Maintainers - how do you keep your head in the game?

steveko89

I lost 25-30 lbs early-mid 2012, finding MFP right in the middle of that stretch from ~190lbs down to 166 (Male 6'1"). I've fluctuated since then some, but not outside the range of 159-182 lbs, so for most people they just see me as having stayed fairly constant and I get asked how I "maintain" or "stay in shape" from time to time. Personally, I attribute my relative success in "maintaining" to trying to constantly improve. After a year or two of floating between 160-175 staying "not fat" seemed like a pretty easy feat but I still wasn't satisfied with how I looked. This led me to start strength training. Subsequently, I'm definitely happier with my physique than where I was but I don't consider myself "done" by any stretch. Having this continuous improvement mindset has definitely helped me keep from getting bored and/or complacent.

Evamutt

I maintained for 10 months but it became too much to keep logging after daughter & 3 grand kids moved in temporarally, so I gained 3 solid pounds in 2 months, back to losing that & not going to stop logging again

CSARdiver

I gave myself higher goals beyond maintaining that serve to ensure maintenance.

I compete in adventure races, obstacle course races, multi-sport, etc. I'm bringing my kids into this and have completed a number of races with my wife, so keeping this going and leading by example.

I continue log largely to ensure I fuel my workouts.

I have friends with similar goals and always looking to try new things and opportunities for self improvement.

w8goal4life

I invite any of you to join the community Ultimate Accountability Challenge. Just do a search under Community -> Groups for that challenge. It's a great team of like minded individuals with a goal of leading a healthy life style, tracking calories and exercise. Some team members are attempting to lose weight...but there are several of us in maintenance who are cheerleaders for each other. The rules are straight forward, the group is inclusive...and even if you start too late in the month to make Winner's Circle, it is still great to participate for accountability. We would love to have you join us!

cheryldumais

It's a combination of many things. I weigh weekly and have to stay within 5 pounds of my final goal weight. I log daily and I don't mind doing that at all. It only takes a minute and makes me feel safe, lol. I'm terrified of gaining back the weight so I feel better when I know I am keeping it together. I lost and gained too many times in the past to risk that happening again. I also got rid of absolutely all my big clothes so if things get tight I have no choice but to cut back to stay comfortable. I'm also mentoring someone with weight control so I of course feel I have to hold it together.

fiddletime

My goal weight is 125. I’m 5’2” and 64. From Halloween through Thanksgiving I basically ate a ton of candy and lots of pies and sweets. I gained 4 pounds and right after Thanksgiving I decided enough was enough, I’d gone a pound over my range, and needed to do what I know I can do.

I slowly have lost a pound and have my mind back in the game. No rush and no panic. No kicking myself for totally derailing for 4 weeks. This is a new tactic for me. So far so good. I’m aiming for 125 to be the middle of my range, the the point I can gain from.

nooie19

Thanks everyone that was helpful. I just started maintenance six weeks ago so it’s new learning.

So far, I’m just doing the same things that worked to lose 25 pounds:
Plan ahead for meals.
Weigh in at least once a week.
Set weekly exercise goals.
Big one: use mindfulness strategies to take note of my feelings when I feel the urge to stress eat. Now I see it as a gift when I feel the urge to reach for a cookie because it gives me an opportunity to be in touch with my feelings. When I do that, the craving goes away.

Strategies for eating out: look at menus online ahead of time. Always order a salad and/or veggies. Always order fish or lean meat. Allow myself two bites of dessert on occasion.

Thanks for the reminders that slip ups are normal. I’m getting better at being kind to myself and focusing on the same old good habits.

And the BIGGEST motivation/celebration: my A1C is in normal range. I had prediabetes when I weighed 158 pounds. My father and sister have diabetes and both brothers have prediabetes. My body is responding well to a healthy weight, low carbs, and physical activity.

GottaBurnEmAll

I had a very low point in my life before I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and chronic migraines (they were undiagnosed because they were atypical at the time). I was also at my heaviest.

The quality of my life has so vastly improved since then, but more than that, the way I lost weight was a process of forming habits. Everything I did then I do now just with more calories. It's just my life now.

rcreynol3090

Yesterday was a challenge! Attended our grandchild's 2nd birthday party, and was doing ok food-wise, but three hours of mostly sitting around didn't help, followed by a trip to Costco, where at we got some steps in. But the pizza (12" veggie) and salad afterward disappeared like we were starving, and i was up a pound this morning's weigh-in. My wife was up 2 pounds, and NOT happy about it! So we're about to get dressed and hit the gym for some much-needed exercise (something the pre-weightloss us would have scoffed at the very notion of... 😂

NadNight

I'm gonna say the opposite of what a lot of people on here are saying.....I stopped logging!

