Too scared for maintenance...looking for some support.

jynxxxed

Up your calories and set FITNESS goals now. Set goals within weight lifting, running, whatever you enjoy.

RVfrog

go back to the one who has helped you get there.....and let her help you figure out how much to eat with out gaining. That is what I'd do.

Kelley528

I, too, am scared of switching to maintenance. I have 7lbs to go but have been stuck at a plateau the past 3 weeks ( no change at all). I didnt have as much weight to lose as you ( 35-40 lbs for me) but I can see how scary it can be to start eating more, especially when you are scared of repeating the past.

I think like others said, start gradually increasing your calories each week until you reach the maintenance limit. Also, keep logging on MPF to keep yourself in check and I suggest weighing yourself every week instead of every month. It really is the only way to make sure you dont gain the weight back. Had I weighed myself regularly I dont think I would have gotten to where I was. Eating, looking in the mirror, and not keeping track of your food, calories, and weight could cause all the hard work to be undone.

quietHiker

Congrats on reaching your goal weight! I am thinking when I reach maintance I'll still do all of the same things-- eat well, exercise and track both. You won't lose control here with MFP-- you will still be logging everything and know how you are doing. If you start to slip you will see it ( in big red numbers) and get back on track. Now go give yourself a give hug for accomplishing your goal and enjoy your body!

This is great advice. Now from me- I have been at maintenance for a while so maybe I can offer a little encouragement. I did not set my goal at maintenance initially for all the reasons you said- I put it at -250 ("lose half a pound a week") and kept it there - but I kept losing, so I bumped it up to maintenance. At maintenance I have still lost weight - I am now about 5lb BELOW goal, and trying really hard to put on muscle and get rid of remaining fat (which is loose and ugly haha - google "skinny fat" and you'll get the picture) - so a couple of weeks ago I set my goal to +250 and am working with weights.

Bottom lines:
1> As others have said, if you keep logging, and stick with MFP you will not lose control and gain back, unless you just flat out decide to do that.
2> MFP is not exact, neither is anything else. SO, bump yourself up somewhere to CLOSE to maintenance and sit there for a while- I would say AT LEAST 3 months to see where you land, then take it from there.
3> WAY TO GO!!! You have accomplished what few accomplish.

Awesome advice^^^ I've been on maintenance mode for 6 months and found it can be a struggle. I did what ^^^ suggested and as I got closer to my goal weight, I upped my MFP to lose less and less and eventually made it to goal weight...where I still lost 3 extra lbs, so it took me a few months to figure out what calorie amount was good for me...just continue to make healthy choices and exercise, and you will be fine It's a lifestyle change, remember I also log while on maintenance mode.

You've done an AWESOME job so far! Congrats!

NiSan12

Maintaining is a scary thing for me also. What helps me is prayer first of all. Also, I work out this some dumbbells so that I can get some strengthening; more muscle less fat. I weigh myself regularly. I literally take it one day a time... Get you some good fitting jeans and put them on once a week to make sure that your weight is where you want to be.

Keep up on MFP's you 'll be fine
:happy:

natalie412

I've been maintaining since May, and have actually lost another 7 pounds on maintenance, although it seems to have leveled off the last month or two. I still log everything, because I like too, and I enjoy my food, knowing I am not going way over calories, etc. I was doing a pretty low deficit (only -250 a day) before I went onto maintenance, so it really wasn't a big change. Was nice just to have some extra calories to eat everyday. I have continued to up the exercise, because I am a runner and have been training for longer distances, and of course, that allows me to eat even more. I am probably averaging close to 2000 cals per day with exercise cals.

Don't be afraid. For now, just keep doing what you are doing, just with some extra calories. Keep weighing yourself occasionally to keep track and make sure you don't start gaining beyond normal fluctuations. Someday I may stop logging, but I will not stop weighing in. I have picked a weight threshold that if I go over it consistently for a few weeks, I will start cutting calories again.

NiSan12

I've been maintaining since May, and have actually lost another 7 pounds on maintenance, although it seems to have leveled off the last month or two. I still log everything, because I like too, and I enjoy my food, knowing I am not going way over calories, etc. I was doing a pretty low deficit (only -250 a day) before I went onto maintenance, so it really wasn't a big change. Was nice just to have some extra calories to eat everyday. I have continued to up the exercise, because I am a runner and have been training for longer distances, and of course, that allows me to eat even more. I am probably averaging close to 2000 cals per day with exercise cals.

