Not daring to eat at maintenance...

TheNavet
TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
... and I keep losing weight.

I'm at the point where I am 50kg for 5'5 / 166 cm... I REALLY don't want to lose more as I'm starting to look vaguely sick, but I just can't muster the courage to eat more. I'm not very active as I sit most day (I'm a student) and do Ripped in thirty and yet seem to still lose at 1850 cals per day :/.

Am I the only one who experience this? And if you did, what did you do? Did it have any repercussions?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I can't afford counseling (I don't believe that I've got an Eating Disorder though~) :embarassed:

Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    If you don't want to lose more, you have to eat more. Just up it by 100, give it a month, if no loss, stay there, if you lose, up it again, if you gain, go down by 50. Weigh today and again in a month, don't weigh every week or it could mess with your head since the increased intake can show up as a "fake" gain on the scale at first.
  • egrusy
    egrusy Posts: 196 Member
    I know what you mean; this happened to me many years ago on Weight Watchers and again using MFP. I think for me it was a fear of starting to gain again if I upped my intake. Also, I can only eat so much at one sitting. I would suggest eat as you've been eating, but add a small meal or snack somewhere in the day, adjusting every few weeks if necessary based on whether you are maintaining or not.
  • momzeeee
    momzeeee Posts: 475 Member
    I've been transitioning into maintenance since March and I'm still tweaking-I also had issues of continued weight loss after I hit my goal weight (now 10lbs under that). I am eating around 2,000 calories now (that's including exercise calories earned back) and my weight has finally started stabilizing.

    It's definitely a process to transition!
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    If you are still losing, then yes, you need to increase calories. Do it in a healthy way, with unsaturated oils, nuts, beans, avocados, full-fat yogurt and cottage cheese. Just think of it as fueling your body with nutrients.
  • melusinagr
    melusinagr Posts: 205 Member
    I had the same problem. I've been on maintenance since December 2011 and lost 5 kg since then (a very slow loss, but still). It has taken a lot of adjusting but I still haven't found the magic number yet. It takes time, just experiment like the above poster said - 100 cals a day for a month, see how it goes.
  • kw85296
    kw85296 Posts: 265 Member
    I agree with the first two responders. I too am at maintenance and have only been there a short time. I am trying to find the "magic" number that seems to work for me. I have been upping it a little at a time. I am still losing a little bit, but I am almost at the calorie level that I need to be.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    This is something on my mind too...I am only two pounds from my goal. Ive lost lots of weight before and put it back on and I am determined to get off that carousel this time! I worked too hard to get here to do that to myself again...and I am actually a little afraid of where I go from here! Its comforting to know others have the same concerns.
  • barbara4599
    barbara4599 Posts: 114 Member
    I still have lots to lose yet so I can't personally relate. BUT....I stumbled across a really great blog today that you should read. It is www.canyoustayfordinner.com The writer lost a lot of weight and writes about her experiences. The part I read today was exercise Part 3 where she writes about overcoming her fear of NOT running during her maintenance phase. She was running everyday even though she had no more weight to lose and she hated running. She was terrified of stopping, even after an injury. Check it out.
  • TheNavet
    TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
    Thank you for all of your replies!
    And I definitely understand your fear of gaining again - I guess that that is what partially holds me back...

    I'm going to try and up my intake to 1950 and see how it goes~

    Thank you again :flowerforyou:
  • TheNavet
    TheNavet Posts: 162 Member
    I still have lots to lose yet so I can't personally relate. BUT....I stumbled across a really great blog today that you should read. It is www.canyoustayfordinner.com The writer lost a lot of weight and writes about her experiences. The part I read today was exercise Part 3 where she writes about overcoming her fear of NOT running during her maintenance phase. She was running everyday even though she had no more weight to lose and she hated running. She was terrified of stopping, even after an injury. Check it out.

    I can remember reading her story a looooong while back and I think that a fresh reread will cause any harm, thank you :smile:
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
    Yep, this happened to me too when I initially hit my goal weight of 136. I slowly upped my intake by about 50 to 100 calories per week, and still continued to lose. I finally stabilized at about 125 lbs.

