Its tough!

Codefox
Codefox Posts: 308 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
So does anyone actually find maintaining more difficult than the weight loss? I feel like when I want to lose weight, its pretty simple. I eat less food. I'm an active runner/triathlete so maintaining a deficit is pretty easy for me. I'm not susceptible to temptation for the most part (most weight gain I had over the years came from long periods of portion size that was too big).

When it comes to maintaining, I feel like the window is so much smaller. I don't want to continue to lose and I'm pretty active so I have to eat a lot but since I eat a lot there's a high risk of eating too much! And while tracking can help, since numbers are never exact, its hard to know you're at the ride intake vs burn.

At least that's how I feel!
«1

Replies

  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
    Yes, I do.
    I am not AS ACTIVE as you are but I am for sure fairly active and i can eat bad just a couple of times and GAIN quite a bit. I think when losing, perhaps we were in that mentality of making sure we continued with our success to be healthy and now that we are healthy we let things... 'go' more often than we should.
    Also - it's hard to find that fine line where you can fluctuate properly without going over board or even 'under' board - especially with all the activity! It's hard to find that happy medium. All i can say is consider it a balancing act and stay in tune with what works for your body from week to week.

    None the less i think you are doing superb - but I am in beginning stages of being your number one fan so I am probably a bit partial here. =)
  • mrp56839
    mrp56839 Posts: 159 Member
    I think maintenance itself is harder because you just stop seeing the progress. At least with weight loss, you know when you're doing well and that's motivating. With maintenance, your motivation is fitting into your current pants every day, and at some point that starts to be taken for granted. Until you can't anymore. It's a vicious cycle!
  • theoriginaljayne
    theoriginaljayne Posts: 559 Member
    You think losing weight is hard...

    ... and then you try maintaining.

    It is really tough. Constant vigilance, that's what it takes. I still log what I eat and how much I exercise, and I keep an eye on the scale/my measurements/the way my clothes fit/the way I look in the mirror. If something changes, I adjust my diet and exercise habits to compensate. It can be tiresome, but I guess that's life.
  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
    Losing weight is very hard...


    Battling to maintain is super difficult!!!!
  • karenmckeating
    karenmckeating Posts: 5 Member
    Pretty much hit my target, then a week where I had an infection that left me feeling really rough and then a few days away where I didn't have as much control over what I ate (my mum was cooking for me) and its 3lbs back on. Upped my exercise and back to religiously logging everything. Trouble is we are off on a seaside holiday this week and my hubby sets all these things you must do on holiday mostly involving food, fish and chips out of the paper on the beach, ice cream, cornish pasty, cornish cream tea.....
    Feeling heavy just thinking about it!
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 308 Member
    Glad I'm not the only one. I can't really judge it by logging so I still weigh somewhat obsessively so I can catch any trends quickly. Of course since I'm also working out at the gym, I have no idea what that will do to my weight vs BF% so I'm all measuring other metrics. 8)

    And I'm glad I have a #1 fan...does it count if you're the only one? 8D That's my running goal...outlive the competition so one day I'll place 1st in my age group.
  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
    Uh that is the point of being your #1 fan...... is to be the only one!! I am sure there are other #1 Fans lurking in their closets unable to tell you but i have no shame. I admit it openly ..
    so with them lurking and hiding in their closets, thats what makes them #2...#3 fans...and so forth

    #1 fan here! =)
  • SJVZEE
    SJVZEE Posts: 451 Member
    Maintenance definitely is challenging, I'm finding it more so than weight loss as well. I've technically been in maintenance since March and I still haven't figured it out :tongue:
  • nwg74
    nwg74 Posts: 360 Member
    I want to maintain a 12 stone weight (168 pounds) and atm it is not working. The lowest I have been is 12 stone 3 pounds (171 pounds) and in the last few of weeks gone up 7 pounds despite me sticking with my usual 1600 calories. That should be a deficit of 400 calories a day. For months I was going up a few pounds and back down but atm I am just going up and up.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    I hate trying to maintain. Which is why I've come to MFP to lose 10 more pounds so I can bounce without busting out of my clothes on the high end of the scale. I figure I'm good at gaining and I'm pretty good at losing weight, too, but I suck at staying constant, so I'm just not going to.
  • tatd_820
    tatd_820 Posts: 573 Member
    I am in this stage now and it is definitely harder to just maintain. Such is life. Gotta find a way to make it work!
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    as some one who aught to be a sleep.

    I wonder if, as it will take say 9 months realistically, for me to get to a weight worth trying to maintain, might it therefore take say 3 times that for my body and me or anyone's body so changed, to be happy at that new weight give or take a little.

    May I just say, well done to anyone here this morning 3-30 GMT. you are getting there.
  • Yeller_Sensation
    Yeller_Sensation Posts: 373 Member
    It is hard for me, too. I have been in maintenance for a year and it's still a balancing act that needs to be continually refined. My biggest challenge: not letting the number on the scale define my progress or regress. I have been lifting heavy for 18 months and there is NO WAY I am going to try to build muscle on a deficit. When the scale heads toward the 'wrong' direction, though, I find myself staring at my spreadsheet for hours on end and second-guessing my strategy.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    It's not easy! I lost about 20LBS about 13 years ago. The first few years of maintaining were relatively easy for me (a then 30 and 40 something year old, active woman). Then, as I aged the pounds crept on, even though I was still really paying attention. I'm now 48, and holding about 15LBs lost... and working hard for it.

