Worried about what happens when i reach my weight goal.. :(

Alice_Luther

Hello everyone..
Ive recently lost about 4 and a half stone and i have 1 more to loose to be 'ideal'. Im worried about what happens when i get there.. weight loss isnt easy but maintaining is so much harder..ive already found that because im happier with how i look im allowing myself more and more unhealthy foods.. not that thats bad but the weight has fluctuated about half a stone and id rather be healthier to keep it roughly the same...
Does anyone have any success stories or advice and tips??

luca15306

I was worried about maintaining too, have been the same for around 3 months now, Have lost about 50lb overall. At first I ate the same and just weighed in a bit more before changing anything, I also tend to indulge a bit more at weekends and be really good in the weekdays, just take it day by day, changing little things when required. If you have a bad week, don't worry, you have done so well so far that you know you can lose it again, its maintaining for life, and a healthy lifestyle. Best of luck, its definitely hard to stop and to know when to stop losing, as you get so used to it, just see how you feel each day

Alice_Luther

Thanks

jimmmer

I've been the same weight on and off for years.

You just need to learn there are no "bad" foods. Just some foods are more or less calorie dense and have differing macro and micro nutrient compositions. Look at your whole diet in the round rather than it's component parts. Am I getting enough protein? Do I have sufficient carbs and fats to fuel my activities and keep my hormone levels right. Am I getting the vits and mins I need? Cheeseburgers and ice-cream can easily be a part of the equation with moderation and portion control.

The other thing is goals. Set yourself some activity/fitness related goals that are sufficiently long term (say 6 months to a year at a time). These could be anything from running a 10k race to squatting twice your bodyweight to mastering a challenging yoga pose or learning a martial art. Just as long as it's a goal that will be challenging to achieve. Then go at it. You'll stay within sight of your maintenance much easier with regular activity (and it's plain easier to sustain an activity long-term when it is meaningful to you)

Cheques can be made payable to Jimmer.

b0nnyd0g

It is really tricky I think and much easier to lose than maintain. I got to target in December and have remained within 5-6 lb of that since but mainly at the upper end as it is so hard to keep that real enthusiasm. I would like to actually get a couple of lbs below target then be able to bob up and down there but life keep getting in the way

I do like Luca and have a lower calorie target in the week that I track to and then up my calories at the weekend but still track them. This seems to work as I really enjoy the extra things at the weekend and don't feel deprived. Its still hard though if we are out and about or on holiday

Am determined though to stick with it - good luck to us all xx

Alice_Luther

Thanks everyone. I love the idea about a long term fitness challenge.. i tried to run a marathon but the longer the distance got the more of my time it sucked up and i ended up just not having enough hours in the day to do the run..

Ive joined a group about fitness challenges everyday but it doesnt seem to post regularly and the whole message board has gotten a little confusing as to which ones are the challenges and which ones are just people saying what they did..

butlersoft

I'm nearly at target weight myself and am also fearing this ...

I reached goal weight back in 2009 after losing over 100lbs ...... then stopped tracking, stopped weighing and a whole load of it came back.

Now - I'm 75lbs down in 2014 and nearly where I want to be.

My key lesson from last time :-

- Continue to weigh in; small adjustments to steer back on course if necessary by a couple of lbs are SOOOOO much easier than suddenly finding you've whacked on 85lbs !!

ukaryote

It is really tricky I think and much easier to lose than maintain. ...
Am determined though to stick with it - good luck to us all xx

Good points from everyone. It got me thinking, I should look at MFP a different way and change my goals. Not even use the word "goal".

1. Weight loss is a milestone, not THE goal. (What?)

2. The intent is developing habits for a healthier lifestyle.

I will reach my target weight, like graduating from a school. MFP is a school or a dojo where I practice things until they are a reflex. OK, so I get my colored belt or diploma or yellow robe. Now I should forget all that stuff and behave differently? My intent is to make the daily 30 minutes of exercise be a reflex. Buying healthier foods and ignoring those ads for fatty convenience foods will be a reflex. Frequent journaling will be a reflex

Continuing the analogy, people usually take continuing ed courses or visit the dojo to maintain their abilities. My intent is to do the same, returning to MFP or other places to check in and keep on course.

