Do you like what you are setting yourself up for?

LorinaLynn

I always at most of my exercise calories, so I always ate about 1800-2000 calories.

I've been "at goal" for over a year now, but I'm still tweaking things. I'm still exercising 5-6 days a week and pushing myself harder and harder. I'm still trying to figure out how much to eat. I know I can take a week or more off from logging now and then, but I know I should come back to it after a few weeks, just to keep on track.

I'm currently not including my exercise, but just eating 2000 calories a day (at least Monday through Friday, taking weekends and holidays off), and I'm still losing so I'm going to be increasing soon.

But it's not really much different maintaining vs losing. In some ways, it's harder maintaining because it can be hard to find the motivation. Especially when I think how I used to easily maintain my weight without counting any calories or exercising, and now I'm busting my *kitten* running and lifting and watching what I eat. It's easier to stay motivated when you see the scale dropping or your clothes start getting loose. It's a different story when you're working to stay more or less the same.

That's why I like taking photos, so I can see what all my work is doing: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/LorinaLynn/view/it-ain-t-over-when-you-hit-your-goal-423924

CariBgood

I'm so glad you posted this. I have been noticing that a lot of people eat way under the recommended for weight loss. They may be losing weight, but I think they maybe kidding themselves if they honestly think they will keep it off. Sure they may get there faster, but will they have to do the journey again. I for one am done with the yo yo... slow and steady wins the race.

NWCountryGal

I don't even like the word diet. Someone mentioned it at the potluck I went to the other night and I so wanted to talk about it but it wasn't a good time;) Know watt'a mean:laugh:

If more people thought this way there would be no need for the "New breakthrough diet of the day" industry and the economy would crash again. That's just crazy talk!

I agree with you and my eating/exorcise habits aren't a "diet" but just the way I live now.

NWCountryGal

Super awesome and many congrats on your success!! denise:happy:

I am at goal weight...have been for two months...started at 1200 cal/day and now up to 1570. But, like you, I exercise every day (can totally relate to the teeth brushing analogy) and I end up eating about 1850 cal/day. I don't eat "dieting" food anymore (e.g. only salads/yogurts for lunch) but I do make sure I keep one meal light and the other two medium-sized. I avoid fast food lunches and think I will never be able to go back to them...my only "sacrifice". So I think I can stay here. I eat like a fit person now, instead of an unfit person!

Yanicka1

I am setting myself up to be able to eat even more than I am right now. My maintenance is around 2000 calories. October first I will do a bulk and will add to my muscle mass and help my metabolism.

NWCountryGal

That's great! I think that is exactly how it should be. I mean after the initial adjustment to better foods and good water intake plus some form of exercise you actually enjoy doing equals comfort for me. I didn't have to struggle with deleting sugar or chips out of my diet so I had a "leg up" already when I got here but wow, to start understanding the calories needed for healthy weightloss as well as how much protein, carbs, fats (and good fats, wow, I didn't realize so many good things about fats we need to eat).

I think the hardest thing for me to overcome, maybe others as well, is patience (or lack thereof). Losing weight in a healthy way takes a lot of patience. Like I think I mentioned in the original post, seeing tons of people losing tons of lbs and their tickers going down so fast, man, I wanted that bad!! But I am so glad that there were people here that I "caught" the health-bug from:laugh: I just had not a clue what I was actually getting into. I am so glad to be here though.

denise:drinker: :drinker:

I feel so comfortable with how i'm eating now I can't imagine going back. But I eat what I like - healthy, tasty choices.

I look back over my diary and see I was always making good choices, but sometimes just ate too much. That is something I will need to avoid. Knowing more about calories and nutritional values of different foods will help that I think.

NWCountryGal

Ditto, and ditto:drinker: :drinker:

I am eating exactly the right number of calories that I will have to eat to maintain my goal weight when I reach it (1700). I am just fine. I work out IF / WHEN I feel like it. If I don't work out I just do what I am doing, I don't have to adjust calories at all apart from tapering down as I age

^^^ This. i just eat my maintenance calories for the weight i want to be. If I work out hard, I may have a little extra.

