My Maintenance Experience So Far

Pdc654

Hello, my name is Patti. I have been in maintenance for about 8 weeks now. I'm still figuring things out. Maintenance is tricky.

Some background info on me. Over the last 2 years I have lost half my body weight, going from 240 lbs to 120 today. I am female, 5' 3.5" and 70 yr old. 8 wks ago I was at 124.6 lbs and decided my maintenance range would be 125 plus or minus 3 lbs. Somehow I have accidentally dropped below the low end of my range of 122.

As I slowly started to add in calories, I knew I would probably lose a bit more since I was trying to do this slow and healthy. I started paying more attention to my macros. In particular I realized that although my protein amounts were great, my fat intake was low. I started adding avocado and sliced almonds to my lunchtime salad, and added an additional snack a day of fruit, nuts or yogurt. I leveled off a bit at 123.5 and was happy with that. Then for 11 days we took care of our 2 youngest grandkids. During that time I was eating above maintenance because we catered to them and had a lot of pizza, burgers, etc. Yes, my weight went up but only a half pound, probably water weight from the extra carbs and calories. When they left, I went back to my normal eating and started dropping weight again. Now I'm at 120 lbs. I am recording and eating back all of my exercise calories.

After doing some analysis, I have come to the conclusion that maybe my activity level before intentional exercise is no longer sedentary. I was pretty much a couch potato before, especially during the pandemic since I did not go anywhere or get any kind of exercise. Pretty much how I reached a high weight of 240 lbs. I have never had an activity watch before but I recently purchased one and have been trying to remember to put it on first thing in the morning. I do not wear it at night. Looking back at my steps, it seems I am getting anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 steps beyond my intentional exercise. I'm just moving more. It's easier and my back no longer hurts the way it did before. I also think having the watch just encourages me to move more.

I am going to change my activity level to lightly active. For me, that means an additional 150 calories a day.

Do you all think this strategy is good?

I think I would be happy at the low end of my maintenance range.
Maybe get back up to 123 and stay there.

pony4us

You will get many responses from kids in their 60s, but I am in my mid 70s and have been maintaining a bit now. Most of my friends are older than I am as is my husband and it seems that as we age (70s and up) we start to have trouble keeping weight on. At least that is true for my group of friends. Many have been advised to be sure to get enough protein (often in the form of powders and shakes) to keep weight on. I am talking about a group of ladies and gentlemen who are active, always been fit and healthy.
I am your height and had a real heart to hreat with my Dr for my last visit. I am just 3 pounds "overweight" and asked if I should lose a bit and was met with a strong NO. My dexa shows strong bones and good muscle mass and I am in the good zone for all labs with no medication.
You have done a wonderful job losing the excess weight and are correct, you should eat more to gain a bit. Then for your next appointment have the real conversation about what long term weight is best for you.
Again you did a super job!!!

Pdc654

Thank you @pony4us. You may be right about being a little too low in weight. However, after decades of yo-yo dieting my muscle mass has declined a lot and I still am holding a lot of fat around my middle. My waist size is 4 inches more than it was when I weighed 130 over 20 years ago. ( It doesn't help that I am an inch and a half shorter than back then). I think my problem now is just figuring out the right calorie level for me right now. I may decide in the future to gain back more weight, but right now still want to maintain around 125 lbs. I'm hoping the weight training I started doing a few months back will help.

This is the first time in over 40 years that I have actually reached a weight that I would call maintenence. And also the first time I have ever had a plan for maintenance. Before I would get close to goal and just go back to eating the way I had before. Of course I gained the weight back. This time I want to purposely maintain in a healthy manner.

I had a doctor appointment last week and my doctor was very pleased with my weight loss and improvement in my blood work. But I do understand what you mean by older people having trouble maintaining their weight.

pony4us

So great to hear!! I am very lucky, I have never been super overweight, had weight creep a couple of years ago and lost 30lbs. Surprisingly my measurements are the same as in 2007. I was just concerned with the drop to 120lbs, you sounded like some of my friends.
I don't get as many steps as you do (I only check with the phone once in awhile) but I do work with weights. My task now is to desperately try to get my husband to gain about 5 lbs, hence my reaction to your unexpected weight drop.
We Boomers have to keep truckin' .

Pdc654

@pony4us. I just got to my maintenance goal 8 wks ago and I think it's a learning experience determining my real maintenance calorie level. I'll get it figured out

chris_in_cal

@Pdc654
Congrats!

Here's a perspective check for you.

If you locked in +/- 1% of what you weigh right now, if 'correct' or not, you are a million times better off than you were at 240 lbs.

I am sure you are very proud, as you should be. You could stick where you are for a bit and focus on some other important part of your life. After six months or a year come back and see if you still care about changing your maintenance number.

Again, remarkable work. Really great.

AnnPT77

At this stage, if I were you, I wouldn't worry too much about activity level setting.

If I were you, I'd take a look at your slow loss over the 8-week period. Calculate your approximate average weekly loss in pounds over the whole period, multiply that by 3500 (rough number of calories in a pound of fat), divide by 7 (days in a week), and add about that many calories to your daily goal. Keep monitoring, see how that goes.

