Can't get myself into maintenance mindset.

aserranzana16

So...I hit my goal weight about 2 weeks ago and attempted to gradually transition back to maintenance calories. Almost immediately, I found myself reverting back to bad habits in a BIG way - snacking, drinking, not being as diligent with my workouts, etc. Although I haven't stepped on a scale in about a week, I can feel some weight already creeping back on, and it's totally discouraging.

I'm not sure why the maintenance mindset is so difficult! I did so well and was SO disciplined in weight loss mode. I'd be interested to hear about how others get themselves in the right mindset to maintain...

salvyhead

Maintenance tends to be more difficult than losing, IMHO, so you're not alone in your frustration. Others have made this observation as well. I go with my wife's advice: think of how hard you worked to lose the weight. Why tear down what you worked so hard to build?

I can't remember who but recently somebody wrote - it's like putting a $10,000 addition on your house. Then, the minute you get the C.O., you start tearing it down. Doesn't make sense there - doesn't make sense for your bod, either.

Good luck and keep the faith. -S

goldfinger88

That is exactly why calorie counting does not work, diets do not work. That's why people lose their weight and then gain it all back plus a ton more. You have to learn to eat the right way all the time and to eat the right amount all the time and you need to do it without tracking calories or going on some fad diet or calorie restriction. Good luck.

einzweidrei

I find "calorie counting" to work fine for me---but I take in at least 2K/day, still log (food and exercise), eat back my exercise calories and don't even hardcore exercise. Never did.

Are you still logging? Honestly, for maintenance to work, you have to stay disciplined. I definitely ate at a deficit when I was losing but I never eliminated foods---I still haven't and I just try to stay at maintenance calories. For those who don't log---well, they usually learn to eyeball or get a feel for portion sizes. I do A LOT of snacking so that's not what works for me so I still log.

cwolfman13

The only difference between maintenance and losing is a few hundred calories. Nutrition and fitness have to become a part of you and what you do...nutrition and fitness go far beyond just losing weight...losing weight just brings you to the starting line of the actual race...that race lasts a lifetime. Your nutrition and fitness and overall health and well being are life long endeavors...there is no finish line...you are done when they put you in the ground. That is what most fail to realize...reaching goal weight is simply the beginning.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

For me maintenance has been about three things:

1.) When I was losing weight I never changed anything that I couldn't live with forever. I didn't cut out any foods. I still went out with friends.
2.) I still log. It's been about 18 months since I reached goal weight. I continue to log pretty much every day. There may be a point where that's not necessary but right now I still think it is.
3.) I have new goals. I started lifting and running, and actively trying to build muscle/lower my body fat percentage. The new goals gave me something new to focus on, because it's just not as exciting getting on the scale to see the number stay the same as it was to see the number going down.

jenilla1

That is exactly why calorie counting does not work, diets do not work. That's why people lose their weight and then gain it all back plus a ton more. You have to learn to eat the right way all the time and to eat the right amount all the time and you need to do it without tracking calories or going on some fad diet or calorie restriction. Good luck.

That may be your experience, but it is not mine. I've always exercised and eaten "the right way" and I've never been overweight, but as I've aged my weight started creeping up. Nothing about my eating or exercise habits had noticeably changed. Unless I pay attention and track my calories, I don't know for sure how much I'm really consuming. I can guess, but guesstimating doesn't work for me. MFP is a great tool for making sure I stay healthy rather than creeping up as the years go by.

I have been on maintenance successfully for over 3 years now and I still log my calories - except for holidays and special occasions. It's super easy and it works, so why not do it? I brush my teeth every day (and that's a healthy habit), so I think I can handle taking 5 minutes to log after I've checked my email every night. Nothing unsustainable about that. I agree that fad diets and super restrictive plans aren't sustainable, but logging calories absolutely works. In fact, I find maintenance to be easier than weight loss.

kwantlen2051

The only difference between maintenance and losing is a few hundred calories. Nutrition and fitness have to become a part of you and what you do...nutrition and fitness go far beyond just losing weight...losing weight just brings you to the starting line of the actual race...that race lasts a lifetime. Your nutrition and fitness and overall health and well being are life long endeavors...there is no finish line...you are done when they put you in the ground. That is what most fail to realize...reaching goal weight is simply the beginning.