NWCountryGal

For me, and my goal weight I need to consume around 1600 a day. Mine is set at an average and I workout 4 times a week. If I do something extra like go kayaking for the day I eat more. The way I'm set up I can eat those rolos or a Boston Cream tidbit if I want. But I understand also, that those things are treats for me, not in my regular diet. So once a week or something. I've also noticed that the more nutrition I get circulating through my bod, the less cravings I have for things like that. That's just for me now.

I will always need to exercise, but the beauty of that is, now I want to. That toothbrushing thing, I've formed a healthy habit. I can't promise and won't promise even myself I will never stop working the "program" because things can change in the blink of an eye. But I am going to enjoy the ride. If you are not happy girlfriend, with your foods or your type of exercise, look into some changes you could make. I'll help you just write me, denise:drinker: :drinker: :flowerforyou:

Can I maintain the way I'm eating until I die? Yes.

Do I want to eat the way I'm eating? Nope.

I want the bag of mini Rolos on the shelf and another Boston cream timbit. I want to base my diet off calories rather than sodium. I want to enjoy whole servings instead of only half or a quarter.

NWCountryGal

Do you mean a deficit from your Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE? I'm 5'2" and at 131 lbs, age 59. My TDEE is 1912 I think, something like that and with a 15% deficit (I had 20% too so I'd have to go look again)takes it to 1600 per day for me to lose .5 - 2 lbs per week. That 1600 comes up for me after putting in "Light Activity" because even though I workout 4 times per week, I only weight-train 20-30 minutes. If I keep progressing in that, I may need to up my calories again to start losing again.

denise:drinker: :drinker:

You bring up a great point in your post. Something I've been thinking on. I think the solution is embracing exercise and activity so one can eat more. Eating at a calorie deficit really does suck and that is just the truth. I was on 1200 calories for a while..and I just endedi it because I was afraid of a life of that. Right now I'm seeing if eating at a small deficit and exercising will do it for me. That I can live with.

NWCountryGal

I agree with listening to our own bodies. If I am not hungry at all, I won't eat usually. But if I see my macros aren't that good for the day like proteins, I will chew on some almonds to slam-dunk some protein. I've woke in the middle of the night when I did a major amount of weight-training or activity like kayaking and I will go grab some nuts, or a piece of toast w/crunchy peanut butter and I am good to go.

denise:drinker: :drinker:

Oh i eat normal foods a few times a week...I just measure the amount of food portion control is key and i don't feel deprived at all it feels nice to go at your own pace...sometimes i eat only 1200 calories but its because i am full and i just can't eat anymore but most of the time i do eat around 1400 or 1500 depending on my appetite just have to listen to your own body but u do have a good point there!!

gabriellejayde

well i'm eating 1200 calories a day (roughly), and i'm losing. Fairly rapidly I guess. When I get to my goal weight, I won't have to eat low cal because I won't need to lose more, so I'll adjust it accordingly. Or maybe I'll eat low cal during the week, and start allowing myself higher weekends so my husband and I can dine out easier than we do now.
my point is, 1250 calories is for LOSING weight. Not maintaining it.

NWCountryGal

I think that sounds pretty good because you aren't under 1200 and that number just makes me nervous:laugh: I would continue to study/research about losing fat and maintaining muscle. Plenty of info on that. I find the gals that I learned from were eating all this food and looking toned and healthy. I wanted that so I do what they do. That's what we need to do too, find others that we want what they've found and for me, it's about wanting to know more and being willing to try things that maybe I wouldn't have thought I would ever do.

If you'd asked me 3 months ago if I would ever do weight training I would have laughed and said no way. Lot's of changes, and for me, they are for the good and it's thanks to MFP peeps!! denise:drinker: :drinker:

I have thought about this and I am fine with eating like this the rest of my life. I've only started 10 days ago, and I'm talking as if it will work for me for sure, although I know it's still too early to tell, but what I am doing is eating a fairly low-carb diet plan (20% carb - 35% protein - 45% fat) with restricted caloric intake (1300 calories) and eating every 3 hours (3 meals, 2 snacks).

