Maintenance? Advise please

chilli

Anyone out there on maintenance?
Think I am more or less happy with where I am but am a bit scared of putting it back on ....Any help appreciated I am obviously not going to go back to my previous lifestyle but would like to ease up a bit and know if occasional treats won't do any harm ...please ....say yes ...someone ...anyone ..........the thought of just not having certain foods etc again is a tad, no, a damn sight more than that depressing :sad: :sad:
Do I exercise the same amount or decrease? Do more? HELP

chilli

Anyone out there on maintenance?
Think I am more or less happy with where I am but am a bit scared of putting it back on ....Any help appreciated I am obviously not going to go back to my previous lifestyle but would like to ease up a bit and know if occasional treats won't do any harm ...please ....say yes ...someone ...anyone ..........the thought of just not having certain foods etc again is a tad, no, a damn sight more than that depressing :sad: :sad:
Do I exercise the same amount or decrease? Do more? HELP

allaboutme

have you increased your calories to your maintenance level now? If you no longer want to lose, and you have followed the healthy way of losing, then increasing your calories and keeping up with your exercise won't cause you to gain weight and will definitely allow for treats. I know that the days of my 15 deep fried battered chicken wings are behind me, but hey when I want a treat, I can still have a few if I want and add some veggies with no fat dip instead of the other 10 wings. You have trained your body the right way to maintain weight, food isn't your enemy, you need it to survive, and once in a while treats are in order. I still have a couple of pounds to lose, and they will come off, I know this, not in a day but in a month maybe, all the while never being hungry and enjoying the food I eat (luckily I enjoy cooking). For me I know I won't go back, I love myself too much this way. If you aren't up to your maintenance calories, why not add them gradually, like 100 per week until you are where you are supposed to be. I beleive exercise is the key to a treat now and then if you want to maintain. Remember balance, calories in, calories out is the key to keeping the weight off. Just don't let yourself get into the old habit of saying okay 4000 calories isn't going to hurt me today, I have been so good. It will catch up. If you maintain your 1800 to 2000 per day, you won't have problems.

chilli

Thanks, that sounds reasonable. My maintenance calorie intake is not much above what I'm on to lose though, about 120 more.
I have been fortunate in that I have never had to worry about my weight before so dieting and trying to keep it off is a new concept for me. Alcohol and change of routine put it on gradually over a couple of years so hopefully now my lifestyle has altered for the better it will stay off!
:bigsmile:
Will have to wait and see
:drinker:

roshong06

Congrats to you for reaching your goal!!!

age1389

I think being able to have treats now and again is very important in keeping our weight successfully off. I still have my treats and still keeping with my maintenance calories and still being where I want to be in my weight. So yes treat yourself and enjoy every last bite:drinker: :laugh:


-Adrienne