Am I ready for maintenance?

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forevermaryb
forevermaryb Posts: 108 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I'm thinking about changing my goals to maintenance instead of loss. My goal weight is really just a number. I'm in a smaller size than I've ever been in my adult life, even though I'm not at the smallest weight I've been (I had gotten down to 138 pounds in a size 10). Since January I have lost +/-60 pounds. I went from a size 18 to mostly 8, with some 6 depending on the cut. I am 5'9" tall, 46 years old and at 146 pounds. I wanted to get to 142 to allow for a gain after increasing my calories. Since I don't really see where I need to lose anymore (and frankly, I am losing everywhere else but my bottom, which is where I want the weight to come off), but need to tone, I'm wondering if now is the time. However, holidays are coming and I'm having surgery to repair an abdominal hernia in early December, should I wait? I eat 1620 calories/day now and I work out 4-6 days a week (cardio, light weights due to the hernia). Any thoughts?

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  • skinnybythanksgiving
    skinnybythanksgiving Posts: 159 Member
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    You look great now, I don't think you need to lose anymore. Also I wouldn't want to go into that surgery on a calorie deficit. I would want to be maintaining and eating extremely healthy food. Good luck! :smile:
  • Sjenny5891
    Sjenny5891 Posts: 717 Member
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    I would bump it up to lose 1lb a week with the surgery comming up. How long will you be unable to exercise? You may find yourself gaining a pound or two while you heal anyway.

    Then I'd bump it up to maintain when I got back into a steady routine.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I think changing to maintenance over the holidays is a fine idea, especially as you're happy where you are right now. You can work on toning - a great goal until January. Then you can re-assess if you choose to.

    None of this has to be a permanent decision.
  • forevermaryb
    forevermaryb Posts: 108 Member
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    I would bump it up to lose 1lb a week with the surgery comming up. How long will you be unable to exercise? You may find yourself gaining a pound or two while you heal anyway.

    Then I'd bump it up to maintain when I got back into a steady routine.

    It's a fairly simple surgery, so a couple of days of no exercise, then I can resume cardio and add weights that don't involve my abdomen. It will take 4-6 weeks before abdominal exercises. My thought was a final push to go down as far as I can before surgery (or at least before Thanksgiving), but I really am quite thin everywhere except my butt (curses, genetics). I don't want to look unhealthy. The picture in my avatar is from a few months ago. I wonder if it would be better just to keep things as is until after surgery?? This is all so confusing.........
  • forevermaryb
    forevermaryb Posts: 108 Member
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    I think changing to maintenance over the holidays is a fine idea, especially as you're happy where you are right now. You can work on toning - a great goal until January. Then you can re-assess if you choose to.

    None of this has to be a permanent decision.

    Great point! I can always adapt as needed, I guess.

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