So far it's been fantastic! I'm never starving, and occasionally my stomach will start to rumble and I'll look at the clock and realize it's a meal or snack time, and what I eat satisfies me until my next meal. I drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water a day, when before I drank about none. The low-carbness has done nothing negative to my energy levels - of course, I'm not nearly as low-carb as some people. I get to eat a lot of my favorites, including taco salad, cheeseburger patties, omelets, fish, cheese…

I do have a hard time with my cravings for sugar, desserts, chocolate milk, potatoes, bread, and pasta…but I want to be skinny way more than I want those, and I just keep reminding myself of that, lol. Also, I did cheat this past weekend, and just told myself to move on, when, on other diets, that would have been the end of the diet, with this one, this time, I’ve been able to get right back on track. So that also helps me to think it won’t be too hard to maintain after I reach my goal weight – I’ll allow myself to “cheat” on special occasions, and then I’ll just get right back on track. That’s the plan anyway.

I purposefully made this diet NOT too restrictive with the long-term in mind, which is why my calories aren’t set at 1000, and my carbs aren’t set at just 5%. I’ve failed at every other diet, or lifestyle change, if you’d rather, that I’ve tried. This time I made up my own plan, and it’s also the first time I’ve tried low-carb, and so far (and again, I know it’s early) it seems like it’s going to be the one that works best for me. *Crossing fingers!*

underwater77

Absolutely. And without a doubt, this is the first time I can honestly say that. It's leading to a very slow progression, maybe 0.5-1 pound per week, but that is okay with me now simply because I know it is something I can stick to. In the past, it was all or nothing. I would starve and drop weight so fast. This time was hard to get used to, but I don't starve and I don't restrict anything completely. I am just incredibly mindful of what I am putting into my mouth and I am totally committed to the gym, for a plethora of reasons that go beyond weight loss.

I work with a guy who was losing about 8-10 lbs a week in ketosis (don't get me started). By the time I had lost about 2 lbs, he had lost 18. Granted, he is a guy and has quite a bit more weight to lose than I do, but still! It was a little discouraging until I realized that I will still be fit in a year, and he will likely have gained his weight back because he has no long-term plan. He wants to lose this 60 lbs and then hope for the best. I hate to say it, but I know exactly how that story ends.

NWCountryGal

There's a lot in that saying "eat as if you are at your goal weight already" or I've heard it said, eat like the thin person you want to be. As long as that means calculate what that person (like for me) 5'2", 115, 60 years old, and whatever else I can get into the calculation. The 1600 or so will be what I eat for the rest of my life, or probably very close. Like Ginger talks about, you have to fiddle around with the numbers until you hit that amount of calories that gets you losing the weight but maintaining your muscle. It's tricky because so many people rely too much on a scale which does not tell you what you've lost. Was it fat, was it water, was it muscle? Tape measure is my friend now;)

denise:drinker: :drinker:

I recently read an article that said exactly this - eat as if you are at your goal weight already. I have been a yo-yo dieter for years and all it's resulted in is me being my heaviest weight ever. So I set my goal as if I was at my target weight, tried to cut out the rubbish (while still allowing myself a relatively relaxed Saturday night) and am starting to see the results.

I am also satisfied, don't really feel hungry (still have to overcome my emotional eating, but that's another issue) and don't feel like I'm missing out.

I sometimes log my exercise but only if I do some of a weekend because anything else is short and sweet but I am definitely trying to increase it slowly but surely. I guess the proof will be in the 'pudding' but I feel more positive this time round than any other

birdieaz

I've always eaten well and was active. Had health issues that sent my weight soaring, suddenly i was heavier than even my highest pregnancy weight. I did the 1200 cal thing for several months but it was so counter intuitive than what I was used to and finally decided it was insane. I knew what to do, I'd done it my whole life..eat and move a bit. Now I'm eating at least 1700 cal a day and only exercising 3x a week. After 3months of not losing on 1200, I've lost 2.2 lbs in the last two weeks. This works for me, this feels natural. This is not dieting it's LIVING

NWCountryGal

Thanks for this Lorina, wow, you look great and you make so much sense. Yes, I think maintaining our goal weight is probably where many of us have failed, that's the yoyo thing but your story tells me this can be done, and done right and when you reach your goal, yes, you will need to keep an eye on things but hey, look how much you know you can eat!! The thing that would scare me is to lose like crazy eating 1200 calories and know that I can never eat anymore than that:sad:

Again, you are a true inspiration!! denise:drinker: :drinker:

I always at most of my exercise calories, so I always ate about 1800-2000 calories.

