changing mindset

Sinope82

I was wondering if any of you wonderful mfp people can offer any advice on how to get my head round being at maintenence. I've met, passed and reset my goal weight several times now and i am finally at a healthy weight. I'm a uk size 8/10 so definately not at a size where i need to lose anymore. However i just can't get used to the fact that i'm supposed to be maintaining my weight not losing anymore. I've got several friends who have recently started losing and are doing really well. I'm really happy for all of them and i know my partner is right when he says they would love to be where i am now but every time i get on the scales i'm disapointed if my weight is the same.

I think i need to find something else to get that 'buzz' from & i'm working on my fitness running & lifting which is great and im really enjoying the progress im making but its just not the same.

im hoping once i start to see better results from lifting that i'll feel a bit better about how i look but does anyone have any tips for what helped them with this transition?

Thanks in advance for any advice & good luck to everyone with their own journeys )

kristen6350

I started maintaining at 155. I'm now 147 (size 6 US and 5'11), so I totally get you. It's hard to get into the mindset. I lost 50lbs a couple years ago and then got relaxed and kinda cocky and thought it wouldn't come back. In Dec. 2015 I was back up 20lbs from my "happy" weight. So, I got back on track and lost the 20. But getting my mind wrapped around me having to eat 1850 even on sedentary days is just weird.

I really have no advice, but I'll stick around - maybe I'll get help too!

jessicapk

God, I wish I had this problem right now. Great job, guys, and good luck figuring it out!

brynnsmom

It took me a long while to break the diet mindset, too. You mentioned improving your fitness performance and that is exactly what I shifted my focus to. The great thing is that by working out longer and harder, you can also eat more - making maintenance even easier!

Sinope82

Thanks guys, guess im just going to have to keep plugging away at the exercise and wait for my brain to catch up with my body

mistikal13

It takes some time, but it's a good problem to have isn't it? Congrats on reaching your goal!

spat095

Good for you! Like others have said, it's a great problem to have. Try to make new goals not having to do with weight loss, like with your new lifting/exercise routines. You could shift your focus to slowly upping calories and seeing how many you can 'get away with.' Train for a marathon or a tough mudder...just keep working toward something, whatever it may be. Again, congratulations and good for you.

RaspberryTickleChicken

Congrats & what an awesome question!

I know when I first started maintaining I found it difficult not to subconsciously continue to measure success with regular progress - ie. weight on the scale.

As silly as it sounds even though I had reached my goal I couldn't help but to feel like I was failing when I saw all my MFP friends who were still losing regularly registering weight loss as a mark of progress.

What I did was submerged myself with the idea that I was in maintenance by reading A LOT about maintenance, nutrition, macro nutrients, new tweaks to my workouts etc. The singular most important thing that help get my head get acclimated is having a large number of my MFP friends be in maintenance & not losing.

Because in maintaining the goals are not always as crystal clear and generally are longer term which sometimes can have a rather isolating effect. However having fellow maintainers in all different stages of maintance can really bridge that gap because some have gone through it, some are going through it, and some will solicit your advice as they are beginning to go through it hence creating a really a wonderful network of support. But chose your MFP friends wisely - As many awesomeness is out there, there are bound to be a few duds. lol

Best of luck to you!