UK_Gal

I've been the same weight on and off for years.

You just need to learn there are no "bad" foods. Just some foods are more or less calorie dense and have differing macro and micro nutrient compositions. Look at your whole diet in the round rather than it's component parts. Am I getting enough protein? Do I have sufficient carbs and fats to fuel my activities and keep my hormone levels right. Am I getting the vits and mins I need? Cheeseburgers and ice-cream can easily be a part of the equation with moderation and portion control.

The other thing is goals. Set yourself some activity/fitness related goals that are sufficiently long term (say 6 months to a year at a time). These could be anything from running a 10k race to squatting twice your bodyweight to mastering a challenging yoga pose or learning a martial art. Just as long as it's a goal that will be challenging to achieve. Then go at it. You'll stay within sight of your maintenance much easier with regular activity (and it's plain easier to sustain an activity long-term when it is meaningful to you)

Cheques can be made payable to Jimmer.

Love all this advice.

paulperryman

i'm almost there, well really i passed my goal just going for lower body fat. I'm not finding it hard to stay within a reasonable limit, provided you know what you use on an average day you just eat to that and at worst you'll gain a few lbs (big deal), just gives you something to work off again

the ultimate goal should be knowledge and a healthier lifestyle not just weight up and down.

kessler4130

I simply do not plan to maintain, I will either be working to get stronger, or leaner. I know if I become complacent I will fail.

cityjaneLondon

I have been at maintenance for six months.

I am still doing the same or more exercise, it has become a habit.
I am still logging my food every day.
I eat well and healthily with very rare days when I go over TDEE. Maybe once a month. I do a LOT of entertaining.

The thing yo remember is that this is FOR LIFE. Our society has distorted eating. We can not eat like every one else in our society and stay slim. That does not mean we can't eat lovely and delicious food, just not the type and quantity that is the norm.

Do I always want to put in the exercise? No. Do I do it? Yes.
Do I always want to deny myself that gorgeous dessert? No. Do I do it? Nearly always.

Good luck to you on your maintenance journey. You have done so well and come so far. Don't be one of the 95% who put it all back on and more. Be the exceptional 5%.:flowerforyou:

kommodevaran

Good points from everyone. It got me thinking, I should look at MFP a different way and change my goals. Not even use the word "goal".

1. Weight loss is a milestone, not THE goal. (What?)

2. The intent is developing habits for a healthier lifestyle.

I will reach my target weight, like graduating from a school. MFP is a school or a dojo where I practice things until they are a reflex. OK, so I get my colored belt or diploma or yellow robe. Now I should forget all that stuff and behave differently? My intent is to make the daily 30 minutes of exercise be a reflex. Buying healthier foods and ignoring those ads for fatty convenience foods will be a reflex. Frequent journaling will be a reflex

Continuing the analogy, people usually take continuing ed courses or visit the dojo to maintain their abilities. My intent is to do the same, returning to MFP or other places to check in and keep on course.

I really like this. Thank you.

madrose0715

I simply do not plan to maintain, I will either be working to get stronger, or leaner. I know if I become complacent I will fail.

This is my approach as well..

pkw58

I simply do not plan to maintain, I will either be working to get stronger, or leaner. I know if I become complacent I will fail.

This is my approach as well..

Me three! I have found that setting new goals after losing the excess weight keeps me on track to feeling better and better.

luckypony71

It is really tricky I think and much easier to lose than maintain. ...
Am determined though to stick with it - good luck to us all xx

Good points from everyone. It got me thinking, I should look at MFP a different way and change my goals. Not even use the word "goal".

1. Weight loss is a milestone, not THE goal. (What?)

2. The intent is developing habits for a healthier lifestyle.

I will reach my target weight, like graduating from a school. MFP is a school or a dojo where I practice things until they are a reflex. OK, so I get my colored belt or diploma or yellow robe. Now I should forget all that stuff and behave differently? My intent is to make the daily 30 minutes of exercise be a reflex. Buying healthier foods and ignoring those ads for fatty convenience foods will be a reflex. Frequent journaling will be a reflex

Continuing the analogy, people usually take continuing ed courses or visit the dojo to maintain their abilities. My intent is to do the same, returning to MFP or other places to check in and keep on course.