Yes, thank you for this.

_Terrapin_

So...I hit my goal weight about 2 weeks ago and attempted to gradually transition back to maintenance calories. Almost immediately, I found myself reverting back to bad habits in a BIG way - snacking, drinking, not being as diligent with my workouts, etc. Although I haven't stepped on a scale in about a week, I can feel some weight already creeping back on, and it's totally discouraging.

I'm not sure why the maintenance mindset is so difficult! I did so well and was SO disciplined in weight loss mode. I'd be interested to hear about how others get themselves in the right mindset to maintain...

Maintenance is about consistency and trying to challenge yourself. Keep logging, and keep putting challenges in front of yourself.

aserranzana16

I find "calorie counting" to work fine for me---but I take in at least 2K/day, still log (food and exercise), eat back my exercise calories and don't even hardcore exercise. Never did.

Are you still logging? Honestly, for maintenance to work, you have to stay disciplined. I definitely ate at a deficit when I was losing but I never eliminated foods---I still haven't and I just try to stay at maintenance calories. For those who don't log---well, they usually learn to eyeball or get a feel for portion sizes. I do A LOT of snacking so that's not what works for me so I still log.

I'm still logging as diligently as I was when I was losing weight, but for some reason, it's not having the same deterrent effect as it did when I was in loss mode.

aserranzana16

For me maintenance has been about three things:

1.) When I was losing weight I never changed anything that I couldn't live with forever. I didn't cut out any foods. I still went out with friends.
2.) I still log. It's been about 18 months since I reached goal weight. I continue to log pretty much every day. There may be a point where that's not necessary but right now I still think it is.
3.) I have new goals. I started lifting and running, and actively trying to build muscle/lower my body fat percentage. The new goals gave me something new to focus on, because it's just not as exciting getting on the scale to see the number stay the same as it was to see the number going down.

You've maintained for 18 months? You're my hero, that's discipline.

I definitely think setting new goals might help. I think I experienced a bit of...depression? once I hit my goal weight. Like, oh, I did it, now what?

whitebalance

When you were losing, you had a goal to work toward. Just maintaining your weight is a hard thing to keep your focus on... set new goals and challenges. It could be running or cycling distance/speed/duration, increases in weight on a given lift, taking up a new sport, hitting all your macro/micronutrient targets within your calorie limit... practically anything... find yourself something to work for that interests you.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

For me maintenance has been about three things:

1.) When I was losing weight I never changed anything that I couldn't live with forever. I didn't cut out any foods. I still went out with friends.
2.) I still log. It's been about 18 months since I reached goal weight. I continue to log pretty much every day. There may be a point where that's not necessary but right now I still think it is.
3.) I have new goals. I started lifting and running, and actively trying to build muscle/lower my body fat percentage. The new goals gave me something new to focus on, because it's just not as exciting getting on the scale to see the number stay the same as it was to see the number going down.

You've maintained for 18 months? You're my hero, that's discipline.

I definitely think setting new goals might help. I think I experienced a bit of...depression? once I hit my goal weight. Like, oh, I did it, now what?

Yup, 18 months. It's an adjustment for sure and it was hard at first. It's just like anything though-- takes a little practice.

aserranzana16

When you were losing, you had a goal to work toward. Just maintaining your weight is a hard thing to keep your focus on... set new goals and challenges. It could be running or cycling distance/speed/duration, increases in weight on a given lift, taking up a new sport, hitting all your macro/micronutrient targets within your calorie limit... practically anything... find yourself something to work for that interests you.

This is great advice. Maybe I'll start running races. What kind of new goals have you set for yourself?

