I'm not gonna lie...

shrinkingviolet23

...but whilst this is the best thing I've ever done, I can't help wondering what happens when I get to goal and it really scares me. I've lost 19lbs so far and I have 52 to go (can't wait for that half way mark!) and I'm still in the mindset that I can just stop when I get to goal which I know I can't because I know you can put weight on quickly. I'm on 1200 calories at the moment and I seriously can't imagine living off that amount of calories forever. I still have the guilt factor if I cheat and when someone mentions about going out for a meal I panic because I've no idea how to log everything on here - who knows what restaurants actually put in their food.

I know I've been doing well and I'm really proud of myself, I just had a wave of panic tonight about what happens when I get to goal. I used to be bulimic so I've never had the best relationship with food. I think I may be going through a weird phase. Can anyone offer any advice?

szczepj

You won't be living at the 1200 calorie mark forever. Once you get to your goal weight and you want to maintain it's likely that you'll jump up to around 2000 calories (just a rough guess). And that's 800 more calories a day. I find it hard most days to even get to my goal mark. By the time you get there you'll be so use to eating like it you probably won't feel this way anymore!

kr3851

I try to think about the fact that MFP calculates in a defecit of 300-500 cals a day, depending on your weight loss goal. So when you've reached goal, you'll have an extra 300-500 calories to factor in each day. I figure some days I'll eat them, some days I won't. And I can always use exercise like I do at the moment - if I REALLY want something that I shouldn't be eating... I find out how many calories it is and aim to work those off BEFORE I eat whatever it is.

I know it's not going to be easy... but I figure I've got a year to figure it out - a year until I get to my ultimate goal that is...

CoachMelissaDi

Youre just gonna have to maintain for your height and body weight. Know what your BMI is and figure how many calories you will need to maintain that weight when you get there. You should do fine then.

Christina269

I can't offer any real advice... but I do share some of the same worries. Once you get to your healthy weight, you'll probably have a much healthier relationship with food - that's what we gain through "the process". You'll know if you gain a little bit - it's okay... our weight will fluctuate through seasons and what not. It's when we get out of control that we have problems.

I have a Girl's Night Out tomorrow... I stopped drinking alcohol a few months ago so that's not a problem. It's the food. We're going to a local organic restaurant that cooks everything with tons of cream and cheese. I'm going to compensate for it by working out EVERY day and making sure I stay on plan EVERY day this week. The rest of the meals will be home made.
And we'll rely on our support from MFP and the AMAZING people who come here.

iuew

congrats on the weight loss, and best of luck in reaching your goal.

you'll be fine; you get a pretty good idea of how many calories you can consume when it comes time to maintain your weight. i have been maintaining my weight loss for a couple years now. while it's challenging, it's very doable. it just becomes your routine.

i use the free myfitnesspal app on my phone to log food during the day. it seems to work pretty well.

shrinkingviolet23

Thanks guys, it's definitely something to bear in mind that I will be able to have more calories when I'm maintaining. I'm hoping to be at goal by the end of the year - does anyone think that's unrealistic?