For those on maintenance

TammyVieu
TammyVieu Posts: 121 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, so heres my story... I was on Weight Watchers for 2 years and lost 50 lbs. Switched to MFP and lost 20 more. I am now happy with my weight and for the past 2 weeks have been on maintenance. My problem is that in those 2 weeks I have slowly gained 2 pounds. Can this just be my body adjusting? I hope so because I am determined not to gain my weight back. Oh, my stats in case you need them.
Height- 5 3
Weight- Was 113, now 115
I was on 1200 cals per day, now 1510

Replies

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  • casy84
    casy84 Posts: 290 Member
    I was on 1200 and upped to 1430 for the last month. I think I gained a bit at first, but then went down by a pound.
    My plan is to start moving more while slowly eating more. I don't know if it's a good one :D
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Did you up increase your calories slowly or in one go? If the latter it might be your body adjusting to the increase.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    I have been maintaining for about 8 months. I find it harder than losing as I used to say "NO" to everything and now I want a little of this and that but sometimes it leads to a lot of this and that!!! I weigh myself every morning to keep myself from shoving things into my mouth - I have to face the scale in the morning. I know it fluctuates 1-2 lbs but I want the overall trend to stay +/- 2 lbs. Every now and then I end up in a binge and get right back on track the next day. It takes about 3-4 days to get rid of water weight and bloat but... I make sure to get back to target weight. I have not stopped eating right and exercising.
  • watfordjc
    watfordjc Posts: 304 Member
    I'm not on maintenance, and this might not be what you want to hear: I wouldn't worry about it unless it is more than 5-7 lb.

    It could be the body adjusting, it could be more food in the digestive tract, it could be muscle glycogen (and water) levels, it could be the amount of sodium you consume is related to the number of calories you consume, it could be other natural weight fluctuations, it could be your metabolism is slightly slower than you calculated due to dieting for a while.

    It might take a while for you to work out the reason - continue monitoring.
  • groomchick
    groomchick Posts: 610 Member
    Think of maintenance as a constant teeter totter and allow yourself a 3 or 4 lb swing. I'm sure your little gain is just an adjustment but be prepared to live your life in the schoolyard. I find losing weight easier than maintenance myself...
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    Love the teeter/totter analogy - I will remember this as I go through the schoolyard of life!! Thx
  • groomchick
    groomchick Posts: 610 Member
    Love the teeter/totter analogy - I will remember this as I go through the schoolyard of life!! Thx

    LOL... wish MFP would make a Teeter Totter Ticker!! :)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I was on 1200 and upped to 1430 for the last month. I think I gained a bit at first, but then went down by a pound.
    My plan is to start moving more while slowly eating more. I don't know if it's a good one :D

    if you're going to eat more and increase your movement by an equivalent amount then you're not actually increasing your net calorie intake --you'd essentially be in the same situation as now. If you're trying to push your maintenance up or see what it is then I recommend keeping your activity level the same and slowly increasing your calories. 1430 certainly doesn't sound like maintenance.
  • larnsperger
    larnsperger Posts: 161 Member
    Maintaining is trickier than losing. I've been on maintenance since early December. Originally I upped my calories from 1200 to 1500 per day. Then I started taking an exercise class 5 days a week which burns about 380- 480 calories per session so I have now upped the calories to 1670. It is working well for me. You do have to give yourself a 5 lb window in either direction to keep yourself from freaking out. I found when I was on WW many years ago 2 lbs was causing lots of unnecessary anxiety. The secret for me to long term success, (and yes I maintained a big weight loss for over 15 years) is mindfulness and weighing on a schedule of some sorts whatever works for you. Best of luck to you this can be done!
  • TammyVieu
    TammyVieu Posts: 121 Member
    Thanks to all. I do tend to freak out with every little pound but that it is because losing it was hard. I have a friend in the nutritional field who has encouraged me to do a 2000 cal per day diet and get at least 10000 steps per day. Afraid to try, in my mind if this is what 1400 cal does I would hate to see the gain at 2000
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
    Your friend is right, but you can't just jump up to 2000 calories. Go slowly. And definitely move more.

    I'm 5'3", 110, 48 years old and in "early" menopause after a hysterectomy 10 years ago, and I eat in excess of 2000 calories most days in maintenance.
  • glennstoudt
    glennstoudt Posts: 403 Member
    Going from on a mission to mission accomplished can definitely be a psychological adjustment. When I got to goal weight, it was like Now What? Adjusted my MFP to "maintenance" and proceeded to gain weight. So adjusted it back to some slow weight loss level. On average for the past 6 months, I have been 7 or 8 pounds over "goal weight". So, do something or do nothing? Still deciding.

    What I am doing differently since the sprint race weight loss mission I find are the following:
    1. I am not as strict about my intake of types of foods. All very subtle differences but appear to make a difference. Calories in are a little higher and it appears to add up over time
    2. I spend three days instead of 5 lifting at the gym. My workout sessions are now 30 minutes instead of one hour.
    3. My attitude is "maintenance" not lose.
    4. My activity calories burned is a little less per day due to changes at work.

    However that being said, I do also find that there is a seasonal aspect to this. Here in the south, we spend burn a lot more calories in summer just trying to stay cool outdoors than we do in winter (if you can call what we have here a winter).

    Conclusion- Minor things are major over time. And, I will shed my winter pounds over the next 4-5 months.
  • blackcloud13
    blackcloud13 Posts: 654 Member
    Give yourself a couple more weeks to be sure - weight measurement are a bit up and down anyway.

    If you think its still drifting up, then perhaps reset yourself to a slight deficit (bearing in mind that the actual calorie figures are all estimates anyway)
  • tachyon_master
    tachyon_master Posts: 226 Member
    1430 certainly doesn't sound like maintenance.

    Uhhh...For my height and weight, my maintenance calories (before exercise is taken into consideration) is only 1340. What might not sound like maintenance for you may very well be for someone else. I actually eat closer to 2000 due to exercise, but if I didn't...
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    1430 certainly doesn't sound like maintenance.

    Uhhh...For my height and weight, my maintenance calories (before exercise is taken into consideration) is only 1340. What might not sound like maintenance for you may very well be for someone else. I actually eat closer to 2000 due to exercise, but if I didn't...

    I meant GROSS not net. 2000 (with exercise) certainly sounds like maintenance.
  • TammyVieu
    TammyVieu Posts: 121 Member
    Thanks for all the advice. I think I will give it a while. Pretty sure I am just being anal.

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