    I went from eating about 1400 to 1600 calories per day on average in weight loss mode, to 2000 to 2400 per day in maintenance.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    You won't gain at maintenance. Have some faith.
  • FromHereOnOut
    FromHereOnOut Posts: 3,237 Member
    I look forward to this predicament some day. :wink:


    Perhaps just add one food daily, such as a piece of toast with a nut butter, or some cheese, or a bowl of whole Greek yogurt with fruit & nuts. Maybe just adding one healthy, calorie-dense snack will keep your weight holding steady.
  • ttiiggzz
    ttiiggzz Posts: 154 Member
    I can relate to this. Been trying to be really careful about what I add to my diet as I don't want go back to my old bad habits of snacking.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    ... and I keep losing weight.

    I'm at the point where I am 50kg for 5'5 / 166 cm... I REALLY don't want to lose more as I'm starting to look vaguely sick, but I just can't muster the courage to eat more. I'm not very active as I sit most day (I'm a student) and do Ripped in thirty and yet seem to still lose at 1850 cals per day :/.

    Am I the only one who experience this? And if you did, what did you do? Did it have any repercussions?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated as I can't afford counseling (I don't believe that I've got an Eating Disorder though~) :embarassed:

    You need to start eating more or your weightloss will just continue until you really do fall sick.

    Up your calories very gradually and in small amounts - say 50 extra for the day, until you find your personal level,
  • Garlicmash
    Garlicmash Posts: 208
    you can change the settings of you're diary to gain weight ,this sight isn't just for weight loss.
  • JonathanBB
    JonathanBB Posts: 252 Member
    Great post. I have it goal weight and am worried about gaining too. I upped my calories from what is need to lose 1 pound per week to 0.5 pounds per week and am trying to eat a little over that but am nervous about going up. Have you checked your various non-weight measures; BMI and muscle to fat ratio or talked to your doctor to be sure you are at a good weight?
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    You may want to adjust your "goal" weight to 5 or so pounds less anyway. As you go back to maintainance, your body will replenish your glycogen levels to normal, which is about one pound (stored in your liver and muscles) and the water your body needs to hold on to that glycogen, and that's usually about 3-4 pounds. (Think about what happens when you eat Christmas dinner - that's what the weight is the next morning! LOL) This way, you'll gain those five pounds and stabalize at what you want without that "OMG! I'll never maintain!" feeling. Then start adding 50-100/day for a few weeks, watch your sodium and all the other culprits, and adjust as necessary. Best of luck!
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    You may want to adjust your "goal" weight to 5 or so pounds less anyway. As you go back to maintainance, your body will replenish your glycogen levels to normal, which is about one pound (stored in your liver and muscles) and the water your body needs to hold on to that glycogen, and that's usually about 3-4 pounds. (Think about what happens when you eat Christmas dinner - that's what the weight is the next morning! LOL) This way, you'll gain those five pounds and stabalize at what you want without that "OMG! I'll never maintain!" feeling. Then start adding 50-100/day for a few weeks, watch your sodium and all the other culprits, and adjust as necessary. Best of luck!

    Hi Crafuse! Was it you that posted a thread on the subject of going 5lbs below your goal weight because of the glycogen levels etc?

    If so, just wanted to say it was an excellent thread, really was food for thought! (no pun intended lol)
  • cbediria
    cbediria Posts: 29
    I like that one reply, "Have some faith."

    I'm on the same boat, and am equally frustrated. I passed my original goal weight a long time ago, and I keep lowering it more and more because after 2 years at this, I don't know any other way to eat. It's either weight loss more, or eat way too much mode, lol. So I choose weight loss mode. My advice to you, and to myself, is concentrate on healthy foods and eating more of that. Switching from fat free milk to 1% milk, low calorie bread to full grain bread, stuff like that will help up the calories without increasing your food intake too much.

    Have a little faith in yourself :)

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