Newbie To Maintenance

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PamWOhio
PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi Everyone. This is my first time posting here on the maintenance board.

I started my journey in mid August of this last year at 204lbs. I am 5'3" and 47 years old. I originally just wanted to get to 150 and be done but then I kept going to 140...then 130 and made it down to 120. I had this intense "need" to be at what all the damn charts and calculators say is my "ideal" weight. I am currently at 122.4. I set myself a range from 120-125 so it is going well so far.

The way I have been handling it is if I have a really high calorie day or 2 (weekends), I spend the next couple days slightly below what I believe my maintenance cals to be and so far it seems to be working but I have only been at it for 3 weeks.

If anyone has any other pointers or tips, I would love to hear them. I use sedentary for all the calculators because I sit on my butt all day in front of the computer and TV. I am up and down a million times a day but no structured activities. I do plan on implementing some light exercise using the exercise ball I just got and some hand weights. Fortunately, besides a "deflated" butt, I don't have loose skin to deal with.

Thanks in advance, if anyone wants to throw some advice out. I am a bit nervous. During my losing phase I was determined and got that 84lbs off pretty quick but now I don't know what to do with myself....lol. I spent so much time shopping, planning, weighing, logging and reading and now there is nothing to do but enjoy my success and I am at a complete loss on how to do that after being a shut in for almost a decade.

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  • bullrider3572
    bullrider3572 Posts: 5 Member
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    I agree with the idea of implementing light workouts, I always live by the motto, "don't put in what you aren't willing to expend." You seem to know your metabolic rate and caloric needs pretty well, so all that is left is some fine tuning to keep your weight in what you feel is it's optimum range. Great work btw, I loved reading your story
  • PamWOhio
    PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
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    Thank you so much bullrider. I have to admit, I am sooooooooo lazy when it comes to exercise but I will find something I can hopefully enjoy.
  • MichelleWithMoxie
    MichelleWithMoxie Posts: 1,819 Member
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    hey great job! You've lost a great deal of weight fairly quickly, what sort of exercise were you doing? You seem to be doing pretty well, I'm not sure what sort of advice you're looking for? Don't be scared to eat more now that you're in maintenance?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited May 2017
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    Congrats! and how you're handling maintenance is just how I do it - banking calories for the weekend in my case: eat Mon-Thu in deficit to bank cals.

    Keep weighing yourself regularly and if the scale trend above or below a 5lb range then take action.

    Maintenance is really not much different to losing, this time you're aiming to stay around the same weight rather than lose, it just means you can eat some more. How much more depends on the rate you lost at - if you were losing 1lb a week that means you have an extra 500 calories to work with a day :smile: win win!
  • crazyycatladyy1
    crazyycatladyy1 Posts: 156 Member
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    Welcome to the group :) I do the same as you do-eat a bit under during the week so I can have epic weekends :D
  • PamWOhio
    PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
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    Thanks so much everyone. I have to admit it is kind of weird to have 3 days in a row WAY above what I think my maintenance is and still stay well within my 5lb range. I am enjoying the HECK out of this...lol. I have yet to do any exercise at all but am trying to get my lazy butt in gear to do something.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    Sounds like you're doing great. One small piece of advice (from experience)...if your weight creeps to the top of your range, cut and get it under control right away. It's easy to explain 5# as water weight or a weekend bump-- but it can add up in a hurry.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
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    Congrats!! I've been maintaining for a little over three years and that's what I do. I eat over my maintenance on the weekends and under on the weekdays and it works fine.
  • PamWOhio
    PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
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    Yup..that is what I am doing. I got in the 123's so this is my second day of cutting for that. Already back down to 122.1 which is the low end of the middle of my 5lb range. I like to stay between 121.5 and 122.5. I have gotten in the 124's but cut immediately and it is back down the next day. This is kind of fun but I LOVE being able to do whatever I want on the weekends and I REALLY do have whatever I want...lol
  • Grammytryingtogetfit
    Grammytryingtogetfit Posts: 672 Member
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    Congratulations!!!! I am still trying to find that "happy place" myself. I wish you the best of luck!!
  • PamWOhio
    PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
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    Thank you soooooooooo much.

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