Did not plan Maintenance - oops

eso2012
eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I did not make any big plan to transition into maintenance. Kind of was in a happy, yeah-new-me, zone.

Now I know why people say it can be hard! Probably as a backlash to almost-3 years of tracking, my binge-eating disorder has returned...like after 2 decades! I managed to get out of the cycle quicker than before, now that I have some good tools and love working out.

I am sure I am not alone. Anyone out there with a similar story?

I am devising a programme of some kind to get back on track. So far a couple of pounds "real gain", I think, plus quite a few pounds of water weight. Enough to freak me out on a bad day, and as a reminder on a good day.

Replies

  • Shuleran
    Shuleran Posts: 48 Member
    I seem to be in maintenance too although I did not plan it either. I still have about 5 pounds till my goal but nothing is coming off and I am starving! I am going to have to devise a new plan.
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
    I seem to be in maintenance too although I did not plan it either. I still have about 5 pounds till my goal but nothing is coming off and I am starving! I am going to have to devise a new plan.

    Are you eating too little? You do not want to starve/feel starve because sometime in the future you do need to get back to eating sans deficit :) If you are exercising, maintenance should be easy. My problem is BED and then a long season of flu, throwing my workout totally off track (which is what I am doing now as one of the first things to get back).

    A lot of people re-evaluate their TDEE for maintenance BTW.

    Good luck!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I have been in maintenance for 10 months. The only thing that is different in maintenance vs losing is that I eat a few hundred more calories to maintain...that's it (this does allow me a bit more latitude for some junk foods but really, not much). I eat the same kinds of foods and continue to rock my nutrition and rock my fitness. Nutrition and fitness are now a very intrinsic part of my daily life.

    I tell everyone pretty much the same thing...your losing was just training for the real race...you still have to run the real race...reaching your goal weight means you just arrived at the starting line of that race. Unfortunately, most people think reaching their goal weight means they're crossed the finish line and they're "done". You are never done...this race lasts a lifetime...you are done when they put you in a box.

    Good job catching it early...keep running the race.
  • montoyarenee
    montoyarenee Posts: 15 Member
    I have been in maintenance for 10 months. The only thing that is different in maintenance vs losing is that I eat a few hundred more calories to maintain...that's it (this does allow me a bit more latitude for some junk foods but really, not much). I eat the same kinds of foods and continue to rock my nutrition and rock my fitness. Nutrition and fitness are now a very intrinsic part of my daily life.

    I tell everyone pretty much the same thing...your losing was just training for the real race...you still have to run the real race...reaching your goal weight means you just arrived at the starting line of that race. Unfortunately, most people think reaching their goal weight means they're crossed the finish line and they're "done". You are never done...this race lasts a lifetime...you are done when they put you in a box.

    Good job catching it early...keep running the race.

    Love that race analogy!
  • Lorichr
    Lorichr Posts: 54
    We are surrounded with emphasis on losing weight with no mention of maintaining; its no wonder most of us struggled when the time came!

    My number one problem with most weight loss diets and programs is that there is no plan in place for maintenance. Sure, you can lose by eliminating a bunch of foods or whatever the plan is, but are you really going to do that for the rest of your life?

    Good for you for catching it at a few pounds. It's not easy.
  • westendcurls
    westendcurls Posts: 252 Member
    Yeah I'm in the same boat.

    I hit goal such a long time ago it feels like... went on vacation and had a few birthdays and then the holidays now I'm finding it soooooooo hard to lose that last five. but I'm trying to do it smarter this time. Its taking longer but I want it to last. the last time I got down to 125 I did so on 1200 calories a day and not eating back exerciser calories. I now eat minimum 1400calories a day and I do eat half or more of my workout calories. its taking longer but I am less of a grump.

    I think the hardest thing for me is; because I was at such a huge deficit before, I could have a few nights ( and often did ) of over indulging. and while it might have effected me for a day or two it would typically fall back off in a few days. now two or three days of over indulging takes a week or more to work off, by witch time someone else birthday or holiday or what have you will arrive. but I I know this is where the real life style change needs to come in. its a hard pill to swallow that even though I've lost 74lbs and taken 2 years to do it. I still have habits that need to change and patterns that need to be broken.

