Anyone finding their 2nd year of maintaining harder than the original?

Spiderkeys

I'm wondering, I'm well into my second year of maintaining, and the year before I know I did a great job, and even lost some more weight I didn't think I could lose.

I've learnt the second year, things don't get any easier, still get those urges of feeling like eating everything in sight, etc. And almost everyday I find myself going over in the red on an average of 200-500 calories everyday, I learnt to like new foods, but now I think I eat too much of them, but some days I do keep at my limit, but wow it makes me feel hungry it I do.

I had a slight weight gains this year, but then I look at it, your weight should be where your most comfortable of eating your amount.

LivingtheLeanDream

I can't say that, I'm finding it getting easier ..sorry! As long as I keep consistent with my exercise, which I do, I know I don't have to worry about my weight.

You have a goal range of +/- say 5lbs? if so don't worry when scale goes up and down, just take action when you're at that upper limit...it really depends on how much you enjoy being slimmer, for me nothing beats being slim and I'll do what it takes to stay this way.

Hopefully you start finding things easier soon

Francl27

You're hungry because you're not eating enough protein. If I ate so little protein, I'd be starving, and I'm a 37yo woman.

But I get bored with the same foods too, so I'm constantly looking for recipes, asking myself what I would really like to eat, and trying to find a way to make it lower calories so it fits in my diary. I'm much less likely to eat too many sweets if I have satisfying meals.

But I've only maintained for a year so far (been on MFP 2.5 years) so let me get back to you in a year, lol.

editorgrrl

I'm in my second year of maintenance. I weigh daily and use a free website called Trendweight.com to see a moving average of my weight without the "noise" of water weight. It syncs with Fitbit & Withings, but there are other websites & apps that do the same thing.

Like @RunRutheeRun recommends above, Trendweight gives you a goal range rather than a specific weight. It's made my maintenance easy peasy lemon squeezy.

I've been toying with the idea of not logging every day, but if it ain't broke, why fix it?

RaspberryTickleChicken

Spiderkeys wrote: »

I'm wondering, I'm well into my second year of maintaining, and the year before I know I did a great job, and even lost some more weight I didn't think I could lose.

I've learnt the second year, things don't get any easier, still get those urges of feeling like eating everything in sight, etc. And almost everyday I find myself going over in the red on an average of 200-500 calories everyday, I learnt to like new foods, but now I think I eat too much of them, but some days I do keep at my limit, but wow it makes me feel hungry it I do.

I had a slight weight gains this year, but then I look at it, your weight should be where your most comfortable of eating your amount.

hmmmm ... I just celebrated my 2 yr maint anniversary with zero gain & found the second year is not really harder per say, but definitely poses a whole new set of different challenges.

Some things did get easier ie. regularly exercising, weighing my food, given the option choosing healthy over junk.

Some things still resurfaces ie. snacking after dinner even though I'm not hungry, or polishing off kids' plates because 'it's such a waste of food'

I think simply being aware of my stumbling blocks helps me to employ strategies to overcome or in some cases bypass them entirely. After dinner I immediately wash my plate and put left overs away and leave the kitchen. I have my kids clear their own plates. It may seem silly but little things adds up.

Nutrition wise, in maint I think macro nutrient plays a much bigger role than in losing phase. If you are constantly hungry I wonder if you are eating enough or eating enough of the right stuff. For example my current fitness goal is muscle definition so I reduced my cardio & increased the strength training. That first 2-3 weeks I was almost always miserably hungry and I couldn't figure out why. I did a bit of research & bumped up proteins & high fiber veggies, reduced fat & kept carbs the same. Then just like that VALAH! I was back to being satisfied again. That was my body telling me 'hey lady you want me to build muscle but you're not giving me the fuel to do it.'

So maybe look at what your fitness goals are, how they are different from yr 1, and adjust your macros with the type of food you're eating & not just more of it which best compliments it.

