surprised to find your weight bouncing all over the

place.

Quoted message said:

This appears to be totally normal when trying to maintain. Food quantity

intake

Quoted message said:

will change day to day, depending on exercise, water retention/fluid

intake, plain

Quoted message said:

old body system stuff. It's taken me several months, but I've finally

become

Quoted message said:

accustomed to the fluctuations. What goes up, comes back down ... if we

don't

Quoted message said:

ever ignore it. <g>

Joyce
228.8 (2/5/02)/130/150 ---> 2/21/03 - total lost 98.8 lbs. LIFETIME: 4/4/03

On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 23:12:26 -0500 (EST), [email hidden]

({Sherry

Quoted message said:

Lynn}) said:

Actually I think I may have been in here before but got so wrapped up in life and work and
loosing the weight that just about everything has escaped me....I have sort of a problem now and
was hoping someone might have some advice for me....I have reached my goal weight, finally after
struggling for the last 6 weeks, gaining and loosing a pound or two, finally I've made it below
my goal....and now I feel like thats it....I've reached the goal, now where do I go from here? Im
not feeling really motivated to do the maintenece, and adding the 4 points my leader tells me too
add just scares me to death, Ive been eating at 18 points a day and the thought of 22 points
makes me feel nervous, I just know I'll be eating things I shouldnt be eating because the points
are there.....has anyone else felt this way? Sometimes I feel like I am silly for being scared to
have finally reached my goal....I feel like maybe I didnt set my goal low enough...maybe I need
to loose a few more pounds? I dont know...Ive made it to a size 6....133 pounds...from a size 14
and 160 pounds in April of this year....not too bad I dont think, but it was a long hard road,
and now Im not sure whats next?

Anyone have thoughts on this? I would appreciate any input 🙂

Sherry