Maintenance Thread

MacMadame

I was still losing at the suggested 1670 maintenance calories, so I changed my profile to active rather than lightly active, so I have 1810 to play with.

I had to change mine to the highest activity level to get it to give me enough calories. I would have turned into skin and bones on what MFP suggested. (And, to be fair, lots of other places that just use a formula to calculate BMI.)

You have to go with reality. All these numbers are just estimates. If you are still losing on a certain calorie level, up it by 100-200 and then wait a few weeks to see what happens. If you are still losing after a few weeks, up it some more.

Robin1117

Good morning everyone. I haven't posted in a little while either--where has the week gone? Anyway, kind of a bummer of a morning so far. Dealing w/computer and syncing problems w/my phone has kept me from stressing about eating and weight.

Now that I have given up trying to make the phone work, by reading threads here I'm attempting to lose my window of time for exercise today because I know I need a rest day, but do not want to take one. If I just spend 10 minutes writing this post....my time will be up!

I have been going through the same as all of you. Thinking about calorie level way too much. I have been exercising really well. Have been toning by doing the 30 day shred for the last 9 days, as well as the elliptical, snowshoeing, jump roping.... Eating really well. Looking in the mirror, thinking I look good and am safe to jump on the scale this morning to benchmark whether I can up my calorie level, I stupidly did, and it says I'm up 2 lbs. Now come on...I know I haven't gained weight--see this is why I typically try to stay away from scales. Maintenance is truly frustrating. I think about my MFP friends that can't wait to get to maintenance you just don't have the heart to tell them it's just as much of a mystery as losing, maybe even more. The bodybugg discussion a few posts back about the differences in calories burned from normal activity day to day is the perfect example of something not even in the equation that can affect us every day. We try our best to figure out what works, we test and learn, but then we need to relearn and retest...and retry.....Very frustrating.....

Well, that's my vent for the morning--thanks for listening. Hopefully I'll come back later in the week with a more constructive positive message!:ohwell:

take care all, Robin

barty

Hey!!!!! This morning I am back at Goal Weight of 119 pounds for the first time in what seems like ages :happy: :laugh: :happy:

pyro13g

I'm heading there soon. I'm in the lean up phase of my last Bulk/Lean cycle ever(barring injury or illness that makes me lose some muscle). Then it will be maintenance 8-12% body fat 24x7x365.

mia66

Hi everyone: I was looking for a thread for maintainance and found you. I would love to join you. I have lost my weight slowly over the past 13 months and never thought I would get to this weight. My goal was really just to eat healthy and loose a little bit but I have learned so much about food and exercise that it has totally changed my life. I do not want to loose any more and am having a struggle with the fact that I still have a couple areas on my body that I am not happy with. But if I loose more I will be to thin and that frightens me. So I am struggling with this on a personal level now and trying to accept myself as I am.
So I continue with my regular routine of exercise and follow a very healthy eating plan, and trying to focus on toning. I tell myself that I have to give myself time to really tone up. But I have been having days this month where I am feeling overwhelmed and have to be really strict to eat so I do not loose. This is a really hard transition for me, harder than loosing the weight.
My calories are 1700 per day and I eat my exercise calories as well.
My weight is 125 pounds and I dont want it to go down.
I weigh myself on Saturday mornings.
Thanks.
Mia.:flowerforyou:





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kath711

When I am on a diet, my body gets used to the calories and doesn't make me that hungry. As soon as I start eating a little more, something in my body wakes up and says "She's going to feed me again. Yeah! Let's tell her we're really hungry so we can eat, and eat, and eat." At least that's what it feels like. :laugh:

This was definitely what the 1st couple of days were like! Hopefully calming down now. I wonder, does it happen at every weight, or just when you've slimmed down?

I have been having the same problem. Also haven't posted in awhile, seemed to have lost motivation but getting back into it just this week. I really think it is harder in the winter. My body wants more comfort foods, soups, etc, and salads seem so cold

MacMadame

When I am on a diet, my body gets used to the calories and doesn't make me that hungry. As soon as I start eating a little more, something in my body wakes up and says "She's going to feed me again. Yeah! Let's tell her we're really hungry so we can eat, and eat, and eat." At least that's what it feels like. :laugh:

This was definitely what the 1st couple of days were like! Hopefully calming down now. I wonder, does it happen at every weight, or just when you've slimmed down?

I have been having the same problem. Also haven't posted in awhile, seemed to have lost motivation but getting back into it just this week. I really think it is harder in the winter. My body wants more comfort foods, soups, etc, and salads seem so cold

I think it's harder in the winter too.