Best of luck to you!

jhellwig828

Yes - definitely. I am up 7 pounds from where I said I wanted to maintain. My problem seems to be more mental. I've done the hard work and since I wasn't actively trying to lose weight I slipped back in to my bad habits. I've changed my goal from maintain to lose.5 pounds per week til I get back to where I want to be. And for me it is more about the way my clothes fit than the number on the scale. Now I just have to remember the good habits that got me to that goal in the first place!

jamiealdridge02

I have been maintaining a 20+(depending on the day weight loss for almost 4 years. I don't know that it ever gets easy, but I think the more you strive to find ways to be healthier it makes it easier to maintain. I'm always looking for new recipes and trying to develop/maintain good habits like taking my lunch bringing more snacks with me and continuing to drink water and make good choices. Every once in a while I almost have to do a reset where I am almost in weight loss mode again. That usually gets me back on track. Good luck and just keep hanging in there.

Pinnacle_IAO

I am almost 3 years maintaining....and no, this gets easier and easier.
I no longer even log manually.

If you feel yourself sliding back, buck up, lose whatever you gained and start with the basics.

besaro

a mixture of both. slacking the reins is a slippery slope. tbh, I've found chasing those last 5 pounds keeps my head in the game, motivated and focused. i think i shall always keep another 5 pounds just out of reach. it doesn't make me feel unaccomplished or failing, rather, just another goal and if i hold steady at my current weight, well that'll work too. good luck finding your balance.

Azurite27

I just hit 1 year. Haven't really had any issues. I continue to log daily just like I did when I was losing. Maybe you should focus on finding foods that make you feel fuller. I did this my last 6 months to a year of losing and it's helped a lot in maintenance. I still get hungry sometimes but it's manageable.

lithezebra

Has anything changed in your life? I maintained for years, until I broke my leg. Then I gained 4 pounds in a month. Now I've lost that, and I'm back to maintaining.

I have the most boring diary in the world, because I eat a lot of the same foods every day. I suppose that variety would be healthier, but I find that familiarity helps me stick to my plan.

nxd10

I don't find it harder hitting goals or logging and I am not hungry. But Year 2 I lost weight without expecting it and had to up my calories. This year I'm at the top of my goal zone, despite always being under calories every week. I think my carbs have drifted higher and I need to up my protein a bit.

bunnypy

Could it be that u r getting cravings because ur body is yearning for food to put u back to ur 'happy weight' since u lost more weight after reaching ur maintainance?

orchidee1987

I can understand it is hard for a man to maintain on only 1900 ... Even for a lady actually. Don't you fancy working out a bit to increase that amount of calories ? I'm two years into maintenance myself too. No weight gain the first year. Then stress at work, etc, and while i kept working out (cardio + strength training), i overate consistently and put on 5 pounds in 6 months. No big deal, i'll eventually lose those

kommodevaran

Your goal is 1900 calories, and so little fat - no wonder you are hungry, and no wonder you often go over. Maybe setting a more realistic goal will help you to follow your plan?

I've looked at your diary for the last year, and I can see why you struggle: Half a pound of chocolate, and cake, popcorn or ice cream every day is not part of a sustainable plan unless you are an athlete of olympic dimensions, and even then it wouldn't be recommended. Dog walking and volunteering are not olympic disciplines, sorry.

You can do this. Start by recalculating your calorie needs. Calculate your macro needs too. Aim to hit protein and fat goals. Eat a varied diet of real food for 80% of your calories. Then you can supply with treats. Not before your needs are met. After.

Edit: I just found out that "Light and Creamy Classic Chocolate" is ice cream, not chocolate, but the same applies. Those who eat ice cream or chocolate every day, eat like two tbs or one square.

AsISmile

kommodevaran wrote: »

Your goal is 1900 calories, and so little fat - no wonder you are hungry, and no wonder you often go over. Maybe setting a more realistic goal will help you to follow your plan?

I've looked at your diary for the last year, and I can see why you struggle: Half a pound of chocolate, and cake, popcorn or ice cream every day is not part of a sustainable plan unless you are an athlete of olympic dimensions, and even then it wouldn't be recommended. Dog walking and volunteering are not olympic disciplines, sorry.

