Maintenance Thread Part 3
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Lizi and PlumpyIrish, welcome. You are in the right place to get support in the maintenance phase. I am relatively new to maintenance -- about five months now, and I have found it is trickier than the weight loss phase. Getting the right balance of calories and exercise so that you do not regain what you worked so hard to lose but also do not lose too and get too skinny is an art and not a science. I am still working on finding the right balance for me.
But maintenance also is a fun time. You have lost the weight, can get new fun clothes and enjoy how you look in them, and set new goals of fitness. Many of us have used maintenance as a great time to start building muscle or trying new types of exercise or activities. I am working with a personal trainer on building core strength and muscle. I have really seen major changes so that gives me some structure to this maintenance phase. Once you no longer have a specific weight loss as a goal, it's nice to have new and specific goals to keep you going.
This last month I was able to regain a couple of the extra pounds I had not wanted to lose. I upped my daily calories and had some splurge days. The trick is to only have them once in a while because otherwise you would start a steady regain, which is NOT what I want. With much good advice from Robin and others, I have now set a range as my weight goal rather than a set number. I am still at the low end of that 5 pound range, which is fine for me.
As it starts to get warmer with springtime, I am looking to add new exercise that involves being outside. Hope everyone has a great week!0 -
Hi Maintainers! Yes, welcome Plumpy and LIzi---congrats on graduating to maintenance. Jo did a great overview in her post. I am one of the maintainers who has turned into a fitness fiend ever since starting maintenance. This has been a great group to discuss what types of things we are all doing to become stronger and leaner and of course, trying to find ways not be be driven into obsession, because this stage seems to promote a lot of that behavior. Maintaining does not mean "staying the same"...I don't think any of us think that anymore...it's a lot of work!
Well, most of my mfp buddies know I just finished 90 days on p90x on Thursday! I'm taking a few days off and then Monday I'm starting up another round. After so many consecutive days of doing that, I feel really weird NOT doing it.....but I'll survive until Monday.
If you haven't seen it already, I just wrote up an overview and gave a few links to pictures:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin1117/view/p90x-round-1-review-224002
My other big goal is staying away from the scale and I'm pretty much at 4 months! I looked at that silly thing this morning and almost did it......actually I still might, just to benchmark my p90x-after number. But Thursday night I went out to dinner and ate a huge amount and figure I'll give it a few days.......
hope you are all having a great weekend! Robin0 -
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/printer/1,7124,s6-241-285--14203-0,00.html
Was reading my Runners World on the airplane yesterday and read this article on 'disordered eating'. I thought it was pretty good and many of us can probably identify with some of the behavior mentioned in the article. Just a warning to us all to not get too compulsive and make sure we are eating healthy for the long haul.
Martha0 -
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/printer/1,7124,s6-241-285--14203-0,00.html
Was reading my Runners World on the airplane yesterday and read this article on 'disordered eating'. I thought it was pretty good and many of us can probably identify with some of the behavior mentioned in the article. Just a warning to us all to not get too compulsive and make sure we are eating healthy for the long haul.
Martha
wow Martha, great article. thank you for posting......0 -
Martha --
Thanks, that is a thought provoking article from Runner's World. I also thought the quiz was helpful to determine how healthy your attitude is towards food and eating. While I did not score in the low (nothing to worry about) category, I answered honestly and my score fell into the Pretty Good with Some Room for Improvement category. That was reassuring and gave me some food for further thought and self assessment.0 -
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/printer/1,7124,s6-241-285--14203-0,00.html
Was reading my Runners World on the airplane yesterday and read this article on 'disordered eating'. I thought it was pretty good and many of us can probably identify with some of the behavior mentioned in the article. Just a warning to us all to not get too compulsive and make sure we are eating healthy for the long haul.
Martha
Yes, thank you Martha. Of course, i've never experienced any of those thoughts you know. No, never. Not ever. No hint of compulsive behaviour in me.
