let's hear it for maintainenance

floridapanthergirl

I would like to hear from some folks who are maintaining their weight loss and how it is going. After all, it is not simply about losing .Before I joined MFP I lost 40 pounds, but then gained back 18 so easily it wasn't funny. Now I am back and don't want to relapse. I am posting this in success Stories because if you are maintaining, and not relapsing you are truly being successful Please share.Thanks

Bassgirl51

Bump...curious also.

palmerig88

I've been brave enough to net around 2600 calories for about 2 months and have not gained. I have been learning to maintain my size since July and had some accidental losses while getting my intake right. It all makes sense now why I lost the weight so fast, I must have been eating at a much larger deficit than was necessary.

I've been lifting 3-4 days per week, not much cardio because I like to get it from outdoor sports and it's cold and creepy outside now.

LorinaLynn

Maintaining for about a year and a half. :drinker:

I actually lost about 10 more pounds after reaching my initial goal, but slowly put that back on... while staying the same size.

I'm 40 years old 5'5 and a little under 135, and eat about 2300 calories a day to maintain. I run 2-3 times a week and lift weights 3x a week.

floridapanthergirl

Thanks! Hope I hear more. When I search maintenance, it all sounds so complicated. thanks for the photos as well.

Tricep_A_Tops

Finished my weight loss in March, I have gained weight since but it is from adding lean muscle. Its alot easier to maintain once you reach your goal then it is to reach it.
Im 43, lift 4 x per week and do insanity for my cardio 1-2 x per week.

csuhar

I actually stared out here with maintenance as my goal. My dad was using MFP for his weight loss and I liked how easy it was for him to track his calories. For years I've relied on using a notebook to plan my calories but I had no way to really log calories at restaurants or in scenarios where I didn't have a "nutritional information" block on the packaging. When it came to exercise, I couldn't really estimate how much I burned.

I like maintaining. I actually have lost a little weight, probably because "maintenance" allows me to take in more calories than I tend to get around to actually eating. And when I have times where my caloric intake / output balance is off, I know about it. Maintaining on MFP gives me a much better way to judge where I am than basing my assessment on how hungry I feel or what I simply guess I should eat or do.

katemateg

I have been at my goal weight since August. I 'only' had 4-5kg to lose but I still had to work at it. I have always been very active, running mainly, long distances etc. when I got injured and couldn't run for 4 months from February I had to knuckle down and cut back on what I eat. I love healthy food but if you don't need it, you don't need it and the lard piles on!

Since August I haven been eating about 1880 cals before exercise. Often I run 10-26 miles and eat back loads of my cals, so on those days I eat masses. It's all about a life style not just weight loss and diet.

Good luck to you :drinker:

feefie04

I like this thread already! We need more of these. Any tips you all have learned about tweaking your maintenance? How long do you wait until you tweak, how do you know you need to tweak, etc... just things you all may have picked up on the way that might be useful to us losers ( WEIGHT losers ) when we get to the maintenance point!!

debs6

Hi- I have been maintaining since May and generally net around 1600 per day. I exercise at least an hour each day and have actually lost a kilo or two since reaching maintenance . I am 5'5 and weigh 149lbs - but unfortunately am carrying a lot of excess skin which my doctor estimates at around 14lb- so am the equivalent of around 135. I am looking at that being removed next year some time if all goes to plan.

RoadsterGirlie

I hit my goal on December 6th of 2011. After I hit my goal, I lost 8 to 10 more lbs as I figured out how many calories I need per day to maintain.

Right now my BMI is anywhere from 18.5 to 19. I eat around 2000 calories a day with a little more on the weekends. I continue exercise 4 to 5x a week with cardio and weights.

ChristineS_51

Bumping for later - I am nearly at goal so keen to know more about maintaining and NEVER going back to where I was.

Congratulations to you all. :flowerforyou:

floridapanthergirl

I love the response! And I am glad to begin this journey knowing it keeps on going! You guys don't make it sound so complicated! Thanks

cristeberga

I love this thread! I am close to my goal weight (2-3 pounds away) and I am starting to play with my numbers. Besides the amount of calories you guys eat, it would also be nice to know how tall you are.