Don't be afraid. For now, just keep doing what you are doing, just with some extra calories. Keep weighing yourself occasionally to keep track and make sure you don't start gaining beyond normal fluctuations. Someday I may stop logging, but I will not stop weighing in. I have picked a weight threshold that if I go over it consistently for a few weeks, I will start cutting calories again.

THIS IS PERFECT!

SARgirl

Don't be afraid! I've been in the maintenance phase since approximately July and I fluctuate 3 pounds give or take on any given week. Maintenance is awesome because you get to eat more and don't have to be quite as strict (or at least I'm not). I'm set at 1750 calories a day and still eat my exercise calories back so I'm usually around 2100 calories a day. I will say though that tracking is still just as important, if not more important to stay where you want to be. I can definitely see how easy it would be to slip back into just eating what I want when I want. Good luck and enjoy!

secretlobster

I've been maintaining for about 3 years now and it's not easy to find that balance. It is important to remember, though, that unless you completely stop caring about diet and exercise, and forget to weigh yourself once in a while to make sure you're still on track, it's going to be really hard to gain 100lbs back. What I'm trying to say is... While in maintenance, you should still count calories, at least for a while. And you should still weigh yourself to keep yourself in check. You can't gain the weight back overnight. Even if you do end up eating more calories, and at some point you should, unless you're consistently over your TDEE, you're just not in danger of waking up one day in a body you tried to get rid of.

It is kind of scary, yes. But MFP is a good tool for maintenance. Instead of just throwing the tool away and going back to old habits that made you overweight in the first place, increase your calorie intake gradually, monitor your weight at least weekly, and continue with the good eating and exercise habits you've developed in all this time.

You won't fall off the wagon unless you allow yourself to.

proudaunt

bump for later

samanthawarren

I've been maintaining since May, and have actually lost another 7 pounds on maintenance, although it seems to have leveled off the last month or two. I still log everything, because I like too, and I enjoy my food, knowing I am not going way over calories, etc. I was doing a pretty low deficit (only -250 a day) before I went onto maintenance, so it really wasn't a big change. Was nice just to have some extra calories to eat everyday. I have continued to up the exercise, because I am a runner and have been training for longer distances, and of course, that allows me to eat even more. I am probably averaging close to 2000 cals per day with exercise cals.

Don't be afraid. For now, just keep doing what you are doing, just with some extra calories. Keep weighing yourself occasionally to keep track and make sure you don't start gaining beyond normal fluctuations. Someday I may stop logging, but I will not stop weighing in. I have picked a weight threshold that if I go over it consistently for a few weeks, I will start cutting calories again.

I agree with this. I am nowhere near maintenance but I have lost weight before only to gain some if not all back. Since I started here I have decided that I will probably have to be diligent for the long hall. Even on maintenance I plan on continuing to log my calories and weigh myself regularly. I think it is the only way I can succeed.

foleyshirley

Maintenance does not mean easing the reigns. It means increasing your calories a bit. You can still track obsessively and weigh monthly if you like. I think that would be a great approach for you.

This. I still intend to be obsessive when I reach goal, at least for quite awhile.

DrMAvDPhD

Hi, and congrats. I agree with gradually upping your calories. Add 100 cal every week or every other week. Weigh in only after you've been at that calorie count for at least a week. If you'd like, you can add me. I eat at maintenance (actually, above what MFP calculates as maintenance because I lose at their calories still). It is always nice to have friends with open diaries showing that they eat at 1800 calories or more, so you can see that it is possible to do so and not gain weight!

newcs

Feel free to add me if you want some friends who are also at maintenance. I lost about 10 pounds before MFP and then 12-15 with MFP. Now I consider myself at maintenance and have been cycling in the same 3 pound range for a few months now. I still log (though I'm trying taking weekends off right now) and try to stay at my calorie goal. I started upping my calorie goal a little at a time (about 100 calories each time because that's about 1 snack for me). I reached a point where I wasn't feeling hungry, wasn't feeling overly full, wasn't feeling weak during workouts but also wasn't feeling gross. It took a little big of maneuvering to figure out what that number was (I started with Scooby's workshop and played with the number from there). I understand the obsessiveness...I'm definitely an all or nothing sort of person (which is why my choice not to log on weekends might not work out).

