A tiny tip I thought I would share
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That is a plan for regaining everything for me. I've proven that by gaining back on more than one occasion. Sadly I need to resolve to consume only the calories that I can burn. It does mean I am going to need to modify my eating habits including portion sizes and how often I indulge in high fat/sugar treats. I am very close to goal and so is my husband. We are really working together on accepting some modifications to the way we eat.0
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A question: if you tell yourself you can have XYZ at maintenance, but not now, (aka, just delaying it all), how will you maintain?
If this is a true lifestyle/healthstyle, don't you need a plan for incorporating those things you plant to eat regularly now? I guess I don't get how you're planning to do this?
I've been maintaining for 14 years by doing what I've been doing, and eating what I ate when I was losing...I never "went off" my diet. It's the way I eat. Regardless, good luck!0 -
There are probably going to be more calories available at maintenance, so "fitting something in" would be easier.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »A question: if you tell yourself you can have XYZ at maintenance, but not now, (aka, just delaying it all), how will you maintain?
If this is a true lifestyle/healthstyle, don't you need a plan for incorporating those things you plant to eat regularly now? I guess I don't get how you're planning to do this?
I mean, people always say "Don't make a change that you don't want to do forever." I didn't want to eat at a deficit forever, but I did it in the relatively short term. I might not want to give up Triple Chocolate Brownie Calorie Bomb Fudge Cake forever, but it might be feasible to do so until there is more breathing space in the calorie goal.
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PeachyCarol wrote: »I'm glad it seems to be working for you but. I think I'm confused. What of your goal weight is 6-9 months away? Are you just going to give up on a snack you really like for a year?
Yeah, I couldn't do that. Even if I tried, I'm sure I'd end up throwing in the towel on it and binge on it. It's better for me to just work those things into my calorie goal with moderation. I'd be too miserable without the foods I love.
That's what I do. I don't always have things the very moment I want them, but the next day or so? Sure, I can usually work them in. I'm figuring out how to eat for the rest of my life here.
I look at dieting like a look at our family budget. Maintenance will be just like getting a raise in income. The thing is I don't suddenly start living when I get to that point. I'm already living now and spending money (calories) on that life in the here and now. I'll just have more money (calories) to spend when I get to maintenance. I want to enjoy the life I'm living and make the most of the budget I have since I'm pretty good at budgeting.
I like this analogy! By extension, you can budget your calories by the week. Then if you have a higher day here or there, you know you can balance it out another day. I'm still working on this, but this has helped me feel less deprived, which for me is essential to keep going.
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
There are probably going to be more calories available at maintenance, so "fitting something in" would be easier.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »A question: if you tell yourself you can have XYZ at maintenance, but not now, (aka, just delaying it all), how will you maintain?
If this is a true lifestyle/healthstyle, don't you need a plan for incorporating those things you plant to eat regularly now? I guess I don't get how you're planning to do this?
I mean, people always say "Don't make a change that you don't want to do forever." I didn't want to eat at a deficit forever, but I did it in the relatively short term. I might not want to give up Triple Chocolate Brownie Calorie Bomb Fudge Cake forever, but it might be feasible to do so until there is more breathing space in the calorie goal.
Yuuuuuuuuuuuup. I'm not going to Texas Roadhouse again until I'm on maintenance. No. Point. At 1200 calories, I lose less than a pound a week without exercise. :P0 -
PrizePopple wrote: »I'm glad it seems to be working for you but. I think I'm confused. What of your goal weight is 6-9 months away? Are you just going to give up on a snack you really like for a year?
I did. 9 months from 218 to 118. It is amazing how learning that you don't really need everything you think you want can change your life.
By the same token it's amazing when you learn how to eat reasonably all the things you love.
this.
im eating at maintenance this weekend cause im taking a few days break (and oh loving all the things LOL) but even when im not, i still eat what i want, ive just learned to eat it in moderation (1 or 2 cookies instead of half the package). i have a beer almost every night. chocolate almost every night. ive lost 50 pounds in 6 months doing it this way, and, for me, will be why i KEEP it off.... because nothing is 'off limits' - i can't imagine saying i can only have something once im a certain weight, or not have it at all ever again or i cant eat out or enjoy parties and food and drinks..... if it works for you great, but that would be a surefire way to fail for some (and is why i failed in the past)0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »
There are probably going to be more calories available at maintenance, so "fitting something in" would be easier.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »A question: if you tell yourself you can have XYZ at maintenance, but not now, (aka, just delaying it all), how will you maintain?
