Miss the challenge and feeling of accomplishment?

laurennichole529

About a year ago I started the 5:2 diet and lost 40 pounds. I hit my goal a few months ago and have been maintaining, but struggling. Will binge for a week, then get back on the diet for a week or two, then binge again. At first I thought it was due to boredom, so I tried new recipes. I tried taking a break from counting calories, but I just binged instead. I think, in large part, I may be struggling with staying at my goal calories consistently because I don't have a new goal to reach or feelings of accomplishment like I did at the beginning. The first time I successfully fasted, I felt so confident, and that motivated me for the next day. I LOVED the feeling I got when I dropped a pound or reached a milestone. Now that's mostly gone in maintenance and I'm having trouble staying motivated.

Anyone else feel this way? If so, what do you do about it?

trainmanup

Find a physical hobby, like cycling, and funnel your motivation into fitness related goals. Something like cycling will allow you to eat a lot more, and give you something to improve in.

TheVirgoddess

Make a new goal - start a progressive lifting program, or pick some really difficult yoga poses to work towards, or start C25K.

AsISmile

Just to make sure, are you sure that you are maintaining at enough calories?
It has come to my attention that people who came from low calorie goals tend to want to maintain at too few calories. It is important to fuel your body properly.

If this is not it, I agree on finding a fitting goal.
Perhaps recomposition which gives you the combination of lifting heavier weights each week and decreasing bodyfat.
But any sport will do really, as long as you continue to challenge yourself to do more, do it harder and do it better.

flumi_f

I totally understand. I also do 5:2, lost weight for a year and now have been on my last 2-3kg for a year. My 'binges' aren't huge, but they do cancel out the cal deficit I get from the fasts. At least I've maintained! Without my fasts I would have gained again.

Find yourself a new goal...increased stamina, strength... whatever. Just make sure you do something you like. For example I was inspired by some friends to try rebounding on a mini trampoline. I love it and there are alot of YouTube videos to get you motivated.

FitPhillygirl

No, because every so often I will set a new fitness related goal for myself instead. I never get bored when I'm striving to reach a new goal.

bubaluboo

Are you still doing 5:2 for maintenance? If so perhaps this isn't right as it may be setting you up for binge days and if you can't bring yourself to do the fast days it's just going to become a downward spiral. I'm not having a pop at 5:2 while I doubt that it would suit me for that reason, I know that it's hugely successful for a lot of people.

Like others have said a new non weightloss goal could help...macro targets? lifting? a sporting challenge? may give you a new focus. I'm looking at macros and lifting as I transition to maintenance and I am really excited about it.

ETA: I should have said perhaps it isn't right for you - rather than in general as I don't think that there is anything wrong with the method in general

47Jacqueline

You need to find other interests than food, dieting and losing weight. Move on. If you maintain that focus, you won't maintain your weight loss very long.

Over 90% of people who lose weight, gain it back within 2 to 5 years or less. Don't become a statistic.

RaspberryTickleChicken

+1 on all of the above responses

In maint it's imperative that you find new goals, especially fitness ones.
A - this will help transition your mentality from losing # to achieving a milestone (ie. run a 5K etc).
B- proper maint mentality will help increase your odds of beating the statistics because maint IS the rest of your life - there is NO end to it.

Best of luck to you!

Timorous_Beastie

I'm all for fitness goals, but sometimes it's best to accept that the thrill of achieving goals and making changes is behind us. The next stage isn't as exciting.

Writing that down sounds really defeatist, but I don't mean it that way.

I mean that maintaining a level of fitness and a weight range should just be a part of your life, a part of your daily life. Expecting it to be a constant string of "Woohoo! New goal reached!" is like expecting every day of your marriage to be as thrilling as your wedding day. Or if someone graduated college, and missed the excitement of going to school, we wouldn't tell them to just get another degree. We'd tell them to move on with their life and get a job.

