Maintaining after significant weight loss

kerivkennedy

I started trying to loose weight last December. I managed to loose 77 lbs.
I've been mostly in a maintenance mode since September.
I've been successful so far. I've even gone down a pant size since maintaining.

However I'm wondering if there are others here who have also lost a lot of weight and how you switch mentally from loosing to maintaining.

In my brain I still panic and think I'm eating too much. That if I'm not under on my daily calories that I'm going to gain. The numbers are irrelevant. Its the fact I feel like eating at the same number of calories I burn in a day is going to result in gain.

I'm also struggling mentally with the new me. Who knew loosing so much weight was a double edge sword. I constantly feel like someone is going to tap me on the shoulder and laugh in my ear saying "Ha Ha, you didn't really loose weight you are still obese"


Is this mainly just a factor of the major changes?

kommodevaran

I think this is because it's still new, and your brain needs time to catch up. I lost 50 pounds over two years ago, and I still get the occasional feeling that this is just a "fluke" and that I'm imagining things.

I've done some digging - and paradoxically, because losing and maintaining has been so easy this time (MPF, just counting calories, eating what I want, no forced exercise) - my mind struggles with the idea that I in fact have lost weight, and that I'm maintaining a healthy weight, month after month, and effortlessly - how can that be, when I didn't manage that while working hard and depriving myself?

The mental part is still challenging, but I'm taking care of this practically by planning my meals so that I know I am getting in an appropriate amount every day, I weigh myself daily and have a range, and I move every day.

CafeRacer808

I'm at the beginning of my MFP journey, so take this with a grain of salt...

When I decided to start counting calories and working out again, I told myself "I need to change my lifestyle" rather than "I need to lose weight." To me, losing weight sounds like a temporary change, while changing my lifestyle sounds more permanent.

With that said, perhaps changing your mindset from "I'm in maintenance mode" to "I'm living a healthy lifestyle" will help?

Jello1954

I'm with you, kerivkennedy. I too have lost 72 lbs since last December. I still have a bit to go, but am already thinking about maintaining, wondering how to go about that. My mind can't wrap around my current size. It's like I am folding someone else's jeans, as they are way too small for me, but they are mine, and they fit! The weight loss has more mental impact than I expected.

zyxst

I hit my GW at the start of this year after losing 173# and went into maintenance. I purposefully have my calories set 50 under my TDEE because I read somewhere that a person normally "gains" 5# every year which comes out to 50ish calories over TDEE a day. I don't hit my calories every day, am usually under even moreso on days with exercise. I'm also still struggling with boredom/stress/emotional eating so I ask myself if I'm really hungry or just want to eat because I have calories left. So far this method has dropped me another 8#.

I'm rarely bothered about how I look now. Only when I'm clothes shopping (in the normal ladies section looking for medium/small tops and size 10 pants!) or I see myself as a full body reflection do I do a double take.

sgt1372

I recently hit my goal weight of 160 and went into maintenance mode w/a goal to stay between 158-163.

Still as motivated as before to stay w/in this range as I was to lose weight to hit my goal weight. The only difference is that the goals have changed.

Will just continue to log and weigh myself daily and will continue exercising to achieve my new weight maintenance goal.

nxd10

I only lost 40 pounds, but I've kept it off more than 4 years. This is my healthy weight and I am so glad I did it.

For me the key is to have my goal be keeping the weight off forever, not losing it. I weigh every day - that makes me used to the ups and downs. I always stay in a 5 pound 'zone'. If I log everything I know I don't have to panic. Often logging tells me I have MORE calories and SHOULD eat. It doesn't stop me from eating.

I try to hit every day but I often have a day a week when I go over. However, I always hit my weekly goal. That gives me flexibility to relax a little.

Get a pedometer/fitbit/apple watch to log your steps and exercise. Research says losing is about calorie restrictions and a big part of maintaining is exercise. I don't exercise a lot, but I do walk every day. And when I don't, I gain. It adds in calories and incentives.

______
It took at least a year for me to see myself in a mirror or catch myself in a reflection and realize it really is me. And I still look in the mirror and think I look years and years younger than I expect to look.

So congratulations! Your mind will catch up to your body. You've done great.