Success with maintenance?

KathleenC12

I'll be in maintenance mode soon, and... have been there before, but not with MFP. The same 15-20 lbs of "suitcase weight" I've gained and lost for over 20 years.

Maintenance is not as much "fun" as losing, b/c you don't get that thrill of seeing your ticker move or dropping a size.

With MFP I feel like I finally have the tool I need to maintain: logging both food and activity. There is a lot of wisdom in these replies but what it comes down to is that each meal and each day is a decision, a choice= same as it is when you're in the losing phase.

runfatmanrun

I started here in April 2011, hit my goal weight in August 2011, lost some more since then. I counted my success after the first full year at my initial goal weight. But in all reality, success with maintenance is lifelong healthy living.

tdfarmer

Started loosing October 2011. Health has been my motivation. Reach goal the end of April 2012. I just hit 450 days in a row logging. Cholesterol and blood sugar control are my goals now. Have other health issues and don't want any other problems than I can help. October 2012 had my annual doctor visit, will results were good, but with the changes in diet and wait loss not as good as I expected. I've made addition changes sine. I'm still maintaining, but motivation to keep going has been very hard. Keep setting new goals for myself. Had a stomach virus for 2 weeks. I started insanity workouts 3 weeks before which helped boost my motivation. 2 weeks being sick sending me back to day 1 insanity made motivation hard again. I have the deep down desire not. To give up, but it's becoming difficult.

tracymccownlafon

so true, for me the killer is negative carbs in the form of cookies, brownies, cakes, sweets and such. I have had to give those up, basically they are a drug addiction for me, and I miss them every day. I know now how someone who has quick drinking or smoking can say they miss it every day because I understand that feeling. It has to be a life change period, or you can't be successful.

iWaffle

Maintenance is not as much "fun" as losing, b/c you don't get that thrill of seeing your ticker move or dropping a size.

This is why I recommend that people create a fitness goal other than a number on a scale. That's no fun at all. While it's a great accomplishment you're not going to pat yourself on the back or brag to friends that "I'm the same weight as last year."

Find something fun that's challenging that you can't quite do yet. Maybe you want to do more push ups or perhaps you want to run in a race. It could just be something like "I want to hike in the Rocky Mountains." Whatever it is if it's health related and something that takes work you'll find that you're doing the right things for reasons other than just weighing the same and that can be really motivating and fun.

BrettPGH

I'm about two months shy of one year at maintenance. Hitting that day will be a good feeling. There have been struggles and ups and downs, but I haven't given up and I haven't gained the weight back.

*disclaimer I'm currently Hulking so I'm a bit heavier than my goal, but by the time 3/28 rolls around I should be back there or close enough for my taste*

5ftnFun

I lost 30+ lbs nearly 30 years ago, and aside from pregnancy, I've kept it off within 5 lbs. How? Everyone needs to find what works for them, but for me:

1. I weigh every single day unless I'm sick, out of town, etc.
2. I never let my weight go more than 5 lbs over my happy weight. Once it reaches this limit, I scale back my eating.

Having MFP is a terrific tool for maintainers. Wish I had it over the years!

FITnFIRM4LIFE

2 years maintained-consistant heavy lifting3x-cardio 2 x week, cals 16-2000+ stayed at 115-117. For me it's regular work outs, eating well, yet, still always having thngs i like, treats or drinks. Just keeping it 80-20. Also, setting goals worked for me, changing them every 3 months to stay focused.Like, weightlifting goals, I only weigh 1 x a month, For me, it is working. I think making it all doable and not crazy or things off limits is what works for me.

catelabow

I agree with the poster who said it's about loving the new lifestyle more than the old. I was thinking about that this morning when I pushed myself out the door and to the gym. Sure, I could skip a day every now and then, but I love the results of my discipline so much more than the results I got when I was slacking off!

julesxo

Before I had children I maintained for over a year so keeping it off isn't a concern for me. I've always been fairly active and watch what I eat. My goal is to not just lose my baby weight but become more toned and fit than I was before.

bcattoes

So my question is to successful maintainers - how long do you need to maintain in your goal range before you can give yourself a pat on the back? when is the realisation that there has definitely been a lifestyle change?

IMO, the answer to this question is "forever". I am approaching 2 years of maintenance, this time. But I've lost and maintained longer than that before and then got lazy and gained again. Yes, I made a lifestyle change, but the thing about that is that it's easy to change again. LIfe is constantly changing. I know it could happen again.

