Looking Ahead: How to Maintain?

33M. I’m a lifelong yo-yoer. My lowest adult weight was 179 when I was 18 or 19 years old. My current journey started when I was 312.4 pounds in October 2024. I got down to ~243 in May 2025. Went on a vacation. Got stressed studying for the bar exam. Moved states. Went back up to 278 in like two months.

In November 2025, I got back on it. I’m 254 as of this morning. No big moves or transitions planned until August. I’m on track to be 212 by October. I’d like to hit that for the goal of having lost 100 pounds, but I think 220 is generally a healthy weight for me.

But my question. As I look ahead, am I doomed to a life of calorie counting? What does maintenance actually look like? Is this all going to be for naught and I’ll be back to 280 in October 2027?