How long have you maintained your weight loss?

Hello. I'm just curious to know how long you have kept off the weight you lost?

Replies

  • In addition to the posted question I would also like to know...

    How much did you lose?
    How long did it take to reach your desired goal?
    What do you find most challenging?
    Do you still faithfully calorie count?
  • kk_140
    kk_140 Posts: 518 Member
    Lets see. I'm losing again now but I maintained at 140 for about 6 months before starting up again.

    I have lost 23 pounds to get there
    It took 4 months to get to 140 lbs.
    I found the idea of never being able to stop counting calories ever most challenging
    I still faithfully calorie counted the entire time. I don't know if I could maintain without doing it.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I haven't reached goal yet but am down 39 pounds. Due to work stress I just decided it would be too hard to try to lose from January to April so I maintained. I kept calorie counting because it is something I need to do. I don't think I will ever be completely free of counting. I am restarting now and getting back to my weight loss mode. Practicing maintaining can help you learn what works and doesn't for you.
  • dmoses
    dmoses Posts: 786 Member
    I met my goal weight in 2010, so I've been maintaining for almost 4 years now. It took me almost a year to lose the 40 lbs, but I was in no hurry. I calorie count EVERY day, without fail, and I weigh myself every day. The scale doesn't control me, but helps me to monitor how I'm doing, and if I need to change anything.
  • tetop
    tetop Posts: 4 Member
    Hey! I I lost 83 lbs and it took me about 7 months What I found most challenging was staying on track about food. The whole working out thing wasn't a problem because after a couple of weeks staying on a routine it just kind of became habit. No I don't still calorie count. I maintained my weight loss for a while but now I have gained back 25 lbs sadly. Now I'm back to it to lose those pesky lbs.
  • I met my goal weight in 2010, so I've been maintaining for almost 4 years now. It took me almost a year to lose the 40 lbs, but I was in no hurry. I calorie count EVERY day, without fail, and I weigh myself every day. The scale doesn't control me, but helps me to monitor how I'm doing, and if I need to change anything.


    Congrats to you! Thanks for sharing
  • Hey! I I lost 83 lbs and it took me about 7 months What I found most challenging was staying on track about food. The whole working out thing wasn't a problem because after a couple of weeks staying on a routine it just kind of became habit. No I don't still calorie count. I maintained my weight loss for a while but now I have gained back 25 lbs sadly. Now I'm back to it to lose those pesky lbs.

    Will you go back to calorie counting?
  • KelARita7
    KelARita7 Posts: 2,694 Member
    I lost 65lbs in about a year...was May 2011 when I hit my goal weight and I have been mostly maintaining since then...so 3 years now. Tho I would love to lose a bit more , it hasn't been anything I have really pushed for.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I have not yet reached my approx. goal of 170 lb (I am currently at 184 lb).

    I started at my heaviest weight of 307 lb in November 2008. I lost 45 lb between then and 2013. I did not regain any weight over that time period, it was just a very slow & gradual loss.

    I joined MFP in March 2013 at the weight of 262 lb. Over the past 14 months I have lost 78 lb you see reflected in my ticker. I have not regained any weight along the way.

    The most challenging thing for me is staying motivated to exercise beyond what is normal daily activity for me (lots of walking, cleaning, running errands, sight-seeing on weekends).

    I log every calorie I eat or drink, every single day since 3-25-13 and I plan to keep doing that for at least a few years during maintenance after reaching my goal.
  • angel7472
    angel7472 Posts: 317 Member
    Reached goal in October 2013. Went to maintain and lost a couple more. Now Im steady not gaining not losing anymore. I count everyday because if I dont I KNOW I will fall into bad habits again. It took me approx a year to lose 70 pounds. I work out everyday. I take Sat and Sun off from religious counting though. Im more of an average it out. I dont eat exercise calories back during the week I save them for my weekend when hubs and kids are home, so technically my treats are accounted for by workouts during the week. I dont workout on weekends.
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    About 17 months or so.
  • anothermop
    anothermop Posts: 187 Member
    It took me about 6 months to lose my 50 lbs and I've been around this weight for over a year now. I still track my exercise and calories everyday (Almost 700 days now.) Honestly, the most challenging part is eating my exercise calories back every day--If I don't, the weight continues to fall of.

