Losing weight vs maintaining the weight...

jimyster

In the past, I found I was able to drop some pretty big weight. However, once I hit my goal, a year later I put it all back...and then some. It seems hard to keep the motivation once a goal is reached. Because eventually, workouts can get boring, and plateaus can add to the frustration. Anyone have any plans, or do something to keep the motivation and the weight of once your in maintenance mode?

RLDeShazo

This is my first time losing a large amount of weight, so I have never tried maintenance before. I can't even think that far ahead right now.

twentyco

I don't have any magic solutions for sure, but I am determined not to let things get so far out of whack again. I have committed to counting calories for the rest of my life, as well as continuing to drink water and engage in moderate exercise (pretty much all I do is walk, with some exercise bike thrown in there). I also intend to keep weighing myself regularly (at least once a week) even after I get to maintenance, so if I start to gain I can see it right away. I have not approached this as a diet, but rather as a change in lifestyle that I have to, and have to be able to, maintain forever. So I have not cut out any foods or anything like that -- I am just trying to eat things in moderation, make healthier choices but that I still find satisfying, etc. For me, this is workable long term, I think. I am motivated because I want to be able to do things when I get older (I'm 44 now, started this at 43). I don't think there is any magic to it -- I really think it's about finding something that will work for you and sticking to it, forever. If it won't work forever, it won't work for me, because it's too easy for me to slip in to old habits ... so I have to create new ones that I will stick to. I think that the number of calories I eat now are probably about what I will need to eat at maintenance to keep my weight steady --- they create a deficit now because I am heavier. So in my mind at least, nothing will change at maintenance -- I need to keep doing the same thing.

lacroyx

Almost everyone that finds out I've lost are over 200 lbs are in awe, say I am a big inspiration and congratulate me. I genuinely feel flattered and thank them but honestly I'm "meh" about my 200 lb weight loss. My main motivation is for my fitness and physical health. I started because of type II diabetes. I also had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and I have a tiny bit of osteoarthritis in my right ankle which carrying around 500 lbs for most of my 20's didn't help . I was taking 6 different medications to control it all. I don't have to anymore. No longer diabetic and I am completely off all the meds. I feel great physically, emotionally I have much more self-confidence than I did in the past and I am starting to notice attention from the opposite sex now than ever before, I'm not forced to buy only online for clothing because I can find things my sizes in a store and though I've never cared about fashioned in the past, I kinda do now and that's partially because before, you just can't find anything that looks for for someone who's 3XL+ . It's a great feeling and I never want to go back.