For the first time I've got a really good fitness support group this time, even if most of them are young enough to be my children (one actually is). Even though most of them work out beyond my level, they are super supportive without being preachy. I'm hoping that will keep me from falling off the exercise wagon this time (diet has always been the easy part for me).

bpotts44

This probably isn't a great analogy, but I was traveling for a couple of weeks over the holidays and I did the following to maintain. Worked great:

1. 3 meals a day, no crap in between
2. No liquid calories
3. Stay active. I went running 3-4 times per week.
4. Intentionally eat a low calorie meal once per day. I did a breakfast of 6 oz of Blueberry yogurt and bran buds.

susanswan

EXCELLENT thread! I hit my goal and then passed it by 2 pounds to give me a cushion. Only able to maintain that for a month before the holidays hit. I totally identified with poster who said maintenance is harder as there is "more freedom" involved. But more freedom for me meant a gain of possibly 8 pounds in 2 months. I didn't want to see. Still got a good 5 pounds to deal with and again feel very full of water and salt after the Superbowl food.

I am in turmoil, knowing why I chose my plan for health reasons but also giving into some temptations can really side track me mentally. Also DH gets perturbed as we used to revolve our whole life around food and now I'm not so game for that. Need to work on MY food issues and agree with another poster that some foods for me may just be out of bounds forever unless I want to continue to struggle. I was so much stronger when I was losing. I was a pillar of strength down to the letter. It was hitting my goal that was the problem. It is a mental battle for me to stay on plan when I start having a taste of this and a taste of that. Losing 70+ pounds can be undone in the blink of an eye. I am not going back there again. Refined grains and sugar are my true undoings. This is something each of us must learn about ourselves to successfully maintain FOREVER. Doing this again is not an option for me.

aisth00j

Some really good points im going to think about.
This quote is definitely one that has got me contemplating how we can adapt when our life changes, but change in a way that does not affect our weight loss or lead to gaining.

"Yes, I made a lifestyle change, but the thing about that is that it's easy to change again. LIfe is constantly changing"

TavistockToad

Some really good points im going to think about.
This quote is definitely one that has got me contemplating how we can adapt when our life changes, but change in a way that does not affect our weight loss or lead to gaining.

"Yes, I made a lifestyle change, but the thing about that is that it's easy to change again. LIfe is constantly changing"

So have you maintained since January?

aisth00j

Hi Tavistock Toad, I gained 7 pounds and then maintained that weight until March this year. Since then my husband ended our marriage and I completely fell off the MFP regime that I had made a habit of, as I had to force myself to eat and I lost 5 pounds in a week and kept at this weight for 3 months. Throughout this difficult time I have kept up my fitness regime of running 5 times a week which I am pleased at myself for as its been hard to hit the road sometimes.

To cut a long story short I am happy with my weight now if i can still maintain it but i am conscious that when life changes affect me emotionally they also affect my weight.

i originally joined this site 3.5 years ago after I gained a stone after my ex-husband had a one ngiht stand and I had felt low and given up on exercise and taking care of my appearance as much.

icrushit

But in all reality, success with maintenance is lifelong healthy living.

This is very much the way I see it. One of my goals is to be as healthy as possible, and the factors within my control like food and exercise play a huge part in that. I want to be the one in control of the machine that is my body, and I'll certainly be damned if I fall prey to some otherwise preventable disease in my lifetime through my own sub-optimal health habits, lol. For me personally, I've always found optimal personal health a far more powerful motivation than simply weight loss, although of course optimal weight is also a factor in that

Edit: a quote I liked recently - discipline is the difference between what I want right now versus what I want most

KathleenC12

Hi! I lost about 35# and have kept most of it off (I go up and down by 4 lbs) for a year.

My "tricks" are
1. Logging (in past lost this much, then did not log and regained it all and more, at least 3 times.)
2. Keeping a few old photos on my desktop- not going there again
3. Not thinking "endless diet"- this is just the way I eat now
4. Having a strict limit on any gain and a specific plan to arrest it- while not freaking out over minor fluctuations. (So for me, 4#).

You can give yourself a pat on the back at any point, and every day, b/c EACH DAY is an effort, each day means you have to make choices, say no, resist nice people who want you to eat they way they do, or a longing to just eat too much healthy food.

In fact I have always found maintenance the harder part than losing. Watching the ticker drop is fun and you do get that reward- and at certain points, new clothes. But maintenance doesn't have those satisfying moments- we have to make them.

So congratulations and yes you can do it!