Why is Maintaining So Hard?

lindsey1979

I've heard it quite a lot on this site that maintaining is harder than losing the weight. Why is that? To me, it seems counterintuitive and that it should be easier -- as you get to eat more food. Do people just stop tracking and find out that their estimates aren't very good? Do they go back to their old ways and eat unhealthy food choices or just overeat generally?

I'd love to hear from people in maintenance, or have been in maintenance, in particular. I'm not there yet, but would like to better understand the challenges so I can be as best prepared as possible. And if some didn't find it harder, I'd like to hear about that too. Thanks!

SLLRunner

I've been in maintenance since since January of this year, and I've learned it;s all trial and error. I had a difficult time starting out because I kept losing weight even though I was eating those maintenance calories plus my cardio calories back. It took me a few months to mess with my calorie intake and I've been successfully maintaining within a plus or minus 3 to 4 calorie range for the last few months.

It's also important to remember that weight fluctuates and just because you're up a day or two does not mean you've gained fat. Fat appears over time.

norcalskater

Its not really hard. You get to eat more calories than you do when you were losing. I think people just stop tracking and fall back to their old ways. Some people gain 5 lbs of water and think it's fat. I just set my calories at 1850 even though my maintenance is 2100. It gives me room in case an entry or two isn't accurate. I've been maintaining the same weight for 3 months now. it jumps around 1-3 lbs but that's normal water retention.

lindsey1979

Good to hear from at least two people that don't think it's too hard, though it can be difficult initially to figure out your maintenance calories. Thanks for the feedback!

sublimelifeOG

I agree with the idea that people stop tracking. That is always a problem for me. I have a good idea of what and how much to eat (may be another problem for people who stop cold in tracking and don't understand how much to eat or what it really adds up to), but my problem is that I allow myself a few too many treats because I see/feel such a large buffer zone... but before you know it, they stack up to a ton of extra calories. My new plan is to stick to one treat meal a week. I only ever gain about 10 pounds max before I get back down, but I never stay at my goal weight very long. I usually hover for a while within about 3 pounds.

I think the root of it is complacency. I am happy with relaxing about my food and just keeping my eye on my weight so I know to buckle down when I begin to get off track, before it gets out of hand.

soxobsessed

I have been maintaining for a year, at first I gained a bit and realized I needed a lower calorie count to help me maintain. Once you figure that out it is pretty easy

fatfudgery

Maintenance is not hard. If anything, it's easier than eating to lose weight, since you get to eat a bit more calories. Sure, you can make it hard by eating a lot of filling, low-calorie foods ("I just can't eat all my calories! Too much food! Still losing weight! HALP!") or by going back to not watching what you eat ("I'm gaining weight! I'm not eating bad stuff, I swear! HALP!") but with a little common sense and some patience to fine-tune things, it's an easy transition.

KateK8LoseW8

Maintenance is boring, quite frankly. Weight loss, while difficult, is exciting. Your body is improving, you get new clothes, you see that number on the scale - you feel awesome! Maintenance is just...the same. There's no immediate, tangible reward for your effort like seeing the number drop. Which is why I think setting feasible fitness goals is so very important to keep the lifestyle going. Get those tangible reward moments by smashing weight or distance or speed records - you'll want to eat properly to help you get there too!

I_Will_End_You

I don't find it difficult.

indianarunner76

Maintenance has been much easier. Consistency is the key. I still track and enjoy whatever I want in moderation. Love it

jlahorn

It's hard for me because my maintenance calories are still really low. I have been maintain around 1450 for the last year. I've tried adding more, but I start gaining. It's hard to grapple with the fact that, for the rest of my life, I can only really afford to have one delicious and satisfying meal per week. Only one day a week can I afford to have one or two glasses of wine. I love food, and I really miss feeling like I could just enjoy meals on a regular basis.

When you're losing weight, it feels like there might be an end in sight - like you'll get to your goal weight, and then you can just eat reasonably well, not fall back into old habits, and be fine. Maybe that's true for 6' tall 25-year-old males, but it's sure as hell not true for me.

