Long time maintainers how do you do it
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Bump. Great thread.
Thanks for the responses thus far. Surprised (Not surprised?) at how many folks are saying they still log regularly.3 -
I'd like to hear from other folks who've maintained their weight loss for several years or so.
What do you do to maintain?
What sort of lifestyle changes did you make while losing or after that made it easier (or possible?) to maintain your loss?
And, are you active/do you exercise regularly?
What works for you?
Thanks. It just seems with all the discussions about LOSING weight, hearing from some long time maintainers would be helpful. Since THAT is one of the biggest challenges.
cheers
I have found maintenance over the last two years fairly easy. I watch what I eat and opt for nutritionally dense food. I no longer use a food scale or measuring cups to weigh and measure my food, but I do keep track of my intake with broad brush strokes so that I can keep an eye on my macros and micros (and to some extent calories). Walking is my primary exercise. I walk about 3 to 4 miles a day per my Fitbit and supplement with a couple of 35 minute HIIT sessions at the gym per week.
More than anything what I have is an ironclad promise to myself that I will NEVER put the weight back on. I had to be willing to fundamentally change the underlying habits that lead to my weight gain in the first place. For me, that was mindless junk food snacking. Without those empty calories, maintaining my weight and size has been pretty easy. Especially since I like exercising and staying active.
I weigh myself regularly and try on a snug pair of jeans monthly to make sure they still fit. Whenever my weight exceeds a 4 pound range, I reduce my calories moderately for a week or two until I'm back range. That's only happened a couple of times in two years.
Best wishes!47 -
I'd like to hear from other folks who've maintained their weight loss for several years or so.
What do you do to maintain?
What sort of lifestyle changes did you make while losing or after that made it easier (or possible?) to maintain your loss?
And, are you active/do you exercise regularly?
What works for you?
Thanks. It just seems with all the discussions about LOSING weight, hearing from some long time maintainers would be helpful. Since THAT is one of the biggest challenges.
cheers
I have found maintenance over the last two years fairly easy. I watch what I eat and opt for nutritionally dense food. I no longer use a food scale or measuring cups to weigh and measure my food, but I do keep track of my intake with broad brush strokes so that I can keep an eye on my macros and micros (and to some extent calories). Walking is my primary exercise. I walk about 3 to 4 miles a day per my Fitbit and supplement with a couple of 35 minute HIIT sessions at the gym per week.
More than anything what I have is an ironclad promise to myself that I will NEVER put the weight back on. I had to be willing to fundamentally change the underlying habits that lead to my weight gain in the first place. For me, that was mindless junk food snacking. Without those empty calories, maintaining my weight and size has been pretty easy. Especially since I like exercising and staying active.
I weigh myself regularly and try on a snug pair of jeans monthly to make sure they still fit. Whenever my weight exceeds a 4 pound range, I reduce my calories moderately for a week or two until I'm back range. That's only happened a couple of times in two years.
Best wishes!6 -
I've been maintaining for two years now, which isn't a huge amount of time, but mainly I do it by practicing the same skills and routines I adopted to lose weight. Since I never adopted a food or exercise plan I wasn't willing to continue forever, I have found it fairly simple to make this a "lifestyle change." I continue to log my food and eat a wide variety of nutritious food, add in some favorites for my emotional health. I practice exercise that I enjoy or at least am willing to do: treadmill, fitness trampoline, biking. I wear a fitbit and really try to keep my daily activity as high as possible.18
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A while back after I lost a significant amount of weight a coworker said, ""yeah, it's pretty meaningless unless you keep it off for 5 years. You'll probably put it back on again". What an *kitten*. It pissed me off sufficiently that I have kept it off for 2 years so far.
In addition to being pissed off; I strength train 3 times a week, light cardio 3 times a week, weigh myself weekly, weigh some of my food (not all) and oddly enough I rarely log calories. I try to enjoy myself. If I want a cheese burger and a beer I have a cheeseburger and a beer.55 -
did you lift when you were trying to lose weight too? I'm only asking because I go to the gym 5 times a week and really enjoy lifting weights but keep getting told it will put weight onto me.0
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I didn't start lifting until I had already lost a bunch of weight (80lbs.) In hindsight that was a huge mistake. I lost a fair amount of LBM along with the fat. When I hit my goal weight I had mixed feelings. I was pleased to have lost the weight, but when I looked in the mirror I saw a smaller weaker version of my former self.
I'm now working on putting some of the LBM back on again. It's far more difficult to put it on than it is to try to hang on to what you already have. If I had it to do all over again I would have started lifting on day one. Live and learn.15 -
Not sure if I qualify to answer but after spending the majority of the 90's-2012 well over 200lbs maxing out at over 260 in August 2012. I have maintained under 200 since February 2013. I track what I eat everyday still unless I have no internet service. I have found an addiction to walking/jogging/running so I average 20-30 miles a week. My quote is a body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body at rest tends to stay at rest so get moving. I will not allow myself to get over 200lbs again. I only weigh myself once a month. If I have gained more than I want and I am weight training now as well. I adjust my calories in accordingly. Good Luck don't allow negative thoughts to enter your mind.
12 -
A while back after I lost a significant amount of weight a coworker said, ""yeah, it's pretty meaningless unless you keep it off for 5 years. You'll probably put it back on again". What an *kitten*. It pissed me off sufficiently that I have kept it off for 2 years so far.
I snorted when I read this. I can see myself having the same attitude and training for a 5K just so I beat my sister's a*** for nagging me and putting me down about my weight, including sending out a you're-going-to-die-fat-and-unloved email copied to the whole family, including my very loving DH. Not only that, but I'm going to run it into one of those teeny-tiny bra tops just to piss her off even more.40 -
Great Analogy! This is very true!0
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There is a great book I read called "Thin for Life". It gives great examples of how people maintained their weight loss over years. My best advice? Make MFP part of your life just like checking your email, voicemail, and bank balance, etc every day.
