Maintainers - what was the most important thing you learned this year?

HappyGrape

I read this question and I thought it's excellent. Would love to read your

What is the most important thing you learned this year, health and fitness edition?

CalvinatorF

I learned sugar is my enemy and broccoli is my friend ☺️

sijomial

Daily activity makes a huge difference to my calorie allowance.
I retired from a desk job where although I tried to build as much activity into my routine as possible (cycle to the station, use the stairs, get out at lunchtime) I still had to be sat on my bum for hours.

Now having the freedom to be on the go all day means I get to eat more of the foods I enjoy.

Brendalea69

I used to lose the weight and gain it right back but this time around I've learned that I can maintain my weight as long as I have a plan that I can stick to, and Yay I have found that plan!!!

rainbow198

I've learned that I don't have to go heavy or even moderate with the weights to maintain my shape and keep my body firm and tight.

Bodyweight work, resistance bands and Pilates have been working really great.

I miss my weights and will go back when I'm done with my experiment, but I'm pleasantly surprised.

A great thing with maintaining I find is that I'm still learning about my body and discovering new things.

LivingtheLeanDream

I am surprised that my TDEE still averages around 2000 (not bad for being 5ft2 and 48) even though I am much less active. Win win Having good muscle tone (for want of a better word) really must help with that.

tokmom

That I can have cheat days, but I have to have a minimum of 5000 steps or 30 min of exercise. Not everyday has to be total discipline.

kristen8000

It's ok to just have 1 beer. And I can have high days, but I have to cancel them out with low days. Over eating every day isn't cool.

stephenearllucas

Weigh every day, use trend application to track weight, log food every day, wait for high-sodium days to wash out, do a variety of exercise, change exercise when getting tired of same routine, stay vigilant...

kpk54

I don't have to be hungry all the time. A macro adjustment in 2016 brought this to fruition and 2017 maintenance has been considerably easier. There is no one true way.

BrianAWeber

After I reached my preferred weight I shifted my focus to a more heart healthy diet. Paying attention to cholesterol and sodium levels. That keeps me motivated to continue logging my meals and exercise.

vingogly

That I need to continue to weigh myself at least once a week, and log my food. I don't have "better lifestyle" imprinted on my brain, and need to continue to be vigilant if I'm going to maintain my weight loss.

labblb86

That a maintenance weight range is much easier to stick to than a specific weight. And yes to weighing yourself weekly to stay on track!

swim777

Experimenting is good. I've had difficult weeks where.I just couldn't get back in the groove. Recently I've switched to just lunch, dinners and a snack and I'm actually less hungry and I get a few more calories for the other two meals. Seems to help with hunger and cravings.

SummerSkier

Be flexible but keep your eyes open

richardgavel

Being viligent is important but it's ok to break your rules once in a while. Life goes on if you go past your net calories sometimes.

lorrpb

I can maintain, but must be vigilent. Portion control is my friend.

sgt1372

That "maintenance" involves doing what's necessary to maintain both weight and strength and is a lifelong endeavor.

Orphia

Keep setting exercise goals.

It's OK to go over my daily calorie limit, but check weekly net calories at least every few days so I don't spend calories I haven't earned yet.

djscavone

You can't just quit once you've reached your goal. I let myself take to long of a break and slowly slipped back into bad habits now I find I have to start 2018 with a weight loss plan rather than continued maintenance. It truly is a lifestyle change and not simply a matter of diet and exercise alone.

jrwms714

SummerSkier wrote: »

Be flexible but keep your eyes open

This

nowine4me

Mostly, that it’s actually possible to maintain!

fit4itall

That I'm not equipped to completely stop logging.

That I should never completely give up exercise. As hard as it is to fit it, its harder to start again once you've stopped.

Rocknut53

vingogly wrote: »

That I need to continue to weigh myself at least once a week, and log my food. I don't have "better lifestyle" imprinted on my brain, and need to continue to be vigilant if I'm going to maintain my weight loss.

This is me as well. Maintenance has been a struggle because there are times my mind is just not on board.

