Anything that you wish you had done during weight loss that would have made maintaining easier?

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  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
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    Ditto on the heavy weightlifting. I'm so upset I didn't discover it 20 years ago.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I was lifting, and I'm glad for that. So i'll plug for: do weight bearing exercise.

    I think my "plan" worked pretty well. I built a way I could eat "forever", and knew I'd continue to be active. And I moved forward. I knew that the difference between losing and maintenance, when at my ideal weight, was just a couple of indulgences here and there. I let those happen, and otherwise didn't change how I ate.

    And I did, indeed, remain as active.

    I think the big thing is: have a plan, and don't think of goal weight as the goal.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    LIFT! I wish I started lifting like I do now long before I got the confidence to step into the weight room. Depended on machines for so long and always questioned why I wasn't getting results. Also wish I didn't drop my cal intake so low, I feel like it messed up my metabolism which I'm just now recovering.
  • pescetarian_love
    pescetarian_love Posts: 64 Member
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    Wish I would have done arm exercises earlier because that helps loose weight AND tone.
  • JustaJoe00
    JustaJoe00 Posts: 777 Member
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    Consistency is what has become apparent to me...even if you need a little time off mentally or physically...at least keep moving...and don't revert...at all costs...
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
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    I don't think I would change anything. I didn't have much to lose and had a small deficit.

    Obviously I wish I started lifting weights at a younger age but that has nothing to do with maintaining weight.
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
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    1) Weigh in more often. I weighed myself once a month for the vast majority of my weight loss because I felt that seeing fluctuations would be disappointing. It wasn't until I was 2-5 lbs away from maintenance that I started weighing myself more frequently, and now, I'm much more comfortable with and have a better understanding of my weight fluctuations. Also, it helps to remind me that indeed, the days I do have a little splurge, do not overall cause me to get the dreaded weight creep.
    2) Follow a structured resistance program. My original goal was actually to lift at least 100lbs all around, but then, I found out that I actually enjoyed cardio a lot more and did minimal resistance training, unfortunately.
    3) Pay more attention early on about what portions look like without weighing/measuring. Yeah, I'm still not the best guesstimator, but it's a HUGE help to have at least a general knowledge on what a proper serving of food for my weight/height looks like. You won't always be able to measure food, and you don't want to miss out on good food just because you don't know how many calories are in something, so polishing your estimating skills will help.
    4) Related to point 3, learn what portion sizes look like without the "extra savings" you might have. For example, in watching your weight, you may add less oil to your pot of rice or use lower calorie substitutions so that you can have the biggest bang for your buck. However, the rest of the world is not as health conscious. Learn how to properly portion food that is freely/heavily seasoned.
    5) Eat more. I didn't lose weight super fast; it took a little under eight months to drop the 60-ish pounds, but I could've slowed down and seen even greater improvements in my fitness levels.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    I wish I hadn't have restricted as much as I did. I managed to reach a very healthy weight but developed a nasty eating disorder with it because I suddenly felt utterly, utterly helpless. If I could do it all again, I'd tell myself that slow and steady works so much better than rapid and aggressive. I gained 12 pounds once I reached my maintenance weight so I'm definitely learning the process properly now :)
  • daz2270
    daz2270 Posts: 73 Member
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    1) Expect there will be off days or even weeks. No one is perfect and gaining a few pounds doesn't ruin your diet. Just relax and go back to the habits that brought you success in the first place;
    2) Find an activity that you actually enjoy. I started off doing cardio which I hated and couldn't keep up, when I found activities I enjoyed (weight training and walking), I knew it was something I could sustain long term;
    3) Regular weigh ins for me help establish trends and tell me when I need to get a bit stricter with my diet;
    4) Eat food you enjoy, but reduce the portion size - this will reduce feelings of deprivation and help psychologically

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