Will you power through to the goal or take a break?

schelly81
schelly81 Posts: 161 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm curious if people here are planning on taking a break from the weight loss anywhere along the way. I'm .2 pounds from the halfway mark and I wonder if I have it in me to lose the other 40 pounds without stopping. I'm playing with the idea of eating at maintenance for a week or two when I get to my 3/4 point.
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Replies

  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Break for maintenance whenever you want. As long as you aren't backsliding I don't see a problem with it. :flowerforyou:
  • peanuttyist
    peanuttyist Posts: 19
    power thru for sure. good health is becoming more important to me everyday...gonna see it thru
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    I quite often ramp up to maintenance for a week then cut back again. For me if gives me a mental reset - it also helps if I'm feeling burned out by lifting, I take a rest week, eat at maintenance and come back with a vengeance!!

    The coming back can be difficult - just keep that in mind :flowerforyou:
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    I'm not sure. I'm feeling sort of burnt out myself right now. Ideally I need to lose about another 15 pounds but the weight is coming off so very slowly at the moment and I've lost a lot of my will to do this.

    If I "take a break" I risk gaining some of this weight back or at least losing some muscle. And then I'll lose a month or two and then hate myself because I could have been closer to my goal.

    I don't know. I guess I'll just keep going because there's no other option that I won't hate myself for later on.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I took breaks along the way, and having reached my weight goal, the fitness goal is ongoing, and I still take breaks - full rest weeks, and times of eating at maintenance just for the mental break, or to make room for vacation or holiday goodies, or whatever.

    This is for life, and there are days and weeks, and could even be months where I am more focused on the exercise & eating, and times when I am less focused. For me, the breaks help - it's refreshing, it's restful, and I always come back focused and ready to go.
  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
    Already made my goal but the only time I've taken a break is for vacation. On vacation I always just eat whatever I want.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    I don't see eating at maintenance once in a while as taking a break. You'll be fine.
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
    I have about 5 pounds to go after hitting my original goal and moving the goal line. I also have a twinge-y knee and want to give running a break for a bit. I'm having a week of eating at maintenance and walking only, and next week I'm going back to a small deficit and starting a strength program. This week has been extremely nice and refreshing, and there is a part of me that just wants it to be over so I can charge into this weight program. Breaks can be mentally restful and helpful, as long as they don't stretch themselves out to months or years. :)
  • RachelSteeners
    RachelSteeners Posts: 249 Member
    I plan to power through to the last week of November... I will then be visiting family for four weeks, so I plan to do maintenance during this time.

    I think doing maintenance for a week is ok, but make sure you track everything in MFP still. You don't want to go backwards. You've worked too hard! :smile:
  • schelly81
    schelly81 Posts: 161 Member
    I am a little worried that a week or two would turn into a month or two.
  • monolith66
    monolith66 Posts: 168 Member
    If one needs to "power through", they're doing it wrong. It's about sustainability and compliance, forever.
  • Cerakoala
    Cerakoala Posts: 2,547 Member
    Everyone is different you have to do what is best for you :) For me this is about changing my lifestyle. :) I have went 3 years "powering through" and I am sure I have another year or two ahead of me before i hit goal :) I dont take "time off" because this is about making what i am doing a everyday plan. Do I have bad days sure but that is part of life and it will happen now and in the future. I don't plan for bad days but I have recognized they will happen no matter what and when they do I promise myself to do better the next :)
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    I wasn't going to "take a break." Pregnancy however for me meant a break from eating at a deficit. So I guess, I'll consider that a 9-month break. While I didn't eat at a deficit for 9-months, I did stick to every other change I had made to my life (well exercise kind of stopped around 8 months). I'm going for overall lifestyle changes, so the only thing that is going to stop once I get to my goal will be eating at a deficit.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    If one needs to "power through", they're doing it wrong. It's about sustainability and compliance, forever.
    No, I'm not going to be eating at a deficit forever, so sustainability isn't really relevant beyond my goal.

    I won't be taking any breaks, but I'll have a few days over maintenance until I get to my loss goal. So, I'll be powering through.
  • DebTavares
    DebTavares Posts: 170 Member
    I am a little worried that a week or two would turn into a month or two.

    Why don't you eat maintenance calories for your goal weight?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i plan on taking breaks every 2-3 months. my breaks will more than likely also line up to when it's time to take a week or 2 off from hard workouts and will be deloading/active rest weeks .

    lyle mcdonald explains pretty well the resaons to take a full diet break

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    power thru for sure. good health is becoming more important to me everyday...gonna see it thru

    Im the same I wanted to be smaller then I was in my teenage years and I am way stronger now.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    If one needs to "power through", they're doing it wrong. It's about sustainability and compliance, forever.
    No, I'm not going to be eating at a deficit forever, so sustainability isn't really relevant beyond my goal.

    I won't be taking any breaks, but I'll have a few days over maintenance until I get to my loss goal. So, I'll be powering through.

    Sustainability can be relevant. Well you're hugely tall so your calorie needs may always be higher than most. But consider for instance people eating at a deficit of a half pound per week , for whatever reason. When they get to "maintenance" they really won't be eating that much more per day. Their maintenance habits could need to be rather similar to their weight loss habits.
  • LucasEVille
    LucasEVille Posts: 567 Member
    If one needs to "power through", they're doing it wrong. It's about sustainability and compliance, forever.
    No, I'm not going to be eating at a deficit forever, so sustainability isn't really relevant beyond my goal.

