maintaining = harder than losing? still feel like i'm on a d

scarecrow41

There's a very good chance its water weight. Weight fluctuates not only week to week but day to day and hour by hour.

Keep eating at or around your maintenance...keep excercising, etc.

If I were you, I would spend the next couple of weeks not counting anything and see how it goes. Don't weigh yourself for two weeks, just eat what feels right, and see what happens.

I'm betting you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Rynatat

There is a bad word that's being used: "Diet". Please remember, this is not a diet, it's a new life, a new lifestyle, and a chance to rewrite your body's predisposed blue-print. It took me several months to see my first pound drop off, and a few more weeks to even see a change, but now that I'm almost there, I am so proud of myself for sticking with it. Once I reach goal, I plan on keeping up my lifestyle change, I enjoy waking up super early every workday morning to workout before work: I really enjoy waking up on a weekend thinking, well I'll just go work out for a bit before I start cleaning the house, doing laundry, running errands, etc. I enjoy looking at myself in the mirror thinking "I look better today in my mid 30's than I EVER did in my mid 20's!" And most of all, when we have kids (once we get married next year that's the next "goal" lol), I will be able to run and play with them and TV and game consoles will NOT be raising our kids! When they say, hey Mom can we go run, I'll be able to say yes! and keep up :happy:
I am not afraid of counting calories and watching what I put in my body: I am afraid of losing that self control and losing everything I have worked so hard for and watching it all tumble down. I've already promised myself that this is "4-Life" and I will keep this up: that doesn't mean I will not ever enjoy some things that are over my caloric allowances or richer than I would normally have: that means everything in moderation, and if totalling up my calories each day or most days keeps me in check, then I am HAPPY to do it, It means that when I am 60, I will look and feel great, I'll be able to see my Kids graduate, have kids of their own and still keep up with them!
Of course, anything can change in the next 5, 10, 20 years, though right now, I am here, living healthy, and enjoying it :happy:
Maybe a lot has to do with a mental change: I didn't used to like to exercise or eat right, it was like a chore and I viewed it that way. Now, I enjoy my morning workouts, especially since 1 of our 4 cats really enjoys his 0400-0500 time with "Mommy", helping me with my balance, core and resistance: I look forward to that as much as he does. I look forward to my fiance smiling when he sees me walking or discreetly pinching my backside: I look forward to so many more things now and I plan on keeping it this way, since this is the best feeling ever :flowerforyou:
Just remember what brought you here in the first place & what you really enjoy then see if you an incorporate it into your Lifestyle. (P.S. something like adding a Tai Chi or Yoga workout once a week seems to really improve overall energy, too )

I wish you best of luck on your Life Change - I know you can do this and keep up with it - look how far you've come already :flowerforyou:

Paige1108

I read somewhere on the MFP that once you are close to your goal weight, or ready to maintain you should start to add calories back slowly. This person recommended changing the "loss 2lbs/week" to "loss 1.5lbs/week" and eat there for a month and then "1lbs/week" for a month and so on. This person also said that if you just jump up to your maintenance calories you'll more than likely gain weight. I've already gone down to .5/week and when I reach my goal weight I'm going to increase my intake by 100 calories each month until I hit my maintenance calories. Just thought I would share my plan with you.

I'm sorry this phase of the journey is making you crazy. I hope you find the balance you're looking for.

Also don't assume those other people aren't obsessing about everything they put in their mouths. I don't know a single woman, and I have some seriously thin friends, who doesn't think about food and diet A LOT.