What else do you do, aside from running regularly, to maintain your weight loss? Have you had any major slip-ups? Any lessons learned?

I love these kind of questions! Aside from regularly running I try to watch what I eat. Its true what they say, you can’t out exercise a bad diet. 90% of weight loss really is in the kitchen. I used to count calories and fat grams, but now I let myself eat what I want, within reason. I don’t enjoy most of the bad foods that I used to covet before the weight loss anymore. 

I also weigh myself everyday. Now I don’t do it when I don’t have access to my scale, but those days I try to be very cognizant of what I’m eating and not go overboard.

Have I had any major slip-ups? I consider myself very lucky in that I haven’t had any slip ups. I periodically gain a few pounds, but because I weigh myself everyday I see those gains and then I take action (run more, cut back on the dessert, salty foods, etc) and lose those pounds a few days later. 

Lessons learned…Hmm. If there is anything I can tell you, its that you can’t beat yourself up about a few pounds gained. I gained 5 pounds during marathon training, but they weren’t from fat..its all muscle. I have NEVER been muscular in my life! So remember, that you aren’t a number on the scale. Its also how your clothes feel and how YOU feel. I think I’ve also learned that you have to develop willpower. When I was heavier I had no willpower when it came to “bad” foods. I loved it all, and ate it all, whenever. Sometimes even in secret. But that ended the day I decided to lose weight. You can’t constantly eat the bad foods and try to run away the calories. Exercise should be a reward, something good you do for yourself, not a punishment for eating bad. 

Hope my ramblings have answered your questions! Good luck!