Frustrated with Maintenance

sshintaku

Ok, I found losing weight easy. I work out every day, I watch my calories (1300 or so), ate part of my exercise calories, splurged sometimes, and I lost 14ishs lbs - below my original goal of 130. I'm supposed to maintain at around 1800 calories.

SO NOW, I'm finding maintenance ridiculously complicated. I read up on all the "how do I do this" threads here, and I'm like, "ok, easy." I slowly started to up my calories from 1300 to 1400-1500, still eating part of my exercise calories. I continued to work out. I continued to lose. So again, I'm like, well, this is easy, I need to eat more so I'll just eat back all my exercise calories. Still eating about 1400-1500 calories average, with a splurge on the weekend (400-500 over). Not going over my weekly calorie allowance.

Now, I've gained three lbs - not a lot, but when you've only lost 14, its a lot. Yes, I know, glycogen, blah blah. But, I was eating all the same types of things, and I've barely upped my calories so this doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I feel like I'm constantly yo-yoing between losing and gaining. Is this maintenance?

My weight loss was more or less consistent, so I'm used to consistent numbers. This bouncing around is making me nuts.

summer8it

I think the majority of us in maintenance have accepted that we're not maintaining one firm weight, but keeping our weight within a certain range. For me, it's a 4 pound range, and I adjust my calorie goal if I go above or beneath that weight range.

If you were constantly going up and down 15 pounds, that would be yo-yoing, but if you're fluctuating in a range of 5lbs or so, it's totally normal.

sijomial

Up or down 3lbs is in range of a normal daily fluctuation. I've gained 8lbs in a weekend!

If you expect your weight to be the same every day then yes, you will be making yourself nuts.

lizzardsm

Did you eat 10,500 (3500 x 3) calories over maintenance? If not, then you did not gain 3lbs. You are still at a deficit at 1400-1500 calories.

You've been very lucky to have had really linear weight loss. It's ok. It will come off in a few days. Just drink lots of water.

sshintaku

Ugh. I hate these answers I weigh weekly - shouldn't that be more consistent? I mean, I know I'm going to weigh more a day or two after I eat fried rice for dinner, but after that's out of my system, shouldn't it be a more similar figure?

BinaryPulsar

I think the majority of us in maintenance have accepted that we're not maintaining one firm weight, but keeping our weight within a certain range. For me, it's a 4 pound range, and I adjust my calorie goal if I go above or beneath that weight range.

If you were constantly going up and down 15 pounds, that would be yo-yoing, but if you're fluctuating in a range of 5lbs or so, it's totally normal.

Yeah, when maintaining there will always be small fluctuations like this. Maybe you just didn't notice it when you were losing because the scale was always going down, and never stayed at one place. If your weight was dropping, then it's not possible your weight was always staying steady.

lizzardsm

Ugh. I hate these answers I weigh weekly - shouldn't that be more consistent? I mean, I know I'm going to weigh more a day or two after I eat fried rice for dinner, but after that's out of my system, shouldn't it be a more similar figure?

No. You've been very lucky. It's normal weight fluctuations.

As long as you don't really freak out, it may be a useful exercise to weigh in daily and record in a spreadsheet. You'll get used to seeing your weight fluctuate up and down.

sshintaku

Did you eat 10,500 (3500 x 3) calories over maintenance? If not, then you did not gain 3lbs. You are still at a deficit at 1400-1500 calories.

You've been very lucky to have had really linear weight loss. It's ok. It will come off in a few days. Just drink lots of water.

Good point. I definitely didn't eat THAT much in my dinner out.

I guess my frustration stems from the fact that I still seem to be eating at quite a deficit, yet instead of losing like I had been previously, I gained. I'm worried that if I really ate my maintenance and exercise calories the way I'm SUPPOSED to be able to, I would put the weight all right back on.

cwolfman13

Up or down 3lbs is in range of a normal daily fluctuation. I've gained 8lbs in a weekend!

If you expect your weight to be the same every day then yes, you will be making yourself nuts.

pretty much this^^^

your weight isn't going to be static...you aren't going to way exactly XXX Lbs, that's impossible...you're going to have a range. On average I weigh around 183...but I can weigh in as much as 186 and dip as low as 180 at times. Literally, yesterday morning I was 181 and this morning I was 183.6...it's normal.

sijomial

Why would weekly weighing be more consistent? That makes no sense, you won't have a clue if your weekly weigh in is on a high day or a low day (or even one of each!).

