NYT Ain't Got Nothing on Us: Maintainers Roll Call!

ReaderGirl3

All of the NYT posts have got me wondering-how many of us here on MFP are actually successfully maintaining?

I think it would be helpful to those who are still in the weight loss phase, and may be feeling discouraged by the recent article, to see that there are in fact quite a few of us here who are successfully rocking out the whole maintenance thing!

So, if you're in maintenance please post and also share how many years you've been in maintenance (in your face NYT ).

ReaderGirl3

I celebrated my 3 year maintenance anniversary last month

Francl27

Been at this weight for 2 years now (although ideally I'd like to lose a bit more, just no motivation the last 2 years).

KetoneKaren

ReaderGirl3 wrote: »

All of the NYT posts have got me wondering-how many of us here on MFP are actually successfully maintaining?

I think it would be helpful to those who are still in the weight loss phase, and may be feeling discouraged by the recent article, to see that there are in fact quite a few of us here who are successfully rocking out the whole maintenance thing!

So, if you're in maintenance please post and also share how many years you've been in maintenance (in your face NYT ).

ReaderGirl3 -

YOU rock!

I would love to follow this thread to see how others are maintaining their weight. I myself have not. So starting over - again - and feeling discouraged, I have to admit. I lost 80 lbs, maintained for 18 months, and have gradually gained almost all of it back again. Clearly, I have a lot to learn about maintaining weight, despite my initial success. I want to glean all of the "secrets" others may provide. So far, I believe I have identified 3 of my major issues: I need to log my food intake to keep me mindful of "bites, licks, and tastes", I need to stick to a carbohydrate-limited diet (but am still figuring out number of grams per day I can live with for a lifetime), and I need to "putter" more (lifestyle change). I already get enough protein, walk, and Jazzercise, and eat real whole foods.

Thanks for starting this thread. I look forward to learning from those of you who are successfully maintaining a healthy weight! Bring it on!

becky10rp

I've been maintaining for almost 3 years - I lost a little over 25 lbs. I log daily, watch what I eat, and workout 6 times a week. THIS can be done!

5stringjeff

I've maintained 182-186 for just shy of two years, though I did hit 190 briefly over the holidays.

janejellyroll

I went from the 150s (didn't weigh myself at the very beginning) to 108. I have only been maintaining for six months, but I look forward to checking in over time!

UpEarly

60 lbs down and maintaining since spring of 2012!

The_Enginerd

I hit my initial weight goal of 170 lbs 4-1/2 years ago, and then slowly dropped to 165 in the months after. My maintenance calories were higher than MFP predicted and I had to up my calorie goal to maintain. I have maintained my weight loss this whole time, but it hasn't been "maintenance" that entire time. After maintaining at 165 for about a year, I went through a bulk and cut phase while trying to add lean mass/strength and following a structured lifting program. A year and a half to two years back, I dropped down to 155 for running performance as I got more serious with my running. Currently, I sit at a bit under 150.

cwolfman13

Three years maintenance after a 40 Lb loss over the course of about 9 months. I eat anywhere between 2800 - 3000 calories per day and maintain...which is pretty much the range that any TDEE calculator I've ever looked at gives me for my stats and activity level.

I was losing 1 - 1.5 Lbs per week eating around 2,300 calories per day when losing weight.

angel7472

Started at about 200...lost down to 130. Did maintenance and lost another 5. Upped my calories and now I'm around 130 been this way going on 3 years in October

libertygurl

I read the article and felt somewhat discouraged. I am a yo-yo dieter and really want to stop the cycle. I'm half way to my goal now and really thinking forward about what maintenance will take.

Congratulations to all you maintainers out there! I hope to join you soon.

kommodevaran

I've lost 50 pounds, maintaining at 125 for 18 months. Can't say every day is a struggle; but I do have to be mindful about my intake, get moving, and I weigh every day.

Articles like the one in question makes me angry.

feisty_bucket

Hi. Yeah, here: thirty years within about a ten-pound range (I'm 46, and started caring about this stuff when I was 15-16).

As for how: the main thing was probably starting to think of myself as a fit person. And so you do what a fit person does (ie: exercise, don't eat mindlessly). So the details of what that means have changed over time as I learn new & better stuff, but that's basically it.

kathleennf

Yes!!! Me!!!!
So - briefly, I have been in maintenance for 10 years this month - total lost before that was roughly 40 lbs. I was up and down about 10-15 pounds a few times before I found MFP, and have been totally stable on MFP now for more than 5 years. I am at my college weight at age 53 and I feel great!!

sunnybeaches105

Almost 4 years. I didn't maintain completely because I have allowed myself bulks. I'm cutting now and it's coming off (again) easily. I'm looking forward to getting this done and going back to gaining again. The level of accurate control I have while counting is honestly still remarkable to me.