    Good luck!
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    I lost about ten to fifteen pounds and it took me a year.
    I still log my intake.
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    I started Jan 2013, and lost 35+ dieting off and on by October 2013. I've maintained within 4lbs since then, including over the holidays, multiple birthdays, etc. The only time I've list since then was sickness or dehydration. I'm happy where I am, not planning on losing any more right now.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I've maintained a 66 lb. loss for 25 months. :-)
  • aelphabawest
    aelphabawest Posts: 173 Member
    I started losing in 2007/2008 and went from 220 to 160. It took about a year.
    I kept it off (without tracking) until about last summer (2013) when I started to creep up to 170. (Largely due to not having a gym membership and all of the walking and such I had previously done wasn't happening.)
    So I came back here to get back into the swing of things and maybe lose a bit more pre-marathon. :smile:
  • FitFLNana
    FitFLNana Posts: 11 Member
    It took me about 9 months or so to lose 40 lbs. I have maintained that for 2 years now - just hit 1000 days on here! I consistently still track everything - it is important for me to not mindlessly put stuff in my mouth! I workout 3 days a week, and then get in 3 hours of cardio a week - either walks on the beach, tennis - usually something fun! I try to keep my macros on target, and plan in my treats!
  • alipene
    alipene Posts: 945 Member
    Have maintained for about 15 months
    Lost 25lbs
    Took 10 months
    Most challenging was motivating myself to exercise, so I signed up for a HM having never run at all
    I now do 5:2 fasting and maintain successfully
  • Paul_Collyer
    Paul_Collyer Posts: 160 Member
    Started in September 2012 and lost 20kg by June 2013. Stopped logging through the summer although I did a fair bit of running and cycling to compensate for the barbecue season ;-). Maintained weight ok until the end of the summer when a boozy 2 week holiday added a couple of kg.......

    So I picked up MFP again in September 2013 after that holiday and managed to lose about 3-4 kg by Xmas taking the overall loss to somewhere around 22kg. This was much harder going although I was a bit more relaxed about it allowing a couple of "days off" each week. Since then I really picked up on the running as ( my first ) marathon training started and I decided not to count calories and just focus on a common sense diet and training. I did actually sneak up 2-3 kg this spring but put it down to muscle % vs fat plus the runner's hunger. I've just been back on MFP for a month burst just to try to lose a couple of kg before I hit the pasta in my marathon taper period and it is working albeit slowly!

    Conclusions: You can maintain without counting to a point if you are sensible, but MFP is a great tool to pick up again for a burst if things start going in the wrong direction or you have a period of indulgence eg holiday. Its also clear that the body finds a point at which it is reluctant to lose weight fast whatever you do. I'm ok with that as I look ok for my age now and am in very good cardio shape. NB my BMI is 27 ish, and doesnt seem to want to move, but I can live with that. I'd like to lose another 5kg if I could but am happy to do that over a couple of years or so if need be.
  • odddrums
    odddrums Posts: 342 Member
    I went from 250-230 in 2008, then 230-210 in 2012, then 210-180 in 2013. I've been fluctuating between 180 and 190, currently hovering around 186 because I've been eating a TON of carbs this week. Last year was my first year logging and it helped me lose 30 pounds [210-180] but then I gained 10 back in 7 weeks of not logging. I've been going up and down since then, gaining and losing bits here and there, and I'm currently cutting back so I can try to lose this last 10 pounds by trying Insanity.

    So...been maintaining for almost year I guess. Crazy stuff!
  • jhellwig828
    jhellwig828 Posts: 109 Member
    It took me 6 months to lose my original goal of 44ish pounds. Since then I have lost a few extra while trying to figure maintenance out. I've only been maintaining for a little over a month now. I plan on logging forever. It's the only consistent thing that has helped me lose the weight. I think the benefits far outweigh the pain of logging.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    A little over a year now.

    From the spring of '12 to the fall of '12 I lost about 15 Lbs on my own just cutting back on sodas and the like...plus coming out of winter and into summer and lighter cooking.