I didn't come out too badly though. Phew!0 -
sajklfaskjadf so im still not quite at my maintenance level. i feel like i just cant do it for some reason! why am i having this mental block? i just cant believe that i can eat more...its odd, im just so used to eating a certain amount.
but on the bright side, im in love with weight lifting! i dont even care if all those buff guys at the gym laugh at me when im trying to bench press just the bar (and barely managing lol)0 -
I am having trouble increasing cals. Anyone else experience this? I have my log set for losing 0.5 lb per week, just to maintain. I do eat exercise cals back. Any thoughts? I am netting about 1340 cals per day, and some days I do go over but then try and make it up so the week is on target.0
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I am having trouble increasing cals. Anyone else experience this? I have my log set for losing 0.5 lb per week, just to maintain. I do eat exercise cals back. Any thoughts? I am netting about 1340 cals per day, and some days I do go over but then try and make it up so the week is on target.
mpf-- I was like this in my first maintaining year. My base was super-low and similarly corresponding with losing weight by mfp calculations, when I wasn't losing anymore. I started very, very gradually increasing. Maybe 30 cals/day at a time.... And it works but took a few months. Now my level is up to maintaining, around 1550 base, but it's at sedentary (and I'm sure I'm not that....). I'll bet you can get up there with that gradual, slow approach.0 -
I am having trouble increasing cals. Anyone else experience this? I have my log set for losing 0.5 lb per week, just to maintain. I do eat exercise cals back. Any thoughts? I am netting about 1340 cals per day, and some days I do go over but then try and make it up so the week is on target.
I freaked out when I changed mine from losing 1.5 per week to maintaining. It went up nearly 600 calories. I dropped it to losing .5 just for my sanity. I don't always eat back all of my calories, but if I have a day that I go over now, I know I will be back on track pretty quick.0 -
Morning maintainers! Our little thread was falling to the bottom of my topics so I thought I"d check in.
lots of thoughts this week. I started my 3rd week of the 1st phase of my 2nd round of P90x....does that make sense? Anyway, doesn't matter anyway....I'm on day 106 I guess. I think the program should be called P120x because I think continuing was a really good thing. I FINALLY feel like I'm getting somewhere. Before I was kind of waffling, not sure if I saw any difference, but now I'm feeling the strength differences in a big way. Instead of 0-3 pull ups, I can now do 8-10. Instead of 5-8 lb weights, I'm using 10-12 lbs..... My hunger though is crazy big though. The other big thing over the last few weeks is the addition of tons of cardio. Because the weather is nice, I have been able to get out hiking and walking in addition to the program. I think that is helping a lot; probably the reason for my hunger though.
I decided I'm going to try to do this program again for the full 3 months, if I can ( I originally was thinking just an extra month). I do have one trip in late April where I'll have to take a 3 day break, but this should end in June by the time my son is out of school....and it would be hard to keep up the full program w/him home....so it's good timing. I did hurt my arm a few weeks ago that is making push-up land a little difficult. Hoping if I just ignore it, it will go away.
The one more global thought that is on my mind this month is that this additional strength I'm gaining, I love it, but I wonder if it is going to be so hard to hold onto in the long run. Once this program ends again, how can I maintain these newly-found muscles without continuing forever on some sort of crazy fitness program like this for 6 days a week? I almost wish I was still blissfully unaware that I needed muscles in the first place......being the right weight used to be enough for me, but now, not so....
Anyway, hope you are all doing well!0 -
Good morning Robin
It is so inspiring to hear about your incredible progress on what seems to be a very challenging weight and strength training program. I am glad that you feel as if it has made a big difference for you since you certainly have dedicated many hours and long work to achieving that. Great job! What is even more impressive is that you are doing this on your own at home. That takes a lot of determination and commitment.
I, on the other hand, need the structure and push of working weekly with a trainer and going to the gym. I continue to work out about 6 days a week, although once in a while it's 5 due to my schedule. I try to mix it up with an assortment of kickboxing, steep hill walking, the occasional bouts of cardio on machines and then lots of strength training classes like total body conditioning, kettlebells and sculpt. The gym class schedule at my gym is changing next week and I am going to take advantage and try some new classes. I really believe in mixing it up and constantly changing what you do so your body does not get used to it.
