Worried about Maintenance

BeverlyW1108

I have 1 more pound to lose & then I will try to maintain before attacking more weight loss. I’m very worried about the maintenance phase because I have lost weight many times but I’ve always gained it back. Usually my weight loss has been motivated by an event such as a vacation or seeing family at holidays. One reason this time was health related & another reason was something someone said to me. Every time I quit logging I gain weight. A lot of people say they lose weight when they don’t focus on losing. I’ve tried that & I have to keep logging & stay focused. I pray I have made a life style change this time & not just been on a diet. Am I willing to log my food & exercise consistently for the rest of my life? Today I say yes. If anyone has had a similar journey & has words of advice for maintaining I would appreciate your input. Thank you.

425Recess

To me, maintenance needs the same strategy as the losing mode. That is, logging regularly and staying within your goal for calories. I have been in the maintenance mode for 10 years now. Every so often, I'll have to reevalute. I tend to start to estimate too losely and start to gain a little but never more than two lbs. By two lbs over, I mean on the average. I also weigh daily and do go up and down but when it is steady up, then I react. I might seem obsessive but it is such a habit now. I was overweight for most of my lifetime so didn't really think I would ever be thin but now the doctors say don't lose any more instead of you should lose weight and I love it!

BeverlyW1108

Thank you for your insight. Sounds good.👌

lorrpb

If you gain weight when you stop logging, I would encourage you to keep logging in maintenance. Also weigh yourself frequently so you can make adjustments as needed.

Squish815

I'm about 3 years in to maintenance and I still log what I eat. Some days are not as accurate as others but it helps give me an general idea of how much I am eating and making sure I keep eating at maintenance.

As @425Recess said, it's habit now!

BeverlyW1108

Yes, that makes sense & I know it in my head but at some point I usually end up telling myself that I don’t need to log.

cmriverside

So try doing it intuitively and keep weighing your body a couple times per week so you can catch weight gains.

I happen to still log food 12 years in, but there were times I tried the intuitive thing and it didn't work for me. I like knowing I've gotten enough of the right kinds of foods in the right amounts so I continue to log but there are many ways to make this work. Some people just come back to logging when they hit their personal top end of their weight range. Most of us set a five pound range and take action at both ends.

jan110144

I'm only in month 2 and am still trying to work this out. I focused the entire time was losing on developing a lifestyle change that I felt I could maintain forever, which means the transition into maintenance has not meant a big difference. I am not yet, though, eating the recommended amount of calories to maintain. Adding a bit back at a time.

sijomial

BeverlyW1108 wrote: »

Yes, that makes sense & I know it in my head but at some point I usually end up telling myself that I don’t need to log.

That's fine as long as it doesn't make you complacent. You shouldn't forget everything you have learned about food choices and portion sizes just because you don't actively track your calorie balance.
Set yourself a upper weight limit that triggers action, doesn't have to be drastic action but don't let a drift turn into a slide.
Logging is a great tool to have in your toolbox. Some people need to keep it in hand all the time and the investment for them is well worth it, some can put it back in the box......

BeverlyW1108

Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences. I appreciate all of the encouragement!

BattyKnitter

For me I will have to keep logging once I reach maintenance. Last time I was about 2 pounds from maintenance and decided I no longer needed to count. My portion sizes crept up and up and eventually I gained back all my weight and more. Some people can switch to intuitive eating but I cannot, You know yourself best and will have to decide for yourself what works best.

sijomial

BattyKnitter wrote: »

For me I will have to keep logging once I reach maintenance. Last time I was about 2 pounds from maintenance and decided I no longer needed to count. My portion sizes crept up and up and eventually I gained back all my weight and more. Some people can switch to intuitive eating but I cannot, You know yourself best and will have to decide for yourself what works best.

Mindful eating is another option.
I don't need to track food or calorie count but maintain successfully by being mindful about my CO and CI.

cheryldumais

I still log a year plus into maintenance. It's no bother really and I, like you, have always regained in the past. I am not willing to do that this time. It's worth the couple of minutes it takes to stay at my goal weight.