    But I know I'll do it, slow and steady. :-)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I have been in maintenance for 10 months. The only thing that is different in maintenance vs losing is that I eat a few hundred more calories to maintain...that's it (this does allow me a bit more latitude for some junk foods but really, not much). I eat the same kinds of foods and continue to rock my nutrition and rock my fitness. Nutrition and fitness are now a very intrinsic part of my daily life.

    I tell everyone pretty much the same thing...your losing was just training for the real race...you still have to run the real race...reaching your goal weight means you just arrived at the starting line of that race. Unfortunately, most people think reaching their goal weight means they're crossed the finish line and they're "done". You are never done...this race lasts a lifetime...you are done when they put you in a box.

    Good job catching it early...keep running the race.
    I've been at maintenance for 12+ years (with a little middle age tweaking now and again).
    This pretty much nails it.
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
    I have been in maintenance for 10 months. The only thing that is different in maintenance vs losing is that I eat a few hundred more calories to maintain...that's it (this does allow me a bit more latitude for some junk foods but really, not much). I eat the same kinds of foods and continue to rock my nutrition and rock my fitness. Nutrition and fitness are now a very intrinsic part of my daily life.

    I tell everyone pretty much the same thing...your losing was just training for the real race...you still have to run the real race...reaching your goal weight means you just arrived at the starting line of that race. Unfortunately, most people think reaching their goal weight means they're crossed the finish line and they're "done". You are never done...this race lasts a lifetime...you are done when they put you in a box.

    Good job catching it early...keep running the race.

    Thanks!! I did not have a weight loss goal to be honest. But once I started, I was thrilled to (1) lose weight (2) become a workout bunny. The love for working out and the ability to advise/encourage others is such a driving force.

    So I never thought about maintenance per se, though by Dec last year I knew it would be unhealthy to lose any more.

    That's why I never did major cal deficit or set a timeframe to lose weight. It has to be part of my whole life - INTRINSIC as you said.

    It's been fun. I see this setback as a major lesson. Re-evaluating on the best way to go forward. Frustrating 3 months, yes, but I know it will work out :)
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
    I have been in maintenance for 10 months. The only thing that is different in maintenance vs losing is that I eat a few hundred more calories to maintain...that's it (this does allow me a bit more latitude for some junk foods but really, not much). I eat the same kinds of foods and continue to rock my nutrition and rock my fitness. Nutrition and fitness are now a very intrinsic part of my daily life.

    I tell everyone pretty much the same thing...your losing was just training for the real race...you still have to run the real race...reaching your goal weight means you just arrived at the starting line of that race. Unfortunately, most people think reaching their goal weight means they're crossed the finish line and they're "done". You are never done...this race lasts a lifetime...you are done when they put you in a box.

    Good job catching it early...keep running the race.
    I've been at maintenance for 12+ years (with a little middle age tweaking now and again).
    This pretty much nails it.

    12 years! Congrats!
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
    Yeah I'm in the same boat.

    I hit goal such a long time ago it feels like... went on vacation and had a few birthdays and then the holidays now I'm finding it soooooooo hard to lose that last five. but I'm trying to do it smarter this time. Its taking longer but I want it to last. the last time I got down to 125 I did so on 1200 calories a day and not eating back exerciser calories. I now eat minimum 1400calories a day and I do eat half or more of my workout calories. its taking longer but I am less of a grump.

    I think the hardest thing for me is; because I was at such a huge deficit before, I could have a few nights ( and often did ) of over indulging. and while it might have effected me for a day or two it would typically fall back off in a few days. now two or three days of over indulging takes a week or more to work off, by witch time someone else birthday or holiday or what have you will arrive. but I I know this is where the real life style change needs to come in. its a hard pill to swallow that even though I've lost 74lbs and taken 2 years to do it. I still have habits that need to change and patterns that need to be broken.