If this is a true lifestyle/healthstyle, don't you need a plan for incorporating those things you plant to eat regularly now? I guess I don't get how you're planning to do this?
I mean, people always say "Don't make a change that you don't want to do forever." I didn't want to eat at a deficit forever, but I did it in the relatively short term. I might not want to give up Triple Chocolate Brownie Calorie Bomb Fudge Cake forever, but it might be feasible to do so until there is more breathing space in the calorie goal.
I agree with Tex to a point however lots of "us" choose to do this weight loss thing at a slower rate so we have more room to play with our food and calories.
When I am at maintenance I added in a Large coffee from Tim horton's everyday and maybe the odd splurge of ice cream..(not the biggest ice cream fan actually *waits for the boooooo's) but for me giving up my favorite food which is calorie dense is not feasible ie chocolate...and I do eat it every night usually...might miss a few nights a month.
this time when I hit maintenance I am not sure what I will add in as I make Tim's coffee at home (kcups), and ice cream season doesn't last long here...who knows.
But that's the nice thing I eat what I want now...maybe I will just eat bigger portions...however last night proved I physically can't (ordered a medium poutine and could only eat half *cries*)
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This is a great tip for my last 10!0
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I don't usually crave foods, that I do not see or smell. When they are in front of me, I can choose to fit it into my daily allowance, if that means a full serving great, or it is one bite, I savor.0
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Hmm...Don't know how I feel about this. I understand needing to wait until another day to have something, if it won't fit for the day. And I DO understand really limiting some foods (for me, peanut butter). But a serving of ice cream, bit of chocolate...if we don't learn how to make these work in a deficit, how successful will we be in maintenance?
Yesterday I wanted chocolate. Instead of saying I could have it when I reach this or that goal, weight/body composition wise, I said I could have it after I cleaned my room haha. I was productive and got yummy chocolate.
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I don't know. I have various ideas of how this may all work out. I am now where a lot of people are when they begin, about 40 pounds to go. And I don't know how it's going to be when I'm done. Possible theories:Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »A question: if you tell yourself you can have XYZ at maintenance, but not now, (aka, just delaying it all), how will you maintain?
If this is a true lifestyle/healthstyle, don't you need a plan for incorporating those things you plant to eat regularly now? I guess I don't get how you're planning to do this?
I've been maintaining for 14 years by doing what I've been doing, and eating what I ate when I was losing...I never "went off" my diet. It's the way I eat. Regardless, good luck!
1. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and eventually it'll get so hard that I just say, "Screw it, I'm done," and that will be my new weight. At this point, indulgences would have to be made up for with exercise or eating a little less before and/or after. This is Theory #1 because it's where I have my money, but who freaking knows. I'm too old to pretend I have all the answers and can see the future, lol
2. I'll keep losing and it'll never get too hard, so when I'm done, I can just work in an occasional treat and will maintain easily.
3. I'll have fluctuations and will occasionally have to lose a couple pounds.
That's what I don't know. What I do know:
1. I cannot possibly "work in" every single thing I like to eat and still lose weight. There are literally hundreds (possibly more) of foods I'd love to have, about a dozen at Dunkin Donuts alone. If I worked in ALL those foods on a regular basis, I'd be as big as a house, so saying "No" to things makes sense if I want to lose weight. An extra 500-1000 (or more) calories a day wouldn't work for me. Heck, even when I paid no attention to what I ate, I could not eat ALL the foods I liked on a regular basis. There are just too many of them!
2. While there's nothing wrong with eating whatever tastes good whenever you want to have it, there is also nothing wrong saying, "No, I can't have that" when one is dieting.
3. There is nothing wrong with choosing to have a healthier diet. Sometimes - especially at first! - it means having a little discipline and selecting the healthier food choices.
I've received lots of advice. Doctors, dietitian, supportive people, unsupportive people, randoms who like to take weight loss - I've listened to them all. But in the end, I have to lose my weight. They can't lose it for me. So, I have to go with my own plan and hope for the best.
It's working well so far. 85 pounds down, all the blood work is good or has improved and I feel great. So, I'm doing something right.
In the end, I'd rather fail because I was wrong than because I thought someone else knew how to run my weight loss better than I do. So, even if I fail at some point, it'll be ME that fails and I'll have nobody to blame but me.