If I sound cranky, it's because I am. I went to one impromptu happy hour this week, and that now means that I don't have room in the calorie budget to order anything but fish and steamed vegetables when I go out to dinner at a great local restaurant on Saturday. This is some serious bulls....

Thanks for asking

bcattoes

I'm sure there are varying reasons, but for me the big one is just the fact that it is maintenance. During weight loss there are goals to meet and celebrations when those goals are met. People comment on how great you look and how impressed they are with your progress. You don't hear "Great job on not gaining the weight back." nearly as often.

It's easy to let the weight creep slowly back up, and then after a few years, you realize you need to start losing again.

And by "you", I mean me.

Strokingdiction

A lot of people don't make a gradual change in their eating habits. They go from eating, for example, 2500 calories a day to 1200 calories a day. They hit their goal and go back to old ways of eating because they didn't teach themselves long term, new habits. I think this is probably one of the more prevalent reasons that people have a hard time maintaining.

lindsey1979

Well, I'm glad to hear that some have not found it to be harder than losing, though I appreciate the points about psychological goals, changing habits and lower overall calories.

lemurcat12

Maintenance is boring, quite frankly. Weight loss, while difficult, is exciting. Your body is improving, you get new clothes, you see that number on the scale - you feel awesome! Maintenance is just...the same. There's no immediate, tangible reward for your effort like seeing the number drop. Which is why I think setting feasible fitness goals is so very important to keep the lifestyle going. Get those tangible reward moments by smashing weight or distance or speed records - you'll want to eat properly to help you get there too!

This was exactly my experience. When I lost 60 lbs before, I basically enjoyed it, and afterwards I maintained for several years by focusing on various cardio goals--pushing myself to run faster or bike farther, etc., rather than losing weight (I also stopped weighing myself and figured that knowing my clothes fit would be sufficient). At some point I got burnt out with the cardio and quit for the winter and gradually started to regain. There was more to it, but those were the basics, so even though it's quite far from now I'm trying to approach this with the idea that I'm never going to be finished, that there will always be goals for improving my fitness and body comp and all that to work toward, but just to vary them so I don't get bored or burnt out.

Koldnomore

One of the biggest reasons I would think would be losing weight too quickly and never actually learning HOW to eat properly. So people get to their goal weights but now they have to learn how to stay there. This is the biggest reason I encourage people to lose weight in a sustainable way.

Losing weight via massive deficits (either VLCD or not eating back exercise) sets people up for metabolic slowdown via adaptation. So you get to your goal faster, but then you can't eat anything because your metabolism has slowed down so much to compensate for the lack of food during the 'diet'. For this person maintenance will suck..

For individuals who learn to eat within a reasonable deficit and who have added some activity and fuel their bodies appropriately maintenance isn't too hard. I'm to the point where I may as well be in maintenance (losing about 1 lb/month while lifting heavy) and I don't find it tough at all. I'm eating somewhere between 2000-2400 on most days - that's a good thing! I can quite happily eat like this for a long time. Sure I'd like to eat more (I LOVE FOOD) but this is doable.

frankizoy

Its not really hard. You get to eat more calories than you do when you were losing. I think people just stop tracking and fall back to their old ways. Some people gain 5 lbs of water and think it's fat.

i agree with this

LoraF83

I've basically been maintaining for a year (with a +/- 5lb fluctuation). It's not hard to maintain. You just have to recognize that you can't eat like you did when you were fat and that you need to eat a little more than when you were cutting. Find that balance and go with it.

arrseegee

I think the hard thing is the realisation that this is how you need to live your life from now on. Weight loss is arguably easier because once you've managed to get your head around the calories in vs calories out equation it is relatively easy to lose weight and be continually excited that it's working. Maintenance isn't so exciting, you no longer get the thrill of having got closer to your goal weight and you also no longer get to look forward to when you finally get to up your calories to maintain. For me this is why exercise is so important because as well as improving/maintaining fitness you get to eat more.

