Maintenance is the hardest thing!!

Now that I fit clothes well, and feel good I want to eat, eat, eat! what's up with that?? Encouragment needed.
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Replies

  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    I have the hardest time maintaining. I just hit my goal weight again and dont know what to do.
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
    I can relate, as it is hard to maintain and not fall into the same old trap.

    My advice - keep logging the food, keep doing the exercises. For me I've had to mix up the exercise to keep it not so much a chore.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    Yeah, maintenance is a whole other animal indeed. I'm still logging and tracking my exercise. No more going backwards for this gal, lol.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    If you're at maintenance you should have some extra calories to enjoy now. And if you want more you just have to keep up with your exercise.

    I've been at maintenance for almost 6 months now. You still have to work on it. Never give up, never go back.
  • aponcedeleon
    aponcedeleon Posts: 3 Member
    I can relate, as it is hard to maintain and not fall into the same old trap.

    My advice - keep logging the food, keep doing the exercises. For me I've had to mix up the exercise to keep it not so much a chore.

    I fully agree with this. I discovered that logging the food is a huge part of the motivation. Continue to log no matter what!
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    Maintaining hasn't been too difficult for me - likely because I've completely changed my mindset. I still log all of my food, still exercise, and still look for ways to reduce calories while still feeling full. The only thing that's changed is that my daily calorie goal has increased from 'losing' to 'maintaining'.
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    As I am approaching the last few pounds I've been scared to death of the maintaining bit. So I talked to a fitness page on fb who I also follow her blog as well. She has shared some really great advice you can also read it if you'd like.

    This is for those of us who get almost to the finish line and purposely start to sabotage ourselves ----> http://christinasfitness.com/fitness/6-tips-to-avoid-weight-loss-sabotage/

    This is a few secrets on maintaining
    > http://christinasfitness.com/weight/the-secrets-to-maintaining-your-weight-after-dieting/
  • I look forward to this day.
  • Loosing weight is hard
    Maintaining is hard
    Being fat is hard.......
    Pick your hard!

    I still have about 10-15lbs to go but I have just realized that once I get there I won't be able to just forget MFP. It's a way of life to be healthy. You can't just lose than start to over eat all over again.

    It all pretty much sucks...lol But I would rather be healthy and look half ways decent:)
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
    It is very hard! I think we feel comfortable with our weight and think its okay sometimes to eat more than we should. Ive been bouncing from 5-10lbs and I just keep a mental note to stay within my means. Reminding myself over and over again how far I've come helps me. Good luck on maintenance :flowerforyou:
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I love being able to eat loads! But it was weird to start with!! Like someone else has said, keep logging and keep up to your exercise routine!
  • floshideaway
    floshideaway Posts: 101 Member
    I can relate, as it is hard to maintain and not fall into the same old trap.

    My advice - keep logging the food, keep doing the exercises. For me I've had to mix up the exercise to keep it not so much a chore.

    Just that.
    I have maintained (give or take 5) since May of this year. Logging in faithfully is what is preventing me from going overboard. I eat very well, lots of goodies are in my diet. I love cheese, wine and chocolate and all 3 have been part of my new lifestyle. There is not a day that I feel deprived of anything because I have not taken anything away that I really enjoy. That is the key to success, something you can live with for the rest of your life. Moderation is important and be true to yourself when you indulge.
  • Discipline is remembering what you want and what you achieved. You will have days like that. A good way to teach yourself discipline is never let yourself go more than 5lbs above your goal. If you do then you immediately go back into your "gotta loose weight mode" whatever that was for you. Doing this over and over will help you determine what it takes to maintain for you and still have yummies.

    I personally have struggled and still do with the 'EAT EVERYTHING MODE". When I go on maintenance mode. And I can easily gain 5lbs in a week. Been there done that.

    You can do this, just like you had a routine to loose you come up with your routine to maintain
  • MFPBrandy
    MFPBrandy Posts: 564 Member
    It IS hard. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be struggling at maintenance than struggling at weight loss -- but it didn't magically become easy once I reached my (for now) goal weight. For some reason, the process of losing weight was so much more rewarding and motivating to me than the process of maintaining.
  • moonshadows72
    moonshadows72 Posts: 180 Member
    ive found that, for myself especialy, you can lose weight by reducing what you eat and eating smarter... however thats a diet and not a lifestyle change. I had to find new ways to stay active and to ALWAYS push myself. theres no magical number on the scale that will tell me "ok you did great! now you can stop running, stop workin out at gym, and your now able to be lazy." My active lifestyle is what will provide me all the maintinance i need for the rest of my life. its the "Diet" that helps me correct my past and make up for lost time. If your having a hard time with maintaining, my best advice is to up your calorie burn regularly! find ways to be more active. Then you can eat more. Then you can even splurge (in moderation) every now and then!
  • Bump for when I get to be in maintenance mode
  • TIDDYBEAR
    TIDDYBEAR Posts: 63 Member
    I can't WAIT to get to maintenance!! I WANT to have that problem! lol
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
    ive been maintaining for about 1 1/2 years. i still log everything. some days are better than others, but if you dont, you could slip back. i give myself 5 pounds leeway. TOM, water weight, etc. once i hit those 5 pounds i get really serious and focus really hard on what got me back up those 5 pounds, and remember i dont want on that path again, so i get back because its a huge reality check. you can do this. lots of people have/are. im living proof. great luck.
  • momtobe06
    momtobe06 Posts: 81 Member
    are you giving yourself a splurge day so you don't feel deprived? I figure so long as 90% of the time your eating ok.. the rest is fine. You were training pretty hard for that triathlon.. it's not unusual to be extra hungry after something like that.
  • It's a way of life...change of mindset. Willpower is still required. Hang in there!
  • newhabit
    newhabit Posts: 426 Member
    i am trying to lose the last 8-10 lb that i gained while on "maintenance" so i know very well what you mean. the problem is that we feel we worked hard and then there is a slip back to the old lifestyle. that is what happened with me. now i'm ready to refocus and get the last 8-10 off but it's been very hard! the key is to truly make it a lifestyle change. for me, the exercise is not the part i stop doing, it's the diet part.
  • Fred4point0
    Fred4point0 Posts: 160 Member
    I've been in maintenance mode since May. The key to staying on top is looking at your old photos and remembering when you were at start mode and how you felt.That should be enough to keep or put you back on track.
  • quill16
    quill16 Posts: 373 Member
    I am struggling with maintaining. It has been 3 months so far and am trying within a 5-10 lb limit. Each time I eat a little over it sends me into a day or two of weight gain of 5-10 lbs and then I struggle all week to get it off again. I find it best so far to weigh everyday and it is easier to work on a 2-5 lb gain than 10-12 lbs. I still haven't figured out the right combo of calories and exercise that I want to maintain long term.
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
    Maybe you could put together a bunch of pictures from your heaviest weight and make a list of all of the things you hated about being that weight? You could look at it every so often as a reminder.

    I'm actually sort of nervous about maintaining (even though it's reeeeaaaallllyyyy far away). I know I'll be scared to increase my calories because I'll be petrified about putting the weight back on. I'm sure it will get easier over time, but I'm definitely going to read old blog entries and look at old pictures to keep myself in line.

    Also, I've heard it helps to get rid of any clothes that are too big. That way, when you feel your clothes getting tight, you don't have the option of putting on your "fat" clothes. When you feel your jeans getting tight and don't have anything else to wear, it pretty much forces you to drop a few pounds.
  • Rockmyskinnyjeans
    Rockmyskinnyjeans Posts: 431 Member
    Loosing weight is hard
    Maintaining is hard
    Being fat is hard.......
    Pick your hard!

    I still have about 10-15lbs to go but I have just realized that once I get there I won't be able to just forget MFP. It's a way of life to be healthy. You can't just lose than start to over eat all over again.

    It all pretty much sucks...lol But I would rather be healthy and look half ways decent:)

    ^^ This. None of this entire battle/journey, whichever you call it, has been easy. I know I worry about slipping into old habits now that I am essentially in maintenance. The most important thing to me is to keep focused on the big picture and that's my health and happiness... and most of all my confidence in myself.
  • Loosing weight is hard
    Maintaining is hard
    Being fat is hard.......
    Pick your hard!

    I LOVE this quote and intend to use it. I find that I am hungry more because I am working out more than I ever had in the past. Maintaining is hard but the reward is soooooooo worth it.
  • jowings
    jowings Posts: 157 Member
    I was very scared when I started maintaining, so you are not alone! In order to keep myself encouraged and in order, I started weight training 3 times a week (for about 30 minutes-45 minutes each day). At first, I started putting on weight, but this was because of initial water weight and my body adjusting. I started at my goal weight of 130, went up and down (as high as 139) and after about 5 months, settled in between 135-136. As far as diet, I guess I do something a little strange and keep my calories at 1400 during the week and then I don't log on the weekends at all (which usually equates to one or two cheat meals a week). This has kept me happy and trip for the past 6-7 months or so :). My body has a bit more muscle and I can have a few extra treats here and there without going overboard. I sometimes take breaks from logging (when I am on vacation etc. but usually try to stay pretty on top of it. Hope this helps and good luck!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Maintaining for over a year now. Losing weight is a physical and mental challenge. Maintaining is almost pure mental. You already know how to eat right. You already have a good exercise regimen. You KNOW how to do the physical part.

    For me, the hardest part of maintenance is staying motivated. It's a lot easier to keep yourself going when you're seeing regular changes on the scale or how clothes fit.

    So you have to set new goals. New kinds of goals. Currently, I want to be able to run up one beast of a hill in my neighborhood that I currently can only run 1/3 of the way without stopping to walk. I want to set a new PR in my 10k in a little over a week. I want to get rid of the last traces of cellulite on my thighs and I want more muscle definition in my calves and shoulders. I want to be able to bench press my body weight... and I'm only at half my body weight now.

    Sometimes I still think, "WTF am I doing this for?!" I was mostly able to maintain a normal body weight by eating whatever I want and not exercising, so it seems really kind of stupid to bust my *kitten* to maintain now. But I still do it.
  • ValRAAAAY
    ValRAAAAY Posts: 270 Member
    THAT'S what I'm gonna start calling this plateau I've been on since Easter. MAINTENANCE! SO STINKIN' FRUSTRATED! But at least I have a name for it now!!! :-)
  • KipDrordy
    KipDrordy Posts: 169 Member
    Now that I fit clothes well, and feel good I want to eat, eat, eat! what's up with that?? Encouragment needed.

    Some good advice already given. I agree with maintaining your daily journal. It's way too easy to conveniently "forget" where you're at. I've been concerned about gaining weight back once I'm at my goal weight. One of the things I'm making sure of is that my weight loss isn't being done by doing things I can't (won't) continue in the long term. For instance, exercise. I notice a lot of people going from couch potato to workout freak in order to lose weight. It's unrealistic for me to think that I'm going to be able to sustain being a workout freak, so I've made my exercise routine rather mild and sustainable. If I decide to do more, I will do it once I'm already at goal weight. Also, try changing exercise to match the season. If there's snow on the ground, get some snow shoes and try walking around parks in them. Bike in the summer. Lift weights while stuck indoors. Sign up for different fitness classes or yoga. This way, the routine doesn't get overly monotonous.