Ep 14: Why Maintenance is a Skill (and How to Master it)
Mastering Maintenance
Weight loss maintenance is the most overlooked skill in your weight loss journey, yet it's the one that determines your long-term success. After maintaining a 30kg weight loss for 25 years, I'm sharing the exact strategies that helped me master weight maintenance and avoid the yo-yo diet cycle that traps 95% of dieters.
In this episode, I break down the fundamental difference between weight loss and weight maintenance phases, revealing why most people struggle to keep weight off permanently. You'll discover my proven 95/5 rule for weight loss and the game-changing 80/20 approach for sustainable weight maintenance.
Whether you're currently losing weight on a low carb diet, struggling with weight regain, or planning your long-term weight management strategy, this episode provides the roadmap for lasting weight loss success without the constant diet mentality.
What You'll Learn
Why weight maintenance is a completely different skill from weight loss and requires its own strategy
The 95/5 rule for successful weight loss and when to apply strict adherence to your eating plan
My proven 80/20 maintenance formula that's kept me at my goal weight for 25 years
How to create a sustainable buffer zone for weight fluctuations during maintenance
The critical weekend strategies that make or break your weight loss progress
When and how to reintroduce higher carb foods during the maintenance phase
How to handle alcohol, social eating, and special occasions while maintaining your weight
The importance of daily weighing and progress monitoring for long-term success
Why thinking about maintenance before starting weight loss prevents future weight regain
How to transition from strict weight loss mode back to maintenance when needed
Key Moments
The Maintenance Reality Check I share why maintenance is actually harder than weight loss - it's less exciting, requires consistent habits, and involves navigating holidays and social situations while maintaining new behaviors. After losing 30kg in one year, I had to learn an entirely new set of skills to keep it off.
The 95/5 vs 80/20 Rule Explained Weight loss requires 95% adherence to your low carb eating plan with 5% flexibility for treats. Weight maintenance operates on 80/20 - staying low carb 80% of the time with 20% flexibility for higher carb foods, alcohol, and social eating.
Why Most Diets Fail Long-Term I explain why temporary diet approaches lead to weight regain and why you must ask yourself: "Can I realistically follow this way of eating forever?" Whatever you do to lose weight, you must continue doing to some degree to maintain results.
Weekend Success Strategies Weekends are make-or-break for weight loss success. I share my client strategy of creating weekend food plans, especially for eating out situations, with the goal of weighing the same Monday as Friday.
The Low Carb Maintenance Advantage Why low carb eating (keeping carbs under 50g daily) makes maintenance easier - you're eating real food, never hungry, and can maintain stable insulin levels for continued fat burning.
Creating Your Maintenance Buffer Zone I recommend a 2kg buffer zone rather than trying to stay at an exact weight. Your body naturally fluctuates due to hormones, fluid changes, and inflammation - planning for this keeps you mentally strong during maintenance.
Reintroducing Foods Strategically During maintenance, start with real foods like fruits and starchy vegetables (potato, pumpkin) rather than processed foods. Test how your body responds while monitoring your weight within your buffer zone.
My Personal Maintenance Evolution At 50, I've had to adjust my approach - I avoid carbs entirely due to quicker weight gain, but I still enjoy higher calorie meals on weekends. Monday weigh-ins might show 500-600g increases, but they disappear when I return to low carb eating.
The Accountability Factor Daily weighing has been crucial for my 25-year maintenance success. Whether using scales or measurements, having a check-in method helps you quickly see how different foods and behaviors affect your weight.
Key Action you can take to START NOW
Transitioning from Maintenance Back to Weight Loss If you're stuck in maintenance mode but want to lose more weight, identify 1-2 changes to move from 80/20 back to 95/5 adherence. This might mean reducing carbs, eliminating extra snacks, or cutting back on alcohol.
Coming Up Next
Next week, we're diving deep into the foundation of lasting weight loss success - your WHY. I'll help you uncover the powerful motivation that will carry you through both the weight loss and maintenance phases of your journey. We'll explore how to identify your deepest reasons for wanting to lose weight and how to use them as fuel when motivation wanes. This episode will be a game-changer for anyone struggling with consistency or looking to reignite their weight loss motivation.
Don't miss this crucial episode that addresses the psychological foundation every successful weight loss journey needs!
New Zealand