Maintainers - How do you keep long-time-motivated??

Nathanae

I've lost quite a bit and my body needs to catch up now (firming up and so on). I feel like I could lose another kilo or two but my mum warns me I won't have any breasts left at all, like her, if I keep dieting. - so I am trying to maintain, rather than reduce weight. But how do you keep yourself in check without a target?? It is so much effort and so restricting - how do you guys keep that up?

Sabine_Stroehm

I have a lifestyle that involves daily activity, and nutrient dense foods. I don't have a lifestyle that includes a lot of hyper palatable, calorie dense foods. I do enjoy my favorite treats.

It has to be a true lifestyle. Not a weightloss goal.

SueInAz

I've been maintaining for a couple of years now. I think the most important piece of my routine is that I weigh myself every day. That lets me catch upward trends early so I can cut back a little on my eating until I get back to where I want to be.

I still keep an eye on calories most weekdays. I log in the morning and afternoon so I have an idea of what I have left for the evening. I don't usually pay as much attention on the weekends and I definitely don't log calories then.

My worst issue right now is that my job has me traveling for 2 week stretches three times per year and the last two times I tacked a week of vacation onto it. It's really hard to maintain without a scale available and eating out 3 meals per day on the company dime! I have been coming back from my trips up 5 pounds or so and then spending the next few weeks or so losing it again.

Sabine_Stroehm

SueInAz wrote: »

I've been maintaining for a couple of years now. I think the most important piece of my routine is that I weigh myself every day. That lets me catch upward trends early so I can cut back a little on my eating until I get back to where I want to be.

I still keep an eye on calories most weekdays. I log in the morning and afternoon so I have an idea of what I have left for the evening. I don't usually pay as much attention on the weekends and I definitely don't log calories.

My worst issue right now is that my job has me traveling for 2 week stretches three times per year and the last two times I tacked a week of vacation onto it. It's really hard to maintain without a scale available and eating out 3 meals per day on the company dime! I have been coming back from my trips up 5 pounds or so and then spending the next few weeks or so losing it again.

I'm a daily weigher too.

delboy604

That is the million dollar question lol

SueInAz

I should probably mention that I've made fitness a part of my lifestyle, too. I run every other day and lift weights in the company gym on the weekdays I don't run. The running gives me more calories to eat, the lifting has increased my muscle mass so that my metabolism is higher and my body fat percentage is lower.

Adding daily exercise is definitely helpful but if you aren't keeping an eye on your weight and what you're eating it would still be very easy to gain weight. On those trips I mentioned I still ran 2 or 3 times per week....

cwolfman13

Nathanae wrote: »

I've lost quite a bit and my body needs to catch up now (firming up and so on). I feel like I could lose another kilo or two but my mum warns me I won't have any breasts left at all, like her, if I keep dieting. - so I am trying to maintain, rather than reduce weight. But how do you keep yourself in check without a target?? It is so much effort and so restricting - how do you guys keep that up?

Going on 3.5 years maintenance...first of all, I don't look at it as maintaining some number on the scale...I look at this as maintaining my health, fitness, and overall well being. I do the things that lean, healthy, and fit people do...I enjoy eating well and I enjoy regular exercise...I don't overindulge in crap and "junk" foods are a pretty limited part of my diet.

I also have goals that go beyond some number on the scale...many of them are fitness related and some are health related and yet others are to continue improving on my overall nutrition and trying new things...for example, my wife and I are experimenting with vegetarian eating 3 days per week and making wild caught fish (which we already eat quite a bit of) our primary meat source...this is more an effort to fix some medical issues I haven't yet to resolve with losing 40 Lbs and having a much better diet than I did 4 years ago.

Basically, I'm just focusing on good livin' and the rest tends to take care of itself. I don't find it restricting in the least and doesn't take a whole lot of effort on my part...I enjoy good livin'

peaceout_aly

The first step is to start thinking of fitness and nutrition as a lifestyle versus a "diet." Not everyone who maintains is motivated, they are just so into routine and regimen that they know nothing else. Choose nutrient-dense foods, keep yourself in check with when you feel full, plus maintaining a very active lifestyle in addition to this healthy way of eating is a huge plus and allows for more leniancy with maintenance.

italstallion1975

There is a lot of good replies in here. I changed my view on diet and exercise 2 years ago and what I have noticed is that its a state of mind. You want to look good when you look in the mirror. You want to feel comfortable in those clothes. You know what you have to do for that to happen. Pay attention to what your eating and never give up. You know whats going to happen if you continue to indulge or over eat. Like someone else said, this is not a quick fix, or fad diet. This is your lifestyle. When you start thinking of it that way it becomes a lot easier. Don't spend another day any other way then you want to. Work your butt off to get what you want. We can all make it work. Ultimately its up to you to motivate yourself to get what you want. There's nothing wrong with a little push from others but you have to want it from within. You can do it.

DrWatson27

I've been in "maintain mode" for a few years. Currently I fluctuate between 170-180lbs depending if I'm currently in a training cycle for an upcoming race. Running keeps me motivated and having a race on the schedule that I've already put forth the money helps me to stick to my training schedule. I'm a once a week weigher as I've found for me getting on the scale daily can be too much of a roller coaster ride as previously I would restrict myself too much if I gained one day or go overboard eating if I've lost. Once a week seems to balance that out as I've taught myself how to better control my intake. Daily micromanaging my weight just didn't work for me. I've also learned to live with my calendar cycle as winter/holidays tend to be times to let my body & self enjoy (within reason) that period of rest & wear on my body knowing that come spring I'll be back at it. Most importantly it has become a lifestyle change not a diet. Daily walks, little to no soda, plenty of water, and many little changes like salads & veg to fill me up instead of junk & empty calories. And every so often have that junk that you love because all work & no play isn't fun and will probably lead to giving up.