You can do this. Start by recalculating your calorie needs. Calculate your macro needs too. Aim to hit protein and fat goals. Eat a varied diet of real food for 80% of your calories. Then you can supply with treats. Not before your needs are met. After.

I just want to disagree with the bold part. Those things are part of my daily diet and I am definitely not an olympic athlete. There is nothing wrong with having those in your diet if you get plent of micronutrients and your macros in your other food.

That said, those food are high calorie for low volume. If you are struggling with hunger, it might be wise to replace some of those calories with some foods that are high volume low calorie to give you a more full feeling.

Spiderkeys

kommodevaran wrote: »

I've looked at your diary for the last year, and I can see why you struggle: Half a pound of chocolate, and cake, popcorn or ice cream every day is not part of a sustainable plan unless you are an athlete of olympic dimensions, and even then it wouldn't be recommended. Dog walking and volunteering are not olympic disciplines, sorry.

Funny enough, popcorn, ice cream, and the occasional slice of cake is a part of my "new foods", it's much better than my old diet with 10+ sausages a day, including 10 pieces of bread, and cheese, it turns out to be much less calories than my "old" meals.

I live on a budget, it's be nice to eat a footlong subway everyday, but they are nearly 1000+ calories, anyway those foods help me lose nearly 132 pounds, an everyday dog-walk at least beats lying in bed all day.

kommodevaran

Spiderkeys wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

I've looked at your diary for the last year, and I can see why you struggle: Half a pound of chocolate, and cake, popcorn or ice cream every day is not part of a sustainable plan unless you are an athlete of olympic dimensions, and even then it wouldn't be recommended. Dog walking and volunteering are not olympic disciplines, sorry.

Funny enough, popcorn, ice cream, and the occasional slice of cake is a part of my "new foods", it's much better than my old diet with 10+ sausages a day, including 10 pieces of bread, and cheese, it turns out to be much less calories than my "old" meals.

I live on a budget, it's be nice to eat a footlong subway everyday, but they are nearly 1000+ calories, anyway those foods help me lose nearly 132 pounds, an everyday dog-walk at least beats lying in bed all day.

Glad to hear that! All improvement is good! I have eaten poorly for a long time too, and was very very hungry. I just didn't make the connection - after all, I was fat, how can I be undernourished! I have found that the better I eat, the less I need, I pay less, I am happy and full too, and can maintain a normal weight without difficulties. This is the elusive "health" thing that we read about. Doesn't make much sense until we really feel it in our own bodies and minds.

Francl27

AsISmile wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

Your goal is 1900 calories, and so little fat - no wonder you are hungry, and no wonder you often go over. Maybe setting a more realistic goal will help you to follow your plan?

I've looked at your diary for the last year, and I can see why you struggle: Half a pound of chocolate, and cake, popcorn or ice cream every day is not part of a sustainable plan unless you are an athlete of olympic dimensions, and even then it wouldn't be recommended. Dog walking and volunteering are not olympic disciplines, sorry.

You can do this. Start by recalculating your calorie needs. Calculate your macro needs too. Aim to hit protein and fat goals. Eat a varied diet of real food for 80% of your calories. Then you can supply with treats. Not before your needs are met. After.

I just want to disagree with the bold part. Those things are part of my daily diet and I am definitely not an olympic athlete. There is nothing wrong with having those in your diet if you get plent of micronutrients and your macros in your other food.

Sure, in moderation. 400 calories of ice cream every day isn't moderation, especially when you end up in the red every single day. Just look at his diary (and some days he has cake too). Between that and some days at 70g of protein for 2200 calories, well, there's no small wonder he's struggling.

His diary has a lot of generic entries though, so who knows how much he's actually eating.

Patttience

Instead of eating 400 or so calories of chocolate, try eating a meal. This will go much further than a block of chocolate.

Francl27

Patttience wrote: »

Instead of eating 400 or so calories of chocolate, try eating a meal. This will go much further than a block of chocolate.

I looked it up, it's ice cream.

