Success with maintenance?

aisth00j · January 2013

In my opinion weight loss success only comes after a period of sustained maintenance at my new goal weight.
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?

I suppose I am conscious of gaining all the weight back, as I have lost and gained many times before - never sticking with a prolonged time of maintaining, just usually successful on weight watchers to get to goal and then gaining again and rejoining this happened a few times from 2005-2010.
I joined MFP March 2011 & got to my goal weight June 2012 having lost 23 pounds over a steady period of 18 months for my wedding in July. Since then I have maintained but I do not know if I can stable at that weight or whether I will go back to old habits.

I will continue to track and log everything on MFP as that is part of what I do now it is not longer an effort.

Interested to hear other peoples experiences.

jonesie84 · January 2013

Even though I still have 6lb to go before i hit my goal, I'm doing great at maintaining and have actually not gained anything even through the holidays. I, like you, do not want to gain back anything. My question is..did you make it through the holiday and gain minimal weight and then take it back off? I feel like if you can go 2-4 and through a holiday without gaining, thats a big step!. Dont worry too much about a specific time frame of needing to sustain. Its all about how you feel and if you know in your mind that the battle isnt over. Does that make sense? I know that because i come from a very overweight family, I have to fight a little ahrder to maintain because i put weight back on very easily. I considered it a HUGE success to be 50lb down and not gain any weight from thanksgiving- new years and actually lose 2lb! Good luck to you!.

IcassI · January 2013

I've maintained my weight loss since August. Although now I am focusing scuplting my body so it may result in more lbs lost. Basically with maintenance I have continued to work out at least 5 days a week, I've aimed for 6 days. I eat pretty well during the week, but on the weekends I would allow myself to eat whatever I wanted. Since I am now focused on scuplting my body I am focused on eating clean every day and continuing my 6 days a week of workout.

Good luck!

Jacomab · January 2013

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.

aisth00j · January 2013

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.

jonesie84 · January 2013

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 definitely think you are maintaining then! I also have the same goal of no more than 5-7lb over my goal weight.

TavistockToad · January 2013

i have been maintaining for over a year, do i get a pat on the back?

lin7604 · January 2013

i am having trouble maintaining, i have only been trying for a few months, even though i still log everything and i am not at my maintenance cals 100% i just can't seem to keep it at a steady weight zone. I gained 5 lbs over my vacation over new years and i exercised, ate healthy choices still, didn't drink much and drank lots of water as usual, yet i still gained 5 lbs... I have only lost 1 lb of it so far, it seems to be clinging to me this time. normally when we go on vacation, i can lose what ever i gain with in 4 days... not so this time

if and when i do get it back off, i don't know how long it will be before i have another setback like that or if i can actually keep it steady from now on?

HMVOL7409 · January 2013

Been maintaining since June with no problem. What's helped me was choosing changes and workouts I love and could sustain, slowly increasing my calories including going to TDEE closer to my goal weight and logging as it holds me accountable. Maintenance is not always easy or a walk in the park; sometimes it's harder bc you have more freedom so some do slip with that. Many fluctuate a few lbs including myself but I always hold steady at my GW when I eliminate the triggers.

TavistockToad · January 2013

the one tip i have is to have a maintenance range, not just one number, to account for fluctuations.

kdiamond · January 2013

I've been maintaining for 8+ years only gaining 5 pounds of (hopefully) mostly muscle since late 2004. There are a couple times a year...mostly during the holidays, when I'll find myself 3 or so pounds plumper, mostly water weight, so I watch carefully for a few weeks and get rid of it. The key to successful maintenance in my opinion is keep yourself accountable and keep yourself active!

AyaKara · January 2013

I would personally view my maintenance range as inches rather than pounds; if I look the same (or stronger) & I gained, or I lost some weight but I still look okay, I'd just make it my aim to eat more/ eat less & find my TDEE again to eat at that.

keeponkickin · January 2013

i have been maintaining for over a year, do i get a pat on the back?

Me too. One year as of yesterday.