Not to say I'm not mindful of what I'm eating but I reached a point where I'm quite familiar with the nutritional content of foods (e.g. choosing a homemade flatbread sandwich (175-200 cal) over a pre-prepared one (some can be 500 cal for the sandwich alone)) so I choose when I can have a seemingly large portion or when a portion is actually much smaller than people think and have an idea of how much I personally need in a day. In a way I guess I mentally log but it's not precise or rigid or accurate.

I have to say I also utilise ready meals. They get a lot of stick (and I hate the amount of plastic packaging) but they have the nutritional info on them so if I've had a massive lunch and want a low cal dinner to contrast then a ready meal is the easiest way for me.

I eat 3 proper meals plus snacks and desserts everyday, I stay within a 5 lb range and weigh myself periodically (not every day or every week. It can vary from twice a week to twice a month) to make sure I'm not ballooning. I would actually like to gain weight in muscle but given how little exercise I'm currently doing, I know any weight gain is pure fat and no muscle!

PiscesMan123

I have not reached my goal weight yet, BUT...I am expecting to do so. I decided to check-in on this forum to see what it is that motivates people to continue on their healthy (maintenance path). I want to arm myself with as much information possible to be able to meet my weight loss goal and sustain my accomplishment. I believe in logging. I also believe that when one is making positive changes in ones life that it is paramount to be able to embrace the new version of you. I have to be able to "see" and accept the new me. It is an image that I am not used to seeing, but am working hard to embrac it.

Dilvish

I just tell myself that I can either live to eat or eat to live. In my case I simply remind myself that the alternative is diabetes and generally poor health. It keeps me on track no matter what.

Unfortunately many people don't do a course correction, as it were, until they are already way off the map!

alexmose

PiscesMan123 wrote: »

I have not reached my goal weight yet, BUT...I am expecting to do so. I decided to check-in on this forum to see what it is that motivates people to continue on their healthy (maintenance path). I want to arm myself with as much information possible to be able to meet my weight loss goal and sustain my accomplishment. I believe in logging. I also believe that when one is making positive changes in ones life that it is paramount to be able to embrace the new version of you. I have to be able to "see" and accept the new me. It is an image that I am not used to seeing, but am working hard to embrac it.

Second logging. I am bulking, so logging helps me hit the protein goal. Also, we all know the right food choices. We just need to stick with them. Holidays are over so get rid of your cookies at your next party and stay on track through the New Year. You got this!

GaleHawkins

After 40 years of yo yoing weight and obese at the age of 63 I totally walked away from dieting to lose weight and keeping it off.

After 4 years my health and health markers are better than in years eating in the 2000-3000 range daily. The first year I did drop 50 pounds of weight and have maintained that loss for the past three years.

Getting rid of a lifetime of cravings/pain the first month of my new Way Of Eating I think was key in my case.

Clearly people maintain in many different ways so the key seems to be to find the WOE that gives one the best health with little to no thought being required. Now that I can eat all I want when I get hungry keeps me from thinking about food all of the time when I was dieting to loss weight and always hungry and thinking about FOOD.

Clear and meaningful health outcome goals did it for me but the brain does not refocus overnight so give it time.

BMcC9

bump

rosiorama

BMcC9 wrote: »

bump

Thank-you. This is a great thread.

MaintainInTheMembrane

I remember all the hard work it took to reach my goal weight. It’s easier to keep it off than to have to go back and lose it again. I know I’d be really upset with myself if I threw all that away.

MadisonMolly2017

MaintainInTheMembrane wrote: »

I remember all the hard work it took to reach my goal weight. It’s easier to keep it off than to have to go back and lose it again. I know I’d be really upset with myself if I threw all that away.

This.

Servus19

I lost 65 lbs 21 yrs ago. My weight never fluctuates more than 10lbs, usually 5 is my max. A reminder to weigh myself pops up on my calendar every few weeks and I "check in". It took me 2 yrs to lose the 65 lbs. It sucked.

So much I am not going to let it happen again. If I put a few on I increase my exercise, or cut cal's for a few weeks, IF, etc. I change it just for fun. I have stayed active all of these years and keeping my weight stable has been pretty easy to be honest. But I like to hike, run a bit, I ride my bike to the store, walk when I can it all adds up and I have reached a happy medium. I am more proud of my body for being healthy and active as I aged, less about how I looked. As a woman it was a bit of a break through for me mentally. I am much happier for it.