    A visit to my doctor in the fall of '12 prompted me to really focus on my diet and nutrition as well as losing weight. Over the subsequent 6 months or so I lost an additional 20 - 25 Lbs with the aid of MFP...so 35 - 40 Lbs gone over the course of about a year...but more importantly, MFP helped teach me how to feed myself and I learned a ton about proper nutrition and fueling my body and fitness, etc.

    I started maintaining last April, 2013 and have done so for the last year plus without logging save for a spot check here and there. I continue to rock my nutrition and rock my fitness...I don't eat much differently than I did when I was losing save for an extra bit of junk food here and there as a treat...but basically the difference between my maintenance and losing is a few hundred calories.
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    I lost about 110 pounds in the course of about 1 year. I didn't track calories. I kept a running tally in my head and chose low calorie food and practiced moderation.

    I've maintained for 4 years with what seems like no effort. I still workout a lot but I don't call that effot.

    I'm trying to lose 10 more pounds through calorie counting and am struggling with getting the right balance. I am at a weight that I could easily maintain forever.

    I stop logging from time to time to give myself a mental break. I also don't eblieve I'm someone who needs to log to maintain. I largely eat the same foods all the time, eat less than I burn due to high activity level. but I do enjoy too much wine on the weekends
  • BigMech
    BigMech Posts: 472 Member
    I've been maintaining successfully since December 2011, so about 2.5 years at this point. I've been trying to slowly add lean mass since then, with some good success.

    It took me about 20 months to lose 245 lbs. I'm not as strict with my calorie counting now, but I still count and log most days. Especially when I'm trying to cut weight after a bulk. My gym/exercise has routine is about the same time wise as while I was losing weight, but more focused on adding lean mass than losing fat.

    The most challenging part for me was finding the motivation to finally make the life style changes that I needed to make. Being there, and healthy, and setting a good example for my kids provided that motivation. It took me 38 years to figure out, but I finally did.
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    BigMech - AMAZING loss and wonderful transformation!
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    :flowerforyou: To all those who have been loosing and maintaining their weight!
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
    Almost a year. I hit my goal weight last June. I've stayed at my GW since then, with minimal fluctuation.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    In addition to the posted question I would also like to know...

    How much did you lose?
    How long did it take to reach your desired goal?
    What do you find most challenging?
    Do you still faithfully calorie count?

    Maintaining for 3.5 years. Lost 14 lbs total (9 lbs after joining MFP). I lost very sloooowly, probably 10-12 months, can't remember exactly. I still log and workout faithfully and what I find most challenging is body re-composition and losing more body fat

    I still eat at a small deficit and workout 5 times a week (strength training and some light cardio), but age and some physical limitations are not helping. I am not giving up!

    Edited to add: I don't find eating healthy or exercising a chore or a challenge, but sometimes logging all the time gets to me.
  • laughingdani
    laughingdani Posts: 2,275 Member
    In addition to the posted question I would also like to know...

    How much did you lose?
    How long did it take to reach your desired goal?
    What do you find most challenging?
    Do you still faithfully calorie count?

    I've been maintaining my loss for almost 5 years.
    I lost 60+ lbs. Still not exactly where I want to be, but "okay" with where I'm at now.
    It took about 10 months to lose the weight. I've still fluctuated over the years. But nothing significant.
    The most challenging thing right now is keeping momentum to choose to push and lose the last of the weight.
    I do not log every little morsel anymore. I've gotten really good at keeping a tally in my head, since I eat a lot of the same foods.
    My issue is being consistent.
  • benniesmother
    benniesmother Posts: 269 Member
    I have kept off my weight for two and a half months :)! [not very long, but it is never coming back.]
    I lost 38 lb.
    it took 7.5 months
    most challenging - finding new foods I like. I am unfortunately picky, and I tend to eat the same foods frequently, if not daily. my menu is pretty boring! however I was the same way when I ate unhealthy foods.. so I guess it isn't any different. hehe oopsie.

    I still count my calories. When I decided my health & fitness "journey", I wanted to use calorie counting to help me figure out HEALTHY portion sizes, so that I won't always have to be weighing and measuring my food. At this point, I can pretty closely guess the weight/measurement of the food I eat, after having done it this long. however, I feel that I still want to count. I know eventually I will probably stop, but because I only hit my goal weight 2.5 months ago, I'm gunna keep on for now. just to be on the safe side.. hehee.