We hear about diets all the time it seems. It is hard to get away from it. We all know someone who is on a diet, or just off a diet, or getting ready to go on a diet. Many magazines have a NEW DIET ! story in them every issue. Dieting is so common you would think that dieting is the biggest problem. If someone could diet, then their weight problem would be over we seem to be saying. Not true. Maintenance is what is missing. Dieting is a short term commitment... days, weeks, month, maybe a year or so. Maintenance is life-long. Maintenance is what has to be done after the diet. How do we maintain that weight lost after dieting?

This is where calories are so important. To maintain our weight the amount of calories we eat must about equal the amount of calories we use. Every day doesn’t have to balance, but the weeks and months must come out balanced or our weight will go up or down. Maintenance means balance. Calories eaten have to equal calories used over the long run. Diets are the short-term solution. Maintenance is the life-time solution.