What I tell my patients who want to lose weight and maintain is this:
Think of tracking your intake and exercise is like tracking your checking account. Would you ever go to a store and swipe your debit card without ever knowing what your balance is to spend or what the price of the item your buying is? Eating without tracking is exactly this.
Who would ever go to Best Buy and just start writing a check for the prettiest washer and dryer or fanciest computer just because you were "hungry to have one"? Blind eating is just like blind spending.
Would any of us irresponsibly ask the question, "Hey when can I stop checking my balance at the bank? It's getting old seeing how much money I have or don't have every day . I just want to relax and spend freely and assume that I have unlimited funds available". Or how about, "Hey, I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks...can't I just blow a bunch of cash that I don't have and just worry about the overdraft fees later when I get home?"
So very true!!!4 -
There is a great book I read called "Thin for Life". It gives great examples of how people maintained their weight loss over years. My best advice? Make MFP part of your life just like checking your email, voicemail, and bank balance, etc every day.
What I tell my patients who want to lose weight and maintain is this:
Think of tracking your intake and exercise is like tracking your checking account. Would you ever go to a store and swipe your debit card without ever knowing what your balance is to spend or what the price of the item your buying is? Eating without tracking is exactly this.
Who would ever go to Best Buy and just start writing a check for the prettiest washer and dryer or fanciest computer just because you were "hungry to have one"? Blind eating is just like blind spending.
Would any of us irresponsibly ask the question, "Hey when can I stop checking my balance at the bank? It's getting old seeing how much money I have or don't have every day . I just want to relax and spend freely and assume that I have unlimited funds available". Or how about, "Hey, I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks...can't I just blow a bunch of cash that I don't have and just worry about the overdraft fees later when I get home?"
So very true!!!
This is the best analogy I have read on the topic of logging!! Well done.
I log every day. I try to eat low carb, high protein and if I eat something on the south side of "nutritionally dense" I just log it. And I drink water. And like many posters before me, I wish I had started weight training along time ago. I just had my 5th session with a PT, and it is indeed life changing just as is logging and getting enough steps in every day. I sleep so much better - and guess what? those who sleep maintain well.
I am on year three of maintenance. Great stuff.2 -
I've been successfully maintaining for about six years now, with a pregnancy along the way. I allow for the occasional indulgence, but for the most part I eat whole, healthy foods - leaner protien, lots of vegetables with my meals, fruit for snacking. Luckily I really enjoy eating this way. I tend to do better when I limit bread (no, bread is not bad - but it's my weakness so only in moderation). I rarely eat in restaurants or fast food places. The meals prepped at home are cooked with limited oils, nothing fried, etc. I make it a point to stay active and exercise at least 3-4 days a week although nothing overly strenuous. I weigh frequently and my number 1 rule: if my clothes start to feel even remotely snug, it's time to buckle down and eat at a deficit for a few weeks. I refuse to replace the clothes I worked so hard to get into!28
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Stop dieting. If you are at target weight and are still dieting, then you will fail. I can't imagine the mental anguish of having to diet for the rest of my life.
If you have taken the time to figure out how your body and mind work as it relates to food and exercise, then it will no longer be a diet and will just be. This is hard to do and has no easy answer. There is no book on you. No one can tell you how you work. You have to figure it out. Track everything. Try everything. Log how it affects you. And after 2 years of experimentation, you will know how your body works. I know how to lose weight. I know how to lose fat. I know how to gain fat. I know how to gain muscle and strength. I know me. I don't give a crap what some book says about my current "diet" and especially could give a rat's *kitten* what anyone on this crazy site thinks of my current regimen. It is mine, it is my lifestyle and it works for me.
So take the time to figure you out as you go along and at some point it will cease to be a diet and will just be. Then you know you are there.
Tom23 -
I've been maintaining for 8 years. My advice would be to walk everyday, at least 30 minutes. Don't give up the whole day if you mess up. Pick right back up the very next meal. Don't think "oh I screwed up this day, might as well make it worse and start over tomorrow." Also plan ahead, look up menus of places before you go out and know what options you have so you don't have to guess on the spot, have healthy groceries available, don't let it get down to nothing and then you have to make a drive thru run. If jeans start feeling tight, reverse it before you have to buy up a size....16
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Apparently, what works for me is trying to lose the last 10 pounds. :grumble:23
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Not sure if I qualify as long term enough, it's been 16months since I hit goal (and have maintained a 5lbs range).
I track, first and foremost. I bought a whole new wardrobe (and tossed all the old stuff) that fits tightly at my goal weight. I weigh daily and keep a 3lbs range 112-115 (I am 5'2"), . If I go over the 3lbs, I pare back food, and increase the exercise. I continue to eat the way I did when I was losing except I now eat back my exercise calories.
So key tools:
1) tight clothes
2) scale and a range with an upper limit
3) track
4) continue to eat well and exercise (cardio and weights)14 -
Stay active.
Drink lots of water.
If I am having one heavy meal that day (like going out to eat for dinner), I will eat little for lunch.
Portion control.
Never eating to "stuffed".
Fasting.
I don't count calories in maintenance.4 -
Also, I've basically maintained my weight for 9 years now. Had two pregnancies during that time as well.
Oh and one more thing, weigh at least once a week, even when not trying to lose!8 -
Maintaining for 2 months now. I find that I have to still log otherwise my calories go way over. I am now more concerned with weekly calorie goals and weight trends. If that goes well, I'll go by bi-weekly ... I'm also Interested to know how others are maintaining...4
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