Check out all the book launch events here.

This week, I’m talking about my newly published book, Maintain, and the five biggest myths about weight-loss maintenance. This is my fifth—and possibly last—book on food and weight loss, and it focuses on something we don’t talk about enough: what it actually takes to keep the weight off.

Maintenance isn’t automatic, and it isn’t always easy. Several myths can undermine long-term success. Let’s walk through them.

Myth #1: Maintenance Just Happens—It’s Easy

People often think the hard part is losing weight, and maintenance will take care of itself. That’s not how it works. Like a strong marriage, maintenance requires ongoing attention and commitment. You don’t arrive and coast; you stay engaged.

Myth #2: You Can Celebrate With Food Once You Reach Your Goal

Many people hit a goal weight and immediately celebrate with food. But that keeps you stuck in the weight-loss diet mentality, where you restrict and then reward. Long-term success requires a shift in identity. You’re not someone temporarily dieting; you’re someone devoted to a new way of eating and living. That’s the first of three identity shifts I talk about in the new book.

Myth #3: You Know What You’re Aiming For

I’ve coached thousands of people, and that’s not always the case. Many people don’t know their true target range at first. It can take years to discover where your body naturally stabilizes. And beyond the physical, there’s often emotional and psychological weight tied to the number on the scale. What you think you’re aiming for may not actually serve you. The goal is to be right-sized for your body, not chasing an ideal shaped by outside expectations.

Myth #4: 100% of You Wants That Weight Off

It can feel that way during weight loss, but maintenance often reveals something different. You might find yourself hovering above your goal weight, or regaining quickly after reaching it. This may signal some internal resistance. Parts of you may be afraid: of attention, vulnerability, or giving up familiar comforts. In Maintain, I talk about how to work with that inner resistance, rather than ignore it.

Myth #5: You’ll Be Happy When You Reach Your Goal Weight

This can sometimes be the biggest myth of all. For some, like myself, weight loss leads to real relief and freedom. But it doesn’t solve everything. Here’s a simple test: If you’re five pounds from your goal, are you already experiencing most of the happiness you expect from being at your goal weight? If not, that’s a sign of magical thinking. The truth is, the habits, mindset, mobility, and health that create and characterize maintenance are what create happiness, not the number itself.

The maintenance mindset begins with becoming Devoted, Resourced, and Liberated—the three identity shifts I explore in Maintain. People who develop that mindset early are the ones who succeed long-term, because they are already living it.

And with that, I want to celebrate something special: our community has now brought five books into the world. We launched Maintain yesterday—April 21, 2026. Happy birthday, Maintain.

Check out all the book launch events here.