Sort of taking a weight loss break - good or bad idea?

jxspxr

Ok, I'll tell you my context in two sentences, and then tell you two options that I have. Vote which one you think is the best idea?

Context: I've lost 16.5 kg by now, from 106 to 89.5, which makes a lot of difference, mostly by cutting in the amount of food I eat and lately I started to exercise a lot. Now, I also have other things to focus on in my life and that I want to have energy for, more importantly, I want this weight loss to be sustainable, thus I want to build strong habits. So, tell me what the best option is:

Option A: I stop cutting this much calories, but instead I focus on eating healthy food, containing everything I need and not too much crap, so I learn to appreciate healthy living even more. With all that extra energy I can expand my exercise and do other things in life, and though weight loss will go slower, I expect it to continue because of burning 4000-7000 calories during exercise per week. Even if it doesn't , I will continue monitoring it and I will not let it go up again, but I won't worry if it stays constant for a month. Also, I will start doing some strength training, so I won't lose as much muscle, and perhaps build it up. Eventually when I feel like finishing this weight loss thing (if weight loss doesn't continue to drop aniway), I will either increase exercise regimen and reduce my calories a bit for those last 3 months.

Option B: ccontinue losing 10 more kilograms doing what I did before to get this over with and then, in about 3 months, do whatever you want. And the only thing I change is that I will do some strength training, again to prevent muscle loss (I know that this is a smart thing to do when losing weight and I've accepted that I need to start this, since you know I've got quite a lot too lose for someone who never does strength training )

So, option A; take a break and focus on the long term, or option B continue and get it over with. Vote!

Thank you!

Ninkyou

Go for sustainable. Do what makes you happy, with long term benefits.

nxd10

Okay: Most important thing to remember: it's easier to lose the weight than to keep it off. Whatever you do, you don't want to regain. Most people regain the weight they've lost don't let that be you.

I'd modify your goals to this:

Keep logging and exercising but up your calories to maintenance or a little less (say, what you're eating now + 300)

Keep logging and exercising and when you hit your goal, up your calories + 300 and keep logging and exercising.

---

Look - this doesn't have to be the focus of your life. But you've done great. Don't regain what you've lost. And whatever you do - do weigh or measure every few days. If you start to go up, go back to what you're doing now.

ritchiedrama

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

herblackwings39

Okay: Most important thing to remember: it's easier to lose the weight than to keep it off. Whatever you do, you don't want to regain. Most people regain the weight they've lost don't let that be you.

I'd modify your goals to this:

Keep logging and exercising but up your calories to maintenance or a little less (say, what you're eating now + 300)

Keep logging and exercising and when you hit your goal, up your calories + 300 and keep logging and exercising.

---

Look - this doesn't have to be the focus of your life. But you've done great. Don't regain what you've lost. And whatever you do - do weigh or measure every few days. If you start to go up, go back to what you're doing now.

I like this.

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Okay: Most important thing to remember: it's easier to lose the weight than to keep it off. Whatever you do, you don't want to regain. Most people regain the weight they've lost don't let that be you.

I'd modify your goals to this:

Keep logging and exercising but up your calories to maintenance or a little less (say, what you're eating now + 300)

Keep logging and exercising and when you hit your goal, up your calories + 300 and keep logging and exercising.

---

Look - this doesn't have to be the focus of your life. But you've done great. Don't regain what you've lost. And whatever you do - do weigh or measure every few days. If you start to go up, go back to what you're doing now.

^^This

shirleygirl910

First of all this is not a game where you get to the finish line and it's done. This is a life time change.

If you find yourself needing to put more effort into something other than your food and exercise, then plan it ahead of time. Start with mapping out your meals. Eat the same thing every breakfast lunch and dinner. Then you don't have to think about it unless there is a special occasion. Do your exercise routine the same. The same time everyday the same exercise the same. Then in three months revisit your scedule and change it up.

If you do and eat the same thing you don't have to think about it and you can put your energy into whatever else is more important right now.

CyberEd312

After 3 years of weight loss and losing the weight I had I mentally needed a break so I choose to up my calories to maintenance continue to exercise and do everything else the same.... That was 9 months ago, I have been working on body composition and less on the scale and more on how my clothes fit. That being said a couple weeks ago I decided I would like to give weight loss another go around so I am starting a deficit and am going to lose a few more pounds. Whatever you do, don't think of this a a break, you don't want to put the weight back on. Best of Luck

Mokey41

You can never "do what you want" unless what you want is be careful with your food consumption and exercise routine. You don't lose the weight and then just forget about everything. You can lose fast or slow, stay where you are now or whatever you want to do. It really doesn't matter.

ashandloggiesmom

Option A, only because you can't just get to where you want and then never pay attention to your diet again. Its a whole lifestyle change for good.

Binkie1955

option 3 - go low carb, say 50 grams (net) of carbs a day and let your exercise dictate the number of calories you need. if you're in ketosis, you can't gain back the 'fat' that you lost and if you are exercising, the weight you gain will be muscle. so you get the best of both worlds. but calorie restriction long term is not sustainable.

JesterMFP

Okay: Most important thing to remember: it's easier to lose the weight than to keep it off. Whatever you do, you don't want to regain. Most people regain the weight they've lost don't let that be you.

I'd modify your goals to this:

Keep logging and exercising but up your calories to maintenance or a little less (say, what you're eating now + 300)

Keep logging and exercising and when you hit your goal, up your calories + 300 and keep logging and exercising.