I've been "at goal" for over a year now, but I'm still tweaking things. I'm still exercising 5-6 days a week and pushing myself harder and harder. I'm still trying to figure out how much to eat. I know I can take a week or more off from logging now and then, but I know I should come back to it after a few weeks, just to keep on track.

I'm currently not including my exercise, but just eating 2000 calories a day (at least Monday through Friday, taking weekends and holidays off), and I'm still losing so I'm going to be increasing soon.

But it's not really much different maintaining vs losing. In some ways, it's harder maintaining because it can be hard to find the motivation. Especially when I think how I used to easily maintain my weight without counting any calories or exercising, and now I'm busting my *kitten* running and lifting and watching what I eat. It's easier to stay motivated when you see the scale dropping or your clothes start getting loose. It's a different story when you're working to stay more or less the same.

That's why I like taking photos, so I can see what all my work is doing: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/LorinaLynn/view/it-ain-t-over-when-you-hit-your-goal-423924

NWCountryGal

That's why I posted it because at least people can talk about it and those that think they are doing ok (and maybe they are) might want to rethink it after hearing from all of you:)

denise:drinker: :drinker:

I'm so glad you posted this. I have been noticing that a lot of people eat way under the recommended for weight loss. They may be losing weight, but I think they maybe kidding themselves if they honestly think they will keep it off. Sure they may get there faster, but will they have to do the journey again. I for one am done with the yo yo... slow and steady wins the race.

NWCountryGal

Sounds good and you are probably young,from your picture. It's nice to learn this stuff while you are young but it's not too late for us older gals thank God!! We can build muscle and lose fat as well, yeeeeeeehaw!! denise

I am setting myself up to be able to eat even more than I am right now. My maintenance is around 2000 calories. October first I will do a bulk and will add to my muscle mass and help my metabolism.

Yanicka1

Sounds good and you are probably young,from your picture. It's nice to learn this stuff while you are young but it's not too late for us older gals thank God!! We can build muscle and lose fat as well, yeeeeeeehaw!! denise

I am setting myself up to be able to eat even more than I am right now. My maintenance is around 2000 calories. October first I will do a bulk and will add to my muscle mass and help my metabolism.

Lol thank you but I am almost 39 years old.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Well, I'm small...only 4'11 and I've been 10 pounds lighter...I was also working out for 30-60 minutes more than I do now (running 70 miles a week). I was eating ~2200 calories at that time...I looked AMAZING and I could probably sustain that level of activity for a long time--until life gets too serious but the havoc I was wreaking on my endocrine system and hormones were not worth it. I started thinking about what would happen if I could never have babies or if I developed osteoporosis...it's not something that I thought should be taken lightly. So, I stopped that. I'm now eating 1700 calories a day and losing slowly after having gained 10 pounds this summer. I think the balance that I've achieved is more than worth the short term increase in weight. Wherever my weight plateaus at my current intake is where it will be. I am happy with trusting my body and respecting what is HEALTHY FOR ME.

NWCountryGal

and it sounds like you are prepared to eat low cal which is great. My main purpose with this thread was to spread the word about maintenance, will we all be happy with what we are eating now, what we are doing for exercise. That's the reason I see for the yoyo thing. People lose fast but then when they "want" to eat normal again they gain the weight right back. Like I think I mentioned, if we are happy with what we are doing, we are way more likely to stick with it for life;)

denise:drinker: :drinker:

well i'm eating 1200 calories a day (roughly), and i'm losing. Fairly rapidly I guess. When I get to my goal weight, I won't have to eat low cal because I won't need to lose more, so I'll adjust it accordingly. Or maybe I'll eat low cal during the week, and start allowing myself higher weekends so my husband and I can dine out easier than we do now.
my point is, 1250 calories is for LOSING weight. Not maintaining it.