Sewilban

Maintaining 125lbs (fluctuation range is about two pounds, between 124 and 126) for two years by tracking nutrition with MFP; paying special attention to my macros and my sugar intake; following mostly Paleo guidelines; running with run clubs (yay motivation!); doing crossfit with a friend (more motivation/accountability); and doing little things like parking far away from the store, taking my dog out on a one- to two-mile bike ride every morning, and sneaking in squats in my cubicle when no one's watching.

stealthq

I've maintained for almost 3 years according to the usual 'within 10 lbs' limits.

I actually did a couple of bulk and cut cycles (117 to 125 to 120). They were deliberate and not accidental. The bulk over the holidays last year was quicker than I intended, though

I'm losing again now - I want to get a bit lower than I did originally.

ReaderGirl3

Sewilban wrote: »

Maintaining 125lbs for two years by tracking nutrition with MFP; paying special attention to my macros and my sugar intake; following mostly Paleo guidelines; running with run clubs (yay motivation!); doing crossfit with a friend (more motivation/accountability); and doing little things like parking far away from the store, taking my dog out on a one- to two-mile bike ride every morning, and sneaking in squats in my cubicle when no one's watching.

Ha, thought I was the only one who did this-it drives my kids nuts lol!

Mr_Priolo

I lost 45 lbs at a rate of 2.5 lbs per week and have maintained for 6 months. This article suggests that rapid weight loss messes with your metabolism... I haven't experienced that.

I'm aiming to lose 20 more this spring.

zyxst

Starting month 5 of maintenance here. I always remind myself that I'm part of the 7% of smokers who stopped smoking (10 years this month), so being part of the 5% of successful weight losers is easy.

TBH, I didn't read the article, but if people are making claims of the general population regaining weight based on TBL VLC/over exercising shenanigans, I think they're full of it.

ARGriffy

nearly two years of maintaining

snowflake930

Lost over 160# in 20 months.
Been maintaining @ 130# for 30 months today. Goal is to make to 5 years on maintenance, 1/2 way there.
My fitbit & MFP are my two best friends!

Kudos to all of you maintainers! You are all rock stars!

upoffthemat

ReaderGirl3 wrote: »

Sewilban wrote: »

Maintaining 125lbs for two years by tracking nutrition with MFP; paying special attention to my macros and my sugar intake; following mostly Paleo guidelines; running with run clubs (yay motivation!); doing crossfit with a friend (more motivation/accountability); and doing little things like parking far away from the store, taking my dog out on a one- to two-mile bike ride every morning, and sneaking in squats in my cubicle when no one's watching.

Ha, thought I was the only one who did this-it drives my kids nuts lol!

I do the same thing, the funny thing is looking back as you enter the store and see the car you followed in as it goes up yet another aisle looking for a closer parking spot.

20yearsyounger

17 months maintaining. Back to my same weight when I played college sports 22 years ago so I know I can do this. Didn't have far to go but I had a pretty high weight loss rate 2+lbs a week for the first 3 months.

rhtexasgal

14 months maintaining ... it is my third weight loss go around and this one is sticking because I never lost all the weight I wanted TO MAINTAIN to begin with! The third time around it was about changing my lifestyle first and then applying what I researched into losing weight. I started in January 2014 just tweaking my eating plan and then joining a gym in April 2014 ... got impatient for results so I started with a personal trainer in July 2014 and I am still working with him today! Hit my goal of 125 pounds in early 2015 and kept losing weight until I got to 117-118. Now I juggle the same few pounds 117-120, maintaining every since.

While some simply eat to live, I live to eat so I am diligent about exercise and what I eat BUT I always work in my treats whether it is jalapeno chips with cheese or a piece of cheesecake. Nothing is off limits, just a bit limited.

upoffthemat

rhtexasgal wrote: »

While some simply eat to live, I live to eat so I am diligent about exercise and what I eat BUT I always work in my treats whether it is jalapeno chips with cheese or a piece of cheesecake. Nothing is off limits, just a bit limited.

Love this observation

middlehaitch

I have maintained within a 5 lbs range 6 years.

I lost slow and exercised at a level I knew I could continue when maintaining.

I always ate back at least 50% of my exercise calories (still do) so when a situation arises when I can't exercise my basic calorie level doesn't change.

I don't count my calories anymore on a regular basis, just occasionally when my activity level changes, or my portions start to grow.

For all the women hitting menopause- weight can be lost during menopause, and maintained after.

Cheers, h.

Poweredbycoffee06

I have been maintaining my 100lbs loss for 10 years! Now I am doing body recomp (which is so slow, but I can already see progress). That article is all over my facebook page. I am so tired of seeing it.

TR0berts

If you accept maintaining to mean, staying in the low 180s until a couple months out from a PL meet, where I cut a few pounds to make weight? In.

Hornsby

Been maintaining weight for over 2 years while successfully dropping 15% body fat.