That was part of my downfall last time. I lost the weight and felt/looked great. I started running, and got pretty fast. I started lifting and got pretty strong. Then... plateauland. My running wasn't really improving. My lifting wasn't really improving. I didn't want to lose any more weight. It was frustrating, because I missed the thrill of constant progress. Then with other circumstances, depression hit and I stopped giving a damn at all.

This time around, my goal is to be satisfied doing enough. I don't need to be any faster than I am. I don't need to be a powerlifter. I don't need sub-20% bodyfat. Being healthy, fit and strong is enough. The constant strive for improvement just left me feeling inadequate. Screw that. I'm plenty adequate.

nxd10

Stepping on the scale every morning and still being in my weight range makes me happy. Every morning for the past 3 years I've been on maintenance. But it's not a thrill. Like brushing my teeth isn't a thrill. This isn't the center of my life - it's just life. I've moved on to other accomplishments.

My goal is to keep at a healthy weight for the rest of my life. So I haven't accomplished that yet. That's why I keep going. This isn't over.

BTW 'bingeing' if it really is bingeing sounds unhealthy.

BigGuy47

Is the 5:2 diet meant to be used for maintenance or simply dropping weight?
I've never done any form of IF. I think it would cause me to binge after starving for a day or two.

A lot of people struggle with finding a sustainable way of eating after dieting to lose weight. Too often people arrive at maintenance without having addressed the question, Can I eat this way the rest of my life?

kailyw05

Timorous_Beastie wrote: »

I'm all for fitness goals, but sometimes it's best to accept that the thrill of achieving goals and making changes is behind us. The next stage isn't as exciting.

Writing that down sounds really defeatist, but I don't mean it that way.

I mean that maintaining a level of fitness and a weight range should just be a part of your life, a part of your daily life. Expecting it to be a constant string of "Woohoo! New goal reached!" is like expecting every day of your marriage to be as thrilling as your wedding day. Or if someone graduated college, and missed the excitement of going to school, we wouldn't tell them to just get another degree. We'd tell them to move on with their life and get a job.

That was part of my downfall last time. I lost the weight and felt/looked great. I started running, and got pretty fast. I started lifting and got pretty strong. Then... plateauland. My running wasn't really improving. My lifting wasn't really improving. I didn't want to lose any more weight. It was frustrating, because I missed the thrill of constant progress. Then with other circumstances, depression hit and I stopped giving a damn at all.

This time around, my goal is to be satisfied doing enough. I don't need to be any faster than I am. I don't need to be a powerlifter. I don't need sub-20% bodyfat. Being healthy, fit and strong is enough. The constant strive for improvement just left me feeling inadequate. Screw that. I'm plenty adequate.

This was a great post! I like the analogy with marriage - it's so true. You don't expect to have the same thrill with your partner after 15 years of marriage that you did after 3 months dating. Not that it's not still a wonderful relationship, it's just different. It does take more work to keep the spark there. Just like with weightloss, it's new and exciting at first, but you have to accept that eventually it will just become a part of life.

I am thinking that IF is not really a great strategy for maintenance because it allows you to eat more on days that you do eat, causing the binges. You need to think about what you can really handle for a lifetime. Find a new hobby or sport. Focus on fitness goals as others have said. And I suggest figuring out how to stop fasting so you can eat a balanced diet everyday. Then it becomes more of a habit and a routine, rather than a constant up and down cycle. Work your favourite "junk" foods into your daily calories. You won't feel the need to binge if you know you can eat that ice cream or those chips any time you want.

laurennichole529

Thanks so much for the responses everyone! You've given me a lot to think about. I particularly appreciate those of you who pointed out that I should focus on other things; it seems simple but it's amazing how much space diet and fitness and can take up in my brain

FitPhillygirl

nichole906 wrote: »

Thanks so much for the responses everyone! You've given me a lot to think about. I particularly appreciate those of you who pointed out that I should focus on other things; it seems simple but it's amazing how much space diet and fitness and can take up in my brain

While it won't be easy at first, hang in there. After a period of time you will find what works best for you and be able to maintain without a problem.

fiddletime

I did the same thing- have lost 20# twice in the last few years, and gained it back. Once I reached my goal I was done, and slipped back into the same bad habits that caused the unhealthy eating in the first place.