Congratulations to those who have achieved their goal. :drinker:

medaud10

I am finding it a bit hard to maintain. Easy to put weight back on. I gained 4 lbs over thanksgiving. I have lost 1 1/2 back off that. I use the elliptical 5 times a week for 40 minutes. Keep my calories around 1600. If I change that routine I start to gain again. I am 5 61/2 and weigh 148 with the gain from thanksgiving week.

iWaffle

I've been eating maintenance since August. My calorie goal is 2500 a day and I add in more/eat back all my cardio calories. It's not that hard to maintain. My weight is usually within a couple pounds of goal weight of 210. If it goes over I just watch the calories a tad closer and if I go under a few days then I just work harder at eating all my calories. Losing a pound or two isn't a big deal at all. I've just about quit logging weekends and some evenings too. I sort of keep track of it in my head and if I'm a bit over or under I can always pick up the slack the next day or two.

FYI 6'2" and 210 pounds.

Laura8603

I've been maintaining my 200 pound loss for over 3 years now. I track about half the time, but I watch what I eat and make healthy choices 90% of the time even when I do not track. I weigh myself everyday and have given myself a 3 pound limit. If I reach this, I track religiously and cut back a little until they are gone. I stay diligent because I will not return to where I was.

Edited to add: I'm 46 years old, 5'7" tall, and eat 1700-2000 calories a day.

mockchoc

I'm only about a week into maintainence so not sure how it'll go yet. I did have a bit of a feast on my reaching goal day so have been making up for that I wish Christmas wasn't so close so I could see how I manage staying at 117lbs without tracking but that's going to have to wait till the new year I think.

Congratulations to the others that are at goal!

sarah5423

I've been maintaining since September - although trying to regain some muscle so happy for the scale to go up and inches go down! Personally I find maintenance harder than losing - I still haven't found my exact calories so working on increasing my intake and upping strength training in order to achieve this.

Would love other maintenance friends - I still find it hard getting my head around the fact that I can be at my goal everyday not have to be under it and having friends with the same goals is great motivation

vjohn04

I'm attempting to maintain...trying to find my magic number... I'm still losing, slowly.... but I'm eating like a horse.

I'll get it right soon.

NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!!!

mmddwechanged

I'm 2 pounds away from my goal. I am losing very very slowly . I like the way things are going now, since I am practically maintaining anyway I may just set my calories at a little more than my average is right now.

iWaffle

I'm attempting to maintain...trying to find my magic number... I'm still losing, slowly.... but I'm eating like a horse.

This was fairly accurate for me:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

takumaku

I have been maintaining for two years now. I eat a zig-zag calorie amount which is dependant on how much I run or exercise.

soniabogonia

Bump

Saving for later

3foldchord

I am about at my weight loss goal. I only had <10 # to lose. I notice I lose slowly,,which is fine, but each times go down a couple pounds, my weight waffles back and forth for a week or so.
I was half a pound away from my goal last week, so I have upped my calories a bit, to not lose as fast and be able to maintain.
We are going on a two week vacation to Florida, so it mabe a month before I actualy get that last half pound off.

I would like to hear some maintenance success stories, too.

3foldchord

I'm only about a week into maintainence so not sure how it'll go yet. I did have a bit of a feast on my reaching goal day so have been making up for that I wish Christmas wasn't so close so I could see how I manage staying at 117lbs without tracking but that's going to have to wait till the new year I think.

Congratulations to the others that are at goal!

I am just about at m goal, too, right I time for my birthday and Christmas! Hope to not lose much ground and still enjoy friends and family!

vjohn04

I'm attempting to maintain...trying to find my magic number... I'm still losing, slowly.... but I'm eating like a horse.

This was fairly accurate for me:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

this makes me want waffles.

wellbur

I'm on my 1st week of maintenance, and would love some friends who are also at maintenance. I am determined now I have this great tool MFP to help me and my lovely friends. I am starting at 1778 calories but will obviously see how it goes, will juggle after Christmas. I am quite excited that i can stay this weight and not do my normal thing of putting on all the weight that i have lost which i have done in the past.

Spikethis

Great info.... bumping for tracking.. I know I have a ways to go for my goal but, I'm interested to see others..

katemateg

For the person who wanted to know heights I am 170cm which is 5ft6 or 7.

I got up to 64.5kg earlier this year and yesterday weighed 57.9kg which is the lowest I have been in years (must be under 128lb I think ). Eating around 1880 cals daily but if I go well over like I did on Wednesday I don't stress too much as other days I will eat well under if I have run mega miles :drinker:

apriltrainer

Am in maintenance...and to tell you the truth..I think it's a bit tougher than losing the weight. I've been on maintenance since about Sept/Oct.

I am starting to have fun with it now though. Doing unorthodox things to see if I can maintain...things I would have never tried when I was trying to lose a bunch of weight. Plus searching for different goals than the number on the scale. THat's what I still have to wrap my head around.