Maintenance - How Did you, or How Will you do it???

amk44

If you are lucky enough to be in "Maintenance Mode", then I'm assuming you found value in continuing to use this site.
Do you do anything else to help you Maintain the effects of all your hard work?

If you are not already in "Maintenance Mode", do you have any plans regarding how you will tackle it when you get there?

I'm getting close to my goal (can't believe it), and there's a little part of me that wants to go out and celebrate big time. Part of my brain says "Dumb Dumb Dumb", but another part says that just once won't do that much damage. As I envision the day, I also realize that my eating habits have indeed changed so the celebration wouldn't be an "all you can eat bacon fest", if you know what I mean...
I know "all things in moderation" is a wonderful slogan, but a little voice tells me that binging once in a (long) while wouldn't ruin what I accomplished.

And crazy as it sounds, I feel that if I do it, I will be satisfied and able to move on with the NEXT phase (maintenance) more easily because I won't feel like I'm "a martyr" to food.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the "switch from losing weight to maintaining weight".
(A friend had told me to keep doing what I'm doing and my body will know when to stop losing, but I don't know if I believe that.)

Chenoachem

I am in maintenance mode. I still use this site most of the time to keep myself honest. Since I am in maintenace I do get more calories to eat in a day. I still workout regularly and set running goals for myself. I still enjoy being on the site, also, for the support and forums. There is a ton of great information on here that I don't want to give up.

I don't feel guilty if some day I eat a little over or indulge in an occasional cookie. But I didn't while I was trying to loose weight. I actually had a hard time switching modes. I was stuck in a certain calorie range I had a hard time finding how to eat that many more calories a day in a healthy way. I have started adding more fruits and eating things like whole eggs instead of just egg whites.

Congratulations at getting so close to your goal. :happy:

BrenNew

If you are lucky enough to be in "Maintenance Mode", then I'm assuming you found value in continuing to use this site.
Do you do anything else to help you Maintain the effects of all your hard work?

If you are not already in "Maintenance Mode", do you have any plans regarding how you will tackle it when you get there?

I'm getting close to my goal (can't believe it), and there's a little part of me that wants to go out and celebrate big time. Part of my brain says "Dumb Dumb Dumb", but another part says that just once won't do that much damage. As I envision the day, I also realize that my eating habits have indeed changed so the celebration wouldn't be an "all you can eat bacon fest", if you know what I mean...
I know "all things in moderation" is a wonderful slogan, but a little voice tells me that binging once in a (long) while wouldn't ruin what I accomplished.

And crazy as it sounds, I feel that if I do it, I will be satisfied and able to move on with the NEXT phase (maintenance) more easily because I won't feel like I'm "a martyr" to food.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the "switch from losing weight to maintaining weight".
(A friend had told me to keep doing what I'm doing and my body will know when to stop losing, but I don't know if I believe that.)

I reached my goal, and even lost a few extra, and then went to maintenance, which I've been doing for over a year now. In that year, I've see-sawed back and forth with about the same 7 pounds. I'm definitely not a good role model, since when I'm "bad", I'm VERY, VERY bad"! :ohwell: I KNOW all about moderation, but when it comes to an all you can eat buffet, or a table full of desserts at a party, I am JUST HORRIBLE! :grumble: :laugh: But, that being said, thanks to MFP, I "behave" most of the time, and that's why I just seem to keep going back and forth with the same few pounds. I don't plan to EVER leave MFP, since I know that without it, I would very easily regain ALL the weight that I lost, and there's NO WAY I want to do THAT! :noway:
I hope you get other responses, I'd like to read them too, and see how others are handling maintenance!

SylvieJacques

I am exactly at that point. I have reached my goal a couple of weeks ago and I have moved to maintenance. I celebrated, but took overeating out of the equation as it was my problem from day one. Why do we use food (and totally overeat) once it's time to celebrate ? Why not eating your favorite meal in your favorite restaurant but still being careful on how much (portion) you eat. That's what I did and it was really nice and relaxing and I didn't even feel guilty after that I felt like I celebrated but at the same time stayed in control over food.

I'm trying really hard to dissasociate celebration and food (this is still very much a work in progress) as I was the person who was eating my emotion (eat when I'm sad, stressed out, happy... so ended up eating too much pretty much all the time in the end).

I didn't like how I was and I am being very careful of not going back again.

Congrats for almost reaching your goal.!!!