But your point still stands.

allyphoe

If you're 200-500 calories over every day, and didn't gain 20-50 pounds over the last year, your goal calories are less than maintenance.

I find it easier to live with a target high enough that I'm mostly not over, even if I'm still eating the same number of calories. Makes me less bingey.

MarziPanda95

allyphoe wrote: »

If you're 200-500 calories over every day, and didn't gain 20-50 pounds over the last year, your goal calories are less than maintenance.

I find it easier to live with a target high enough that I'm mostly not over, even if I'm still eating the same number of calories. Makes me less bingey.

Agreed. His calories are set to 1900, which seems pretty low for a man.

nxd10

Just reading this again. I'd look at your macros. More fat and protein, fewer carbs? Too many (even healthy) carbs and I get more hungry. You can't go over your calories. The typical reason people regain is portion size. Yeah, it creeps. And yes, that's what all of us need to watch.

nxd10

BTW - I have ice cream almost every day - 1/4 cup with a dollup yogurt or nuts as a topping if I'm feeling peckish. Depending on the brand, that's 75-180 calories. Sweet, satisfying, and easily within my calorie budget. Just because some is good doesn't mean more is better.

DON'T second guess someone else's calorie limits. I'm a tall woman and MFP tells me mine is 1750 (net). It is very variable and we often confuse net and gross calories on this forum.

Francl27

nxd10 wrote: »

BTW - I have ice cream almost every day - 1/4 cup with a dollup yogurt or nuts as a topping if I'm feeling peckish. Depending on the brand, that's 75-180 calories. Sweet, satisfying, and easily within my calorie budget. Just because some is good doesn't mean more is better.

DON'T second guess someone else's calorie limits. I'm a tall woman and MFP tells me mine is 1750 (net). It is very variable and we often confuse net and gross calories on this forum.

His logging isn't accurate at all, it seems (lots of generic entries), so there's a margin of error there anyway.

allyphoe

nxd10 wrote: »

DON'T second guess someone else's calorie limits. I'm a tall woman and MFP tells me mine is 1750 (net).

I'm a short, sedentary, middle-aged woman, and reality (two years of consistent logging and daily weighing, plus math) tells me mine is a hair below 2,200. MFP says some much lower number. Who am I going to believe - MFP, or my own lying eyes?

In this case, reality is telling the OP that 1900 is not maintenance for him. Otherwise, he'd have gained 20-50 pounds over the last year, during which he claims to have been 200-500 over every day.

MFP provides a fine starting point. But it's just a starting point, not an absolute truth.

ericGold15

I find this topic interesting. Hunger is such a complex and poorly understood topic.
Anecdotally, I am eating between 500 and 900 Cal a day spread out between 2 - 3 meals and a couple of snacks a day. Net calorie deficit has been 1000 - 2000 Cal a day. I am rarely hungry and it passes quickly or with a small fruit or veggie snack.

'Normal' people simply do not differ physiologically that much one from another, but habits, psychology and behaviours vary widely. So the easy answer to OP is to look at the latter.

My other suggestion is to cut out the junk food. It has three problems you do not need:
1. It is calorie dense and leaves that much less room in your calorie budget for hunger killing bulky foods.
2. You will find it difficult to eat enough protein within your calorie budget, itself a hunger depressant
3. Sweet, fat food appears to act a trigger to eat more of it. You'll notice that people do not binge on carrots

Your other choice is to up the daily exercise. Exercise itself can be a hunger suppressant (or not), but in any case will give you more room in your daily calorie budget.

Second to last suggestion: Increase your water intake. I do it with soups, water, tea and celery, but there are lots of choices.

Last suggestion: Read Joel Fuhrman. He has some ideas how to eliminate excess hunger (in the sense of hunger leading to unwanted weight gain.)

Good Luck!

MarziPanda95

ericGold15 wrote: »

I find this topic interesting. Hunger is such a complex and poorly understood topic.
Anecdotally, I am eating between 500 and 900 Cal a day spread out between 2 - 3 meals and a couple of snacks a day. Net calorie deficit has been 1000 - 2000 Cal a day. I am rarely hungry and it passes quickly or with a small fruit or veggie snack.

