Why does it seam like maintaining is harder then losing?

aab2011

I feel like maintaining is way harder then losing. I am constantly stressed and constantly worried if I eat something I will gain a pound. I know I should just continue doing what I am doing but I just feel like it is so much harder!!!

kammydavis

I think it might have something to do with us forgetting how miserable we might have been when we were heavier. Even if we weren't miserable, we were usually at the least uncomfortable, and we forget that when we are cute and sassy

dharper3r

Can't speak for you or anyone else, but I can tell you that I realize it's important for me to change the way I think about and use food. Red wine, for instance, triggers something in me that sets off binge nibbling and wining. Watching tv also tends to make me hungry . . . maybe it's all those ads for food, maybe it's boredom, maybe it's just a bad habit.

It might help if you can find and eliminate your "trigger" foods and habits, too. That's a life-long commitment. Are you ready for that?

tigertchr23

In my opinion, the maintenance is always the hardest . . . that is supposed to be when the "lifestyle change" becomes real and you have to strive every day to not sink into old habits. If maintaining was easy, people wouldn't have to go on "diets."

Just keep taking it a day at a time . . . that's all you can do!

Best wishes :flowerforyou:

mamitosami

I was always afraid of maintaining too. In fact, I've never maintained before, it seemed like the red hot second I got to my goal weight, I immediately would gain the weight back, quickly! Anyway, this time I've maintained my weight for SIX months! (Yay me!). I think the difference this time is that I've found other goals to work toward instead of just watching the pounds melt away for excitement.

Now I pick fitness goals, like a race. I ran a half marathon and that kept me super focused on something other than my weight for a change. I want to run another few races in the new year, so that is now my focus too, so my weight seems secondary now. I eat to sustain a certain level of fitness and then the weight just stays off. I picked up the The New Rules of Lifting for Women at the library the other day, so now I have a new focus.

Keep changing your goals, it keeps it exciting and then you can keep rewarding yourself along the way.

I hope this helps a little...

aab2011

Yes I am definitely ready, and I am the same way with red wine or any wine for that matter. I no longer keep it in the house. I have to say i have maintained now for 4 weeks but some bad habits are back. So I need to kick it into gear and stop those bad habits!

suemar74

Maybe trying to reach your goal weight made it seem easier...that's where your focus was. Now it's...anti-climatic? What if you established a new fitness goal...like running a race, or competing...something else to give you focus and drive.

(Disclaimer) It's just an idea...I haven't actually reached the maintenance phase, so I don't really know -- but I will someday

B2BB

Cuz it is lol

dshalbert

'Cause our bodies wants its fat back. LOL

Pebble321

I think it's harder because you still have to be aware of what you are eating and of practicing moderation, but without the incentive of seeing your weight drop.
I agree with the idea to find a non-scale goal as a focus instead of a scale number.
And it's hard because we have to realise that this isn't a short term fix, it's a long term change - that's a big committment.

LUCYRENEE

It is harder to maintain. When you are losing, you have a goal and look forward to reaching it. You have a reward for continueing toward that goal..seeing your effort play out on the scale. There appears to be an end in sight to this process. Now with maintaining there isn't the positive feedback you might have enjoyed with losing: comments from friends, fitting into new, slimmer clothes, the feeling of satisfaction of doing something others wish they could do...instead, the reality of what kind of eating you need to continue to 'STAY the SAME' is sorta depressing...you gave up lots of treats/fav foods/routines that were enjoyable and realize that they may be gone (in the previous context) forever...if you want to maintain....it is hard, that is why so many of us slip back and regain.

I lost 40 pounds, felt I looked great and stopped doing the things that made me sucessful. I told myself I'll 'get back on track, it's only 5 (or then 10, then 15) pounds, I can lose it again'....until I really accept that in order to stay comfortable (read: thinner) I have to accept the days of buffets, tv with snacks, eating out several times per week, etc, etc are over! To me that is MUCH harder!!

So hang in there, realize it is hard, but in the long run much better....for all kind of reasons..