Crunchytxmama

I've struggled with this as well. My initial goal was to lose 50 lbs. I lost it and I've kept off that initial 50 for about a year now. It wasn't until a few months ago that I decided to revise my goal to a lower weight, and have been working on that. After I lost that 50, I was so worried I wouldn't be able to maintain it. I didn't log my food everyday, except when I felt like I was losing control, but I did continue to exercise every day and set new fitness goals for myself. I learned that for me, food is the 'key' to getting the weight off in the first place, and exercise seems to be the key to keeping it off. I really didn't feel that I was all that careful with my food, but as long as I still got in 4-5 vigorous cardio workouts a week, I didn't gain it back. The hardest thing for me was getting over that all-or-nothing thinking. It was mentally and emotionally hard for me to feel like I wasn't having a "cheat" day if I wasn't tracking my food. I have to remind myself that writing it down is just a reminder of what you ate--the important thing is WHAT you ate, not that you wrote it down. I tried to think more in terms of healthy eating--getting in 5 servings of fruits and veggies everyday, and trying to eat the healthy things on my plate first. Making myself sit down to eat my meals, and having a set time for my snacks so I don't graze all day. It was also hard for me to know that eventually people would get used to the "new" me and I wouldn't get compliments all the time anymore. It can become addictive! Anyway, all that to say that maintaining is a whole new process and you have to work through it with more than just numbers--it's definitely a mental and emotional process as well.

jackpotclown

I'm actually at my goal now, have been for a month or so, but had reached it before (11/07used the Fat Smash Diet to lose 40 lbs over 85 days), only to let it partially slip away (gained almost 20 of it back by 1/10).....the real value in this site is that you keep yourself accountable for the calories you take in (which is why I lost track of myself after the first time, so 15 lbs-mostly gained over the holidays- later I can say that this is a HUGE value). I'm in the same boat, though, and I still set my profile to lose 1/2 a lb every week...and though it doesn't happen, I tend to stay around the same range of where I want to be. I keep a +/-5 lb range and have set 170 as my standard (BMI of 26.0.....I don't care what the BMI says, I was in the "healthy range" once and looked like a bean pole). I'll be the first to admit that I'm no role model when it comes to eating on the weekends, but I will say that it prepares me to exercise and eat that much better to maintain where I'm at. Also, and I know this is a bad habit, I weigh in daily to see what effects my eating (or slacking) habits result in at the scale. It's a little obsessive, but it keeps me in control of what is going on because no matter what, I won't let myself slip again.
I still incorporate the same values in my overall diet (oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, brown instead of white rice) and if I go overboard one day, make sure to get right back to it the next.
Congrats on the weight loss!

amk44

Thanks, guys, for the sincere feedback. I don't attend any health clubs, but I like to get some kind of exercise everyday - cause I just feel good when I do. If I haven't had a pretty good workout with my chores of the day (raking, etc), then I try to do some improvised step exercises. Since starting this "diet" (wish it had another name, because that word brings up so many negative thoughts, and my experience has been a truly positive one), I am more "aware" of when I haven't exercised enough. I know that in maintenance mode, I will need to continue to find the occasion to exercise.

Regarding food - well, my "tastes" have changed. I actually look forward to my evening salad, and I can't even picture going back to using syrup on French toast (now made with egg whites and 35 calorie whole wheat bread) instead of fresh fruit. And even my "binge" would be primarily a vegetable and fruit one. It's hard to describe the difference between what eating out meant for me just four months ago, compared to what it is now.

And I do think that the psychological part will be the biggest thing for me to deal with. I really think that part of this whole experience has been to get to know myself and my "needs". What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for others. That's why I love that people share ideas on here, so each of us can sort out the things that sound reasonable for our own personality and life style.

Thanks everyone. Wishing you all healthy lives...

bellinachuchina

I am in maintenance mode, and am finding it challenging to increase my calories, in order to maintain! I'm still only losing about 1-1.5lb. a month, & it sounds like a nice dilemma, but my Hubby is OVER me losing more! lol After eating so restricted for the past year, I'm almost having to retrain my mind...again to allow my diet wiggle room! But it's cool!

My plan to really maintain is to still watch portions & have things I love in moderation, definitely something I didn't do while I was hardcore losing. I was on a mission, and if it was on my "taboo" list (fried foods, white carbs, full-cal sweets, etc.) I wouldn't touch it! I still won't touch fried food or fast food, but I've been sampling other things in small amounts. For me, it's as if I've been reprogrammed to automatically decline/avoid high cal/fat foods. Sometimes I have a taste for something, but overall I stay on track, and that is the key to maintaining...making repetitive good food choices and eating mindfully! Best of luck

TropicalKitty

I'm no where near my goal. Like you, I've been curious how people handle being "done." However, I've realized there is no "done." This is a commitment to treating my body well, like it's deserved since I was born. Stepping on the scale at the right weight, calculating the right BMI, or having the golden body fat % isn't going to mean I have to stop watching what I stick in my face. I may not have to be as dilligent about what I eat, but I know I'll have to keep sight of what I am doing. Staying active is a must. And to be honest, I don't think I know how to eat without thinking about losing weight. Yup! No clue what it's like to eat like a normal human. But, I hope in this journey with MFP and other resources, I'll learn.

Anyway, I don't think of this as ever ending. It's a lifestyle you acquire.

jackpotclown

That's true, I firmly believe that your weight is 75% diet and 25% exercise....so yeah, you are what you eat lol