>In a  study on weight loss maintenance, it was found that people who stopped dieting and began a weight prevention program lost weight. It seems that “weight maintainers” develop conscious thoughts and purposeful behavioral techniques to control their tendency to lose control over eating.
Researchers found that weekly weight monitoring, attending group meetings on calorie expenditure and lessons on how to make modest changes in dietary intake (such as taking a low fat/healthy cooking class) all helped to not only maintain, but to lose weight without being on a “strict” calorie control diet.

Taken in part from: Klem, M.L., Wing, R.R., Lang, W., McGuire, M.T., & Hill. J.O. (2000). Does Weight Loss Maintenance Become Easier Over Time? Obesity Research.8.438-444. doi: 10.1038/oby.2000.54