My weight remains fairly steady. Up a pound, down a pound seems to be the way it does with never any great variation. My clothes still fit although I went down another size. I think that's due to the strength training. I am eating plenty and feel very satisfied. Some days I am hungrier than others but I have not experienced raving hunger as some of you describe. I have consciously increased my protein percentage and try to hit 30% every day. One nice thing about eating more than I did during weight loss is that my hair, which had thinned, has come back and looks much fuller again. Oh yes, and I realized that as a result of my weight loss I have gone down a size in my shoes. How strange!
I am extremely happy with how I look and feel now. I am slender and have good muscle definition. And I feel so strong and fantastic. It is amazing how much more I can do in my strength classes. I am increasing my weights and can easily do planks, full body pushups, crunches and core work with ease. There appear to be some muscles there! Who knew?
Robin I do wonder if I can keep this up long term because I really love feeling this way. Everything is easier when your core is strong. So for now I am just taking it one day at a time. That's how I lost all that weight so that's how I am going to try to maintain it.
I hope everyone has a great rest of the week. It's Wednesday hump day!
Jo0 -
So nice to hear from the two of you, Robin and Jo, and to know that you are doing really well. And do you know what? You both sound ... Happy!
I'm pleased with my progress too, and am very much intending this to be a lifelong thing - circumstances permitting, of course. And like you, I have been astonished at the difference progressive strength training makes. Isn't it great?
There is just one more dimension that I would like to add here; over the last few days I have realised that I am starting to feel 'happy in my own skin'. I don't think this is something I've been familiar with before, but I like it! I don't think it is only about weight loss - it is also partly the confidence that comes from being physically stronger; that's my theory anyway, lol! Is this a familiar feeling to anyone else?0 -
sajklfaskjadf so im still not quite at my maintenance level. i feel like i just cant do it for some reason! why am i having this mental block? i just cant believe that i can eat more...its odd, im just so used to eating a certain amount.
but on the bright side, im in love with weight lifting! i dont even care if all those buff guys at the gym laugh at me when im trying to bench press just the bar (and barely managing lol)
Good morning--toriaenator--don't worry, I don't think any of us went straight up to the maintenance calorie level all at once. It took me a good year to get up there. Just taking baby steps and increasing steadily as you feel comfortable, seems to work just fine!
Jo--very interesting about the shoe size! I never would have thought about that! And great news on the hair. It's funny how nutritional changes come out in weird ways. The one I have noticed is with seeds. My son is allergic to peanuts so we don't have any peanuts or tree nuts in the house. We switched to seeds, so I eat tons of pumpkin and sunflower seeds. For the first time in my life, after being a nail biter for years, my nails finally have been stronger and are growing! Who knew? Anyway, I did a web search on it and saw that in fact the seed oils are excellent for that.
Oh, and thank you Jo, what you said about my ability to do all this at home. You know, I have been thinking about it, and realized since I don't work at the moment that I have made exercise my job. And I'm kind of a perfectionist about that. And it's the one challenge that makes me feel successful that is for myself, so I just keep at it. Anyway, maybe this is why I have been so slow to think of a new career for myself....my mind is way too focused on fitness instead. I do see the tide changing though; I'm getting impatient w/myself on that front.....
Maggie--it's so great the NRFLFW is working so well for you! I think you are right about the confidence. I'm definitely feeling this way as well. With workout out, and doing different areas of the body daily, it seems like I am always "aware' of my muscles. Kind of weird, but it's strangely true. I can feel it in my arms, my abs, my legs. It's kind of neat to see the end result of a lot of hard work.
One question though for those who are eating more because they are lifting or exercising heavily. How have you monitored the increases? Have you just given into what you think you need---because Maggie, you have increased a ton, right? I'm feeling this too and feel like I should just run w/what I think my body needs, but then again, I like to be more numeric and thoughtful about it too, and since I'm not weighing myself either, am a little nervous.
Alright ,not as much time to play around here this morning....yoga is up next and then out the door. have a great day!0 -
One question though for those who are eating more because they are lifting or exercising heavily. How have you monitored the increases? Have you just given into what you think you need---because Maggie, you have increased a ton, right? I'm feeling this too and feel like I should just run w/what I think my body needs, but then again, I like to be more numeric and thoughtful about it too, and since I'm not weighing myself either, am a little nervous.