---

Look - this doesn't have to be the focus of your life. But you've done great. Don't regain what you've lost. And whatever you do - do weigh or measure every few days. If you start to go up, go back to what you're doing now.

^Agree with this.

Honestly, I don't think you can "get it over with". This doesn't stop once you reach goal, and in my experience, maintaining the weigh loss is actually harder than the losing phase. That doesn't mean you will always have to count calories (some people need to, others don't), but you can't just lose the weight and then "do whatever you want". At least you can't do that and expect to keep the weight off. Absolutely nothing wrong with taking a break from losing, but do still keep an eye on things. Regardless of the level of calories, keep up the habits that are helping you lose the weight.

mspoopoo

I don't understand the concept of taking a break from weight loss?

What you are doing should be a habit that you just do like brushing your teeth. You wouldn't just stop brushing your teeth or showering because you didn't have time for it would you?

This is why so many people fail is because they think there is an end point where they say ok I've lost enough weight. Now I can go back and eat all the same foods and not exercise like I used to and not gain anything. Then they gain it all back and blame the diet. No, it isn't the diet but that you went back to eating like you did before the diet.

The answer is, there is no break.

JesterMFP

I don't understand the concept of taking a break from weight loss?

What you are doing should be a habit that you just do like brushing your teeth. You wouldn't just stop brushing your teeth or showering because you didn't have time for it would you?

This is why so many people fail is because they think there is an end point where they say ok I've lost enough weight. Now I can go back and eat all the same foods and not exercise like I used to and not gain anything. Then they gain it all back and blame the diet. No, it isn't the diet but that you went back to eating like you did before the diet.

The answer is, there is no break.

There can be some physiological and psychological benefits to taking a break from losing weight, especially for someone who is restricting intake over a long time period. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

ritchiedrama

I don't understand the concept of taking a break from weight loss?

What you are doing should be a habit that you just do like brushing your teeth. You wouldn't just stop brushing your teeth or showering because you didn't have time for it would you?

This is why so many people fail is because they think there is an end point where they say ok I've lost enough weight. Now I can go back and eat all the same foods and not exercise like I used to and not gain anything. Then they gain it all back and blame the diet. No, it isn't the diet but that you went back to eating like you did before the diet.

The answer is, there is no break.

There can be some physiological and psychological benefits to taking a break from losing weight, especially for someone who is restricting intake over a long time period. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

Have you seriously just stolen the link I posted above? ;D

stop_stopping

take a look at this book, it might be a good start if you plan on not logging and just moving towards listening to your body:

http://www.amazon.com/Intuitive-Eating-Recovery-Rediscover-Pleasures/dp/0312957211

jxspxr

Thanks for all the replies, it's really cool to see all this many advice now that I am back.

I see most votes go for either taking a break, but even more for an option see where I do something in between - have a less restricting diet.

I have come to the point now where:
- I've exercised a lot for 3 weeks now, and the last weeks I focussed on my studies more, so this habit is in peril. While my studies will need some more focus for some time, I prefer to keep this habit, because I know if I will keep doing this it will really get into my system. I don't want to lose this habit.
- My appetite is a lot less now, so restricting calories is easy - so I guess that if I stop focussing on eating less and instead put some more focus in eating regularly and eating healthy foods, it's better for the long term. I don't have a tendency anymore to overeat.
- I've been tracking my weight every day now for about 2.5 month. This is a really strong habit, and it's nice to see the graph. I will keep doing that. I don't worry about the daily fluctuations, I am interested in the trend that shows over the weeks and months, which is really positive (or negative, it's going down, which is positive ).

So, I will go for a combination of option A and C. By this I mean that I will let go of the idea of this weight loss being a project, but that I will focus on building and reinforcing healthy habits and that I trust that by doing that my weight is not going up.

By the way, the reasons for considering "taking a break", are threefold: 1) My discipline/willpower is a limited resource and I want to spend it on the things that are important. For now, my studies. 2) I've done 16.5 kg of the 26 kgs I want to lose (60% of target), which means means that I am getting near my goal. My idea behind this all is not that weight loss is a project, but I intend to live a healthier lifestyle, which means I need to balance between different things, I should focus on the long term and I need to stay motivated. 3) my weight loss has been about 1 kg per week on average, and I think my body has changed a lot through this, and I want to give my body a break, to avoid my body getting in starvation mode, losing a lot of muscles, etc.

I'll incorporate your advice to not up my calories by too much, but to keep it a bit lower. It would be nice to keep losing, but at a rate of 0.3-0.5 kg per week, until I feel after 5 weeks or so I have learned/reinforced my healthy habits enough and my study project is finished, so I can cut some more.

@Mspoopoo - The reason I am considering this is not that I just view this weight loss thing as a project that I can finish, though it is in a way a project - the weight loss should stop at a point, and then you should change your priorities to maintaining your weight through exercise and healthy eating - which is an important reason for me to take this break. Through this whole weight loss time I've been conscious that it's about habits, but now I feel it's the time to look to the long term and focus on building good habits, so that by the time that I've reached my target weight I'm already used to living healthy.

And again, what JesterMFP says about physiological and psychological changes is important for me too. The main changes that I want to be careful with, as I mentioned above, is to stay positive, have enough energy for my work, avoid obsessing about this weight loss and appreciate really the change that already has taken place.

Thanks again for all of your input. I hope my decision makes sense, at least I am happy with it because I am confident that I will not gain and that I will have a good time learning new things about healthy living, while I can focus my brainpower/willpower to finish a project of my studies at the same time!