Third times a charm and once I lose this 20 I'm going to be very conscious about eating enough to maintain, and not obsessing, but not losing focus either. I liked the brushing teeth analogy. It has to become a necessary, unglamorous, small part of daily life.

AndyP2018

I understand about the loss of the challenge, my challenge was to drop 2st in 2 months, completed my challenge and now on maintenance, I have added in to my diet 3/400 extra calories per day, I'm 6 1"was 15st and now are 12st 11. I will slowly drop to 12.5 then plan to add more weights and less cardio to my workouts. Do miss the mind set of the challenge I had, but need to move the goals and go muscle building✊

ilovesweeties

Timorous_Beastie wrote: »

I'm all for fitness goals, but sometimes it's best to accept that the thrill of achieving goals and making changes is behind us. The next stage isn't as exciting.

Writing that down sounds really defeatist, but I don't mean it that way.

I mean that maintaining a level of fitness and a weight range should just be a part of your life, a part of your daily life. Expecting it to be a constant string of "Woohoo! New goal reached!" is like expecting every day of your marriage to be as thrilling as your wedding day. Or if someone graduated college, and missed the excitement of going to school, we wouldn't tell them to just get another degree. We'd tell them to move on with their life and get a job.

That was part of my downfall last time. I lost the weight and felt/looked great. I started running, and got pretty fast. I started lifting and got pretty strong. Then... plateauland. My running wasn't really improving. My lifting wasn't really improving. I didn't want to lose any more weight. It was frustrating, because I missed the thrill of constant progress. Then with other circumstances, depression hit and I stopped giving a damn at all.

This time around, my goal is to be satisfied doing enough. I don't need to be any faster than I am. I don't need to be a powerlifter. I don't need sub-20% bodyfat. Being healthy, fit and strong is enough. The constant strive for improvement just left me feeling inadequate. Screw that. I'm plenty adequate.

This is my favourite thing I have ever read on MFP. I'm not long into maintenance and have been wondering if I need to increase my runs to 10k or to start lifting heavier or this or that or the next thing... Perhaps I will just concentrate for a bit on enjoying where I am and not worrying about my weight every. single. day. It's really helpful to think of being conscious of staying a healthy weight as part of normal life, rather than a constant battle. Thanks!

joolie1234

I miss the positive feedback I got from people when I was losing weight. Once it has been off for a while and people get used to the way you look, they don't say "good job!" anymore. I miss that!

Bernerdinerd

Im currently going through the exact same thing. 2 years ago i weighed 260 pounds and since then I have lost 80 pounds. My weight fluctuates in the 180's. What helps me is setting physical goals. Instead of weighing a certain amount I strive to lift 1 more pound every time i go to the gym. Get in that 1 extra rep or complete my run knocking a few seconds off my time. The results may not come as quickly and they may not be as apparent as before however you are building a better you! All this will culminate in the end! Keep it up!

DoreenaV1975

I feel you!
I'm 5'1, 109 lbs.
I am at my goal weight (goal was actually 110lbs)... but trying to lose a couple of "buffer" pounds so I have room to indulge from time to time without going over (or too far over) my goal weight.
W/ that being said, I am looking at maintenance and I am scared!!!!!
1. I think I'm going to miss "the high" I get at seeing the scale go down
2. After reducing calories to lose weight I'm afraid to eat more (I see the tips above and I will follow them)

To help w/ losing "the high" of the scale going down I'm trying to set new goals to achieve since "losing weight" is no longer it.
2 new goals so far:
1. Meeting my macros - never tried that when I was trying to lose weight; it was all about deficit.
I've done the "meeting macros" thing for the last 3 days and I'm always just a couple of percentages away... so yes it is a challenge!
2. Strength training - I started lifting weights w/ my husband this past weekend. I am so weak, but I figure we all got to start somewhere and the more I do it the stronger I'll get! Plus the weight lifting will help burn off the last of the stubborn fat that my otherwise lean body needs to lose.