Why is Maintaining So Hard?

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  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
    Would it be possible to add more exercise to the mix? I don't know if you're exercising at all right now, but you could add getting to eat another 300 - 500 calories a day could be very worth spending 30-45 minutes/day exercising.

    It's a good thought, but I already do an hour of exercise (usualy Zumba, step, hiking) 4 to 6 days a week. When I try to add more I start getting overtraining injuries.

    This is just my life. I am coping, but I clearly haven't figured out how not to be bitter about it :)
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Jlahorn -- what is your height and weight? I ask because unless you're really tiny, that amount of calories seems pretty low for maintenance with that amount of exercise. It makes me think that you may have something off that's keeping you that low -- like a thyroid condition or something.

    And adding some heavy lifting in may help -- help you to build more muscle over the longterm, which will allow you to eat more.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I am 1/2lb from maintenance and feel that it wont be hard, but that's because I have a plan..I have maintained before (pregnancy kicked my butt) and it was not hard.

    I agree most people who say it's hard fall back into bad habits or they made such drastic changes to lose the weight and didn't learn moderation. They get lack, stop tracking, don't workout as much perhaps and to top it all off no new goals...boring so I have no weight related goals...more exercise, health and fitness goals...

    For me it's been a process. Albeit a bit scary...:bigsmile:

    I for the last 4 weeks have been reverse dieting, 100 extra on week 1 (1700), 100 extra week 2&3 (1800)

    I went up 2lbs between week 1 and 2...I was calm at first..water weight etc...but after 2 weeks and it wasn't gone I did start to "freak" bad bad bad...cortisol levels etc I had to just calm myself and remind myself maitenance for me is not 1800 it's just the increase in food replenishing glycogen etc..and then yup it's gone plus another 1/2lb today...but that is after I calmed myself this week....mental work is always good...

    I can't imagine going from TDEE-20% to TDEE if with 200 extra it was 2lbs...eek

    At the present time I have chosen to reverse up 50 Calories a week instead to my estimated maitenance of 2100 (based on calcs and iifym, mayoclinic and scooby average) hopefully be there by the first week of actual summer...:drinker:

    I also know for me scale weight is my least important measurment...BF%, tape measure, clothing size etc..

    Again imho (and it may sound harsh) if you want it bad enough you do what you need to do, for me that means logging, keeping up with my exercise (Lifting, walking, bike rides, HIIT) and keep an eye on the ball...
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    For me it's because if you have a deficit and eat over a little bit... you'll just maintain. Not a huge deal. If you're in maintenance and eat over, well... you'll gain.

    I'm probably going to keep a deficit forever to make up for those days.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    For me it's because if you have a deficit and eat over a little bit... you'll just maintain. Not a huge deal. If you're in maintenance and eat over, well... you'll gain.

    I'm probably going to keep a deficit forever to make up for those days.

    I am approaching maintenance and this says it all for me, there is a complete change of view point

    When losing you have leeway on your calories and you still lose, I feel that when moving to maintenance you have to change your view to having a weight range rather than the calorie range.

    It seems a little scary to me as well but we have to try and remember that if we slip and gain a little more than the range we allow ourselves we do all have the experience to lose it again
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    I think it is hard. Been in maintenance for about a year. I can eat more which is good but I have been putting foods in that I haven't had in a while and it is hard to stop eating them. Complacency also is a problem, I think I have this and then quit weighing foods and nibbling a bit more and then up goes by weight about 5 lbs then work like the devil to get it back down and up again. Like they say pick your hard, hard being fat, hard watching calories. I think I will watch the calories, I like fitting in my clothes.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    For me it's because if you have a deficit and eat over a little bit... you'll just maintain. Not a huge deal. If you're in maintenance and eat over, well... you'll gain.

    I'm probably going to keep a deficit forever to make up for those days.

    I agree with you here.

    At 1800 a day atm I am good...through the week...I have actually prelogged the entire week and I am under my goal by almost 1000 and that is having treats everynight...I am satisfied with my food and don't have a need to eat more...

    This will probably be what I do when I hit maintenance...allow for those overages that are inevitable in the summer on the weekends sitting around the pool...stupid alcohol...:drinker: and ribs etc...

    That leaves me an extra 1500 for the weekends which is great.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    The problem that many find with maintenance is that they play with the high side of the calorie goal. There isn't one. If you have a goal, you stick to it. Once you're done for the day, you're done for the day. If you want to go over your calorie goal, you need to burn more calories. That's how maintenance works. When losing, it's easy to get it into your head that you can 'cheat' a little bit and go over your goal, and you just won't lose that day, you just maintain. If you do that too often on maintenance, you'll gain. It's not that hard, you just have to discipline yourself to stick to your goal. It's easier if you train yourself to do it while you're still in losing mode, with your deficit.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    Maintenance is boring, quite frankly. Weight loss, while difficult, is exciting. Your body is improving, you get new clothes, you see that number on the scale - you feel awesome! Maintenance is just...the same. There's no immediate, tangible reward for your effort like seeing the number drop. Which is why I think setting feasible fitness goals is so very important to keep the lifestyle going. Get those tangible reward moments by smashing weight or distance or speed records - you'll want to eat properly to help you get there too!

    This feels right to me. Not in maintenance for all that long in recent times -- have been in deficit, maintenance, and surplus for months at a stretch in the last year. It really is too soon to tell, but I think -- just *think* mind you -- that maintenance feels a touch harder than either bulking or losing simply because it feels like there is less of a tangible, identifiable goal one is working towards. That said, I don't think the difficulty is all that different between the three states - it is about discipline and planning and making smart choices in line with that plan - and then it is about adherence.
  • Gramps251
    Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
    Why not just calculate how many calories you'd need to maintain the weight you want to be and eat that to lose weight? The 'starve yourself, then change your eating habits again' thing has lead me to gain and lose the same 25 to 30 lbs. my whole life.

    If you eat at maintenance from the beginning you won't lose the weight as fast but when you reach your goal you'll already have taught yourself healthy eating habits. Slow and easy.
  • brandiegirl16
    brandiegirl16 Posts: 372 Member
    I have been maintaining a 60 lbs loss for 6 years. It is manageable, i wouldn't call it easy. I remain accountable and that is what keeps me within a range of fluctuation of weight that i am comfortable in maintaining. There is no set # on the scale that i try to keep consistent, cause lets face it... that isn't realistic. Maintaining within a range of 5 lbs up or 5 lbs under is a good range. I don't live my life according to a number that populates on a scale that i step on. It's overall health that i am tuned into in keeping me honest in my journey. This has been a lifestyle for me, not a grueling diet of giving up anything or depriving.. just better choices in portions that are realistic to satisfy... not over indulge. I still pull out my food scale and log food for accountability. I still pull out the tape measure and check my progress monthly. I enjoy going out to eat and having a few beers with friends regularly... and above all, i workout. I burn calories i consume calories... i keep in balance.

    I continue to challenge myself ... there is no getting bored, there is no falling back into old bad habits. Perfection isn't the goal... putting my best foot forward in the moment is... we all have bad days, just make sure you have more better ones then bad ones. It's a journey, you find your flow and your ride the wave.

    Best of luck!

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