I've reached my goal weight, but it's hard to maintain

deb1207

I have been maintaining a 130 pound weight loss now for 2.5 years. I read the posts above, and lot of good information there. Truth I believe, is, that you don't know until you try, and watch and track: to see what combination of calories in, activities factored, work to maintain. I don't think maintenance sucks. I'm thrilled with the new body and all I can do: good biceps, a lot of energy, a good pulse, flexibility. No sweating, no huffing puffing. So my advice: try different calorie numbers, with different activities. For me, I track it and then I can see. I do exercise 2+ hours a day, though sometimes its just walking. Other days swimming lifting, elliptical, some combination. Its important too I think to figure out what foods satisfy you, not just physically but emotionally. If you eat stuff to maintain that you don't really like, won't work...

One other note: A major study in June 2012 came out about maintaining weight loss. In it they basically compared results for people who had lost weight, and who for 3 different months, ate different diets but had same activity level. Percentage wise there was a High Carb Month: 60 carb, 20 fat, 20 protein . A Low Glycemic Month -40 carb, 40 fat, 20 protein. And A (VHFLC) Very High Fat Low Carb Month: 60 Fat, 30 protein, 10 carb month. This was the result:

There was a range in how many calories a person could eat to maintain weight loss depending on type of diet. Example to show what I mean: Say a person could eat 1600 to maintain eating the "high carb" month. It was not the same when the diet switched. For the 40 40 20 low glycemic month, the person could eat 1726 to maintain. And for the very High Fat Low Carb month , the person could eat 1926. I am not advocating any particular diet, but just showing that even calories can vary based on type of food one eats.