Take care.

ejh2006

I have lost a total of 98 pounds and I have been maintaining since last summer. I'm sure everyone has a different method they use as a motivator. I personally, look at before/after pics (of myself) when I feel and know I'm not sticking to my clean eating and/or locking on my workouts.
I talk to myself (yes, and when alone I talk to my self at loud...LOL) I tell my body that this is a new life style and there is no going back, so it needs to get it together and stick with the program
I go on Instagram to look and follow some people that post their success stories and share their struggles and that tends to work. I also go online to "pretend" I'm shopping for different clothes and swimsuits, I add my favorite items to the cart and when done I just log out...LOL
I take pictures of the meals I prepare for the day... when I feel like not cooking or I find myself reaching out for the wrong foods, I go to my gallery and look at all the meals I have previously cooked and it helps as a reminder that I can do it and therefore there are NO excuses.
I jump on the scale at least twice a month. Seeing an specific number on the scale helps but it is not my main motivator.. now that I'm at "maintenance" stage it is more about fitting in my clothes comfortably. Your clothes are a good indicator if what you are doing is working or not. Lastly, talk/hang with those that have the same goal as you, those who are going to motivate you, give you ideas and push you to move forward!!

ceiswyn

I've only been maintaining for a few months, but I suck at 'keeping my head in the game'.

The way 'maintenance' actually seems to work for me is as mini cycles of weight gain (largely through PMS-related food binges, thankyou so much uterus) and weight loss that keep me within a roughly 7 lb weight range.

MaintainInTheMembrane

Another thing I do to keep my head in the game is I look at my new clothes and focus on how much I’m enjoying wearing them. I keep up the good work so I can continue to fit them.

jenilla1

8 years in maintenance - it's basically just habit. I like my lifestyle, how I feel and look, it's easy and comfortable for me (because I don't have any weird rules, punishments or restrictions) so I just keep on keeping on...

Jimb376mfp

Being on Maintenance can be a PITA but it’s better than trying to reach my Goal Weight.

When I lost-100Lb at age 67 in 2015 I made my Goal to not gain back like I did my whole life.

Then I reached GW 3/29/18 I made myself to stay below Goal Weight. Life at Goal is better but it doesn’t solve everything. At age 71 I now weigh half my Starting Weight (376)
so I can be proud of myself.

SW 376 (2013 joined WW)
GW 184 (2018)
CW 178

brenn24179

MaintainInTheMembrane wrote: »

Another thing I do to keep my head in the game is I look at my new clothes and focus on how much I’m enjoying wearing them. I keep up the good work so I can continue to fit them.

yep, this is why I do it!

garystrickland357

I don't mean for this to be a downer post but it is definitely a reason to keep your head in the game. We had a coworker drop dead of a heart attack yesterday right at the end of work. She was a dear, wonderful person. She was also technically obese, hypertensive, and had other weight related issues. There is an added health risk associated with being overweight. Yesterday I saw a possible consequence. It's a reality check to what may have been my future had I not taken control of my weight. None of us know the future, but we do know that maintaining a healthy weight lowers our risk of this kind of outcome. Stay the course y'all.

carolintally

I'm one of those people who needs to weigh myself every morning in order to stay on top of maintenance. I log my weight. That daily dose of reality keeps me from slipping into being mindless about what I'm eating. If I go over my 3 lb zone, I start logging food again. Cutting way back on sugar also has helped me maintain. I still eat plenty of healthy carbs. I try not to bring anything in the house to eat that I wouldn't want to see in my log. And like others, I've gotten rid of all the fat clothes and remind myself of the new ones that I love.

cheryldumais

garystrickland357 wrote: »

I don't mean for this to be a downer post but it is definitely a reason to keep your head in the game. We had a coworker drop dead of a heart attack yesterday right at the end of work. She was a dear, wonderful person. She was also technically obese, hypertensive, and had other weight related issues. There is an added health risk associated with being overweight. Yesterday I saw a possible consequence. It's a reality check to what may have been my future had I not taken control of my weight. None of us know the future, but we do know that maintaining a healthy weight lowers our risk of this kind of outcome. Stay the course y'all.

So sorry for your loss.

twdlove89

It sounds daft but I regularly look back at pictures of me when I was 16stone. It reminds me how unhappy I was and how unhealthy I was. That usually puts me back on track

Lora2380

I’m in the 120’s lbs (high 120”s but whatever) I never in my wildest dreams thought I could get back down to this. I love the thought of it and how much energy I have now, the new wardrobe I don’t want to grow out of and how proud my family is of me. Looking at before pics and reading the NSV thread everyday help remind me what I worked so hard for and generally keep me in check. Not to say that there aren’t times when I slip, I just don’t let it get to far before correcting.

I do monthly challenges with a friend to change it up and keep accountable, try to set new goals regularly, even look for a new healthy recipe to try so it stays in the back of your mind to be healthy and make good decisions.