April Challenge: Maintainers Back on Track Thread

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  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,972 Member
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    jan110144 wrote: »
    MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »
    jan110144 wrote: »

    I am just beginning maintenance & I hope you will remind me of the above when Things go differently than I expected.

    Thanks for the encouragement! I found the weight loss phase relatively easy. Have just been surprised that maintenance has been such a challenge. I think I am struggling most with failed expectations! :smiley:

    @jan110144
    “I think I am struggling most with failed expectations!”

    That’s a key insight! I combat that with weekly, monthly, & yearly averages. Encourages success over time so little changes can multiply.

    You’ve got this!
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,251 Member
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    sofchak wrote: »
    Name: Sofchak
    success: Struggling to stay motivated. I’ll have a few great days, then derail.

    Ditto!! Let me know if you find the answer! :smile: Part of it, for me, I think is that the goal of "maintain" is very vague. Lose weight, and the reinforcement of seeing the numbers on the scale go down, is much more tangible. That's my only explanation so far. Trying to find a more concrete way of defining "maintenance" as more specific goals seem to be a very important part of motivation/discipline for me.
  • jrwms714
    jrwms714 Posts: 421 Member
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    As I work on trying to lose that 2 -3 lbs. over my range, I'm finding it considerably harder than I thought it would be. It's been on for many months, so that may be part of it. I am also 4.5 years into maintenance, so 4.5 years older, and that can be part of it ... metabolism continues to slow as you age. I am at my caloric goal or less daily and I never eat back all my exercise calories, so it doesn't make any sense that the scale doesn't move. However, I keep in mind that the way I have always lost is to be on a plateau for weeks and then bam! some weight drops. Any of this look familiar to anyone, especially having a hard time losing the weight after all these years of maintaining pretty well???
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    Previous below.
    Week 2.
    Same as week one but without DOMS.

    Next week should be back in the gym, so maybe a more thrilling update.

    Yawn, that was soooo boring, but I updated- hooray.

    Cheers, h.
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    Opening stats in spoiler.

    Name: h.

    How long in maintenance: 9 or 10 years.

    Goal maintenance range: 100-105lbs

    Current weight: 101.6lbs

    Current goal: get off the recomp/decomp/maintain treadmill and back to a good steady recomp.

    Recent success: no weight gain on 4 week cruise/holiday. Body did turn into mashed potatoes though.

    Renewal of my rec centre pass is due Monday and it will be back to the weights. (Anticipating a clear 6-8 weeks of lifting, yoga, and aquafit)

    I’m in this though I have no problem maintaining weight, my problem has become maintaining the fitness level I have previously enjoyed.

    (Family needs have had me on (and off) the road for the past 18+ months so I have done my bare basics in exercise and find it hard to get back into my previous routine knowing more travel will be needed at the drop of a hat.

    Who would have thought at 65 you (I) would be the one supporting 2generations below and one above.
    I thought I would be in my rocking chair, cat on lap, wine in hand, with the younger generations looking after me B))

    Sorry guys, I ramble, h.

    OK, I may have blown it, I may have given myself DOMS for the first time in years, but I did keep moving this week.

    (For years I’ve had an hour a day ‘rule’ and I’ve not let it go, I’ve just never been so low in intensity/effort before.)

    Had a good walk every day and did 15-30 min workout daily, alternating bodyweight and dumbbell. Not heavy duty stuff at all, but at least I did it.

    Weight, as always, is stable ranging between 101.6 to 103 this week.

    And here ends the first week.

    Cheers, h.

  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,251 Member
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    Week 2. Back where I want to be in terms of weight, but not in terms of consistency. I am not ok with the undisciplined eating, gain weight, lose weight, undisciplined eating cycle.

    This week my goals will be

    1. Eat enough each day ... good food choices with variety,
    2. Ride 6 days
    3. Go to the health club at least 4 days.

    l'm also looking for a more tangible way to envision my longterm goal ... "just maintain" doesn't seem to do it for me. Or, maybe I should forget long-term and just focus on these weekly goals? Losing the weight, it was really important to have that longer term goal front and center.
    Maybe that is no longer true?
  • zeejane4
    zeejane4 Posts: 230 Member
    edited April 2019
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    swim777 wrote: »
    zeejane4 wrote: »
    [Week Two]

    Name: zeejane
    How long in maintenance: 6 years
    Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
    Current weight: 132.8lbs
    Current goal: continuing to research and experiment with a lower carb woe (transitioning from a high carb, mostly plant based diet)

    Saw a number on the scale I haven't seen in over a year, now in the 132lb range. I set my maintenance range 130-135 but for the last year it's really been 135-143. It's nice to see numbers on the scale closer to what my original goal weight range was, from the earlier days in my maintenance phase.

    Still doing the lower carb thing right now, with a loose goal of 50-75g net carbs a day. Finding that a higher fat, increased protein way of eating is making me feel full, for longer. Before this experiment I swore up and down that a higher carb ratio did this for me, but thinking it through I realized I was snacking a lot, with the higher carb intake, which was letting in extra calories that I wasn't really paying attention to. I'm learning a lot about myself through this experiment right now.
    .

    I'm noticing that every time I want to overeat, I’ve changed something..and it may simply be having carbs instead of protein...kind of an epiphany for me!

    It really has been eye opening-I was eating a lot of 'healthy' carbs-lots of whole grains, beans, fruit etc. But, my calorie intake was getting pretty loose with this-I was labeling Wheat Thins as a whole grain (hey, the box says it is :p ), and I was going through two boxes a week. I do struggle with savory/salty type things-crackers, chips etc. I now realize it doesn't matter if it's a 'healthier' option, I just cannot eat those kinds of foods in moderation. And the sprouted whole grain 'super healthy' bread I was eating every day. The larger and larger amounts of fruit, (that I started mixing into things like whipped cream and pudding) etc etc.