You need to think longer term rather than over-reacting to each number on your scale.
If you know what calories you ate to lose weight and how fast you lost that weight then you will be able to work out a very close estimate of what your eventual maintenance numbers will be.

BinaryPulsar

Ugh. I hate these answers I weigh weekly - shouldn't that be more consistent? I mean, I know I'm going to weigh more a day or two after I eat fried rice for dinner, but after that's out of my system, shouldn't it be a more similar figure?

You need to be comfortable with slight variation to be happy. Your weight is muscle, fat, bones, food, constant water weight fluctuations, your internal organs, all kinds of stuff. It doesn't matter how much or how little weight you lost. I lost less than ten pounds because I accept that there have always been and always will be fluctuations. Maybe I lost 10 pounds, maybe I lost 5 pounds. It doesn't matter. I'm happy with how I look. I pay attention to my weight fluctuating in a 2 or 3 pound range. So, my weight is either 98 to 100 (if I accidentally lose a little or have mild dehydration from drinking alcohol the night before), or 100 to 102 (this is my usual weight), or 102 to 104 (if I gain a pound). It's never just one number. And it will fluctuate between 98 to 104, without stressing me out. My weight is low because I'm petite and small framed. I've always maintained my weight and never gained more than 10 pounds tops (other than pregnancy, but even then I only personally gained 20 pounds tops to my actual body).

AlwaysInMotion

Iv'e been in "maintenance mode" for nearly 10 years. I got fed up after Year 5 or so, stopped logging completely, and started gaining back about 5 lb a year for the next 5 years. (Had a lot of other stuff going on, but I hate excuses so I won't lean on them here!) So now I'm working on losing that regain, luckily it's falling off because we are now all pros at this, amiright? Trust me, it doesn't pile back on that quickly (assuming you don't completely abandon the program).

So that's the trick. Don't completely abandon the program. You can ease up, but you still have to be accountable. Weighing weekly is OK. I'd also recommend measuring yourself. A body fat impedance device will also help you track where your body fat is heading (up or down). If your exercise levels change (even week to week) that will alter your maintenance calorie level, so you will need to be honest with yourself about how active you are and tailor your diet accordingly, week to week. << I think this is a big gotcha for most maintainers. We know how to eat, but sometimes we aren't as active... but keep eating like we are.

I know that's not a "do this, don't do this, here's the magic number" type post, but it's the sanest advice I have for you. Good luck. You got this, so don't let minor fluctuations get you turned upside down.

sshintaku

Iv'e been in "maintenance mode" for nearly 10 years. I got fed up after Year 5 or so, stopped logging completely, and started gaining back about 5 lb a year for the next 5 years. (Had a lot of other stuff going on, but I hate excuses so I won't lean on them here!) So now I'm working on losing that regain, luckily it's falling off because we are now all pros at this, amiright? Trust me, it doesn't pile back on that quickly (assuming you don't completely abandon the program).

So that's the trick. Don't completely abandon the program. You can ease up, but you still have to be accountable. Weighing weekly is OK. I'd also recommend measuring yourself. A body fat impedance device will also help you track where your body fat is heading (up or down). If your exercise levels change (even week to week) that will alter your maintenance calorie level, so you will need to be honest with yourself about how active you are and tailor your diet accordingly, week to week. << I think this is a big gotcha for most maintainers. We know how to eat, but sometimes we aren't as active... but keep eating like we are.

I know that's not a "do this, don't do this, here's the magic number" type post, but it's the sanest advice I have for you. Good luck. You got this, so don't let minor fluctuations get you turned upside down.

This is quite helpful. Thank you.