Maintenance will be very difficult if someone has the mindset that they're done with weight loss and done with having to be careful. That's when it's easy to slip back into old patterns and gain again, and I think for some people who haven't actually changed their diets to a healthy or sustainable way of living then they kind of give up because it's going to be too hard to be constantly vigilant. As we all know a diet consisting of fruit and vegetables, high fibre carbohydrates and protein sources that haven't been bastardised by deep-frying or calorie-laden sauces allows you to eat a far bigger volume than if you were to eat mainly processed foods.

Particularly for ex yoyo dieters it can be a bit of a downer to actually see what an average calorie intake should look like. I think many people actually have no idea how much is appropriate until they count calories - me included.

I think having another goal or something to work towards when you reach maintenance is really useful. For me it's running, which has the added benefit of earning me more calories to eat as well as requiring me to be eating sensibly so I can get the most out of my training.

lindsey1979

Thank you for all your thoughts. It's very encouraging that so many people have found maintenance easy and/or manageable, and that not everyone finds it harder than actually losing the weight (but how it can be for certain people depending on how they lost the weight or how they're managing their lifestyle).

eryquem

It's hard for me because my maintenance calories are still really low. I have been maintain around 1450 for the last year. I've tried adding more, but I start gaining. It's hard to grapple with the fact that, for the rest of my life, I can only really afford to have one delicious and satisfying meal per week. Only one day a week can I afford to have one or two glasses of wine. I love food, and I really miss feeling like I could just enjoy meals on a regular basis.

When you're losing weight, it feels like there might be an end in sight - like you'll get to your goal weight, and then you can just eat reasonably well, not fall back into old habits, and be fine. Maybe that's true for 6' tall 25-year-old males, but it's sure as hell not true for me.

If I sound cranky, it's because I am. I went to one impromptu happy hour this week, and that now means that I don't have room in the calorie budget to order anything but fish and steamed vegetables when I go out to dinner at a great local restaurant on Saturday. This is some serious bulls....

Thanks for asking

Would it be possible to add more exercise to the mix? I don't know if you're exercising at all right now, but you could add getting to eat another 300 - 500 calories a day could be very worth spending 30-45 minutes/day exercising.

albayin

I've been in maintenance since since January of this year, and I've learned it;s all trial and error. I had a difficult time starting out because I kept losing weight even though I was eating those maintenance calories plus my cardio calories back. It took me a few months to mess with my calorie intake and I've been successfully maintaining within a plus or minus 3 to 4 calorie range for the last few months.

It's also important to remember that weight fluctuates and just because you're up a day or two does not mean you've gained fat. Fat appears over time.

I wish I had that problem of "keep losing weight eating at maintenance". sigh....

albayin

I have been maintaining for past decade, unvolunteerly...I wanted to lose weight but it turned out no matter what did, my weight just pops back to the same at the end...:(

ShannonMpls

I've been maintaining a 133-pound loss within a 5 pound range for almost two years. I weigh a few times a month, and I've been below and above my range but that never lasts long. I always feel like a smug jerk when I post this, but I'll say it: maintenance is easy for me.*

While I was losing weight, I wasn't one of those people who kept dropping calories until I was eating 1200. I actually increased cals as I went along, so when the time came to maintain, all I had to do was eat a little more. And for me, this means I stick to a deficit M-Th, and eat at an unlogged or partially-logged surplus F-Sun. If I find that my weight is going up a bit (and I can tell by how my jeans fit, not necessarily the scale), I log one or two weekend days at maintenance for a couple weeks. It helps that I never "went on a diet". Instead, I decided that my old way of living was not allowing me to be as healthy or happy as I deserved to be, and I made changes that I intended to hang onto forever. I don't know that I'll log my food forever, but with no diet to go off of, maintenance wasn't really a big shift for me. Just a little more beer and pizza

I still exercise the same way I did when I was losing weight, but I relax a bit - instead of religiously lifting weights full body three times a week, I'll go through spurts of 4-5 days a week of split lifting. or if I'm into running or a group ex cardio class, I'll relax lifting down to 2-3 times a week. If it's a nice day, I'll go on a long walk instead. I'm flexible. I do what I *like* in terms of exercise.

