Why I Shifted to Maintenance (and Finally Found Freedom)

Losing the weight wasn’t the hardest part. Keeping it off, and actually living my life while doing it, was the real challenge.

For six months I lived in diet mode: full of sacrifice and deprivation. And for that time, it worked. I lost over 10kg, I got stronger in the gym, and I fit back into my clothes. But when the dust settled, I had a bigger question: what now?

Because here’s the truth, a dieter’s mindset is totally different from a maintainer’s mindset. And if you try to stay in diet mode forever, you’ll burn out.

The Breaking Point

One moment that changed things for me was a conversation with my trainer. I wanted to eat something I really enjoyed as a one-off, but was told it was “empty calories” and there wasn’t any point. (It wasn’t empty, just high calorie and not exactly an everyday staple). Whilst she didn’t stop me eating it the guilt that I put on myself for wanting to eat something that I enjoyed as a one-off was unreal. That was my wake-up call: I didn’t want to live the rest of my life in restriction and I wanted food to be about more than nutrition. It needed to feed my soul too.

At first, I went looking for another trainer. But I quickly realised no one was really talking about what to do once you lose the weight. Sure, some will give you a “maintenance meal plan,” but it’s basically the same rules and restrictions, just with slightly more calories. Still dieter mentality.

On the flip side, I found the “just eat intuitively” crowd. But if I’d let my body call the shots in those early days, I’d have eaten an entire noodle canteen meal with spring rolls, and drunk half a bottle of wine every Friday night. (Because honestly, that’s exactly what my body said it wanted after a long week of work and kids). That didn’t feel like the answer either.

The Stats That Shocked Me

As I searched, I came across something that floored me: the statistics on weight regain.

Around one-third to two-thirds of dieters not only regain the weight they lost but often put on more than they started with (study here).

Some research shows up to 95% of dieters regain their lost weight within 1–5 years (study 1, study 2).

I didn’t want to become another statistic.

Finding Maintenance (and Myself)

That’s when I discovered macro tracking and started experimenting with what happened when I adjusted things. It wasn’t just about the numbers, it was about shifting my mindset too.

I had to unlearn a lot:

• Believing that one bad meal (or weekend) would ruin my results.
• Thinking I couldn’t wear certain clothes until I looked a certain way.
• Avoiding kids’ parties or dinners with friends just to stay “on track.”

Maintenance has been (and still is) a wild ride of figuring these things out. But it’s also where I’ve found freedom. And if you’ve ever wondered how to hold onto your results without giving up your life, you’re definitely not alone.

Want to know how to actually do maintenance well and take the next step without more rules? 

Grab my FREE Post-Diet Guide to Maintenance and learn how to ditch the guilt, keep your results, and actually enjoy your life.