Coming up on eight years since the bulk of my loss — roughly 185 lbs down from my heaviest, about 12 back up from my lowest, and that band has held for four years now. What surprises me is how unremarkable it feels. In the trials, appetite suppression is the headline, and it was very real for me early on, but what actually kept things steady was a set of defaults I barely think about: eggs at 7, a walk before I open the laptop, protein first at dinner, water bottle on the desk instead of a can.
The part nobody posts: my hunger got chatty again around year three. Not roaring, just present. I had to rebuild the pause I'd been getting for free, and that took months of noticing rather than any big overhaul.
I still weigh most mornings, but waist and resting heart rate tell me more.
For anyone 5+ years out — does the daily routine end up doing more work than whatever got you started?