Vets- How much regain is acceptable to you?

Let me explain, and this is obviously on a case by case basis. 

After hitting my goal of 150 pounds about a year and a half ago, I continued to lose until I got to my lowest of 143 for about 10 minutes. I then hung around the 144-145 mark for half a year. After cutting back on exercise, I managed to find my way back up to 149-150. It was pretty much hand to hand combat and 4 long months to get those 5 pounds back off. Okay, so all is well, until.....

Fast forward a year later. Back up almost the same 5 pounds. Hand to hand combat for the last couple of weeks....nothing. In fact I've even gained a little. 

My question is at what point do you just accept that this may be the normal 3rd year "bounce" weight, and this is where my body just want to be? I'm not looking for advice on how to take it off-believe me, I understand the back to basics concept-but SHOULD I work so hard to take it off as it seems my body fights to stay there? If not, is it a slippery slope just accepting a gain? 

I feel okay at this weight. Obviously the extra rolls in the tummy bother me, but the clothes still fit, and it's not affecting my fitness routine whatsoever. Obviously most of us felt better at our lowest. 

I would love the long term vets imput on this! Thanks! 

I'm not a vet, but my dr suggested many end up gaining 10% of the total weight lost.

I think most give themselves a high number Threshold where they are uncomfortable and weigh daily still to notice trends and know when to be a little more strict with themselves.

as long as you are happy with your current weight - I would not call the regain - or anything, but maintenance phase.  

my weight can fluctuate up or down 3 lbs either way... I can be 138 or 144... either one of those numbers are still well below my 150 goal..  I really don't like when my wight drops below 140... but anything 140-150 is my maintenance... 

but - make sure you don't go over 150.... a lot of times 2 lbs here and there turns slowly into 10... 

Thank you! Great answer!

Well, I'm not quite a vet yet. But I have a 5 pound range I like to stay in. When it hits the top, I start looking for things to cut. When it hit 7, I started scrambling.

There are really two issues here. One is, where do you WANT to be? For you, you seem to want 145. But 150, or 155 would be great, and healthy, too. Right? So, I guess my point is, pick a number, or range.

My surgeon said I might get down to 250. I'm 6'3". Frankly, I could eat really, really crappy and stay at 250. I really doubt I could eat enough to go higher than that. I just don't have the room. But I wasn't very happy with 250. So what I really want is to stay under 200. Preferably under 195. That takes a lot more work, obviously, than 250 would. If I worked really, really, really hard, I could get close to 185. But I would be utterly miserable. I can live with the struggle to keep under 195.

So, Part A, for me, is picking a number I'm happy with, and is attainable -- with some work, but not a soul-crushing amount of work.

Part B is staying in your chosen range. And the vets that came way before me seemed to have one thing in common. They weigh themselves every day. And when they hit the top of their range (usually a 5 pound range), they start weighing, logging, and tracking their food. They get the 5 pounds back under control before it becomes 50. Those were the people I decided had a plan, it was working for them, and I wanted to emulate.

Yup. Perfect. Thank you!

Hey Grim, when does someone become a vet? 

You get the secret handshake and key to the lounge after 5 years ...  

Weekend retreats are for 10 year vets 

Oh, I like weekend retreats 

My new goal..... 

I'm almost to the lounge key. Yes!