How did you feel?

I'm 2 pounds from my goal. Very soon I'll be entering maintenance.

How did you enter your maintenance phase (did you eat maintenance or phase in, and by how many calories per week?)
What did it feel like? Were you nervous? Easily full? Overjoyed by the extra calories? :glasses:

This is the tricky part for me. It's the first time I've ever really cared about how I've eaten to a great extent as far as keeping a constant weight, up until now I either overdid it with dieting and exercise, or I just didn't think about calories at all (exercised, but didn't track a single calorie).

Thanks for any input. :drinker:

Replies

  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    Honestly when I hit my original goal weight, it was a huge let down. I weighed myself, got all excited, and then had a reality check-I didn't magically wake up that morning and suddenly look like a VS run way model :grumble: :tongue:

    So, I decided to keep at it and actually have lost almost 20lbs more than my original goal weight. I lost that at a more leisurely pace over the summer and officially transitioned into maintenance this past fall (though I consider myself to have been in semi-maintenance since I hit my original goal last spring, because I didn't hit those last pounds aggressively and I also did a lot of experimenting with different ways of eating during this time).

    This fall I called second goal and felt really good about where I was at. I still didn't look like a VS model, but I'm not shabby for a 35 year old mom of three kids :glasses: At this point I changed focus from weight and now have fitness goals I'm working towards. Some days it's a bit overwhelming to have so many calories to eat, but I've found what works really well for me is to eat less calories during the week and then Friday-Sunday I eat higher calories. This pattern is allowing me to eat how I want and keep within my maintenance window :smile:
  • SharonCMach
    SharonCMach Posts: 305 Member
    Once I hit my goal weight I entered into maintenance by allowing myself an additional 300 calories a day. I was/am very nervous about maintenance and still trying to figure it out. Happy to have the extra 300 calories (1500 a day) if I need them but still have a habit of only eating 1200. I find that I let myself splurge more on the weekends and then eat light during the week. I still continue to exercise the same as I did when trying to lose weight, just eat alittle more now. Goodluck, hopefully someone can give you more advise since I have only been in maintenance for a couple months.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    I gradually increased my calorie intake WHILE losing weight. Once I hit my goal weight, I was already eating reasonable calories, so I just took more days off from tacking and let in more leeway on weekends.

    I pretty much still do just what I was doing while losing, but I have more of what some call "cheat" days. It works for me. I've been maintaining a 130+pound loss within a 5 pound range for 16 months. I go down a little while I'm in my running training phase, up a little while in my weight training phase (or after Christmas! ha!) but generally, I wasn't nervous because I didn't make any major changes. I still track my food at least 5 days a week, I continue to exercise at least five days a week.
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
    I was regularly resetting my goal through weight loss so hitting maintenance was hardly any change at all.
  • JenRunTriHappyGirl
    JenRunTriHappyGirl Posts: 521 Member
    I have been maintaining since April. I only increased my calories by 100 at first. The plan was to continue to increasing monthly until I hit the suggested amount, but I didn't. What works for me is tracking during the week and not really on the weekends. Weekends are my big workout days so I just kind of eat whatever I want. With my job and my kids, I can't really workout that much during the week so I track my calories on those days. I have a 5 pound range like most others. If I get above that, I tighten up a little more.
  • Bloomboom
    Bloomboom Posts: 31 Member
    Great question and some good responses already. I am not too far from maintenance and this will be information that I will soon need.

    ShannonMpls great job!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I just went up by 250 when I hit goal (I was at 500 deficit) and, since I was maintaining, stayed there. It's been since June. Everything else stayed the same. I've lost inches since then, but not weight.

    More exercise (just fitbit walking) has bought me additional calories.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    ShannonMpls great job!

    Thanks!
  • Idahoshaw
    Idahoshaw Posts: 8 Member
    I took a big sigh of relief when I finally hit the goal number. Finally, all the hard work had paid off and now I could work on another goal.

    While I was reaching for my weight goal, I constantly had little goals that I wanted to attain. Some of the little goals were to be able to do a pull-up, do a handstand push-up or run a mile by a certain time. Now that I have reached my weight goal, I am still setting those little goals. I don't focus on the weight on the scale. I focus on the weight of the barbell or dumbbell, how far or fast I can run, and how many reps I can perform. Always challenge yourself. I never thought I could do so many things I can do now.
  • Debbjones
    Debbjones Posts: 278 Member
    I've been in maintenance now for 18 months... I am still apprehensive about gaining back the weight. For me I learned calorie counting is not an exact science. Most always, nutritional labels on food identify calorie counts a little less than actual so taking that into consideration and knowing I do not weigh my food; I tend to "under" eat my daily allotted amount of calories and I never eat back my exercise calories.

    Personally, I suggest you play around a bit and find what works for you. Also remember you weight fluctuates daily, so although I weigh myself often I try to remember fluctuation of a few pounds is not a bad thing, as long as I average out to the number I want to see on that scale at the end of the week!

    Lots of luck to you... for some (me!), losing the weight is much easier than maintenance!
  • GemmaRowlands
    GemmaRowlands Posts: 360 Member
    I hit my goal on Dec 22nd 2012 - right before Christmas - not the ideal time to be learning to maintain! But I enjoyed myself over the Christmas period and then started eating healthily in the near year. Luckily it worked out and I now have a good balance and a constant weight.