This is great advice, I also want to be part of the 5% that change for life.

jimmmer

Thanks everyone. I love the idea about a long term fitness challenge.. i tried to run a marathon but the longer the distance got the more of my time it sucked up and i ended up just not having enough hours in the day to do the run..

Ive joined a group about fitness challenges everyday but it doesnt seem to post regularly and the whole message board has gotten a little confusing as to which ones are the challenges and which ones are just people saying what they did..

The first paragraph is the right approach, IMHO. Perhaps it was too ambitious in terms of effective time management, but it's a step in the right direction. Goals are only achievable, after all if you can square the circle with the rest of your professional and personal life.

Your second paragraph isn't related to a goal. It's "doing exercise" rather than "training". Just doing something randomly active every day isn't necessarily "bad" but it's not part of the long-term strategy that I'm talking about. It has no objective other than today's calorie burn and that's the wrong approach.

At the end of the day, only you can flesh out what would constitute a worthwhile long term goal... there's plenty of people on here who have their own particular passions, perhaps you can be inspired by looking around?

FindingAmy77

Throughout this journey I have had moments of trying to maintain while taking a break from eating at a deficit. I think staying aware of what you eat is the key to maintaining. THat and staying active will help you to keep your weight down. Just know that you wont ever be "done" with self awareness of what you weigh, eat and do if you want to lead a healthier lifestyle and weight. Don't stress.

tremroy1

CityJaneLondon.....you are bang on!!!!!! I have been down this path before.......this is to be the last time...very close to my goal.....logging....and staying away from the foods that got me here again.....and regular exercise........

CyberEd312

Get the thought of there being bad foods out of your head first and foremost... Are there foods that are more nutritious?? certainly! but there is no such thing as bad food unless you are talking about something you just flatout don't like to eat.. As far as maintenance, you get to up your calories to find it which means you can eat more than when you was in a deficit. I see that as a win win, now with me anyway my weight will swing up or down 5 to 7 lbs. on any given day (depending on what I ate that day.) so my suggestion is, once you find maintenance stay off the scale except to weigh in once a week or once every other week. I go more by the way my clothes feel than some arbitrary number on the scale these days... I am not saying that the transition is completely smooth cause it isn't, it is hard to go from losing weight for 3 years (in my experience) and then be expected to hold a certain weight. But it is no different than when you first started on this journey to lose weight, you had to start someplace so treat maintenance the same way..... Best of Luck

Alice_Luther

All great responses thank you
I hope my topic has provoked responses that will help other people as well as me

sfbaumgarten

I simply do not plan to maintain, I will either be working to get stronger, or leaner. I know if I become complacent I will fail.

This is my approach as well..

Me three! I have found that setting new goals after losing the excess weight keeps me on track to feeling better and better.

And me four. I didn't reach my goal and stop, I just changed my goals to be more fitness oriented.

dopeysmelly

Good points from everyone. It got me thinking, I should look at MFP a different way and change my goals. Not even use the word "goal".

1. Weight loss is a milestone, not THE goal. (What?)

2. The intent is developing habits for a healthier lifestyle.

I will reach my target weight, like graduating from a school. MFP is a school or a dojo where I practice things until they are a reflex. OK, so I get my colored belt or diploma or yellow robe. Now I should forget all that stuff and behave differently? My intent is to make the daily 30 minutes of exercise be a reflex. Buying healthier foods and ignoring those ads for fatty convenience foods will be a reflex. Frequent journaling will be a reflex

Continuing the analogy, people usually take continuing ed courses or visit the dojo to maintain their abilities. My intent is to do the same, returning to MFP or other places to check in and keep on course.

I really like this. Thank you.

Me too. I'm going to start calling my weight "goal" my weight loss "milestone" instead, and start planning my next milestone.

Thanks for the inspiration!