My weight chart over the last 4 years

Squirrel698

is pathetic. I don't know how to do maintenance. To me, losing weight is intuitive. There's restriction, rules to follow, exercise a whole bunch and so on. Only when it comes to maintenance, I haven't got a clue. I need a lot of help with that. How does one do maintenance?

I'm approaching that particular time now. I'm 158 today, and I think 155 is a good goal. I should be there fairly soon. I wouldn't mind losing the last 3 lbs slowly but once again; I don't know how to do that. It's all or nothing with me. I don't moderate well at all.

I just do better under strict guidelines. For example, right now I eat the same thing for breakfast and dinner with some wiggle for my lunch and snacks. That's all good, but the problem is, when I lift the restrictions, the weight comes back on.

I'm 36 years old, male, 5'10". I like to hike and jog and do so at least 5 days out of the week. According to RunKeeper I burn between 450 - 700 calories on those days. I easily make the 10,000 steps nearly everyday unless I'm buried at work.

Any encouragement or advice? How do I keep it off this time?

cmriverside

Well, the same rules apply. I still have XXXX number of calories. I set daily calories at that number and then stay as close to it as possible.

I ease up a little on logging when I'm at maintenance, but I do keep track of my weight. The eating becomes intuitive so that part should be pretty stable. If I gain I go back down a couple hundred cals until it's gone.

I lost my weight nine years ago. Every winter I gain a few pounds over the holidays. A Few. Like five-ish. January 1 I start cutting back again. You have a scale, don't you? Check your weight once a week or every couple weeks and adjust if necessary. I would think those big swings would be difficult to manage, whereas small gains and losses are fairly straightforward.

AdrianChr92

It's quite easy man. Eat at said maintenance for 1 month. If nothing changes you are good. If something changes, eg 1-2 kg less/more you just increase/decrease by 100-200 cals and repeat.

The fun part comes that it's more flexible. Eg you can eat less one day and more another day etc. As long as you don't gain steadily it works

AnnetteJones4

Are you tracking your food or just your weight and exercise? I can tell you for myself the difference is logging what I am eating because when I quit doing that I nosh on things MORE without thinking. I don't do the whole meal replacement thing. I am not going to eat one meal and drink smoothies for my other meals! I am not a believer of that even though I teach yoga and it is ALL OVER THE PLACE in that world.

BUT if I quit paying attention, I don't just have some (like 4-6) cheese and crackers while I cook, I eat twice that much, because it is so yummy! I don't just have a glass and maybe a half (because I drank some while I was cooking and I wanted some while I ate) I drink a couple of glasses...more days a week. Because red wine is good for you, right??

And if my hubby brings home some rich dessert and I have to log it later, I tend to eat less of it. I still eat some, AND you know what? If you eat really want to enjoy your food, eat it more slowly. Food is so much better if you eat it and notice how it tastes, and if it crunches, is it creamy or beefy? Get away from the tv and experience eating once in a while. It can be a challenge because you can't barely go to a restaurant anymore that doesn't have a bunch of flippin tvs!

Squirrel698

Thanks for the replies. Right now I'm tracking everything. In previous days, I didn't track when I stopped dieting. This time I intend to keep on logging as a way to stay within my range. Hopefully, that will make the difference.

In days gone by, the same thing would happen. I would go to a restaurant, order whatever I want and have the idea that because I lost weight so easily in the past, I could do it again at will. Only dieting is tough, so I would keep putting it off for months until I gained 30 lbs. "Yeah, I'll start next week," was a common mantra which I never fulfilled.

It's good advice to eat slowly. I'll try that as well.

arussell134

I've maintained pretty well within a 2-3 lb range for going on a year and a half now. Here's what I found helps:

1. I weigh myself EVERY DAY. Obsessive? Maybe. But guess what, it works. 10 pounds never just "sneaks up on me." I think of it like checking your bank balance. You wouldn't go a week or two or a month before checking in. Same thing.

2. I found an exercise that I've turned into a passion (running). Not only does my particular exercise burn a TON of calories, I love it so much that I find I want to stay at a lower weight so I can continue to do it well.

Incidentally, it's been shown that those that are most successful at maintaining their weight do both of these things (weigh themselves daily & regular exercise). Coincidence? Good luck.

http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/keepingitoff.html

LPJM1710

For me myfitnesspal has helped me organise my dietary intake. I think to succeed with it you have to check literally everything. My goal was never to lose weight but to lose fat and gain muscle and this I have been able to maintain. I believe what helps is weighing myself in the morning and evening so I know that even if my weight spikes by a couple of kilograms I know how to get it down and I don't concern myself if I have the odd sweet or dessert. But what helps me too is being into multi fitness disciplines so that I am constantly aware of using calories for energy. At the gym six days a week and every day I begin with a cold shower followed by some simple stretching and then half a dozen sprints about 100 meters each. Other daily exercise is either bouldering and gymnastics and on Wednesday's Brazilian Jiujitsu and when I want to do something more relaxing Yoga dancing. But being diagnosed with OCD either helps or hinders me and I think everyone of us needs to look at our fitness regime and see what is best for us since we are all different. On the other hand finding a balance can be quite challenging.

MapDancer

arussell134 wrote: »

I've maintained pretty well within a 2-3 lb range for going on a year and a half now. Here's what I found helps:

1. I weigh myself EVERY DAY. Obsessive? Maybe. But guess what, it works. 10 pounds never just "sneaks up on me." I think of it like checking your bank balance. You wouldn't go a week or two or a month before checking in. Same thing.

