Expert Q&A

How I finished 2023 vs 2025 for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)

My 2023 Struggles: Short-Term Wins That Didn't Last

In 2023, I dropped 28 pounds through strict calorie counting and intense gym sessions. Like many in their late 40s, hormonal changes made every pound feel impossible to lose. I battled insulin resistance while managing type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The weight came off, but joint pain from osteoarthritis made exercise feel torturous. Insurance wouldn't cover any program, so I relied on conflicting online advice. By December, I'd regained 12 pounds because my approach wasn't built for real life—no time for complex meal preps or daily workouts.

The CFP Weight Loss Turning Point: Building Sustainable Systems

By early 2024, I discovered the CFP methodology from The CFP Weight Loss Blueprint. Instead of another diet, I focused on metabolic flexibility and creating habits that fit my middle-income, middle-aged reality. I stopped obsessing over perfect macros. Instead, I used simple plate method guidelines: half non-starchy vegetables, quarter lean protein, quarter complex carbs. For joint pain, I switched to low-impact activities like 25-minute water walking three times weekly and resistance band routines that protected my knees while building muscle to boost metabolism.

Hormonal balance became central. I prioritized 7-8 hours of sleep, stress reduction through 10-minute daily breathing exercises, and consistent protein intake of 25-30 grams per meal to stabilize blood sugar. These changes helped my A1C drop from 7.8 to 6.2 without overwhelming my schedule.

2025 Results: True Long-Term Maintenance in Action

Entering 2025, I've maintained a 42-pound loss for 14 months. My 2023 ending weight was 198; today I'm steady at 162. Blood pressure normalized to 118/76, and diabetes medication is halved under doctor supervision. The difference? Maintenance isn't a phase—it's integrated. I follow a flexible 80/20 eating pattern, allowing occasional treats without guilt. Weekly weigh-ins track trends, not daily fluctuations. I walk 8,000 steps most days by breaking them into 10-minute segments around work calls.

Key to success: addressing the emotional side. I stopped feeling embarrassed about my obesity journey by joining supportive online groups. My energy levels allow me to enjoy life instead of constantly fighting my body. The CFP approach taught me that sustainable maintenance comes from small, consistent choices that respect hormonal realities and joint limitations rather than fighting them.

Practical Tips for Your Own Long-Term Success

Start with a 30-day reset focusing on sleep, protein, and gentle movement. Track non-scale victories like better blood sugar readings or easier stair climbing. Remember, insurance rarely covers these programs, but the investment in proven systems pays dividends in health. If you've failed every diet before, know that shifting from short-term restriction to lifelong metabolic health changes everything. My 2025 self feels free—yours can too.

💬 What the Community Says

The community shows a clear divide between those celebrating gradual maintenance wins and others still cycling through regain. Many in the 45-54 group report that after multiple diet failures, approaches emphasizing hormonal balance and joint-friendly movement feel more realistic than intense programs. Practitioners frequently share stories of maintaining 30-50 pound losses for over a year by adopting flexible eating and short daily walks, though a vocal minority struggles with insurance barriers and time constraints. Lived experiences highlight improved diabetes management and reduced blood pressure as major motivators, yet debates continue around the emotional challenges of long-term consistency versus quick fixes. Overall sentiment leans hopeful but pragmatic, with users appreciating real-talk about middle-age metabolism over hype.
Cite this answer
Clark, R. (2026). How I finished 2023 vs 2025 for long-term maintenance (not just short-term). *CFP Weight Loss*. https://ask.cfpweightloss.com/ask/how-i-finished-2023-vs-2025-for-long-term-maintenance-not-just-short-term
Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, FNP-C, APRN
About the Author

Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, is the founder of CFP Weight Loss in Nashville and CFP Fit Now telehealth. Over 35 years in healthcare — Army Nurse Reserves, Level 1 trauma ER, hospitalist — he developed a 30-week protocol integrating real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 30–90 pounds. He and his wife Anne-Marie lost a combined 275 pounds using the same protocol.