    Instead of the crackers my go-to now is cottage cheese or bell peppers with dressing. Totally different taste/texture and macros makeup. Totally different response-I just cannot over eat cottage cheese lol. I'm still eating fruit every day, but I'm sticking to berries and avocado in green smoothies and no fruit outside of this (I can only fit so much into my mixer cup so it's forced portion control). This also removes the temptation to mix the fruit into other calorie dense ingredients. I still have several loaves of bread in the freezer but I don't know if I'll eat it-I may just avoid it for now since it just leads to wanting more of it.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    Name - Mike
    How Long in Maintenance - 9 Years this year
    Goal Maintenance Range - 185 to 193 (Red Line, 195)
    Current Weight - 189
    Current Goals - Workout Six days a week, Enjoy life, Don't get too Caught up in Competive Events/Training

    My "challenge" this year is I went from full on training for an Indoor Rowing competition early next year to having a mid-back injury being a dumbass (can I say that here) during training doing something I should have known better.

    I've lost weight in the past few months (around five pounds), in part to moving across country and just working non-stop, partly due to inability to lift/train as hard and muscle loss. On top of all that, my stepson's fiance planned their wedding the weekend of the competition I had been training for for 3 years (World Indoor Rowing Championships in Paris in 2020). Talk about having to step back and reevaluate what makes me happy!

    I'm just going to concentrate on rehabbing the back. I'm back to rowing at least but the progress is slow and eating healthy. Also, not taking my training too serious. My son and his girlfriend were in town for the last four days. I didn't workout once. I spent quality time with them. I have to keep in mind the original reasons I lost weight and got healthier - for me and my family.

    I love this perspective. It's a good reminder of what's most important.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    zeejane4 wrote: »
    I'd love to join in :)

    Name: zeejane
    How long in maintenance: 6 years
    Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
    Current weight: 134.4lbs
    Current goal: continuing to research and experiment with a lower carb woe (transitioning from a high carb, mostly plant based diet)
    Recent success: lost the winter weight gain I was struggling with. Some of it was water weight from the reduction of carbs, but I'm also tracking my calorie intake and some of it is actual loss as well. Either way my jeans fit nicely again so yay :#

    Hey @zeejane4 curious about the transition from plants to low carb? Are you adding animal products back? Generally, how do you feel?
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    pkweier wrote: »
    My hubby said to me yesterday you have been doing great keeping the weight off. I can't see that. I still see myself struggling every day to not just stuff my face with whatever I want and however much I want. I keep telling myself I can do this and thanks to this app I found people who totally understand.

    I’m shocked and thrilled for you @pkweier that your hubs would even acknowledge the challenge. I’m proud that he’s proud. You’re lucky!!
  • zeejane4
    zeejane4 Posts: 230 Member
    edited April 2019
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    nowine4me wrote: »
    zeejane4 wrote: »
    I'd love to join in :)

    Name: zeejane
    How long in maintenance: 6 years
    Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
    Current weight: 134.4lbs
    Current goal: continuing to research and experiment with a lower carb woe (transitioning from a high carb, mostly plant based diet)
    Recent success: lost the winter weight gain I was struggling with. Some of it was water weight from the reduction of carbs, but I'm also tracking my calorie intake and some of it is actual loss as well. Either way my jeans fit nicely again so yay :#

    Hey @zeejane4 curious about the transition from plants to low carb? Are you adding animal products back? Generally, how do you feel?

    I feel really good, actually better than what I was feeling before on the mostly plant based diet. The bloating I was dealing with is completely gone, (as well as being gassy every night, TMI lol), I've lost a few pounds and am now back into my maintenance range comfortably, and I've had a significant decrease in appetite. The only downside so far is that I had a couple restless nights of sleep the first week.

    Yes, adding quite a bit of animal products back in. Eating meat/seafood 1-2 times a day now, as well as 1-2 eggs almost every day. Also have switched from low fat dairy to full fat, (with the exception of my Greek yogurt for my green smoothies-the 0% fat kind I use has fiber in it and brings the net carbs down quite a bit). I've completely cut out beans, from a serving a day, have cut whole grains down to 0-1 serving a day vs 4-6 servings a day before, (and have completely cut out 'white' grains all together). I've reduced my fruit intake as well, to berries and avocado for the most part. Veggie intake has stayed about the same, I still eat a lot of them :) I've also started using real butter and full fat condiments (dressing etc). I've also pretty much eliminated added sugar, except for trace amounts in condiments etc.

    Lots of changes but I'm tolerating them really well and I'm enjoying this way of eating right now, so I plan on keeping at it for the time being. I still have enough wiggle room with my carb intake to eat whatever I want, if I start to crave something or we go out to eat etc. but I actually haven't really wanted to stray away from my plan, with has been surprising to me. I genuinely just don't want the higher carb stuff right now. I was at a baby shower this past weekend and it was a brunch style meal-bagels, muffins, cake etc. I didn't even want those foods though (which I've always liked in the past), and instead chose the crust-less quiche and berries dipped in cream cheese, with ice water instead of the fruit juices offered. Left the event feeling satisfied and having no urges for the foods I did not eat!
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,251 Member
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    @zeejane4 Your new way of eating sounds pretty balanced and doable for the long term. Sounds like it is working well for you.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,251 Member
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    Will we have a May thread? This thread has been helpful. I, for one, would like to see it continue.

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