2. I found an exercise that I've turned into a passion (running). Not only does my particular exercise burn a TON of calories, I love it so much that I find I want to stay at a lower weight so I can continue to do it well.

Incidentally, it's been shown that those that are most successful at maintaining their weight do both of these things (weigh themselves daily & regular exercise). Coincidence? Good luck.

http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/keepingitoff.html

I totally agree with you!! I've lost 50 lbs and have maintained for 10 months +- 3 lbs.
1) Weigh every day: I compare it to driving down the road - you wouldn't look out the window only once every mile.
2) Find exercise with your passion. For me it is watching Korean dramas while on the treadmill.

I logged 98% of what went in my mouth during my weight loss journey of 18 months. Shortly after hitting my goal I just stopped cold. I haven't kept track of calories once since then. But I do measure out portions and mostly eat healthy. Treats are usually homemade so a bit healthier.

Also I joined the National Weight Control Registry.

cccmker

Feeling you... I have had a 60 lb swing down and back up 70lbs in the last 2 years. Stickly using this program weight goes down... Quit tracking everything because life happens and weight goes up. On another down swing now... I know the key is tracking and exercise! Just have to stick to it. Good luck.

5stringjeff

Squirrel698 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. Right now I'm tracking everything. In previous days, I didn't track when I stopped dieting. This time I intend to keep on logging as a way to stay within my range. Hopefully, that will make the difference.

In days gone by, the same thing would happen. I would go to a restaurant, order whatever I want and have the idea that because I lost weight so easily in the past, I could do it again at will. Only dieting is tough, so I would keep putting it off for months until I gained 30 lbs. "Yeah, I'll start next week," was a common mantra which I never fulfilled.

It's good advice to eat slowly. I'll try that as well.

Tracking in maintenance is just as important as tracking while cutting weight. You've still got a calorie goal and you're keeping yourself from eating anything you want whenever you want. I think you have a good plan this time around. But if you've found things that work well for you while cutting, continue those things in maintenance. What I mean is, if you are the type of person who needs to impose restrictions on yourself as far as what types of food you eat, how often you go out to restaurants, etc., keep those up, or make slight adjustments to them as needed in order to stay on your new calorie goal.

briscogun

I was the same a few months ago. Maintenance messed with my head more than losing ever did. Losing is straight-forward: do this to achieve that. I can measure it. Scale down=good. Now, I have to see... no gains? No losses? WTH?

Remember: the reason you work so hard at losing is to get to maintenance! When you get there, celebrate! You can mix things up and enjoy more! For example, I don't use lite cheese or lite creamers or much of lite anything anymore (except lite beer). I added calories back in by using full-flavored (and full fat) options. That way I wasn;t having to stuff my gullet with more food, just more calorie dense options that helped me up my intake. I added another 200-300 calories easily with no issues.

I also eat more "fun foods" now. We had pizza the other night. I had about 3 pieces and a beer. No problem! Tracked, stayed in my calories for the day, no sweat! Went out for dinner Saturday, had the chicken with some beans and rice. Maybe 550 calories, tracked it, stayed in my goal (even with the beer!).

I still weigh myself every day, and I still exercise (which lets me eat more now, not just burn calories to lose more weight!). I run and do body-weight routines. I eat healthy but normal foods, not hummus patties and suck on yucca plants for nutrients or anything.

Its just entering the next phase, and you have to learn how to do it just as you learned how to lose. Most of it is mental, just relax, keep logging, by try to get close to your goal calories, not stay under as much. You'll enjoy life a LOT more!

Good luck!

raindawg

When I was on maintenance mode a few years ago I found that tracking was difficult to maintain. Just like you it didn't feel the same as when I was striving for the goal. Then I found that if I ate under maintenance and tracked it Monday through Saturday, I would give myself a free day on Sundays and still hit my total maintenance goal for the week. That restored that feeling during the week like I was striving for something and made it easier to maintain logging discipline.

fiddletime

I also lost, stopped tracking, and regained it all plus some. When I came back here, finally, I came to the maintenance boards my first day back to see what the heck it was all about. I read it every day until I hit maintenance 3 months ago, and still read it.

I log everything and weigh daily. If I overeat on the weekends I record it and go back to my normal eating and seem to just lose it within 3 days. I like that part a lot! It takes practice and patience to learn what works for you, but becomes much easier over time. And it's a whole bunch better than "dieting".

Squirrel698

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughtful and informative responses. I'm going to keep it all in mind.

You're absolutely right Brian, the reason I worked so hard was to get where I am now. I do want to relax. I think it's just a mental hump I need to get over.

If I don't see that number going down, I think I'm failing. Even if I don't want it to go down anymore! It's the whole effort = results and if it doesn't, then that's because I'm not putting out enough effort. That's what I tell myself! On the other hand, I don't want to become emaciated. Below 160 lbs is low to begin with for a guy of my height.

I need to get my head on straight. I'm wasting too much time on this. There are so many better things to focus my energy on. I'm going to have a vegetarian chicken salad sandwich right now, and I'm going to like it and then log it.

CorvusCorax77

I didn't read the other comments but want to say that I think when it comes to fitness, scales aren't really always our friends.