Figuring out maintenance

susanp57

I'm having a surprisingly hard time getting in calories. I developed a habit and it's hard to break. I've added protein powder with milk. I'm eating potatoes which I mostly avoided before. I'm eating a little more bread.

To give an example of the habit thing, Monday night when I got home from the gym, I threw together a stir fry. It didn't even occur to me to make rice to go with it until much later.

This is more of a mini-vent than a plea for help.

JeromeBarry1

Just take it slowly. You'll get the hang of it eventually.

lorrpb

So sorry

susanp57

Aw, just a chance to kvetch.

Thanks though.

midlomel1971

Yeah, you know life is hard when you have to add rice to stir-fry.

Haha...I'm just giving you a hard time because I'm JEALOUS. I'm sure it's an adjustment and it takes time.

cwolfman13

It'll come

LiftHeavyThings27105

New habits take how long? 21 days or 22 days? It will indeed come....

nowine4me

It usually goes the other way for me

TavistockToad

More fat...

DX2JX2

Hehehe. It's definitely a process.

I debated with myself for 20 minutes about bringing a 160 calorie bag of potato chips along with my regular lunch today. I ultimately couldn't make myself do it, even though I know that I'll be scrambling to find at least 500 more calories in my evening meals (I ended up substituting an apple and a banana for the chips instead even though I probably would have eaten those anyway).

meganpettigrew86

One word: pizza!
You'll have no issue meeting calories with pizza lol can't wait until I'm maintaining.

newlark01

I'm also a little stuck in the mindset of trying to save calories though I am within a couple of pounds of goal and have increased my calories to aim to lose no more than 0.5lb per week - I then find I'm eating more snacks to use them up. I'm trying to go for slightly larger portions of healthy meals or adding say a big spoonful of houmous to a salad - otherwise I'm in danger of filling the extra cals with unhealthier snacks. This is a long term readjustment - I don't want these 30lbs to go back on!

susanp57

I thought I would report in on my one month date. Weight wise things are going well. My goal was 125 and I have stayed in the acceptable range, weigh-ins within one pound one side or the other.

Recomp is agonizingly slow, of course. I'm doing a full body strength training 3x a week, adding in more weight and occasionally changing a lift for the sake of making it harder or just for the sake of swapping to prevent boredom.

I have had some nice compliments at the gym which always make you feel good. I'm probably the oldest woman consistently in the weight room.

I will probably go for a cut after the first of the year, as much for my mind as my body. Seeing progress is amazingly helpful.

mandrewes

Actually (plain boiled) potatoes have been assessed as the most filling foods on a per calorie basis -3 times more filling/satiating than white bread. And protein is also more satiating.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7498104
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-incredibly-filling-foods#section11
https://www.livestrong.com/article/269288-list-of-high-satiety-foods/

To eat more calories eat bread, cakes, donuts, sweets, crisps, chocolate, biscuits, liquid calories (except soup) especially on their own such as juice, sugary drinks, milk, alcohol as they will fill you up less.

To eat fewer calories - cut down on the above, eat potatoes, lean protein, vegetables (esp. Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli etc., relatively low cal whole fruit such as berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), (?) full fat yogurt, soups (esp. thick vegetable soups without cream etc.) as they will fill you up more.

susanp57

Uh, OK. I'm not looking to eat more or fewer so I'm not sure why you posted this.

JustRobby1

I just transitioned to maintenance within the last 2 weeks and I feel your pain. I have not really changed how I eat per se, as I have never really bothered with macros or a specific diet, I am just eating more. I run a lot and thus far my increase in calories has not been enough to balance things out as I still lost some weight last week. So I have now increased calories further while keeping my running as close to a 1:1 comparison with last week as possible. So same course, same distance, similar mile lap times, etc.

I think you just need to go about this with a proper mindset. The way I look at it, the tough part is over. We did it! Now it is just a matter of getting more granular and dialed in. This will take some time just like living a life of a constant deficit did when we were cutting.

lorrpb

susanp57 wrote: »

I thought I would report in on my one month date. Weight wise things are going well. My goal was 125 and I have stayed in the acceptable range, weigh-ins within one pound one side or the other.

Recomp is agonizingly slow, of course. I'm doing a full body strength training 3x a week, adding in more weight and occasionally changing a lift for the sake of making it harder or just for the sake of swapping to prevent boredom.

I have had some nice compliments at the gym which always make you feel good. I'm probably the oldest woman consistently in the weight room.

I will probably go for a cut after the first of the year, as much for my mind as my body. Seeing progress is amazingly helpful.

Recomp is not going to change you dramatically in one month, lol! It might be "slow" but I don't find it agonizing at all. I'm thrilled that at 62 I've been able to increase muscle and lose fat (per hydrotank) after lifting only 2x week for a year and eating at maintenance. My clothes are looser, although I've stayed the exact same weight, and I can definitely see and feel changes in my body.

susanp57

Tongue in cheek doesn't come across in the written word, does it? I don't have unrealistic expectations.

I first started lifting in about 1989. It went by the wayside when I was hurt in a bike wreck in 2012, then subsequent illness.

xxangie88xx

I just switched in higher calorie foods. Still kept the same portion sizes so it doesn't seem like I'm physically eating more food just the calories of those foods are higher.