And if I succeed, it's all me, there, too. 0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »
There are probably going to be more calories available at maintenance, so "fitting something in" would be easier.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »A question: if you tell yourself you can have XYZ at maintenance, but not now, (aka, just delaying it all), how will you maintain?
If this is a true lifestyle/healthstyle, don't you need a plan for incorporating those things you plant to eat regularly now? I guess I don't get how you're planning to do this?
I mean, people always say "Don't make a change that you don't want to do forever." I didn't want to eat at a deficit forever, but I did it in the relatively short term. I might not want to give up Triple Chocolate Brownie Calorie Bomb Fudge Cake forever, but it might be feasible to do so until there is more breathing space in the calorie goal.
I guess I like that you said "probably" about more calories at maintenance. Like Stef said it does depend on your chosen rate of loss. For me I'm always stuck on the fact that someone who's maybe starting out at 210 lbs feels she'll suddenly have all this extra food to eat when she's 150. Heck the numbers might even make sense but I just can't wrap my mind around it. Add to that whether or not you'll choose to exercise at the same intensity or frequency. And also the fact that your smaller body will burn less calories with the same exercise...
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Kalikel, my biggest curiosity whenever you've mentioned "hundreds of things" is, are you saying at any given time, there's literally hundreds of things you could eat but choose not to? I mean I have pretty much a massive appetitive for hugely calorie dense things, but I don't actually feel like consuming every decadent thing all the time and would indeed turn them down if offered. That or something with less calories is close enough for me (diet pop for example) that it's not even worth it0
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
There are probably going to be more calories available at maintenance, so "fitting something in" would be easier.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »A question: if you tell yourself you can have XYZ at maintenance, but not now, (aka, just delaying it all), how will you maintain?
If this is a true lifestyle/healthstyle, don't you need a plan for incorporating those things you plant to eat regularly now? I guess I don't get how you're planning to do this?
I mean, people always say "Don't make a change that you don't want to do forever." I didn't want to eat at a deficit forever, but I did it in the relatively short term. I might not want to give up Triple Chocolate Brownie Calorie Bomb Fudge Cake forever, but it might be feasible to do so until there is more breathing space in the calorie goal.
I agree with Tex to a point however lots of "us" choose to do this weight loss thing at a slower rate so we have more room to play with our food and calories.
When I am at maintenance I added in a Large coffee from Tim horton's everyday and maybe the odd splurge of ice cream..(not the biggest ice cream fan actually *waits for the boooooo's) but for me giving up my favorite food which is calorie dense is not feasible ie chocolate...and I do eat it every night usually...might miss a few nights a month.
this time when I hit maintenance I am not sure what I will add in as I make Tim's coffee at home (kcups), and ice cream season doesn't last long here...who knows.
But that's the nice thing I eat what I want now...maybe I will just eat bigger portions...however last night proved I physically can't (ordered a medium poutine and could only eat half *cries*)
Okay first of all, reported for your unnatural feelings about ice cream. Second, I did give up a lot of things when I first started losing--and am now maintaining (before working on vanity weight) while enjoying foods I believe to be worth the calories. I don't necessarily agree that denying yourself things leads to binging at the end, unless you are on an insanely restrictive diet.
If writing cravings down helps you, I'm glad. Just make sure you don't restrict too much and go on a multi-week binge at the end.0 -
barbecuesauce wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
There are probably going to be more calories available at maintenance, so "fitting something in" would be easier.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »A question: if you tell yourself you can have XYZ at maintenance, but not now, (aka, just delaying it all), how will you maintain?
If this is a true lifestyle/healthstyle, don't you need a plan for incorporating those things you plant to eat regularly now? I guess I don't get how you're planning to do this?
I mean, people always say "Don't make a change that you don't want to do forever." I didn't want to eat at a deficit forever, but I did it in the relatively short term. I might not want to give up Triple Chocolate Brownie Calorie Bomb Fudge Cake forever, but it might be feasible to do so until there is more breathing space in the calorie goal.
I agree with Tex to a point however lots of "us" choose to do this weight loss thing at a slower rate so we have more room to play with our food and calories.
When I am at maintenance I added in a Large coffee from Tim horton's everyday and maybe the odd splurge of ice cream..(not the biggest ice cream fan actually *waits for the boooooo's) but for me giving up my favorite food which is calorie dense is not feasible ie chocolate...and I do eat it every night usually...might miss a few nights a month.
this time when I hit maintenance I am not sure what I will add in as I make Tim's coffee at home (kcups), and ice cream season doesn't last long here...who knows.
