Maintaining

Another new week -

So this week is going to be bad - I have to work my quarterly Saturday and therefore won't get a long run in. 
T: 4.5 miles
W: 2.5 miles
R: 4.5 miles
S: 4 miles (crossing fingers I can wake up that early to get the run done)

So we started officially our weight loss challenge.  We pretend started two weeks ago but with going to St. George - that wasn't going to really happen.  I'm actually a lb up from when we started...so I really have 11 lbs to lose now.  Perfect :(

So I've had some questions about maintaining, and I really wish I could be better about this.  I went a year maintaining the 163 after I lost 20 lbs, and so far I've maintained my 128-130 weight since the first of December.  My biggest key is weighing myself often.  I'm kind of neurotic and weigh myself morning and night everyday.  I like to be aware of my body and how my actions from the day are affecting it.  This doesn't mean I starve myself if I get a bad number (we all know that's never going to happen) - but it helps keep me on track.  If my number is up, then I know I have to be extra good for a few days to get back to where I want to be.  I have been horrible at eating right - so for me weighing myself is good for me to refocus every few days and to get back on track.  Eventually I'll learn how to just eat healthy 24/7 instead of having to be reminded every day by the scale.

I still continue to make goals - hence the weight loss challenge with my husband and the half marathon in June.  These little goals help me to stay focused on my ultimate goal.  I still do weekly check-ins with my cousins.  Seriously after a week of gaining and having to tell my cousin's that I gained makes me so embarrassed and sad.  I've always been the fat one out of us three - and so I am just trying to keep up with them - and I feel like every lb I have to admit to gaining  is just one step closer to being the fatty I was. 

When I was losing weight, I was counting my points using Weight Watchers.  Because I used this method so long, I don't really have to count points - I just know what I'm supposed to be eating and when I eat too much.  So I still continue to keep my intake in check and then I exercise.  Lately I've been doing an hour of cardio 4 times a week at least.  I think this is the BIGGEST key to my maintaining.  As long as I continue to be active - my binges and slip-ups won't affect me too bad. 

How do you maintain your weight loss\weight in general?  I'm always up for ideas - I love to hear other people's success stories and what they do to make it work?  I am nothing close to an expert on anything health or exercise wise...but I share these things because I love hearing what others are doing.