How do you keep the weight off?

louisemh28

I'm a couple of weeks in to losing weight. Again. I've no doubt at all that I'll lose it, because I've been there before. Somehow, I always seem to let the weight creep back up again so I'm trying to work out what it is that causes me to stop paying attention to what I'm eating. I know where my 'bounce weight' is, so I'm trying to come up with a strategy to avoid doing the same thing yet again when I get there.

Do those of you who've managed to keep the weight off have any advice?

strongmindstrongbody

I'm still a work-in-progress, so sorry no answers, but bumping because this is a great question.

DancingMoosie

I am trying to maintain, and have been since June. the problem is that I have lost even a bit more. I keep the weight off, and even drop a bit, sometimes, by sticking to my calories, eating healthy, and staying active. I don't allow myself to become complacent just because the weight is off. I spent a lot of time getting the weight off and a lot of money on new clothes. I'd like to be able to wear them for a while.

Capt_Apollo

don't go back to old habits.

BluejayNY

don't go back to old habits.

This. You make a life change and stick with it.

jamielynas

willpower

bellesouth18

I'd love to know the answer myself. I've lost weight before, but always put it back on. But that was before MFP. I plan to use this site forever if I have to!

pkw58

I have kept mine off for over a year by logging and just seeking better nutrition and trying to get more active. I weigh daily.

Francl27

Going to have to stick to logging and exercising for sure.

adorable_aly

Creating new challenges for myself. They may be fitness or diet related. There is always room for improvement.

lindustum

I am not at my goal weight but when I had lost weight earlier this year, what kept me from gaining was that for once I was pleased with how I looked. So there was an incentive to keep the weight- I never had that before.

salladeve

I don't have any advice for you except for what I plan to do when I reach my goal. I have lost and regained this same weight so many times, I am determined to not let it happen again (the regain that is). For that you need a plan. So my plan is, when I get to my goal, I will begin to add calories back at 100 per day until I find that "sweet" spot that I can maintain at. For me (activity level and age) that will probably be around 2000/2100 cals per day. I plan on staying active and logging everything every day on a continuing basis. If you don't log how can you possibly know what your maintenance calories are?

I don't deny myself anything I really want now, I fit it into my macros. On maintenance I plan to have treats now and then, but the difference is they will be treats, not things to be eaten daily. I'm making a change to improve my health and my life, and so far it's working, so I'm sticking with it.

Good lucK to you.

Seesawboomerang

Keep the exercise regime up.

I lost a lot, and the lifestyle change in terms of what I ate was easy enough to keep in check.

What I find harder is maintaining a steady routine of cardio fitness.

slimgators67

I belong to a TOPS chapter. Take Off Pounds Sensibly. I started at 174 lbs and I now am below my goal weight of 150 lbs. Look online at TOPS for info and chapter near you. Much less expensive then other programs because it is not for profit. My husband also attends and has lost 50 lbs. Try a meeting-great support and fun.

aubrie917

I think what happens is we let ourselves get too comfortable. Some people are able to eat whatever they want and not gain weight. You see that and see that you're the same weight as them and think "why not me"? "Why can't I eat whatever I want?" So you start trying to eat whatever you want and you don't pay attention. However, you are not them. You have a weight problem. I realize that every time I get down to my goal weight or around my goal weight, I get so lax with my diet. I never get lax with exercise because I love doing it but I get super lax with what I'm eating. I start eating a cookie here or a donut there. Then I start eating two or three. I always think that since I'm at the weight I want to be, it's not an issue. What I never remember is that every time I do that, I gain it back...So don't let yourself get comfortable. Don't allow yourself to slip up. Honestly. Would you rather "enjoy" that cookie or enjoy your life? I'd personally rather enjoy my life.

salladeve

Would you rather "enjoy" that cookie or enjoy your life? I'd personally rather enjoy my life.

I love this, it has just become my new motto :drinker:

confusedperson

well, i check my weight like once a week, and what i do is just eat quite healthily in general, but if i have a big dinner, like pizza or something, then i try to compensate the following day, either by exercising more or eating less. but yeah, i don't find it easy to control myself, because i like my body and im at my goal weight, so basically its like i can eat everything i want (but in reality i can't, obviously!)

het100

Fear of gaining the weight back is my great motivator. Since hitting my goal a couple of months ago, I continue to log my food everyday to stay within maintenance calories range and run 4 times a week. The reward of bonus calories from exercise is also a great motivator because it lets me maintain while eating more.

Logging and regular exercise are the key to maintenance in my opinion.

supplemama

don't go back to old habits.

This. You make a life change and stick with it.

QFT

bwogilvie

I plan to keep using MFP and tracking my weight against an exponentially smoothed weighted average after I reach my target. Experience has taught me that if I don't watch what I eat, I gain weight. The chapter in John Walker's book _The Hacker's Diet_ (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/) on "Perfect Weight Forever" explains why it's a good idea to weigh oneself daily after reaching your goal: if your daily weights are mostly above the average, that means you're putting on weight and can address it before it becomes a big gain. I don't know if I'll count calories all the time, but I will start counting as soon as my average is 5 lbs. over my target, or for that matter if it drops much below the target.

fatfrost

Tracking, everything, everyday. No excuses, cheat days, logging holidays etc. Everyday. It's a small act but I've found that this level of hyper-focus changes your thinking about your intake and activity.

pwittek10

I stay within 6 pounds of my target.
I am going on my 2nd year now
it is hard, but you can do it

Unknown

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dorothytd

don't go back to old habits.

This. You make a life change and stick with it.

QFT

^^X2 Learn balance - I have a cookie when I want it, but know how much work it takes to burn the calories, or how to plan the next meal to compensate. Stay active. Going into my 7th year!

sabrafox

The national weight control registry is a place where people who have successfully lost and maintained weight loss can go to fill out surveys about what they did and how they did it.
There were a few things they consistently did differently.
1. They logged what they ate.
2. They weighed regularly. Not necessarily daily, but at least weekly.
3. They continued to exercise. The average is 1 hour per day.
4. They watched less than 10 hours of television a week.
5. Nearly 80% of the participants eat breakfast.

Brief synopsis found here:
http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/

tralst

I think MyFitnessPal is set up to maintain as well. Simply keep current weight and goal weight the same and the calories will be calculated for you. It will probably take a few days to get the calories exactly right. Every night click the 'Complete this Entry' button. It should be very little time to see what you add or subtract from the current calorie goal that informs you that you will not lose or gain any weight over the next 5 weeks. Enter those calories in your Fitness Profile and stick with MyFitnessPal.

Brummig

I never thought of it as a 'diet', so never thought about 'things I can't eat while I am on my diet but will enjoy when its finished'! I always had some favourites - pizza, wine, chocolate - so felt no need to binge on them when I reached target. I maintained a target for 2 years (sorry - Slimming World so still think in targets), then lost another stone which I have maintained since January. It's about being mindful of what I eat, and I still weigh in at SW every week to keep me on track.

LaColombicana

don't go back to old habits.

The national weight control registry is a place where people who have successfully lost and maintained weight loss can go to fill out surveys about what they did and how they did it.
There were a few things they consistently did differently.
1. They logged what they ate.
2. They weighed regularly. Not necessarily daily, but at least weekly.
3. They continued to exercise. The average is 1 hour per day.
4. They watched less than 10 hours of television a week.
5. Nearly 80% of the participants eat breakfast.

Brief synopsis found here:
http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/

I think about this all the time and I completely agree^^^ You must be aware of what you are eating, be aware of your current weight and whether you are trending up or down and continue to be active.