One of the happiest days you will experience in your life as a Weight Watchers member is the day you reach your goal weight. After weeks or months of conscientious effort on your part-weighing and measuring your food, counting points and, occasionally, sacrificing some much desired food-you are there. When you step on the scale at your Weight Watchers meeting and finally see that much sought after number appear, you know all your hard work was worth it. Your Weight Watchers counselor will no doubt make a fuss over you and your fellow Weight Watchers group members will congratulate you.

Now what?

You spent a lot of time learning how to get where you want to be. Now the trick is trying to figure out how to maintain your hard won victory. Weight Watchers is designed to support you after achieving your goal just as it did while you were struggling to get there.

Some vital points to consider in working on maintenance:

* Continue to attend regular meetings

You should still weigh in and share in the support offered at your Weight Watchers meeting. Regular weigh-ins will alert you quickly if your weight is starting to creep up again. Anything more than two pounds over goal weight should be viewed as a call to action.

* Be cautious about increasing your points

If you maintain your previous daily point levels you will likely continue to lose weight, which is now no longer your goal. Slowly add point values to your day, probably around two points as a time. As long as you continue to maintain your weight, all is well. When you see the number on the scale going up, it's time to cut back.

* Continue to exercise

Exercise is a cornerstone to the Weight Watchers program and to an overall healthy lifestyle. The exercise habits instilled in you while you were on the program will go a long way towards helping you maintain your desired weight. In fact, now that you've lost that extra weight you were carrying around, you may find you have a lot more energy for physical activity.

* Stick with Weight Watchers

In addition to regularly attending Weight Watchers meetings, consider becoming part of the Weight Watchers team. Everyone who works the meeting, either the counselors or the front desk assistants, is a successful graduate of the Weight Watchers program. Becoming a part of that community will reinforce the values of good eating and living a healthy lifestyle.

Learn more about this author, Leann Zotis.
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