Well the idea is that it took you years to put on the weight as your normal lifestyle is close to equilibrium calories consumed = calories burned. If you knock

Well the idea is that it took you years to put on the weight as your normal lifestyle is close to equilibrium calories consumed = calories burned. If you knock off the weight and maintain that same equilibrium then you should stay close to the reduced weight for some time. Of course in reality people's metabolisms and dieting habits change under such drastic circumstances so the equilibrium assumption doesn't hold up. That being said, there are plenty of people who don't care if they put all the weight back on in a few months so long as they have that beach bod for the summer.