I guy goes into a bar and the barkeep says, "Hey, Bart, you lost some pounds there."
The man nods and replies, "Yea doing drinking mans diet."
"For real?", asks, the barkeep, "how does it go?"
"You see", replies the man, "you can drink any kind of drink you want and as much as you like when ever you want."
The barkeep looks quizzical, "and what d'ya eat?"
"oh that", sighs the man, "mostly aspirin."

Losing weight can be hard to do, and when you have made weight loss goal, how do you keep it off?Here are some good ideas:

You know, when you get into a successful weight loss program you do it by strictly following certain guidelines.  These guidelines should be a little healthier than those in our opening illustration.  Hopefully you used a well balanced nutritionally sound approach to losing the weight.  if you have then you have half the battle won.  Rule of thumb: stick to what got you where you are.  Sure you will probably increase the amount of calories you take in, but keep the rest.  Keep drinking the water, keep doing the exercises, keep the portion control etc.

You have to reset your thinking when you begin a maintenance phase.  Do not wonder if you will be able to keep it off, but determine that you will keep it off.  This is the part in a weight loss effort where we often have to face our demons.  Those things that drive us to over eat.  Stress, work, fear, childhood baggage or what ever.  In my effort I have set an emergency weight limit.  I weigh every day and if I stray above that weight I immediately go on a mini diet.  It keeps me where I want to be.

Lets face it, we should have been doing this all along.  We need to exercise and the secret is to find something you like and look forward to.  For me it was racquetball and golf.  Yes, golf; I do not rent a cart anymore and I lug my golf clubs on my back around a very hilly course.  After 18 holes I am pretty wasted--unless someone says, "How about another round?"

 I cannot tell you how helpful support groups are.  For me my wife is my support group, but you could have s set of friends or a club you join.  Guys don't do so well in weight loss support groups so they might want to join an online group.  Even ladies who do not have a support group could benefit from online forums.  Anything from paid to free.

Losing weight and keeping it off can be a thrilling experience.  It can also be a defeating one depending on how you approach it.  Personally I think that with determination and support you can accomplish your goals and live a long healthy life.