LivingtheLeanDream

@happycampr1 I was also used to eating almost as much as you and it really was an annoyance when I also had to cut back on activity because of joint issues and having to work more hours.
What I ended up finding was that its amazing how we can adjust and be content eating less if we have to. I now have to be content with 2000.
What I found was all the extra activity wasn't realty worth 300-500 more calories especially when I was inclined to eat those extra calories in chocolate! Now the majority of calories I eat tends to be satisfying/filling.

Hope you find your workable routine, it takes a little effort and persistence but it's worth it in the long run (speaking as a long term maintainer here )

Ruth

SummerSkier

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

This year, after going to physical therapy for both knees (at separate times) due to injury, the orthopedist told me I should not run any more, so I haven’t..

Has anyone EVER met an ortho who doesn't hate runners? Or a doc. I mean seriously. I injured my meniscus in the early 90's and couldn't run for almost 20 years. But apparently, sometimes TIME does heal things. I restarted my running program - bad KNEES and all - and I am happy. Sometimes I use KT tape. I don't know what is wrong with your knees but the one thing I do know is that if you CAN run and your knees feel ok, then why not?

SoleTrainer60

I have learned that its O.K. if I have an off day and eat things that I shouldn't, without feeling bad about it. . This doesn't mean that I am a failure. God willing , tomorrow is another day.

Orphia

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

SummerSkier wrote: »

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

This year, after going to physical therapy for both knees (at separate times) due to injury, the orthopedist told me I should not run any more, so I haven’t..

Has anyone EVER met an ortho who doesn't hate runners? Or a doc. I mean seriously. I injured my meniscus in the early 90's and couldn't run for almost 20 years. But apparently, sometimes TIME does heal things. I restarted my running program - bad KNEES and all - and I am happy. Sometimes I use KT tape. I don't know what is wrong with your knees but the one thing I do know is that if you CAN run and your knees feel ok, then why not?

Haha...you sound just like the devil on my shoulder!

I was thinking of saying something similar!

Running is really good for you. The whole "bad for your knees" thing was debunked long ago, but I guess it depends on the injury.

Maybe you can get into cycling?

sijomial

@HappyCampr1

As a fellow dodgy knees sufferer (after a collection of major and minor injuries one knee slops backwards and forwards, the other is unstable side-to-side....) I can heartily recommend cycling.

On the odd occasions I run I only have 3 to 5k of running in my knees per WEEK but can cycle all day with no reaction, going to hit 5,000 miles this year. It's a very varied sport and gets you out into the countryside too.

NadNight

To learn to walk before you can run. And to learn to know your body.

I lost weight earlier this year and once I lost the weight, I immediately tried to start gaining in muscle but it didn't work (I kept losing weight instead of gaining). I think it's because I don't know my body well enough to properly fuel it to gain correctly yet.

So I've been maintaining for the last few months, taking things slow. I am underweight (105 lbs at 5 ft 6) and MFP recommended I eat 1570 calories a day to start gaining weight however I've found out that my maintenance when I'm practically sedentary (my physical activity recently has come from mostly shopping and fridge trips...) is higher than that. I don't know what it is exactly because I haven't logged but I'd estimate maintenence (let alone gain) to be around 1800-2000 for me at this weight.

Now I've learned that what I thought was going to help me gain is actually way lower than I need (you'd have to add on calories for exercise as well! So I was probably down 500-700 calories a day without meaning to) and I've found what makes me maintain then I can progress in the new year to gaining some muscle weight.

kommodevaran

Intriguing but very difficult question. I feel I'm learning new things every week, and they are all important! If I were to pick something extraordinary (for me), it probably has to be that I'm learning to trust my appetite - because I'm understanding it better, because I'm paying more attention. I have a better idea of what it's telling me, and what it's not telling me, I'm better at anticipating how it will feel over time, and better at tolerating that I guessed wrong, and thus, ironically, becoming less dependent on appetite to guide me. I can just eat, and be cool with it. I feel more relaxed around food every month.