    I won't be taking any breaks, but I'll have a few days over maintenance until I get to my loss goal. So, I'll be powering through.

    I'm usually the first to shout from the rooftops sustainability but I have to agree. I have no plans to switch to maintainance between now and my goal although may slip over deficit kcals on holidays etc.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    I am a little worried that a week or two would turn into a month or two.

    I think I actually just came off a break that was probably a bit worse than maintenance. However, things like exercising and logging are already habits for me; I just couldn't stop them, whether or not I was under goal. I sure as heck wasn't losing my streak. Perhaps taking a break doesn't have to mean stopping everything. It could be letting one aspect wait for a few days while you continue to push on other fronts that you do not find so cumbersome
  • monolith66
    monolith66 Posts: 168 Member
    If one needs to "power through", they're doing it wrong. It's about sustainability and compliance, forever.
    No, I'm not going to be eating at a deficit forever, so sustainability isn't really relevant beyond my goal.

    I won't be taking any breaks, but I'll have a few days over maintenance until I get to my loss goal. So, I'll be powering through.

    Did I say anything about a deficit, cowboy? I meant in general, whether it be weight loss/maintenance/gain maybe I should have been more specific obviously some people can't read between the lines..
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    If one needs to "power through", they're doing it wrong. It's about sustainability and compliance, forever.
    No, I'm not going to be eating at a deficit forever, so sustainability isn't really relevant beyond my goal.

    I won't be taking any breaks, but I'll have a few days over maintenance until I get to my loss goal. So, I'll be powering through.

    Did I say anything about a deficit, cowboy? I meant in general, whether it be weight loss/maintenance/gain maybe I should have been more specific obviously some people can't read between the lines..

    Well that is the purpose of a discussion forum. To read the lines. A little clarification shouldn't hurt nothing. For example are you really saying weight change/maintenance is a breeze? Cos I have many a day I didn't want to work out but did it anyway, or didn't feel like cooking or hand washing a huge pile of dishes (again) but did it anyway because that's what it takes to get where I want
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    If one needs to "power through", they're doing it wrong. It's about sustainability and compliance, forever.
    No, I'm not going to be eating at a deficit forever, so sustainability isn't really relevant beyond my goal.

    I won't be taking any breaks, but I'll have a few days over maintenance until I get to my loss goal. So, I'll be powering through.

    Did I say anything about a deficit, cowboy? I meant in general, whether it be weight loss/maintenance/gain maybe I should have been more specific obviously some people can't read between the lines..
    You said I'm doing it wrong. How am I doing it wrong?

    You meant in general, what, exactly?

    Mostly likely, it's not a question of my needing to read between the lines, it's a question if your needing not to over-generalize or to presume that everyone is in the same situation you are or does things the way you do.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    If one needs to "power through", they're doing it wrong. It's about sustainability and compliance, forever.
    No, I'm not going to be eating at a deficit forever, so sustainability isn't really relevant beyond my goal.

    I won't be taking any breaks, but I'll have a few days over maintenance until I get to my loss goal. So, I'll be powering through.

    Sustainability can be relevant. Well you're hugely tall so your calorie needs may always be higher than most. But consider for instance people eating at a deficit of a half pound per week , for whatever reason. When they get to "maintenance" they really won't be eating that much more per day. Their maintenance habits could need to be rather similar to their weight loss habits.
    That's fair. If someone is eating close to maintenance and eating in a way they won't be able to continue -- bringing celery and yogurt to Thanksgiving or skipping everyone's birthday parties or whatever -- then sustainability could be relevant. Still, that's different from powering through, IMO.

    Maybe someone says, "OK, this holiday season I'm really going to restrict myself substantially in order to meet my goal, but next year I'll be in a better position to indulge within reason." To me, that's powering though, it's probably not sustainable, and it's still an arguably reasonable approach.
  • Birder155
    Birder155 Posts: 223 Member
    Perhaps you could try to eat maintenance calories on the weekend and at a deficit during the week.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    I don't see eating at maintenance once in a while as taking a break. You'll be fine.

    This, as long as you're still logging.
  • Hybrice
    Hybrice Posts: 117 Member
    I'm trying to inflect a lifestyle change so I'm hoping I won't need a break, but I may take a break from Insanity, I plan on doing it 2-3 times but will definitely want some recovery time after the 1st, it's killing me!
  • Jim1960
    Jim1960 Posts: 194
    My primary goal isn't a specific weight. Nor is it a specific shape. These are all secondary and are natural consequences of my primary goal. My primary goal is to eat and live - each day - in as healthy a way as I can. I need to focus on developing better habits and new ways of thinking about food and activity. That in the face of decades of bad eating and laziness. I can't take a break from that. Habits and conversion of thought processes are too hard to form and persistence and consistency are key to those changes. I simply cannot afford to let my guard down until I'm 110% confident I've truly changed.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Already made my goal but the only time I've taken a break is for vacation. On vacation I always just eat whatever I want.

    This...it was actually right before vacation I hit my first GW...then decided I wanted to lose 10 more pounds...

    but by take a break do you mean "eat as much as you want whenever you want" or "eat at maitenance for a week continue logging and then get back at a deficit"...
  • fittyinthemaking
    fittyinthemaking Posts: 126 Member
    ive taken a break before and eaten what i wanted, i was a waitress though so still lost 10lb in 4 weeks, as long as youre not gaining youre not going back :) enjoy :drinker:

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