Anyway, I don't really know what to do about the hunger issue. People are always telling me to "just listen to my body" but my body isn't always truthful! I do think exercise helps with this though.

So does keeping track so you know what is really going on. I remember last year at this time being frustrated because even though I thought I was eating less (and I was) to go along with exercising less, my weight still went up. But when I looked at the numbers, I could see that my net calories had creeped up during that time. So the reality of the numbers wasn't matching my perception.

Oishii

Sometimes I feel like God's trying to tell me something...

Having lost the last little bit of 'vanity' weight and said goodbye to my double chins, since Sunday, thanks to a wisdom tooth, I have the jawline of a hamster and can hardly get any food in.

Perhaps God is telling me to stop fussing about how I look and to be grateful for the food I eat.

Robin1117

[/quote]
I think it's harder in the winter too.

Anyway, I don't really know what to do about the hunger issue. People are always telling me to "just listen to my body" but my body isn't always truthful! I do think exercise helps with this though.

So does keeping track so you know what is really going on. I remember last year at this time being frustrated because even though I thought I was eating less (and I was) to go along with exercising less, my weight still went up. But when I looked at the numbers, I could see that my net calories had creeped up during that time. So the reality of the numbers wasn't matching my perception.
[/quote]

Macmadame--I agree with this and am going through this exercise too--I put on the numbers out there on a spreadsheet (from December until present...and will keep it going) to see the trend. It's so easy for the net numbers to creep up. I don't think I can do this maintaining w/out a diary log--I wish I could, but am thankful the tools are around to help us keep this weight off.

Welcome Mia and Pyro! Mori, the picture of you like a hamster cracks me up--so sorry about the wisdom tooth! Kath, I'm with you too--lots of stews and soups in this house. It doesn't help that I have a freezer-full of stew meats and tons of root veggies and potatoes to use up from our winter CSA.

Anyway, feeling better today than I did earlier this week....thankfully. Hope all of you are too!

Robin1117

Macmadame--I agree with what you said and am going through this exercise too--I put on the numbers out there on a spreadsheet (from December until present...and will keep it going) to see the trend. It's so easy for the net numbers to creep up. I don't think I can do this maintaining w/out a diary log--I wish I could, but am thankful the tools are around to help us keep this weight off.

Welcome Mia and Pyro! Mori, the picture of you like a hamster cracks me up--so sorry about the wisdom tooth! Kath, I'm with you too--lots of stews and soups in this house. It doesn't help that I have a freezer-full of stew meats and tons of root veggies and potatoes to use up from our winter CSA. Being a numbers person, I have such a hard time trying to quantify the calories in each serving too--I'm sure I'm loading up on more than I think I am.

Anyway, feeling better today than I did earlier this week....thankfully. Hope all of you are too!

RaeN81

I signed up for my first race! I am excited and nervous--especially for the swim portion. It's a short duathlon 300m swim and 3 km run. I only have a few more weeks to train. I wondered if anyone had an suggestions for the time I have left to train?

MacMadame

I'm so excited for you!

My advice is not to go too crazy training. It takes two weeks for fitness gains to be incorporated. So nothing you do in the two weeks before the race will make you faster for that race but it could hurt you (if you get sick, injured or just too tired). Just do your normal workouts and increase distance and intensity gradually.

Also think about what you need to do to feel comfortable racing. If you are swimming in open water in the race, be sure to do that at least once before the race. And practice transitions!

Oh and have fun. :happy:

Oishii

This week has been interesting!

With chewing being painful, I've only eaten what I really felt need of, and I've had no hunger pangs at all (except just before breakfast) and I've eaten around 1650ish calories per day. I suspect my activity levels are down, due to feeling awful, and I'm back at 55kg, my target weight (though it is TOM and I do seem to bloat then. Put my target back to 1690, as I nearly reach that each day, and I'll see how it goes.

DeeDeeLHF

Hi all,

Sorry to have been out of the loop a bit. Just super busy. Do you ever find you have to choose between catching up or exercising? This week I picked exercising. Today I am catching up.

I hear you on the not wanting to tell people that maintenance is so hard! But the truth is, I am just as confused and perplexed as I was before.