    As menopause progresses it's proving to be a huge challenge. I've never been really overweight, or obese and suspect that it may be even harder for folks who have been. Kudos to folks who have been significantly overweight who can maintain weight loss! You have my respect!
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    I am terrified of the scale going up. What has made me confident is that I know how to lose weight. As long as I have the willpower to catch any upward movement before it becomes mentally out of control. That's probably my biggest fear: awe screw it, I'm tired of this crap and I don't care anymore. Came close to that not too long ago. 5 months at maintenance so far.
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
    I think maintenance itself is harder because you just stop seeing the progress. At least with weight loss, you know when you're doing well and that's motivating. With maintenance, your motivation is fitting into your current pants every day, and at some point that starts to be taken for granted. Until you can't anymore. It's a vicious cycle!

    ^^^Well put!
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    I ran 94 miles in June, 86 in July while losing weight and finally hit goal at the end of July. I said I would back off a little on the running. It's the 10th and I have already logged 50 miles. Why? Because I eat at maintenance, which is more than I have eaten in months, fear I have gone over and hit the pavement. Going over while losing just meant losing slower; now just a day or two of excess will feel like failure. I need to get over that. I am going to lose 4 more without logging the new weight, just to give me wiggle room.
  • StaticEntropy
    StaticEntropy Posts: 224 Member
    I have been at maintenance (184-186 lbs, depending on level of hydration) for over three months now. I don't do much endurance/cardio training because it is much harder to estimate the amount of calories burned. The MFP cardio tracker and heart rate monitors are nice, but imperfect, and I don't trust the numbers. I do (light) endurance training maybe once week just for cardiovascular support.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    I have been at maintenance (184-186 lbs, depending on level of hydration) for over three months now. I don't do much endurance/cardio training because it is much harder to estimate the amount of calories burned. The MFP cardio tracker and heart rate monitors are nice, but imperfect, and I don't trust the numbers. I do (light) endurance training maybe once week just for cardiovascular support.
    Endurance/cardio also makes that hydration range a lot wider. My goal weight is 170 and I currently weigh between 168 and 175 depending on water (I have some salty favorites that cause major water bloat and I sometimes run 10+ miles, which squeezes you like a sponge even if you drink water during the run). I count the recent lows as my weight; as long as I see numbers under goal every few days I am okay with spikes; that isn't gain.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,974 Member
    Fortunately for me I've been at about maintenance for well over 25 years now. A 10lbs range has been about the most for me (my goal weight for now is competition weight for bodybuilding and not maintainable for long period of time). I haven't found it challenging but liberating since I know what I need to do to stay within reason.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • WinwillLose
    WinwillLose Posts: 101
    15 more lbs to go, I'm afraid of maintenance.
  • A_Fit_Mom
    A_Fit_Mom Posts: 602 Member
    I found losing the majority of my weight very easy for me. These last pesky "vanity" pounds for me are the hardest. Since I am happy where I am, I am preparing for maintaining now.

    I know when I lost weight a long time ago before my two pregnancies...I was able to maintain in the 145 range for a couple years. It was when I stopped being active all together and never exercised..is when I then slacked on food and gained all the weight.


    So in order for me to not gain, I know I will need to still log most days and exercise at least 3 times a week. Which to me isn't hard, I don't mind logging forever. It only takes a second to log my food.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I've always been contrary and it looks like I am on this subject too :smile:

    I find maintenance so much easier than losing. I love my food and those extra few hundred calories make such a difference in the choices I can make.

    Having lost weight successfully just gives me confidence that if it starts to creep up again I know exactly what to do to get back on track.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    I've always been contrary and it looks like I am on this subject too :smile:

    I find maintenance so much easier than losing. I love my food and those extra few hundred calories make such a difference in the choices I can make.

    Having lost weight successfully just gives me confidence that if it starts to creep up again I know exactly what to do to get back on track.

    Now..this is the good news I was looking for. lol Thanks.
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
    After being a yo-yoer for YEARS, I'm celebrating almost 7 years of maintenance after a 50 pound loss. Yeah, It IS hard, because you can never just eat like crazy and sit around... But like a couple of posters have said, you find your rhythm; you creep, you catch it. For me, keeping track is really important. And finding new ways to get strong, burn calories. Just like your marriage, don't let it get too routine. There's always fun in trying new things.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    After being a yo-yoer for YEARS, I'm celebrating almost 7 years of maintenance after a 50 pound loss. Yeah, It IS hard, because you can never just eat like crazy and sit around... But like a couple of posters have said, you find your rhythm; you creep, you catch it. For me, keeping track is really important. And finding new ways to get strong, burn calories. Just like your marriage, don't let it get too routine. There's always fun in trying new things.
    That's exactly it. You periodically re-calibrate.
  • LittleMsEva
    LittleMsEva Posts: 76 Member
    Losing weight IS hard, but I don't think I'll ever be worrying about maintaining, i just want to go lower and lower
  • supermumincanada
    supermumincanada Posts: 59 Member
    Yes, I find it hard too, have been at maintenance for a year, and I find I put on a few pounds and then lose few pounds, never stay the same exactly, am terrified of putting weight on.
  • marblecake22
    marblecake22 Posts: 1 Member
    It's heartening to hear that others struggle with maintainance too. It does get tiresome. I lost about 3 stones 10 years ago and it seems a constant battle to stay where I want to be. Now 43 I think the beginnings of the menopause are kicking in making it even harder. If I 'take my eye off the ball' even for a couple of days the scales shoot up but try and loses a couple of pounds it takes forever.
  • Romey5
    Romey5 Posts: 157 Member
    Maintenance is not easy, but i find it easier than weight loss. I do my best to keep up with the good choices I learned during weight loss (no soda pop, no bread with meals, small dinners, lots of water, etc), and have not found the weight to creep on too fast even if I quit paying attention for a bit. Nevertheless, I weight in at least once a week and start logging again if I get over 124-125lb range.

Categories