Is it a plateau or is it maintenance? - FOX 8 WVUE New Orleans News, Weather, Sports

By Lisa Spodak ResultsNotTypical@worldnow.com
Provided by WorldNow

Week 91 Weigh In:

I guess it's time to admit it "out loud" – I've really been struggling since my birthday.

Up and down and up and down and up and down…

Thankfully, I seem to have backed down from my highest weight gain since hitting my 100-pounds-lost goal, but I also can't seem to get back down to, much less past, my lowest point.

About a month ago, I made a mistake in my weight tracker on the Weight Watchers site and the weight I recorded put me in maintenance.  Even though I corrected the weight, the site still "thinks" I'm in maintenance and keeps giving me messages that my temporary gains are normal during this time.

At the same time, my mother (very concerned about me backsliding) keeps suggesting that I maintain for awhile, get comfortable and used to this weight, and then move on to more loss when I'm ready.

As much as it might shock her to read this, I think she might be on to something.

As far as I'm concerned, the difference between a plateau and maintenance is all mental.

When I'm trying my hardest and I'm focused and doing everything "right" and the scale still won't budge, that's a plateau.

When I'm taking it a little easier, logging fewer days at the gym and indulging a bit more and my weight reacts accordingly but stays within a specific range, that's maintenance.

To me, a plateau is frustrating and feels a little like a failure, while maintenance is its own kind of struggle, but ultimately feels like a success.

I think it's time to accept that I'm in a period of maintenance right now and embrace it – I'm at the lowest weight I've been in many, many years!  I need to figure out my limits, do some thinking about new short- and long-term goals, get used to my body at this weight.

Then, when I'm ready, I can focus again on losing the rest of the weight I want to lose.