We were shopping yesterday for a dress for my daughter. I tried one of the dresses on and it looked amazing. I am still not sure why i didn't buy it. It was shorter and ended just above my knee but I still hate my legs!!:grumble:

As for body parts I don't like. That is the truth here but I don't think losing more weight is going to help me. I need to just focus on toning. As for loose skin, surgery would be my only hope and that is NOT an option. So it comes down to vanity. I want to look HOT! :laugh: :laugh: But I am 46, so maybe those days just need to be over and I need to just focus on healthy. My poor husband. I look so much better with clothes on. :laugh: :laugh:

I hate logging everything as well and wish I could just be a free spirit listening to my body. But that is not reality. Yesterday, I ate a bit more because I was really hungry. I didn't count the 3 hours of walking our huge mall as exercise but based on my hunger level, it must have burned more than I am thinking.

Let's just keep going!!! and let's just keep accepting!!

mia66

Hi: I have been reading some of your posts and it is nice to hear that I am not alone in these struggles. I have found that having a cheat meal once a week really helps me keep motivated. I can eat something that I really might be craving and I allow myself to go over my calories by about 300 calories that day ( I call it my pig out day ).
I do also find that some days I am truely more hungry and will allow myself something extra, usually something higher in protein helps me with this, sometimes a glass of milk will do. I dont go to bed hungry or I will not be able to sleep.
I maintained my weight this week (124.6 lbs) and I am going to continue maintaining this month and probably next, but I think I want to put on a couple of pounds soon after that. My face looks thin. It is really hard to change directions and plan to gain a little. I want to see how I feel at this weight for a little bit and adjust to it before moving up gradually.
Still working on toning and going to try some new challenges in the spring and join bootcamp with my gym. I work out on a regular basis but find that It keeps me motivated if I find new challenges. I ran last Summer -Fall and plan on continuing this.
Thanks for this thread.
Mia:bigsmile:

Oishii

So... We went to a Japanese restaurant, and having kept to my calories all week, I thought I should indulge a bit, but I couldn't! My tummy felt funny and now I wonder, was it psychological or physical? Has my stomach shrunk, am I ill, or am I just so keen to stay this weight that I'm sabotaging my own over-eating plans?

I was my 55 kg goal the whole time aunt flo was visiting, but dropped below once she'd gone. I've lost a lot up top this week too, without trying to lose anything.I've never continued to watch my weight after reaching my goal before, so this is all new. Any thoughts?

Oishii

Oops! Double post!

Robin1117

Good morning--how are all you fellow maintainers? hope all is well.

Things are ok here--still scratching my head trying to figure it all out. I have completed 2 weeks of the 30 day shred so that I can tone up, but of course not lose because my body just doesn't do that anymore. I didn't take measurements but think it is helping a little so far--the "love handle" part seems more streamlined and my waist just might be getting a little smaller.

I am still trying to determine optimum maintenance calories and unfortunately I do think it's around 1400 net. I feel like it should be higher, and MFP tells me it should be higher but I think I'll gain if I increase anymore. After the holidays I went down to around 1290 to get rid of a few lbs gained over Xmas. Well, that worked but then I went back up to 1450 range and I gained lb and a 1/2 since. I suppose I need to reserve judgement for another few weeks, but I was so hoping in a few weeks to be able to increase to the 15-1600 range. Sigh.... Anyway, I'm still exercising 6 hrs per week and add about 400 calories on average a day to the total calories.

Mori--it could be both--your stomach probably did shrink, but also I know if I'm trying to eat clean, it definitely ruins the appetite for anything you might consider a diet buster. Japanese food usually isn't something to worry about though....relatively good for you, right? I give myself free reign over whatever I want when I go out to dinner (because I really do only every 2 weeks on our date night....) and generally the overage in calories evens out by the end of the week. This helps me enjoy my date nights more than if I worry about every bite.

Dee, love the motto "keep going, keep accepting". So simple but so true to remember each day as we try to figure this out. I tend to keep going but it's the accepting part that is hard for me.

Mia, great job maintaining! it sounds like you have the right attitude--cutting yourself some slack when you need it and keeping up with toning. I try to be like that too--successful I think most of the time (except when I decide it's time to obsess! :laugh:

have a good day everyone!

barty

HAPPY VALENTINES EVERYONE

I am still at 119 pounds Yayyy (goal weight) lol and its six months on from reaching my Goal Weight so i'm very Happy :happy:

dmoses

I hope I'm not too late to join - I just found this thread! This is where I need to be! I lost my weight over the past year, and have been at my goal weight since October. I still find myself fretting over calories and beating myself up over missing a workout, but I hope I'm getting better about it. I like the idea of hearing what others in my situation are doing, how you are coping and maintaining. This has been the hardest part for me.
Thanks!