    But I know I'll do it, slow and steady. :-)

    Big cal deficit does more harm than good IMO. I did do the 1200 cals/day (and I am only 5'3") in the beginning. Perhaps I was on a beginner high, it was do-able. But did not take me long to realize it is unrealistic to live life like this forever! OVertime I upped my cal intake AND up my workouts. There is a limit to the latter though - at my size, I can only burn that much even with very intensive workout...sadly, calories from yummy food don't go down accordingly :)

    I tweaked and adjusted...mainly to enjoy working out and enjoy eating.

    Hence the big disappointment when my eating disorder is back. It is such a dark dark thing!

    Thanks for sharing your story!!!!
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
    We are surrounded with emphasis on losing weight with no mention of maintaining; its no wonder most of us struggled when the time came!

    My number one problem with most weight loss diets and programs is that there is no plan in place for maintenance. Sure, you can lose by eliminating a bunch of foods or whatever the plan is, but are you really going to do that for the rest of your life?

    Good for you for catching it at a few pounds. It's not easy.

    Thanks for the encouragement! I am with you re: many programmes - any programme to be honest. That's why I only do cal-in vs cal-out tracking, then onto Phase 2 when I revamp what goes into my diet. I find the whole elimination, good food vs bad food thing is not a strategy for life.

    I believe in "eat, move and be merry". The only difference for me now is upping it to "eat smart, move and be merry". No food should be a taboo.

    BED is such a monster to appear when I am just into maintenance. But sharing this here helps me put things in perspectives. Like you said, catching the slip early!
  • westendcurls
    westendcurls Posts: 252 Member
    Yeah I'm in the same boat.

    I hit goal such a long time ago it feels like... went on vacation and had a few birthdays and then the holidays now I'm finding it soooooooo hard to lose that last five. but I'm trying to do it smarter this time. Its taking longer but I want it to last. the last time I got down to 125 I did so on 1200 calories a day and not eating back exerciser calories. I now eat minimum 1400calories a day and I do eat half or more of my workout calories. its taking longer but I am less of a grump.

    I think the hardest thing for me is; because I was at such a huge deficit before, I could have a few nights ( and often did ) of over indulging. and while it might have effected me for a day or two it would typically fall back off in a few days. now two or three days of over indulging takes a week or more to work off, by witch time someone else birthday or holiday or what have you will arrive. but I I know this is where the real life style change needs to come in. its a hard pill to swallow that even though I've lost 74lbs and taken 2 years to do it. I still have habits that need to change and patterns that need to be broken.

    But I know I'll do it, slow and steady. :-)

    Big cal deficit does more harm than good IMO. I did do the 1200 cals/day (and I am only 5'3") in the beginning. Perhaps I was on a beginner high, it was do-able. But did not take me long to realize it is unrealistic to live life like this forever! OVertime I upped my cal intake AND up my workouts. There is a limit to the latter though - at my size, I can only burn that much even with very intensive workout...sadly, calories from yummy food don't go down accordingly :)

    I tweaked and adjusted...mainly to enjoy working out and enjoy eating.

    Hence the big disappointment when my eating disorder is back. It is such a dark dark thing!

    Thanks for sharing your story!!!!

    Yeah I'm 5'4" but I didn't start off at 1200 cal. it was well over 50lbs (maybe even 60lb ) lost before I dropped that low. most of my weight-loss was with the help of sparkpeople. they give you a calorie range to stay in not a set number. honestly I probably would have been better off staying with sparkpeople but I came over here to MFP because the food logging was easier but MFP is where I became obsessive about staying at 1200. I thinking I'm finding the balance again though.

    Sorry to hear about your struggles. It sounds like you have a good grip on them. acknowledging it and reaching out is great! one of my best-friends struggles with binging she is always a healthy weight in my eyes but to her food is a constant battle, I know how hard it can be. It sounds like you have the right attitude though and are in a great place to succeed!! Best wishes to you!
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member

    Sorry to hear about your struggles. It sounds like you have a good grip on them. acknowledging it and reaching out is great! one of my best-friends struggles with binging she is always a healthy weight in my eyes but to her food is a constant battle, I know how hard it can be. It sounds like you have the right attitude though and are in a great place to succeed!! Best wishes to you!

    Thanks! 20 pounds lighter is great, any more would be bad..but the relationship with food - mental health - is #1 priority.

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