Shifting to maintenance was a bit of an adjustment as I missed the accolades and pride of seeing the scale drop, but now my pride comes from different things: choosing not to eat a cookie I don't really want during a boring meeting; lifting more than I did last month; running a half marathon.

My biggest motivator for staying this weight is how much more fun my life is now. I love being active. I love shopping at any store I want. I liked my life before, but I am so much happier now and this "lifestyle" I created while losing weight, while occasionally difficult, is so flipping worth it.

So...maintenance isn't really harder or easier than losing weight for me; both were pretty simple, actually. Both have challenges, both have rewards, but really they're the same: continuing habits that lead to a healthier body and, for me, happier life.




* For now. My lifestyle allows me to maintain habits that I find essential to maintenance. If I become sick, have a horrible stressor occur in my life, or some other event that requires me to radically alter how I currently live, maintenance likely won't be so easy.

Iwishyouwell

Because, for a lot of people, it's much easier to take on a major quest and then ride off into an easy, happily ever after.

Except it doesn't work like that. In weight loss, the quest is ever going. And a lot of people can't deal with the fact that they'll, on some level, have to be mindful of what they eat for the rest of their lives.

Also reaching a goal body can easily deceive a person into thinking they're "normal", and they then start to eat like other "normal", always thinner people. If feels like some kind of freedom, to finally be one of those people who seemingly eat what they like, and still remain thin. A lot of people fall into this trap. I know I once did.

jenilla1

I've been in maintenance for over three years and I find that it's super easy for me. I just keep logging and MFP just keeps working like a charm...:drinker:

csy108

It's hard for me because my maintenance calories are still really low. I have been maintain around 1450 for the last year. I've tried adding more, but I start gaining.

Weight training might help you build some lean muscle and let you (force you?) to eat more calories. I don't think you need to be a bodybuilder for this to happen. I've been lifting weights for only 15-20 minutes a day three days a week for the past three weeks. I already feel stronger and have noticeably increased muscle mass. I'm a 31yo male so I'm sure that's a big plus, but it's all proportional. If you could strength train enough to eat 100 to 200 calories more per day it'd be worth it, right?

lizzy00125

I've been in maintenance mode for about 2 years now. I don't find it difficult. The hardest part for me was to trust my serving sizes. I stopped using my digital kitchen scale. The only reason why I started counting calories and measuring again is because I plan to do a competition in July. It is all about remembering what normal serving sizes are and to not overindulge. It is fine to go out to dinner and really enjoy a high calorie meal but you have to remember that can't happen every meal nor can it happen every day. Everything in moderation.

csy108

A lot of people don't make a gradual change in their eating habits. They go from eating, for example, 2500 calories a day to 1200 calories a day. They hit their goal and go back to old ways of eating because they didn't teach themselves long term, new habits. I think this is probably one of the more prevalent reasons that people have a hard time maintaining.

The craziest thing to me is I look at what I'm eating, 1800-1900 calories a day, and I keep thinking that this is totally doable but that it's going to be hard when I lose some weight and have to start reducing my calories even further.

But then I look at a TDEE calculator, and I see that with the same physical activity (slightly active), height, and next year's age, but at a healthy weight (by BMI), waist size and body fat %, my maintenance will actually be almost 200 calories more per day than what I'm eating now. That's CRAAAAZY to me and I will believe it when I see it. And I can't wait to see it.

lisansc

Sometimes your life changes and that makes maintaining very difficult. I lost 50 pounds and kept it off for a year, then I quit smoking and quickly gained 15 pounds....working on those now

emmawatts22

bumping for later