BinaryPulsar

It's possible your metabolism is low because you were eating low calories for a while. So, it may be a slow process of building your metabolism back up again. Maybe other people have advice about that. When you increase your calories, you will experience weight fluctuations and then settle in at the right weight for you. It's normal to have a few steps back and forwards until you settle in at the best weight for your body.

brynnsmom

It would be really difficult to weigh in at the exact same number every single time. I had to learn this myself and it's been a relief! I would actually agree that maintenance is a constant fluctuation of a few pounds. It's when you start to maintain at the high end consistently, or when allow your acceptable "high end" number to increase, that you need to be concerned. I don't weigh myself terribly often because I do tend to eat more calories on the weekend, and then more moderately during the week when I'm in more of a routine. I know on a Monday I've probably "gained three pounds." Best advice I have is to keep tracking your calories, stay active, and just track your data over time and make changes if needed.

spoiledpuppies

The three pounds could really just be from glycogen even though you only lost 14 overall. Basically when we go into a deficit, our body uses the available glycogen as fuel until it runs out. Then it turns to fat. This doesn't matter if someone ultimately loses 100 pounds or 10 pounds--of course with a caveat that there are exceptions to everything.

So maybe just keep being reasonable with the calories and see if things level out. (You've probably also seen posts about people losing a bit more than they need/want to so that when this glycogen bounce happens, they're still happy with their maintenance number. If a particular number is important to you--lower than you are now--you might to lose a bit more still.)

Graelwyn75

Weight fluctuates. Deal with it. I am having to learn to, and it has had me in silly tears of frustration a few times. One evening I was 131, next I was up to 132, then I shot up to almost 134 after a pizza, even though I had been within calories. Next day, it was down again. So many things impact weight from day to day and it would be very difficult to keep a steady number. I suggest weighing daily, with a certain detachment, charting it, and then you will see how it works, and what causes the larger fluctuations. You could also go a few Ibs lower so that the fluctuations upwards will not take you above your comfort zone.

MsSweetLime

Exact-a-mundo. What BinaryPulsar said. Your metabolism has slowed down because your calories are low/in a deficit. You said in the beginning of your post that you increased your calories from 1,300 to 1,400 kcal, and then to 1,500. You're definitely on the right track with what your trying to do (adding calories back in slowly), but I think it would be better to increase your calories even slower. Start with your carbs... add in between 5-10 grams and gradually increase the same amount over a slow transition. The slower you go, the better it will be in the long run. However long you've been dieting, keep in mind it may take the same amount of time, if not longer to get your metabolism back up to speed. This part of the diet is where a lot of people make the mistake of stopping their diet cold-turkey and go back to their old eating habits while their metabolism is low. Like I mentioned before, you're doing the right thing and not making that mistake, maybe just adjust the amount you increase and take your time with it.

It's important not to be so fixed on the scale. Everybody posting is right in the sense that there are numerous contributing factors to weight fluctuation. Maybe you just weighed yourself on a day when were more hydrated? Etc... As long as you're continuing to be mindful of your eating habits and body composition, you're gonna do great. Remember to be kind to yourself. Seriously, it may sound corny but I discovered it was important after I made the mistake of being almost neurotic with my weight and progress. The more fun and relaxed you are with this transition, the more your body with thank you.

Much luck and keep up the great work!

WAHMto5

I think the majority of us in maintenance have accepted that we're not maintaining one firm weight, but keeping our weight within a certain range. For me, it's a 4 pound range, and I adjust my calorie goal if I go above or beneath that weight range.

If you were constantly going up and down 15 pounds, that would be yo-yoing, but if you're fluctuating in a range of 5lbs or so, it's totally normal.

I have been at maintenance for a little over a year now and at first I was struggling with the same thing you are. I have learned to exactly live by the post above! It was hard at first as I always wanted to see that magic number on the scale but have learned over time to step away from the scale as much and go on how my body feels. If I start getting towards that 4-5 lb range up, I really start watching and it always comes back down;)

sfbaumgarten

Don't know if this will make you feel any better, but take a look at my profile. I have my weekly weigh ins recorded since I've been in maintenance. My weight initially shot up a few pounds, I just kept on keepin' on, and it finally settled down after the first 10 weeks and I've stayed under goal ever since. Since my weight has come back down, I've been eating ALL of my exercise calories and have even been considering upping my calorie goal (currently 1700) because I'm still losing.

When my weight was back above goal, it was REALLY hard mentally to stay the course. I wanted to immediately kick things back into weight loss mode, but I decided to stick it out and it worked out in my favor.