FitForLife81 · January 2013

I have been maintaining for a year

Noni2863 · January 2013

Thanks for posting this topic - I may not be there yet, but "Bump" for Summer 2013 - losing is going well but maintenance is the bit that scares me.
You lot all sound like you are all getting the hang of it - my heros!:flowerforyou:

aisth00j · January 2013

Wow some really great advise and info here - thanks for that.
I started the thread for interest as there never seems to be much on maintenance and hearing the way people tailor it their own lives is great.
8 years at goal = Amazing!!!

Regarding the pat on the back... erm yes if you want one?!!?

Good luck Noni - and I agree maintenance scares me as never done it before hense this thread for support.

Have a lovely day all

wtdia · January 2013

I have done this up and down again weight loss phenomena for my whole life. Last year, almost 365 days ago, I made a final commitment to get healthy and stay healthy. This time I think I am in the best MENTAL state of mind that I won't go back. I have lost 36lbs, been on maintenance since mid August....and for the first time ever, did not gain through the holidays. WHY? Because I make myself accountable everyday with myfitnesspal. When it's in front of me and I see what I'm eating and exercising, it makes me feel in control. I like being in control. If mfp ever went away, it would be awful.....but as long as I have this wonderful tool with it's awesome database it is a no brainer and easy thing for me to check myself everyday. So I think maintenance is successful enough for a pat on the back when you are in a good emotional, psychological state of mind that you don't feel inclined to make the bad choices that required you to go on a weight loss journey. I still eat everything....but MUCH smaller portions. When we have pasta, I have 80% of my plate with a healthy salad or veggies and just a small portion of my plate with pasta, when we go out for pizza...same thing....lots of salad with dressing on the side. Most restaurants now have healthy options so this has been most helpful as well and I'll say it again....lots of salad, with dressing on the side :-) As for dessert....I make room in my calories on maintenance for a small piece of chocolate everyday....and as for the rest, I have become an expert at baking with mini muffin pans and/or slicing the smallest pieces of cake/pie. I don't feel deprived, just good about making the choice to just eat a small bit...and if I am out of calories for the day...then it has to wait for another day.....it's not just about the weight loss, so when you have the frame of mind to keep you focused on a healthy lifestyle and actually live it everyday....that is successful maintenance. :-)

wtdia · January 2013

i am having trouble maintaining, i have only been trying for a few months, even though i still log everything and i am not at my maintenance cals 100% i just can't seem to keep it at a steady weight zone. I gained 5 lbs over my vacation over new years and i exercised, ate healthy choices still, didn't drink much and drank lots of water as usual, yet i still gained 5 lbs... I have only lost 1 lb of it so far, it seems to be clinging to me this time. normally when we go on vacation, i can lose what ever i gain with in 4 days... not so this time if and when i do get it back off, i don't know how long it will be before i have another setback like that or if i can actually keep it steady from now on?

Hi...I feel your struggle. What I did was run the bmr calculator to find out my basal rate calories burned each day....then I entered that, rounded up to the next 100 calories as my calorie goal for everyday....so I manually set it vs having mfp set it. This means that the basic calorie needs of my body everyday is what I focus on staying at PLUS my exercise calories. I exercise everyday, so I add those activities into mfp and it will automatically add them to your calorie goal for what you can have each day.....so for me, my bmr is 1344, I round up to 1400 and then with my calories burned I get about 1800 calories a day....

If I want more calories.....I exercise more that day :-)

Good luck....

Cordy_in_CT · January 2013

bump

aisth00j · January 2013

Thank you wtdia for that thoughtful post. I think I was panicking following years of yo-yo lose & gain cycles. xx

KellieLouise84 · January 2013

i only have a pound to go now, and getting a bit nervous about maintennance!! dont want bad habits creeping back in too much!

bookgirl_72 · January 2013

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 · January 2013

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 · January 2013

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 · January 2013

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!

ctalimenti · January 2013

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 · January 2013

One very important thing: Keep the crap out of the house.

castell5 · January 2013

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 · January 2013

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 · January 2013

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 · January 2013

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.

Success with maintenance?

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