Best advice

beth0277

After a long journey, I’m close to my goal weight. In thinking about maintenance, I’m curious what others have found to be the hardest part or what is different than they thought would be.

Lillymoo01

The hardest part about maintenance is still having to be vigilant about what you eat but not seeing results as you do with the loss. The only difference between loss and maintenance is a few extra calories when all is said and done. Setting fitness goals can offset this to an extent.

425Recess

The hardest part is accepting that the journey isn't over after the weight is gone. I reached goal and gained twice before it stuck. It was easier the second and third time because I knew I could lose. I found I needed buddies to share my journey of maintenance - not so easy to find but it really helped. It took a few years before I could say that mentally I was there. Now that I have been within a couple of lbs. of my goal for more than eight years it is definitely easier. I still need to track or I gradually start to increase my eating but I don't have the cravings anymore nor do I feel sorry for myself. I'm lucky because I was forced to eat good foods and have learned to really like them.

seltzermint555

Lillymoo01 wrote: »

The hardest part about maintenance is still having to be vigilant about what you eat but not seeing results as you do with the loss. The only difference between loss and maintenance is a few extra calories when all is said and done. Setting fitness goals can offset this to an extent.

I absolutely agree with all of this!

I'm entering year six of maintenance and for me the hardest thing is not getting TOO comfortable. Aside from meals out, travel, or larger than average portions, I feel like I have a pretty good grip on what I should eat and how much. But at times, it becomes so "second nature" that I start to slide into bad, old habits. Recently I realized I was drinking my calories more and more. Not alcohol or frapuccinos, which would be "obvious" to me. But things like milk or a 150-200 calorie protein/yogurt beverage had started to become a habit for me when I could have water instead. That adds up very quickly. Avoiding little things like that is major in the long run.

lalalacroix

Good question. I'm also getting somewhat close and have been thinking about maintenance as well. I'm hoping there will be more replies.

rheddmobile

Everyone is different. What works for me, though, is understanding that maintenance is no different from losing or gaining weight. It’s all about eating the right number of calories to maintain your body correctly, no matter where you are in the process. I log every day and plan to do so forever. I weigh every day and have a “scream weight” which is not that far off from my maintenance weight. My maintenance weight is between 147 and 150 and if I hit 153 (in the morning under ordinary circumstances), I cut calories until I get back to 150.

Figuring out tactics for dealing with special situations is still a work in progress for me. For example all my high school friends came into town for a weeklong meetup and we went out two and three times a day for a week, mostly to bars and places with fattening food. And I didn’t gain weight that week, because I planned for exercise, banked some calories, and indulged within sensible limits.

sijomial

I can't say I find maintenance hard, compared to dieting I find it easy (but mainly because I detest dieting!).

I already had a lot of the habits in place that are helpful to maintain - being mindful about calories and portions, monitoring my weight regularly, seeking to maximise my daily activity, an enjoyable and challenging exercise routine, enjoying cooking (that can be double-edged though!).

The part I find more of a struggle is that maintaining can be a wooly and not particularly inspiring goal compared to SMART goals. It's part of my personality to be focussed on specific goals and deadlines - maintenance itself doesn't fit those criteria. I can manage a long view (very important for weight maintenance) in some aspects but find that can become an excuse to allow a drift to continue.

Probably the biggest issue is that my wants (how much to eat) have nearly always exceeded my actual needs and I simply like eating good food for taste and enjoyment. But that's a lifelong struggle whether dieting or maintaining.

What's different? I'm surprised how big an impact on my calorie allowance my increased activity and exercise has had, I eat a lot more now I'm retired and the right weight compared to when I was working and overweight.

SummerSkier

One thing I recommend is to read here. Just read and watch. Read the stickied threads because they have a lot of good information in them. Go over all your personal stats and make a plan for the first month, the first 3 months, the first year etc. Have alternate plans in case life gets in the way. And lastly try to ENJOY yourself and celebrate your accomplishments vs beating yourself up over any mistakes or poor decisions you might make for one meal or one day. Learn to accept all the flaws you STILL have (as do all of us).

nxd10

Paying attention. It's just like losing with more calories.

whmscll

I don’t have any advice and didn’t do so well at maintenance my first time around (gained about 1/3 of the weight back) but I have observed how important maintenance is. Two former co-workers lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for several years...but now they have both gained all of it back.

brenn24179

the hardest part is realizing this is a life style. Or it is a diet, anyway I feel like I have to be on a diet for rest of my life, cant eat like I would like to. Sad but true, best part fitting in clothes

whmscll

Sometimes when I am feeling good about my weight but feel like letting loose and eating a boatload of crap I go try on the form-fitting sheath dresses in my closet. As I am amazed at how good I look in the mirror I remind myself how awesome it is to look this way and do I really want to sabotage that. Usually works. Not always. At the very least it distracts me from snacking for a while.