SezxyStef

When you were losing, you had a goal to work toward. Just maintaining your weight is a hard thing to keep your focus on... set new goals and challenges. It could be running or cycling distance/speed/duration, increases in weight on a given lift, taking up a new sport, hitting all your macro/micronutrient targets within your calorie limit... practically anything... find yourself something to work for that interests you.

I agree with this.

I have been prepping for maintenance for the last month slowly upping my calories.

I have set new goals for myself instead of losing xlbs a week.

To stay in calorie goal for one...maybe under to account for weekends
To lift more esp now that I have extra calories in me
To work on my cardio (bike is out of the shop)
and maybe just maybe...do a little recomp over the summer...*prays*

It's odd for me tho I mentioned today that I was gong to celebrate maitenance with a full fledged meal...you know how I used to eat...2 hotdogs (lean mind you), a full serving of fries with gravy and cheese and carrots with dip...Yah no. 1hotdog with a bun, 1/2 serving of French fries with gravy and cheese and my carrots...

Even today I couldn't wait to get out on my walk...

If I ever find I am slipping I am digging out my fat pic...

SezxyStef

That is exactly why calorie counting does not work, diets do not work. That's why people lose their weight and then gain it all back plus a ton more. You have to learn to eat the right way all the time and to eat the right amount all the time and you need to do it without tracking calories or going on some fad diet or calorie restriction. Good luck.

Sureeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...calorie counting does work...diets nope...

It's about the mind set when you are counting calories...

aserranzana16

Maintenance tends to be more difficult than losing, IMHO, so you're not alone in your frustration. Others have made this observation as well. I go with my wife's advice: think of how hard you worked to lose the weight. Why tear down what you worked so hard to build?

Well, exactly, that's what doesn't make sense - objectively, I know that I worked really hard, and that I'm undoing that work. But somehow that's not stop me from sliding down the rabbit hole. It's really weird. Thank you for the sympathy, though, it's nice to know I'm not the only one.

brenn24179

This is the way we eat for a life time. I think it is easy to get complacent. Basically dieting the rest of our life with a few extra calories. Cant see much difference maintaining and losing. I call it dieting because I cant eat as much as I want. It is hard but worth it. I weigh every day and count calories and hit maintenance a year ago. It hasn't gotten easier but you pick your hard, hard to be fat, hard to count calories. I will count calories because I want to wear my clothes, have to be willing to do the work.

spoiledpuppies

I find "calorie counting" to work fine for me---but I take in at least 2K/day, still log (food and exercise), eat back my exercise calories and don't even hardcore exercise. Never did.

Are you still logging? Honestly, for maintenance to work, you have to stay disciplined. I definitely ate at a deficit when I was losing but I never eliminated foods---I still haven't and I just try to stay at maintenance calories. For those who don't log---well, they usually learn to eyeball or get a feel for portion sizes. I do A LOT of snacking so that's not what works for me so I still log.

I'm still logging as diligently as I was when I was losing weight, but for some reason, it's not having the same deterrent effect as it did when I was in loss mode.

What do you mean by "deterrent effect"? Do you mean that logging isn't deterring you from overeating, or that you're still eating/logging honestly and within your calorie goal but gaining? If it's the former, I'm not sure what you can do other than remind yourself of your hard work and set new goals as others have mentioned. I'm loving paying attention to macros and working on heavy lifting. It's not as exciting to see the same weight on the scale day after day as it is to see the weight continuously drop, so you do need to find other things to keep it fun and focused.

If it's the latter, your calorie goal is simply too high.

Ideabaker

I'm sticking with logging, exercising and weighing regularly. At first, I was just logging-- not minding if I went a few hundred calories over my daily goal or if I missed a workout. When I added back the weighing and saw that my lax logging and low energy expenditure was resulting in the ounces inching up, I realised that I would need to be as disciplined in maintenance as I was in weight loss if I don't want to have to start all over again (which I definitely don't!).

I do keep up with my Fitbit to make sure that I get in 10,000 steps a day, which helps quite a lot (since it syncs up with MFP).