SunnyLynnie

The more I eat right the more I want to eat right. I'm learning to really enjoy food that is life-giving. I will never go back. Yes, I will keep eating this way for the rest of my life!

NWCountryGal

I love seeing someone young learning this stuff! The media (don't get "me" started) has been like some con at a side-show carnival with all their "get skinny quick" potions. Thank God for the people who have succeeded here at MFP and, they have stuck around to show the rest of us the way!!

Thank you darlin, great reply, denise:drinker: :drinker:

Absolutely. And without a doubt, this is the first time I can honestly say that. It's leading to a very slow progression, maybe 0.5-1 pound per week, but that is okay with me now simply because I know it is something I can stick to. In the past, it was all or nothing. I would starve and drop weight so fast. This time was hard to get used to, but I don't starve and I don't restrict anything completely. I am just incredibly mindful of what I am putting into my mouth and I am totally committed to the gym, for a plethora of reasons that go beyond weight loss.

I work with a guy who was losing about 8-10 lbs a week in ketosis (don't get me started). By the time I had lost about 2 lbs, he had lost 18. Granted, he is a guy and has quite a bit more weight to lose than I do, but still! It was a little discouraging until I realized that I will still be fit in a year, and he will likely have gained his weight back because he has no long-term plan. He wants to lose this 60 lbs and then hope for the best. I hate to say it, but I know exactly how that story ends.

NWCountryGal

Oh wow, excellent witness!! This is so wonderful and I hope lots of people see this. Keep sharing your story, it is totally inspirational and such a case for eating a proper amount of calories to lose weight and keep it off!! denise:drinker: :drinker:

I've always eaten well and was active. Had health issues that sent my weight soaring, suddenly i was heavier than even my highest pregnancy weight. I did the 1200 cal thing for several months but it was so counter intuitive than what I was used to and finally decided it was insane. I knew what to do, I'd done it my whole life..eat and move a bit. Now I'm eating at least 1700 cal a day and only exercising 3x a week. After 3months of not losing on 1200, I've lost 2.2 lbs in the last two weeks. This works for me, this feels natural. This is not dieting it's LIVING

NWCountryGal

That's awesome since me being almost 60 but I feel 20 years younger since I started MFP:laugh: I guess we've also discovered the fountain of youth!!:drinker: :drinker:

Sounds good and you are probably young,from your picture. It's nice to learn this stuff while you are young but it's not too late for us older gals thank God!! We can build muscle and lose fat as well, yeeeeeeehaw!! denise

I am setting myself up to be able to eat even more than I am right now. My maintenance is around 2000 calories. October first I will do a bulk and will add to my muscle mass and help my metabolism.

Lol thank you but I am almost 39 years old.

nsblue

During my rapid weight loss last year (a 9 month period) there were 5 weeks of 600-800 cal... a few weeks of 1000 and the rest was 1200. I now am at least 1200 and with over portioning some day i mentally know i am getting in 1300-1400 and my weight is still coming off...but much slower which is fine by me. Maintenance is a whole new learning curve......and one i am slowly learning...something i never ventured into before because i went back to my normal way of eating and hey it just didnt work for me. I at one time felt i would forever be at 1000 cals...but no longer think that way. staying at 1000 cal and working out like a fool kept me stagnant. I slowed down...ate a few 100 more and things are going fine now....feeling my way around...allowing my body tell me how its going to be...i did that during my rapid weight loss...listened n watched and i do that now...one big lesson i have learned and feel this will carry me into maintenance and keep me where i should be. mantaining a healthy lifestyle with exercise is a lifetime commitment for me. My relationship with food has changed and actually is in constant changing,...not only in body but in mind....the most important of all. Old triggers die hard... keeping mindful and aware of them and reacting with them keeps me on top of never returning to a lifestyle i once had.