But that's the nice thing I eat what I want now...maybe I will just eat bigger portions...however last night proved I physically can't (ordered a medium poutine and could only eat half *cries*)
Okay first of all, reported for your unnatural feelings about ice cream. Second, I did give up a lot of things when I first started losing--and am now maintaining (before working on vanity weight) while enjoying foods I believe to be worth the calories. I don't necessarily agree that denying yourself things leads to binging at the end, unless you are on an insanely restrictive diet.
If writing cravings down helps you, I'm glad. Just make sure you don't restrict too much and go on a multi-week binge at the end.
*looks behind shoulder for ice cream police.
I did to at first but realized I didn't have to which was great.
I to eat foods that are worth it...I turned down birthday cupcakes this week at work as they just aren't worth the calories...dried out store bought icky is not worth 360 calories. Prior to joining MFP I would have eaten it anyway.
I also agree that if writing down stuff for later helps have at...Kalikel, my biggest curiosity whenever you've mentioned "hundreds of things" is, are you saying at any given time, there's literally hundreds of things you could eat but choose not to? I mean I have pretty much a massive appetitive for hugely calorie dense things, but I don't actually feel like consuming every decadent thing all the time and would indeed turn them down if offered. That or something with less calories is close enough for me (diet pop for example) that it's not even worth it
Ditto here...I love food and love to cook. For example I make a brownie bottomed peanut butter cup cheese cake...about once a year...I eat half a piece and I am good. I free half of it for later when I want it again...but to eat that everyday would make me ill.0 -
I love food but have never binged, obsessed or been miserable about it...unless miserable because I ate a bit too much and sat too much over the winter and put on a few pounds. I think people have different feelings about food. Putting off a food would not make me binge on it later at all. I will occasionally eat things that I have not worked into my daily calorie budget but I have never once regretted NOT eating something.
I often think about my current goals and if a food just doesn't fit I figure I can have it at a later date when it does fit in. I've never thought to write it down though. :-)
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I do this all the time. Sometimes I'm like, "When I'm done, I can indulge once in a while, not yet."
Other times, when it's really bad, I decide to have it the next day if I really, really want it. Next day comes and I'm like, "Tomorrow."
I've been promising myself I'll have a Dunkin Donuts muffin tomorrow for weeks now. Each day, I mean it. Each day, I put it off. Eventually, the desire will pass and I'll move on to some other treat and then I'll put that off.
Geez, since you're fixating on the same freaking muffin for weeks, now, just have the damn thing, log it and move on already! Life's too short.
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Yup. I could list hundreds of things that I'd like to eat and would enjoy at any given time. There are probably 50 (maybe more) in the 7-11 alone. Not even counting what I make, just going through the grocery store, I could point to so very many.Kalikel, my biggest curiosity whenever you've mentioned "hundreds of things" is, are you saying at any given time, there's literally hundreds of things you could eat but choose not to? I mean I have pretty much a massive appetitive for hugely calorie dense things, but I don't actually feel like consuming every decadent thing all the time and would indeed turn them down if offered. That or something with less calories is close enough for me (diet pop for example) that it's not even worth it
Maybe I enjoy more foods than some other people. Maybe they are pickier than I am? I don't know.
But there is no way on Earth that I could eat all the foods I like and eat them all the time, lol. Even when I was at my fattest, I didn't work in everything I liked on a regular basis.
I wish I was pickier or could eat all the foods, all the time, but I can't. C'est la vie.
I don't have that problem where if I don't eat some right now, I will later lose all control of myself and binge on it. I know some people struggle with that, so of course they would need to eat small amounts.
To each, his own. 0 -
It's a good strategy for me - I process "deferred" much differently than "forbidden." It seems like it works for others, too (viz. "cheat days," e.g.) I don't "defer" until goal weight (I am maintaining inside my "healthy weight range" for the time being - or maybe forever, I haven't decided yet) but I will often "defer" until tomorrow and then just plan whatever it is in to the day. It will never be fast food - but could well be a hamburger with cheddar, grilled onions and hot peppers from Dotty Dumpling's Dowry
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Out of sight and smell, is out of mind for me. I do not obsess about food unless I see it over and over again, like commercial adds, cooking shows, or wafting yummy smells. This is why I don't watch TV or walk through the food court.0
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