A calculator or fitness tracker is just giving you a calorie estimate. Using your own loss history is a good way to fine-tune (personalize) that estimate. I'm one of the unusual weird-o people for whom MFP and a good brand/model fitness tracker are quite dramatically inaccurate in their calorie estimates (when I use accurate profile settings). For someone like me, using my own data is the only way to go, realistically. It can work for pretty much anyone, not just extreme cases.

As an aside, I had the same experience you mention: I dropped down below my goal range at first, while trying to dial in my reasonable maintenance calories. Too thin!

I've been in what I consider maintenance for 7+ years now, with some up- and down-creep of weight, all within the healthy range and the same jeans size. Over time, I've learned that I have some patterns, like tending to gain a little in Winter, drop back a little in Summer, and things like that. I've gotten more relaxed since observing those patterns - and since learning that when my weight creeps up, I can slowly and quite painlessly creep it back down again.

Right now, I'm 5'5" (and shrinking!), age 67, and around 130 pounds, which is up a little from what I'd prefer, but not panic level. I think maintenance can get easier and more relaxed (but still effective) the longer you're at it, and gain confidence in your practices.

Best wishes!

Pdc654

Thank you @chris_in_cal. I often did wonder if it was possible for me to lose that much weight. I credit the MFP community for giving me the advice, support, and encouragement to help me stay on track. I have lost lots of weight before but never this much, and it eventually all came back.

Having a plan to maintain is new for me and I feel will be the key to keeping the weight off. In 5 years I hope to be here reporting that I am still maintaining within my range.

Pdc654

@AnnPT77 Thank you. That does make it simpler. Maybe an educated trial and error approach is the easiest way to go. I think I'll add 250 calories to my base calories and see if that works. I can always cut back a little if I start gaining too much.

I'm actually glad I'll be able to have more calories than I thought. When you're old and short, the calculators, including MFP don't give you many. Lol.

I had read in other threads that you, too, had dropped below your goal. Everyone really is different and we just need to figure out what works for us.

herringboxes

Thanks for sharing your experience! Outstanding work on the weight loss, and great analysis.

JaysFan82

It took me a long time to figure Maintenance out. I lost an additional 18 pounds after hitting my goal number of 235 (I was 388.6. Currently 217). Lots of trial and error. It was emotionally difficult to move out of weight loss mode. Weight loss mode is what I know. I feel like I've been trying to lose weight or wanting to lose weight my entire life. Being at a normal weight was and is still very new to me. It felt weird. Congrats on your journey. It's such an amazing feeling being here.

Pdc654

Thank you @herringboxes.

@JaysFan82

JaysFan82 wrote: »

It took me a long time to figure Maintenance out. I lost an additional 18 pounds after hitting my goal number of 235 (I was 388.6. Currently 217). Lots of trial and error. It was emotionally difficult to move out of weight loss mode. Weight loss mode is what I know. I feel like I've been trying to lose weight or wanting to lose weight my entire life. Being at a normal weight was and is still very new to me. It felt weird. Congrats on your journey. It's such an amazing feeling being here.

I understand exactly how you feel. I, also, have been trying or wanting to lose weight most of my life. I was in my 20s when I was last at the weight I am now. About 45 years ago.

SummerSkier

Hi Patti.

Congrats on your successful weight loss and even BIGGER congratulations on focusing on maintenance. I believe that it is not a completely static thing and changes over time just as we do. Your plan to increase your calories for a few weeks is solid.

I think that's the biggest thing I have learned in maintenance since 2017. You have to be flexible and kind to yourself while still keeping your eye on the ball.

I am one of those "kids" in their 60's but I happen to think that you know inside yourself if you have lost too much or not. The tipping point for losing is yours alone to discover. I discovered mine and it was pretty freeing after always thinking about losing weight all my life.

I also see those in maintenance who are constantly struggling to lose just a bit more. They don't seem to enjoy themselves and since we are in this with a life sentence that makes me wonder if eventually they will regain because they are never quite satisfied.

Pdc654

Thank you @SummerSkier. I also believe flexibility is important. I am enjoying having a few more calories to eat. I plan to keep an eye on it and cut back or increase as I need to. For me tracking will be very important at least for a while, maybe forever. I do know myself, and it's very easy for me to gain it back if I'm not careful. But, as Ann said above, after a while I do hope to be more relaxed about it.

pony4us

I do congradulate you and my concern about continueing to lose weight is clouded by what I see in my friends who are 80s-90s and what I have seen in parents. After the mid-late 70s it seems that it is easy to lose weight, but that weight is actually muscle, even amongst people who are active. Also taste and appetite changes so you can't eat as much at one meal.
I took a different approach to easing into maintenance. We snowbird and when we left I was about 5 lbs from goal. I just put my calorie goal at maintenance for goal weight (wasn't that much over my lose calories) and tracked to the best of my ablility. Like magic when we returned I was at goal, and have been here since.
For me tracking is important but weighing myself is the most important. In the past I have stayed at goal for years, and then some health issues made weight not a first priority. True I have never been super heavy or have stayed heavy for a long time, so that may make it easier.

Pdc654

@pony4us Yes, weighing is important also. In the past, when life got in the way, not only did I go off my food plan, I stopped weighing myself too. I will not do that this time. I will continue to weigh forever.