Please share your number one strategy for maintaining

tm82001
tm82001 Posts: 133 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi Everyone!

I am within 4.5 pounds of my weight loss goal. I am proud of myself for eating a wide variety of foods in moderation, logging daily, moving my body more, and keeping an open, positive mind about this journey.

I have the losing weight part down, but I am no expert at maintaining. So, I am curious what your #1 strategy for maintenance has been. I know is will vary from person to person, but I would love to gather lots of great ideas and then try them out to see what works for me. Thank you for sharing!

Teresa
«1345

Replies

  • poohpoohpeapod
    poohpoohpeapod Posts: 776 Member
    I hve lost 120lbs, although not quite finished, I have been not actively losing for a bit. I think exercise is very important and consistency, do not let a treat turn into a day of bad eating. It is a slippery slope in my opinion.
  • janer4jc
    janer4jc Posts: 238 Member
    I do better when I drink plenty of water throughout the day.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Logging. Everything. Accurately.

    And choosing food you like eating.
  • tbresina
    tbresina Posts: 558 Member
    I struggle at maintaining, it was so much easier when I was actively losing, now its creeping back on slowly-hope we get some good advice!
  • eating4me
    eating4me Posts: 239 Member
    I was hesitant to go on maintenance, but I continued to lose on maintenance, and had to increase my calories, so I wouldn't lose too much. Logging accurately & honestly is most important. That, and maintaining a consistent workout schedule. I've had no problems whatsoever maintaining, and I even take a break with logging on Sundays & all holidays (and I'm sure I over eat on those days). It's not as scary as it seems....you can do it!
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
    I weigh myself everyday and trim my eating and increase my exercise anytime my weight is more than 3 pounds above my target. This doesn't happen very often but when it does it usually only takes a few days to bring it back into range.

    It's much easier to lose 2 pounds than 20.
  • faizul4n6
    faizul4n6 Posts: 3 Member
    manage my calorie intake every day..make sure do not exceed my limit...do not eat before sleep...find my suitable eating regime...
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    #1. Don't be afraid of ups and downs. Tweak plan as necessary.
  • andreahanlon
    andreahanlon Posts: 263 Member
    I haven't reached my goal weight but I have maintained a significant loss for several years. I eat many of the same meals (repetitive breakfast or lunches) so I know how many calories I'm consuming without thinking too hard, and I weigh myself regularly.
  • 25point4
    25point4 Posts: 35
    No *kitten*/ thread
    Dem gainz.
  • shellfly
    shellfly Posts: 186
    My # 1 strategy was to shift my focus from weight loss/diet to fitness. I had already been exercising throughout my weight loss journey, but I decided to venture into the world of strength training in order to really challenge myself and to hopefully get better definition. It was a good way to channel all of that determination and charge-ahead energy that I used to lose the weight into something equally constructive and healthy.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    My # 1 strategy was to shift my focus from weight loss/diet to fitness. I had already been exercising throughout my weight loss journey, but I decided to venture into the world of strength training in order to really challenge myself and to hopefully get better definition. It was a good way to channel all of that determination and charge-ahead energy that I used to lose the weight into something equally constructive and healthy.

    Great and strong! Super awesome!
  • yanglovesmj
    yanglovesmj Posts: 28 Member
    My ultimate strategy is to eat like how i did when i was losing weight. Cos now i make it into a lifestyle, im not dieting, its a lifelong change and that is vital in steering me away from junk foods and all those crap. anyway, now that i've felt healthier i dont want to go back to my old ways anymore. but i still do take abit of junk food every once in a while so that keeps me from feeling too deprived of it when the occasional cravings kick in. Exercising is important as well. But we all know most of it lies in our diet, so eat well and you will maintain. In my case, i avoid carbs during dinner but eat a sensible portion of it starting of the day. if i know i'll be burning more cals throughout the day, i'll allow more carbs. if im lazing around, i'll eat alot lesser of it. i make sure i'll hit my body's needed protein intake too. been working well for me
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I'm a big fan of eating less Mon-Fri and splurging on the weekend. Just focus on your weekly calorie intake
  • beckyzalldat
    beckyzalldat Posts: 236 Member
    #MOTIVATION #WILLPOWER :)))
  • ctalimenti
    ctalimenti Posts: 865 Member
    I'm a big fan of eating less Mon-Fri and splurging on the weekend. Just focus on your weekly calorie intake


    THIS!

    I eat 200 or so calories less on weekdays so I can have a little fun on weekends. So far, so good.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Don't treat maintenance as the end. It's just a new beginning. Set yourself some new goals and something to strive for when you get there.

    I've been maintaining for over two years. In my first year I just kept tracking and focused on just maintaining my weight. It's hard to maintain a passion for just maintaining though, so in my second year I've been concentrating on gaining strength and getting faster.
  • RoyBeck
    RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
    Up your calories slowly so you can get a better idea of what works for you calorie wise.

    Allow yourself a few pound 'range' and don't worry if you go up 2/3 pounds on the scale as it probably won't stay on or long!

    Don't stress the little things - you've done great so far so allow yourself an extra treat or two but just keep yourself active

    Willpower.
  • einzweidrei
    einzweidrei Posts: 381 Member
    #1-Pay attention to weekly calorie intake. Not daily. Like others, I like to splurge on the weekends and I'm in the midst of transitioning from 5:2 to 6:1. (Didn't do 6:1 last week but I will this week.)