vmekash

I am quite sure that I cannot continue at 1200 net calories per day for the rest of my days, but I am working hard at losing 35 lbs. right now (at about a pound or so per week). I'm not in a big hurry, but I want my results managable and PERMANENT. Once there, I know that I'll be allowed 1600 net cal. to maintain that new weight. Looking forward to those add'l. calories. Those additional 400 or so calories will make all the difference, and maintenence, theoretically, should be easier than loss, as long as I do not stop tracking my calories after reaching my goal.

wlkumpf

It is what I call sustainability
I don't want to lose a lot of weight fast, I don't want to lose more than a pound a week. I want to lose fat not muscle.
I don't want to be dependant on a weight loss drink or any expensive products. Even mildly expensive products. No short cuts!
I DO want to keep going to fit club, do piyo or zumba. Turbokick? and add to that! Instead of a movie on a sunday, canoeing or hiking. 5k's are a lot more fun than you'd think
I DO want to keep learning more about lifting weights and build my muscle. Boosts to metabolism to help my weight look better on me.
I DO want to eat enough calories and variety I don't feel depraved. I want to be able to go out once and a while or have a piece of birthday cake with frosting. Apple pie?
I DO want to make simple substitutions that I can keep up for the rest of my life Almond milk, fat free cottage cheeses and fat free sour cream. whole grains and whole foods.
I DO want to budget in extra for fresh asparagus, mixed salads and fruits

My hard time is getting enough protein, I do use a whey powder for this. $15 for a month (actually 1.5 months) is pretty cheap compared to purchasing more from our deli. IT is really easy to make too for a busy day.

NWCountryGal

This is awesome to read because I haven't read about anyone going higher (than they saw they should) with working out and calories and then going down to 1700 or for better balance. Your story is equally important because it can go both ways can't it. I know there are lots of people out there working their bodies to death even though they are eating enough probably, for the workouts. I'm glad you found that balance and I am hoping you will continue to share it with others that might be doing the same thing and not realize it yet:)

denise:flowerforyou: :drinker: :drinker:

Well, I'm small...only 4'11 and I've been 10 pounds lighter...I was also working out for 30-60 minutes more than I do now (running 70 miles a week). I was eating ~2200 calories at that time...I looked AMAZING and I could probably sustain that level of activity for a long time--until life gets too serious but the havoc I was wreaking on my endocrine system and hormones were not worth it. I started thinking about what would happen if I could never have babies or if I developed osteoporosis...it's not something that I thought should be taken lightly. So, I stopped that. I'm now eating 1700 calories a day and losing slowly after having gained 10 pounds this summer. I think the balance that I've achieved is more than worth the short term increase in weight. Wherever my weight plateaus at my current intake is where it will be. I am happy with trusting my body and respecting what is HEALTHY FOR ME.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

This is awesome to read because I haven't read about anyone going higher (than they saw they should) with working out and calories and then going down to 1700 or for better balance. Your story is equally important because it can go both ways can't it. I know there are lots of people out there working their bodies to death even though they are eating enough probably, for the workouts. I'm glad you found that balance and I am hoping you will continue to share it with others that might be doing the same thing and not realize it yet:)

denise:flowerforyou: :drinker: :drinker:

Well, I'm small...only 4'11 and I've been 10 pounds lighter...I was also working out for 30-60 minutes more than I do now (running 70 miles a week). I was eating ~2200 calories at that time...I looked AMAZING and I could probably sustain that level of activity for a long time--until life gets too serious but the havoc I was wreaking on my endocrine system and hormones were not worth it. I started thinking about what would happen if I could never have babies or if I developed osteoporosis...it's not something that I thought should be taken lightly. So, I stopped that. I'm now eating 1700 calories a day and losing slowly after having gained 10 pounds this summer. I think the balance that I've achieved is more than worth the short term increase in weight. Wherever my weight plateaus at my current intake is where it will be. I am happy with trusting my body and respecting what is HEALTHY FOR ME.

Aww thanks. That's my plan...to help people who might not realize that there is more to life than what your body LOOKS like. I want to be a healthy mother--mentally and physically--and working my body to death would completely take away any shot at that.