How do you keep the weight off?

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acoursey1445
acoursey1445 Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm very close to my goal weight and I'm already starting to worry about keeping the weight off. I've been on many fade diets and lost weight very quickly and put it back on. What's different this time? Well, I started exercising two years ago. At that time, my eating habits weren't great, however gradually I changed to healthly choices. In two years I lost 20 lbs. I've been on 1200 calories per day and eating my exercise calories. How many calories should you eat to maintain your current weight? I've been thinking about staying at 1200 calories during the week and eat more on weekends. That thought is when .... MY MIND SCREAMED.... Wait a minute.... That will send you back to your old bad eating habits... any advice???

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  • suziblues2000
    suziblues2000 Posts: 515 Member
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    Well, no because right now you're on 1200 calories and eating your exercise calories and LOOSING weight.
    If you stay on 1200; and eat more on weekends you should stay the same weight just not loose any.
  • becca09
    becca09 Posts: 54 Member
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    for 2 weeks i only ate 1,200 cals with no exercise and i didnt shift a single pound. so i know that when i reach my goal weight i am sticking to 1,200 cals a day. congrats on nearly reaching your goal weight!
  • rhstyles
    rhstyles Posts: 36
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    you should just change your mfp setting to maintain weight instead of lose, this will give you the correct amount of calories you need to eat to maintain.
  • katie30
    katie30 Posts: 55
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    MFP will give you a general number for your maintenance if you change your profile. But chances are that is going to add in a large number which could trigger some binge eating and revert you back into your old habits. Definitely the cycle I've been in before.

    My plan (in god knows how many months), is to slowly increase my calories per day. Example, your currently at 1200, once you hit your goal, up to 1300 for 2 weeks, then 1400 for 2 weeks, etc until you no longer notice any significant changes. This will help you determine your new daily average.
  • ChaslovesBrian
    ChaslovesBrian Posts: 13 Member
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    What I do is after I lose a significant amount (ie. 10 pounds) I try to maintain it for a while. Then lose some more, then maintain, etc. Rule of thumb I live by, NEVER let yourself gain more than five pounds back. NEVER. Once you gain 5 back, time to start losing!!
  • SweetCharity
    SweetCharity Posts: 83
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    I guess it depends on what you plan to do next. Are you going to stop working out and eating healthy when you reach your goal weight? Right now, you're eating at a calorie deficit which is why you're losing weight. You can change your settings to maintain and not lose. I hope you are still intending on continuing a healthy lifestyle. Because without doing that, you will almost certainly gain your weight back.
  • Etta
    Etta Posts: 75 Member
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    I found it best to maintain the same balanced eating on the weekends as I do during the week. Otherwise, it is very easy to let one "special treat" become a weekly habit. I also noticed I do best when I log my food intake. The weeks I slack off are the weeks I lose focus, with both exercise and diet.

    Congrats on your hard work!


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  • acoursey1445
    acoursey1445 Posts: 10
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    Thanks everyone, I do plan to eat good healthy food. I don't crave those old unhealthly food choices. For example, we went out of town to visit family, they had sandwiches for lunch, both my husband and I disliked the white "soft" bread. We were surprised how the little changes in food choices are now the things we like. Also, I'm enjoying the activities I do for excercise. I just purchased a road course bike and planning a 50 mile bike ride. The "old" unhealthly me is gone, I just didn't have any idea on how to keep the weight from coming back, because that is something I've struggled with my whole life. I joined weight watcher when I was 16 years old. I've never been anymore than 30 lbs over weight, however I've lost the same 25 lbs over 5 times. The time before now was 2004, I joined some pill pushing diet club and lost 27 lbs in 12 weeks, I gained 17 lbs back before I joined the "run for your heart" group, who inspired me to find fun ways to exercise. Then my co-worker and friend told me about MFP. Most of my co-worker and I joined a boot camp. We have a healthy lunch group. I appreciate your post, you've helped me to realize what I need to do. I'm going to focus on continued good habits both exercise and healthly food choices. My past habits are causing me unnecessary worry. Worry never changed anything it just wreaks today's happiness. Again thank you... you have helped..

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