I've given in to the demands of my stomach, but I've continued to log (and keep being shocked by that red number at the end of each day!). But for me at the moment the challenge is in achieving the right balance of macros, so if I'm heading for a big 'over' number, I'll still eat - even if I'm not particularly hungry - if it means achieving 30% protein. It seems to be working as I certainly seem to be using the extra to build muscle rather than fat. I'm also still habitually weighing myself every day, and this morning I noticed a one-pound increase, but I can live with that.0 -
Maggie - I'm wondering what you include in your diet to reach 30% protein? I love the concept of increasing calories just having a hard time reaching that protein%.
Any advice would help0 -
Maggie - I'm wondering what you include in your diet to reach 30% protein? I love the concept of increasing calories just having a hard time reaching that protein%.
Any advice would help
I have the usual beans, lentils, soya products, tofu etc etc, but I also have protein bars (vegan), hemp protein powder in a shake, and the food I rely on most of all is Greek yoghurt (Fage, 0% fat but masses of protein). Eggs too. I'm eating too many protein bars (creeping up to 2 a day) and too much yoghurt, but I have a very busy job and it's difficult.0 -
I've given in to the demands of my stomach, but I've continued to log (and keep being shocked by that red number at the end of each day!). But for me at the moment the challenge is in achieving the right balance of macros, so if I'm heading for a big 'over' number, I'll still eat - even if I'm not particularly hungry - if it means achieving 30% protein. It seems to be working as I certainly seem to be using the extra to build muscle rather than fat. I'm also still habitually weighing myself every day, and this morning I noticed a one-pound increase, but I can live with that.
Great strategy....increase, as long as it goes towards those goals. I will try that. I am similar in that I eat tons of greek yogurt (fage as well, 0 or 2%), and eggs, and then usually some protein at dinner (lean, grass fed, local...etc). But I still seem to be hovering around 20-22% protein. Maybe I need to push for more beans? that's definitely not an every-day thing for me. Am continuing to work on it.... thanks for your input!0 -
Checking in here and also struggling in finding the right calorie balance while lifting. I have gained a few pounds, (the trip to California might have contributed!) I plan to drop a little below maintenance and hopefully keep up strength for the lifting. I am loving all the benefits of the heavy lifting!!
Also searching for the ways to keep up my protein. I haven't been able to reach the full 30% on exercise days but do usually get very close to my 100 g goal. I am finding a lot of ways to include protein powder. (In yogurt, oatmeal, coffee
) Do you all feel the powder is a s beneficial as "real" food? I also eat cheese, salmon, tuna, meats, cottage cheese and of course yogurt. I will be looking for ways to Incorporated beans. I have a corn and black bean salsa I love!
:flowerforyou: Have a great weekend all!0 -
Checking in here and also struggling in finding the right calorie balance while lifting. I have gained a few pounds, (the trip to California might have contributed!) I plan to drop a little below maintenance and hopefully keep up strength for the lifting. I am loving all the benefits of the heavy lifting!!
Also searching for the ways to keep up my protein. I haven't been able to reach the full 30% on exercise days but do usually get very close to my 100 g goal. I am finding a lot of ways to include protein powder. (In yogurt, oatmeal, coffee ) Do you all feel the powder is a s beneficial as "real" food? I also eat cheese, salmon, tuna, meats, cottage cheese and of course yogurt. I will be looking for ways to Incorporated beans. I have a corn and black bean salsa I love!
:flowerforyou: Have a great weekend all!
I am the same as you- I have no problem reaching the 30% on non exercise days (my goal is 120g but I feel happy if I reach 100g) but on exercise days, which is when you need it most I rarely meet the protein goal. Sometimes it's 150g!
I think Protein powder is great as a supplement but I try to get it from natural sources first and then reach for the powder if I am not going to mafke my goal. I recently invested in some unflavoured powder which is great for adding to cereal and yoghurt etc0