📖 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get the Book →
Get Personalized Guidance From the Author
Every weight loss journey is different. Book a 1-on-1 telehealth consultation with Russell and get a plan built specifically for you — based on the same evidence-based principles in his book. Available to patients in all 50 states.
Book Your Consultation →
Have a follow-up question?
More Questions 200 answered
▸ Bad advice from doctor for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ Does having no thyroid affect how my body responds to fasting and the role of cortisol and stress hormones if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ How did you stop your health anxiety — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend specifically for women over 40? ▸ Lost weight then gained it back on keto: what to track and how to measure progress specifically for women over 40? ▸ When the symptom you went to the ER for clears up while you're waiting to be seen: best practices and common mistakes to avoid during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ What to expect on 50mg of Spironolactone for long-term maintenance (not just short-term): best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Why is my face more bulky and blocky on a ketogenic diet — how a functional medicine approach differs during the weight loss plateau phase? 📖 Caloric Deficit Myth — The false belief that weight loss is purely 'math'; we focus on hormonal signaling rather than just counting calories to… ▸ Insulin resistance caused my weight gain despite eating low calorie diet, anyone else — how a functional medicine approach differs specifically for women over 40? ▸ Frustrated with lack of progress. How to improve for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) during the weight loss plateau phase? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ Paleo brownies/sweets that ship all over usa: how to talk to your doctor about this specifically for women over 40? ▸ Gave up all my vices… unsure of what to do with myself now: how to talk to your doctor about this while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ Does anyone else feel like they are living life at 50% and the role of cortisol and stress hormones and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Have you switched from Semaglutide to Tirzapatide? How was it: best practices and common mistakes to avoid: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ How to work on betrayal, forgiveness integration for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📖 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Our signature protocol using a single 60 mg box of medication cycled over 30 weeks to achieve lasting metabolic transfor… ▸ Does anyone else remember the darkest time of our Generation — evidence-based answer for CFP patients when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ For those who had lifelong obesity, when did the novelty of being at your goal weight wear off for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) — what certified coaches recommend? ▸ What's your pre-show drug of choice these days and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels: what to track and how to measure progress? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ Safest type of fiber: what to track and how to measure progress: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ What was your wake up call that you needed to lose the weight or you might die — what does the research actually say: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Been going out with this girl and I think it’s destroyed my microbiome for people with insulin resistance when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? 📖 GLP-1 Receptor Agonist — A class of medication that mimics natural hormones to improve insulin secretion and slow gastric emptying, used strategi… ▸ My stomach is killing me, any advice if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ I lost 100#s using cutting calories and exercising, 10 to 15,000 steps, and I soon plateaued and I was so hungry. ▸ What's your pre-show drug of choice these days and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ Has anyone with loose skin tried water fasting for long periods of time? and hie did it effect the loose skin and how it connects to gut health and inflammation if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ How the heck do people with health anxiety handle anxiety med side effects: what to track and how to measure progress — what the research actually says? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ How I cured my bad breath. Especially helpful for people with sinus issues: how to talk to your doctor about this if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Do any of you feel like you almost had to become your own doctor and have to do an insane amount of research on your own and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? 📖 Amylopectin A — The specific starch found in modern wheat that causes rapid, dangerous spikes in blood glucose and promotes belly fat st… ▸ Being underweight, panic and anxiety. Recently got thyroid lab tested: best practices and common mistakes to avoid while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ Can you take beta blockers and GLP-1s together: best practices and common mistakes to avoid and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ What I learned in 70 days added-sugar-free on a low-carb or ketogenic diet for people with insulin resistance? 📖 Metabolic Flexibility — The body’s ability to efficiently switch between burning carbohydrates and burning stored body fat based on availability… ▸ How does green tea stop autophagy for men for people with insulin resistance? ▸ When Someone Paid by Credit Card, We Had to Drag Out This — what most people get wrong about this and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ How it's going for me and how BMI has betrayed the tall girlies: what to track and how to measure progress while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ How I finally stopped crashing after workouts — the training structure that actually works with Hashimoto's: what to track and how to measure progress and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? 📖 Visceral Fat — The dangerous 'hidden' fat stored around internal organs that drives chronic disease and is specifically targeted by our… 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ Does anyone else remember the darkest time of our Generation — evidence-based answer for CFP patients — what certified coaches recommend? ▸ Why is this ruining my life? Doctor's don't take me seriously. 20 year old male: best practices and common mistakes to avoid for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ How long was your withdrawal when you went sugarfree if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Do you know any good empirical studies on LCHF and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ When fed ex secures the goods when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? 📖 Tirzepatide Micro-Dosing — The practice of using the lowest effective dose to achieve results, minimizing side effects while maximizing the longevi… ▸ Is there such a thing as eating too much fish fat for weight loss — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ How I cured my bad breath. Especially helpful for people with sinus issues: how to talk to your doctor about this during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ How good is it if I still drink (sugar free) soda for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? 📖 Leptin Sensitivity — Restoring your brain's ability to hear the 'I am full' signal, which is often muted by high-sugar diets and systemic inf… ▸ Why are peptides suddenly everywhere in 2026 when most of them have been around for 20 or 30 years — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend specifically for women over 40? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ What is the connection between I reduced my IR from 15.5 to 4 in 3 months while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ A Switch from HRT to Birth Control: how to talk to your doctor about this when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ My friends stopped being impressed by my weight loss ages ago. I just reached my goal weight, would you cheer for me in their place: what to track and how to measure progress when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? 📖 The Clark Protocol — Our evidence-based framework that combines clinical nurse practitioner expertise with personal experience to solve the o… ▸ So a lack of thyroid right while doing intermittent fasting when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ Can sugar free candy make a difference and how it connects to gut health and inflammation when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ Should I be concerned over 457 Total Cholesterol and 369 LDL while doing intermittent fasting: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Bad advice from doctor for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels?