Success with maintenance?

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  • bookgirl_72
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    Well it depends what you classify as gaining minimal weight. Holiday in Cyprus +3 in 11 days came off, gained on my honeymoon 3 months later +3.5 pounds but that came off and I got back to my goal for Christmas which i had off 12 days off work gained 5 pounds!!! Lost some of that so currently only sitting 3 pounds above my goal weight and intend to get back to my goal in a couple of weeks.

    I have set myself the limit that if I ever gain over 7 pounds above my goal whether it be holidays or whatever then I am starting to get out of control again and need to be back on losing mode rather than maintenance.

    Totally agree with the fitness - I run 5 times a week minimum. Every other day on holidays.

    I really think this it the key, to have a set weight that is your alarm weight, at which you know you need to get yourself back on track. For me, I go by how my clothes fit. Right now, my pants are tight so I know I need to get back on track and lose a few pounds/tone up a bit. I do this rather than go out and buy bigger pants.
  • ColleenHollis
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    Thanks for posting this topic. It's something thats been on my mind as well. Because of DNA and watching what my own mother has gone through with her gains and losses, I will have to always be on guard. So I think it becomes a mind game of loving the new lifestyle more than the old. There is diabetes in my family as well so staying on track is so important.
  • bearsmom82
    bearsmom82 Posts: 72 Member
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    I met my goal in Sept 2012, went on the maintenance setting, and actually lost a further 6 pounds on maintenance! Over Christmas followed by a week in Cuba, I gained back 5 pounds - but have lost those 5 pounds in a week of clean eating and drinking lots of water - so it must have been bloating from excess alcohol and the plane flights.

    I just keep the same schedule of a 3-4 km run each day, always taking the stairs, and logging every bite on MFP. No banned foods - and I usually include a glass of wine with supper every night. I think it's the exercise that is the key.

    Mega pats on the back to everyone who is successfully maintaining - it's just as much diligence as the weight loss itself!
  • montana_girl
    montana_girl Posts: 1,403 Member
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    I've been near my goal weight (over and under it) since October of 2010, so a little over two years. And I have to say, maintenance is much harder than I thought it would be. I figured once I lost the weight, I would "know it all" so maintenance would be a breeze. Nope! Maintenance is so much harder. It's a constant struggle of figuring out what a good calories in/calories out ratio is for me.

    I have a feeling this is just a struggle I will continue with indefinitely. And I'm willing to continue to struggle as long as I don't gain the weigh back.

    I just remind myself that I have kept a 100+ pounds off for over two years... so if I have done it for that long, I can continue to keep the weight off! :smile:
  • ctalimenti
    ctalimenti Posts: 865 Member
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    I started in Jan. of 2011 at about 155. My goal is 140 and I've gone off myfitnesspal 3 times and not counted calories. Every time, I gained about 7 lbs back (over 2-3 months) before I went back on. I guess I'll have to log calories for life then. I am down to 143 right now.
  • ctalimenti
    ctalimenti Posts: 865 Member
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    One very important thing: Keep the crap out of the house.
  • castell5
    castell5 Posts: 234 Member
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    I started maintaining, or attempting to maintain Nov 9, 2012. I hit my goal weight of 135. Today, I am 130 lbs.. so yes, I am maintaining but no, cause I am still losing. I leave the caloric intake that I am eating at 1400-1600 cause it is ok, for me to take it down a few more pounds. I am sure that I am going to need 3-5 pounds of room for error, so I am still in the learning phase of maintaining. I am happy with what I eat now, I am very careful when we dine out, but still enjoy my meal and I use MFP every day.
    This tool, is going to be essential to making sure I eat the right foods to keep myself at a healthy weight. Prior to MFP, I was eating healthy but had no idea I was intaking way too much calcium and not nearly enough protein. I have since made adjustments and I feel much better. My thought would be, that if in one full year from the day you began maintenance you are still at your goal weight or below, you have succeeded. I hope to be one of those successful people. I WILL be one of those successful people. The gain weight lose weight game has got to stop.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    I've read that some studies don't consider weight loss successful unless it's been maintained for 5 years.

    Eat reasonably, stay active, weigh yourself several times a week. The minute you see your weight go up, make a change.
  • Annaruthus
    Annaruthus Posts: 301 Member
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    I have been able to maintain my same 122 pound weight loss for about 8 months now. The key for me is you can never go back to some foods. They are gone forever. You have to wrap you head around that from the beginning. No pizza, soda and fast food for me.

    good deal! For me it is soda, fried foods, and fast food! Good to hear someone else believes this! I will have pizza occaisonally as a cheat meal, but quality pizza!
  • Annaruthus
    Annaruthus Posts: 301 Member
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    I've read that some studies don't consider weight loss successful unless it's been maintained for 5 years.

    Eat reasonably, stay active, weigh yourself several times a week. The minute you see your weight go up, make a change.

    Your idea is good, but you shouldn't weight your self everyday, and make changes from day to day. It is recommended that you chart your progress weekly, since you needing to poop can add weight, or if you are retaining water from a salty meal, or it's a ladies TOM. There are many factors that can change day to day weight. I weigh weekly, and take my measurements.
  • KathleenC12
    KathleenC12 Posts: 64 Member
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    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
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
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    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
    tdfarmer Posts: 176 Member
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    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
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    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
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    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
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
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    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
    5ftnFun Posts: 948 Member
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    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
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
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    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
    catelabow Posts: 77 Member
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    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
    julesxo Posts: 422 Member
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    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. :)
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