The Code Red Lifestyle™ is one of the few programs you’ll find that actually teaches you how to maintain your weight loss.

We have a simple strategy for re-introducing foods, if you choose to do so. (Just know you ain’t ever going back to your old ways of eating as much junk as you want, whenever you want it. That’s the diet mentality, not a sustainable lifestyle.)

We also teach that you, 1) Keep getting on the scale every day, 2) Keep drinking your water, 3) Keep the junk food out of your house.

The mindset of maintenance is a big factor, too, and as more and more Rebels reach their goal weight, I get more and more questions about it.

Getting to your goal weight is pretty cut and dry, especially on a custom program, where I pick your goal weight.

You have a clear goal to work toward, and you put a lot of your time and energy into getting there.

Once you get there, you celebrate (and so you should–it’s a big deal)!

Then you get started reintroducing foods, you get to feeling comfortable with doing that…and then life goes on.

And you find yourself asking, “Now what?”

Here are some maintenance mindset tips to help you ensure you keep off all the weight you lost on Code Red.

1. Address the reasons for your weight gain problem in the first place.

I’ve been in this industry since 1994, and I’ve seen enough to know that a weight problem is almost always a symptom of a bigger problem.

It might be that you were abused, either growing up or in an adult relationship. It might be a self-esteem issue, and you don’t think you deserve to be happy with yourself.

I remember one client whose grandmother died of cancer, and because she was so skinny and people were always trying to get her to eat, this client, at a young age, began associating being skinny with dying.

Figuring out what’s going on with you is critical to keeping your weight off. Code Red’s What’s Eating You? series is a great place to start, but don’t be afraid to seek out additional help if you need it.

2. Set new goals, and rewards to go with them.

Like I said, getting to goal weight takes up a lot of your time and energy. Then, once you get there and the fanfare has died down, it’s normal to feel a little lost.

Start setting maintenance goals, and include some rewards with them. But not food rewards! You can enjoy your food, but making it a reward takes you right back down that slippery slope of emotional eating.

Make your reward about self-care, trips, new clothes–stuff that brings you joy.

Choose a reward for maintaining your weight for one month, three months, six months, a year. It can be in whatever time increments you want. Celebrating your success shouldn’t stop just because you hit goal weight. Keep it going!

3. Keep moving forward.

My business coach, Natasha, recently said that you’re either growing or shrinking, and that there is no standing still.

She wasn’t talking about weight, she’s talking about you as a person.

Losing your weight peels back a lot of layers. You grow and change, and feel accomplished.

That’s a powerful feeling, and you can experience it in other areas of your life. Keep pushing yourself to grow. Participate in activities your weight or low confidence stopped you from. Say yes to stuff heavy you would have turned down.

Keep growing, so you don’t start shrinking.

4. Repair your relationship with food.

I get questions from people in maintenance who reintroduce foods and feel guilty doing it, even if it’s something like sweet potatoes.

It’s exactly why I discourage labeling food–ANY food, even food that can be harmful, like sugar–good or bad.

There are foods that help you reach your goals, and foods that don’t. But let’s ditch the labels of good and bad, because all that does is whip up the guilt and shame.

Guilt and shame play a HUGE role in yo-yo dieting, and of people disconnecting from Code Red if they fall off the wagon.

Food is fuel. It’s not a reward, it’s not a punishment, and it’s not something to feel guilty about.

5. Stay connected.

Look, the hard truth is that your old habits, and a world full of temptations placed in front of you by people who mean well but don’t yet “get it” is out there.

The longer you stay connected to Code Red, the more support you have to stay true to and feel secure in your new way of life.

Get in a coaching group, join challenges (yes, even in maintenance, the accountability and motivation you get are powerful), and come to Code Red events. The live, in-person experience is the most powerful one of all.

My Certified Coaches host live events in their area, as well as when they travel to my events.

You can see a list of my live events at www.CodeRedLifestyle.com/Events.

Losing your weight is a temporary journey. Maintaining your goal weight is for life. The steps I’ve given you here are what people who are keeping their weight off on my program are doing.

You don’t have to do them all at once, but they’re all important parts of maintaining not only your weight, but a healthy, happy lifestyle.