    #2-This is what I want my next step to be: I want to focus on fitness/strengthening/toning. I don't want to be "skinny fat" which is how I feel.
  • capperboy
    capperboy Posts: 99 Member
    Discipline
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Calorie counting.
    If only there was a website where you could log your food and exercise to help you work out your calorie balance.....
    :wink:

    Really maintenance is no different than dieting to lose weight - just a higher weekly allowance and the acceptance of making small adjustments to stay in a weight range.
    The rest of it is the same, just able to eat more nice food - still have numerous health, fitness and body composition goals.
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
    Portion control. Same strategy as for losing.

    I no longer fill up my plate with all the food I plan to eat. I go for seconds if I feel the need, but no more am I ploughing through a greedy amount because I over-estimated how hungry I really was.
  • klmorg1227
    klmorg1227 Posts: 66 Member
    I was hesitant to go on maintenance, but I continued to lose on maintenance, and had to increase my calories, so I wouldn't lose too much. Logging accurately & honestly is most important. That, and maintaining a consistent workout schedule. I've had no problems whatsoever maintaining, and I even take a break with logging on Sundays & all holidays (and I'm sure I over eat on those days). It's not as scary as it seems....you can do it!

    This is very similar to how I have achieved maintenance for a little over a month now. It is very scary to go from successfully losing to maintaining. Our minds are so trained to focus on decrease that to change that focus can derail some people...it did me. Exercise, as the above poster mentioned, is a very important key. I also take Sundays 'off' as my free day. I don't go to the gym or run on Sunday and I eat freely, not grossly pigging out, but freely. I still maintain a degree of healthy eating on my free day...I just indulge in a couple cookies, or an ice cream or a steak or something...maybe a Mexican meal! :-) , the key is don't eat all of those things on your free day! lol. Mon thru Saturday I maintain a vigorous work out routine and I eat about 1500 - 1700 calories a day. The first two weeks were really hard. I felt bloated from the extra calories and I was scared to gain weight. I did actually fluctuate with my weight and went up a 3 pounds...but before I panicked it went back down 2 pounds and the end of the second week and last week I was back to 139, my goal weight. Good luck...relax and don't panic. You have worked hard to lose it so now you get the reward of having it a little easier and allowing yourself to enjoy food a little more! Take it slow and just add 100 or so calories on a week. I added two hundred on my first week..lol may have been why I felt so bloated at first! I went from 1100 - 1200 per day to 1400 per day. Maybe adding it on a little slower than I did will fare better results for you! Can't wait to hear your results!!
  • Debbjones
    Debbjones Posts: 278 Member
    I log my food every day and continue to count my calories. I have been on maintenance now for nearly a year... this is what I found works for me.
  • escape06rita
    escape06rita Posts: 3 Member
    Focusing on weekly calorie count.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Monitor your bodyweight and if you start gaining, adjust your activity or intake accordingly.

    Don't be one of the many people who return to the forums with things like "I changed my calorie intake and gained 14lbs".
  • walkinthedogs
    walkinthedogs Posts: 238 Member
    This part was a quote, but I deleted the first part accidentally. Just want to give the poster credit where credit is due.

    [/quote]
    Really maintenance is no different than dieting to lose weight - just a higher weekly allowance and the acceptance of making small adjustments to stay in a weight range.
    The rest of it is the same, just able to eat more nice food - still have numerous health, fitness and body composition goals.
    [/quote]

    I know this may sound silly and I'm not to the maintaining part either, but I've been anxious about how to maintain and whether I can do it when I get there. Silly, I know. Your comment just ended all my anxiety. I will just continue to do the same exact thing I am doing to lose the weight, but use different calorie counts to measure. I need to remember to not make it any harder than it is. Thank you!
  • ashleyplus3
    ashleyplus3 Posts: 284 Member
    Oh friend! I'm so happy for you that you are almost at your goal!! :-D I haven't maintained for very long (3 months now) but I know for me I HAVE to keep logging. You know that I go over A LOT (lately anyway and I am still at somewhat of a deficit and I probably burn more than I account for chasing my little ones) but I would probably go over a lot more if I didn't log! I have changed my mindset about being all or nothing with my eating and exercise. That is huge. I have accepted the fact that this is a lifestyle change and not a temporary means to get to some magic number on the scale. I used to view eating say a candy bar as "bad" and then I would let the guilt of going off my "diet" derail my whole day, week, month and I was right back where I started!

    That is the biggest change (and strategy) for me. Allowing myself to eat food that isn't always healthy and not thinking of it as a failure. It's life. I enjoy these foods sometimes, and as long as I keep logging and keep my weight in check, I can enjoy myself in moderation.

    I do agree with whoever said..........

    "Don't treat maintenance as the end. It's just a new beginning. Set yourself some new goals and something to strive for when you get there.

    I've been maintaining for over two years. In my first year I just kept tracking and focused on just maintaining my weight. It's hard to maintain a passion for just maintaining though, so in my second year I've been concentrating on gaining strength and getting faster. "

    .......that is how I'm going to look at this. My new goal is to make exercise a (mostly) daily habit. And I couldn't agree more that it's harder to maintain a passion for just maintaining. Somehow I was kicking *kitten* in the weight loss phase, and lately I've really been slacking in the healthy eating department, but such is life. I'll get back to it. Consistency is the key for me. :-)
  • charlizetiu
    charlizetiu Posts: 3
    Never had a problem maintaining my weight after losing 65lbs, I still eat my normal food intake just like before but have avoided soft drinks and sweets (donuts, cakes, chocolates)... though sometimes when the crazy hormones kicks in I can't fight the cravings and I tend to give in, when that happens I would jog around for 30-45mins to make myself less guilty LOL!
    I guess the best way to maintain is to work out once in awhile. I have tried all types of diet without work out and my weight just got worse after every program!
  • paleojoe
    paleojoe Posts: 442 Member
    Consistency...

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