You can totally do this...you've done an amazing job so far and if you keep challenging yourself, you can keep your obsessive nature useful and keep the weight off I've switched to goals like eating more veggies, eating less processed foods and various fitness goals...so it's not really easing the reigns, it's just switching the direction.

BigMech

Like others have said, I would still track your calories and exercise, you just need to find the balance of in and out that maintains your goal weight. When I hit my goal weight, I started by raising my calorie intake 200 calories a day. I went 2 weeks with that, and gauged if I needed to raise it more or not. It took about 2 months to get me to a level point. I still fluctuate up and down in weight, I just stay on top of it and adjust calories or exercise as needed, usually in 2 week increments.

I've actually found it takes a little more mental work to maintain than it did to lose, because you have a smaller window to play with calorie wise. Just remember that you got to your goal by adopting a healthier lifestyle, and you will maintain that goal by sticking with that healthier lifestyle. Don't let those old habits creep back in!

I've been in maintenance for almost a year a now, MFP has been a great tool in helping me succeed!

love22step

You gotta talk yourself into being brave! I know how you feel. I reached my goal in March, and I'm still here! MFP is now my safety net. I only logged calories for a short period after I began maintenance--to see what it was like. Of course, I still like keeping in touch with my loser friends. (I say that with much love and appreciation. ) I run, bike, and stay active. I no longer log calories or exercise; however, I have a pact with myself that I will return to logging if I exceed my goal weight by more than 5 pounds. I weigh almost every morning to see if I have to keep my promise to myself. So far, so good.

Continue setting fitness goals for yourself, have fun, think about what you eat, and you'll be fine! If you start to go astray, your fitness pals are here for you! You've learned how to do this. Graduation time! :flowerforyou:

msudaisy28

Congrats on getting to goal weight (almost)! I'm about 10 pounds away. I lost my weight staying at 1500 calories (net - I eat my exercise cals back). Maintenance will be between 1700-1750 I think, so when I got to 10 pounds away I upped my net cals to 1600. I haven't lost much since, but that's probably due to me falling off the wagon with logging....

I've thought a lot about maintenance and I've decided that I will keep logging and weighing in daily. The weighing in I think I will do for the rest of my life. That way I can identify weight creep early and keep it in check. Also, I will not buy new clothes if my old ones are getting tight. That's gotten me into trouble before!

Feel free to add me - I'm hoping to be in maintenance soon!

Fvaisey

It's an interesting comment on the way we think that we are scared of reaching and setting new goals. You have done a great job. Hoping that the anxiety eases up enough to make you feel good yet not so much that you get off the program. I believe that I'll need MFP for life and that maintenance will be just another stage where I get to have bacon more often.

Congratulations!!

DocMarr

The main reason why people regain weight is most often because they feel that they've been 'on a diet' and then they reach target so they can 'come off the diet' and now they can eat the things they denied themselves when they were losing weight. The tighter they held the reins and the lower the amount of food they ate on the way down, the more likely they are to binge when they stop 'dieting'. On the other hand, people who don't regain the weight are the ones that realise that the way they ate to lose the weight is a long term lifestyle change. You will never become a thin person who can eat what they want without gaining an ounce. You'll always have a tendency to put on weight if you overeat. So you should come to terms with the idea that you'll always watch what you eat - be mindful of what you put in your mouth. Be aware that you should watch your portion size and that you have to balance your intake over the week. This doesn't mean that you'll eat like a sparrow for the rest of your life. But you've learned a lot of skills on the way down - you just continue to use those same skills for the rest of your life.

I have maintained my weight since April. I weigh every week or two at the gym. I have set my intake at 1500 and exercise 300-400 calories worth of exercise a day and this means I can eat about 1900 a day.(I use a FitBit to give me a more accurate daily burn). My weight has fluctuated within a 2-3 lb range. As long as you are logging and your intake doesn't exceed your output then you won't gain. Perhaps a trick to your psyche is always to want to lose a couple of lbs more but be happy where you are. That way you never actually reach your goal and so you won't 'let go'. Good luck on this next leg of your journey.

lizziebeth1028

Maintenance does not mean easing the reigns. It means increasing your calories a bit. You can still track obsessively and weigh monthly if you like. I think that would be a great approach for you.

^^^This! Keep logging, keep eating healthy, keep exercising, keep weighing in, but enjoy the fact that you're gonna to have some more calories to play with!!