w8goal4life

The hardest part of maintenance is to recognize it is a continuance of diligence. I have been maintaining for 8 years and what works best for me is to "keep it simple." I don't deny myself anything, but rather limit everything. I avoid recipes which sabotage my nutrition plan. If you want an apple, eat an apple...but don't turn it into apple pie or apple crisp. If you want a potato, eat a potato...but don't make potatoes au gratin or scalloped potatoes. If you want some shrimp, have shrimp...don't turn them into coconut fried shrimp. If you want a piece of chocolate, have a piece of chocolate...but don't make chocolate cake or brownies. If you want strawberries, help yourself to a dish...but avoid strawberry shortcake. Not only is "simple" better for you nutritionally, you save enormous amounts of time in the kitchen from preparation and clean-up for recipes that pack on the calories and add pounds where you don't want them. It's difficult to think the same amount of diligence is required for the foreseeable hereafter when one sees little to no change on the scale. For a support group, you might consider MFP's challenge group Ultimate Accountability Challenge. It is effective for both those desiring to lose weight as well as those in maintenance.

jrwms714

So many good things said here ... for me, maintenance hasn't been all that difficult because, as others have said, it's just the same lifestyle with a few more calories. The good habits are in place after 4.5 years, and the bad ones crop up now and then, but certainly not as frequently as before. What has helped me a lot is using a trending scale like Happy Scale, establishing both a weight range, and a scream weight that works with that. And yes, vigilance. I watch the scale, but I also watch how much I eat. I have a treat almost daily, but just a treat. Like @w8goal4life says (above), have what you want, but don't let it morph into something that is more negative or unhealthy, and backslides you so that you feel badly about it or guilty when or if you gain. Mostly I now feel uncomfortable when I eat something that is too rich or too much; my body just is not used to that any more. The rewards in maintenance are different than the rewards in losing, but they are greater, to me: good health, a feeling of being in control, and a constant pat on the back when the clothes you had last year and the year before and the year before still fit as the seasons change!!! Above all, don't worry about maintenance. This is a journey and like any journey, there can be bumps in the road, but look around as you take the path, and know that there is no set destiny ... it's the same road, just easier than when you started out.

Sharon_C

To me maintenance is the same as cutting. I still weigh and log my food. I still weigh myself every day.

I am having a hard time hitting my calorie goal because I'm full long before my calories run out. So I go with intuitive eating too, knowing that on my husband's days off it will balance out.

Lillymoo01

jrwms714 wrote: »

So many good things said here ... for me, maintenance hasn't been all that difficult because, as others have said, it's just the same lifestyle with a few more calories. The good habits are in place after 4.5 years, and the bad ones crop up now and then, but certainly not as frequently as before. What has helped me a lot is using a trending scale like Happy Scale, establishing both a weight range, and a scream weight that works with that. And yes, vigilance. I watch the scale, but I also watch how much I eat. I have a treat almost daily, but just a treat. Like @w8goal4life says (above), have what you want, but don't let it morph into something that is more negative or unhealthy, and backslides you so that you feel badly about it or guilty when or if you gain. Mostly I now feel uncomfortable when I eat something that is too rich or too much; my body just is not used to that any more. The rewards in maintenance are different than the rewards in losing, but they are greater, to me: good health, a feeling of being in control, and a constant pat on the back when the clothes you had last year and the year before and the year before still fit as the seasons change!!! Above all, don't worry about maintenance. This is a journey and like any journey, there can be bumps in the road, but look around as you take the path, and know that there is no set destiny ... it's the same road, just easier than when you started out.

Agreed. I never thought there would be a day when I would find some foods too sweet for me to enjoy anymore. That or a few mouthfuls is more than enough.

Addictead

You're going to be losing and gaining weight, Even taking out fluctuations there are going to be times you will gain/lose real fat either on purpose or by accident. I really didn't expect that but a lot of long term maintainers have said this and it makes me feel a little more at ease to be honest

cheryldumais

Maintenance became easier when I accepted that I could never go back to "normal" eating. In other words I had to make permanent changes. I still log every day and weigh weekly without fail. If I'm up I cut back no excuses. I miss the lift I got when I saw the scale go down but I am working on other fitness goals like lifting weight or walking up hills or for longer amounts of time. It's a lifetime process but soooo worth it.

rheddmobile

cheryldumais wrote: »

Maintenance became easier when I accepted that I could never go back to "normal" eating. In other words I had to make permanent changes. I still log every day and weigh weekly without fail. If I'm up I cut back no excuses. I miss the lift I got when I saw the scale go down but I am working on other fitness goals like lifting weight or walking up hills or for longer amounts of time. It's a lifetime process but soooo worth it.

This - if you, like me, are the kind of person who functions better when working towards a goal, then set some new fitness-related goals once you hit maintenance. Mine are running-related, and weight-lifting related, but I also have some recomp goals (‘I want my lower belly to tighten up enough to look good in that bodycon dress...’) and some social goals (‘Instead of going out to eat with my friends all the time, I want to go out to do something fun!’)