'Normal' people simply do not differ physiologically that much one from another, but habits, psychology and behaviours vary widely. So the easy answer to OP is to look at the latter.

My other suggestion is to cut out the junk food. It has three problems you do not need:
1. It is calorie dense and leaves that much less room in your calorie budget for hunger killing bulky foods.
2. You will find it difficult to eat enough protein within your calorie budget, itself a hunger depressant
3. Sweet, fat food appears to act a trigger to eat more of it. You'll notice that people do not binge on carrots

Your other choice is to up the daily exercise. Exercise itself can be a hunger suppressant (or not), but in any case will give you more room in your daily calorie budget.

Second to last suggestion: Increase your water intake. I do it with soups, water, tea and celery, but there are lots of choices.

Last suggestion: Read Joel Fuhrman. He has some ideas how to eliminate excess hunger (in the sense of hunger leading to unwanted weight gain.)

Good Luck!

Wait, you're only eating 500-900 calories a day? That's far, far below the minimum number for males - it's far below the minimum for women, too. I really hope you're being medically supervised with regular checkups and blood tests, because that's just not enough food. Your profile states you only have very little to lose. Why are you eating so little if that is the case? Your profile also states that you want to be healthy and be able to go for long bike rides. That is not going to happen on so few calories.
As for your points... some helpful, but #3 on your 'cut out junk food' point is false. For SOME people, those foods can be a trigger. For most people? Nope. He doesn't have to cut out the treats, he just has to cut down a bit.

ericGold15

Marzi,
I am a physician, and I have reasonable insight into nutrition and my health.

For now, I exercise elliptical or ride for about 60 - 90 minutes at a time. Multiple hours will require more calories.
As for why ? I started out at 153 Lbs when I decided to lose weight, and I find that this caloric intake is adequate for nutrients and a sense of well being and very little hunger. I use protein complementarity, amino acid, daily Vits and calcium supplements to assure adequate nutrients. I'm retraining myself to only eat when actually hungry.

In the near future I will have to increase my caloric intake. I'm giving the transition more than a passing thought so that I do not relapse back into poor eating habits. Admittedly my poor habits start out not so bad compared to what many people do, but they were bad enough to lead to the weight gain. Cutting out junk food and maintaining daily exercise are going to be the bedrocks of my weight maintenance lifestyle.

#3: Junk food is never 'good,' but people can include moderate amounts in the context of an otherwise active, well balanced, healthy lifestyle. OP does not fit that characterization, thus the recommendation. I cut it out because I find I usually eat either none or too much.

Francl27

ericGold15 wrote: »

I find this topic interesting. Hunger is such a complex and poorly understood topic.
Anecdotally, I am eating between 500 and 900 Cal a day spread out between 2 - 3 meals and a couple of snacks a day. Net calorie deficit has been 1000 - 2000 Cal a day. I am rarely hungry and it passes quickly or with a small fruit or veggie snack.

'Normal' people simply do not differ physiologically that much one from another, but habits, psychology and behaviours vary widely. So the easy answer to OP is to look at the latter.

My other suggestion is to cut out the junk food. It has three problems you do not need:
1. It is calorie dense and leaves that much less room in your calorie budget for hunger killing bulky foods.
2. You will find it difficult to eat enough protein within your calorie budget, itself a hunger depressant
3. Sweet, fat food appears to act a trigger to eat more of it. You'll notice that people do not binge on carrots

Your other choice is to up the daily exercise. Exercise itself can be a hunger suppressant (or not), but in any case will give you more room in your daily calorie budget.

Second to last suggestion: Increase your water intake. I do it with soups, water, tea and celery, but there are lots of choices.

Last suggestion: Read Joel Fuhrman. He has some ideas how to eliminate excess hunger (in the sense of hunger leading to unwanted weight gain.)

Good Luck!

Physician or not, you need help.

Sure sheds a new light on the 'listen to your doctor' advice.