Transitioning to Maintenance... now with food anxiety

lucirebecca · May 2014

So, I've finally hit my goal of 110lbs/50kg and dead chuffed, but I've gotten really paranoid about tracking my food. I weigh everything, literally. I no longer go out for lunch with friends, unless it's a place with a menu and nutritional information. I feel anxious about the fact I have a big family party tomorrow and won't be able to accurately track anything, and even more anxious about an all-inclusive holiday coming up! I really don't want to gain back what I worked so hard to loose.

I understand on a theoretical level (if that makes sense) that I need to increase my calories, but I can't get over the mental block for fear of gaining. I work out 5-6 times a week, usually 2-3 25 minute workouts (cardio) and 2-3 mixed cardio and weight workouts up to 1+ hours.

Did anybody else have this problem?

nxd10 · May 2014

It is hard, when you've worked hard, to let go and trust your body.

When I hit my weight I just kept my calories there for a month or so (I had slowed my weight loss a lot anyway and just made sure I netted my goal). Then, like many people here, I upped my calories part way to see what happened. Answer: Nothing. I've maintained for a year.

That said, you sound like you have deeper problems. If you are having trouble loosening up, think about whether talking to someone professionally will help. You don't want to trade a weight problem for compulsive behavior or an eating disorder.

Good luck!

Beckilovespizza · May 2014

Yes, I completely understand, I'm in the same place and am sorry to say I have lapsed a little and have put on a couple of pounds. All I can say is u have done brilliantly to get to goal. Do try to relax a little and if u gain a little u are able to have belief that u can lose again! U've done it once u can do it again! Whilst on holiday try to swim and walk as much as possible and enjoy the benefits of all-inclusive guilt free! Well done again and try to chill if u can!

Slacker16 · May 2014

Know how you feel, was in fact about to start a thread on the same topic when I saw yours.

I switched to maintenance two weeks ago and whereas before I was always pretty relaxed and casual about it now I'm pretty uptight, especially when eating back exercise calories. Feels bad.

I do hope it'll go away soon.

Banner1375 · May 2014

Yes I had a similar experience (even now to some degree). I lost to my goal of 180 and then relaxed abit and in a short time gained back to almost 200. I put on the breaks and went back to basics. I'm now at 166 because I don't want to go over my weight. I'm eating more, but still nutritional and continuing to work out. I do go over a couple of days a week, when I'm with friends. But for me continuing the workout and counting my calories by the week is working.

mommakec · May 2014

Maintenance is scary. Party trick take a dish you know you can eat. Don't stress. Tome and habit will let you know when to relax and when to get tight. Do what's comfortable

bullieforme · May 2014

I know exactly where you are coming from ! Just achieved the weight loss I wanted and am going through the same myself! Paranoid about putting weight back on ! I cannot at the moment accept that weight will fluctuate daily and when I see that I have put on a bit it freaks me out !! It makes me starve myself the following day which I know is wrong ! Guess it just takes time to come to terms with how much your weight will change ona a day to day basis and accepting that after watching every drop in ounces over the last while things will level out

proudjmmom · May 2014

I am been in Maintenance since November technically, but have only actually started maintaining in March successfully. I am no expert on maintenance, but I have to say I had the same fears you and many others express. These fears I believe has caused me to lose more weight then I had planned, however, my body seems to have settled where it wanted, and I am ok with the weight I am at. It took me 3 years to reach goal, and I learned a lot about serving sizes, healthy choices, and exercise. I am using those tools to hopefully keep me successful in my maintenance journey.

This is what helped me. I made a mental date of when I would put the scale away. I still logged, but practiced visual portion control. I soon realized how much calorie counting was interfering with me enjoying being at maintenance and being able to eat more, I set a mental date of stopping calorie counting. I still logged in MFP and read the boards, I just no longer logged. This was very difficult for the first few days. During this time frame, I weighed myself daily. I needed to be sure I was doing ok. I gave myself a 3-5 lbs window. This allowed me to be comfortable and loosen up, and eat more then if I was logging.

This worked for me. I also do not work out as much as when I was actively losing weight. I try to remain active as much as possible. I have begun logging again, but this time for a different reason, for medical. Once in a long while I will weigh something, just out of curiosity, or just to make sure I am eye-balling the portion size half accurately.

Like I said, it took me from November to March to figure out maintenance, it doesn't come overnight. You have to play around with your numbers, find where you are comfortable, and find what works for you.

kvansanity · May 2014

I have this problem and I'm still trying to lose. I'm very concerned with how it's affecting my life, and worry for you too! It's so hard and it definitely is causing a ton of anxiety. For me, it meant relapsing on my EDNOS.

What worked for me? Letting go for a weekend. I went home to see my family and expressed my concerns. THey kept me accountable. When they could tell I was getting anxious (talking about adding an impromptu and unnecessary workout after my dinner for example, or eyeing desserts and then refusing them) they encouraged me. if you have friends/family that can support you like this, it might help!

But basically I let go of the reins with weight loss for a weekend. I still worked out, but I focused on being "normal." Or at least normal with some healthier habits! So I'd eat a healthy breakfast and lunch, and then have what I really wanted for dinner. At first I was SUPER uncomfortable, especially when I couldn't track with 100% accuracy. But after three days I felt okay again. I'm sure you will too.

Feel free to reach out to me if you ever need support. I really understand what you're going through.

einzweidrei · May 2014

I transitioned to maintenance about six months ago and even though I seem to be eating WAY more, my weight has stayed within range. Plenty of days where I am eating 3-5K calories and as long as I am keeping an eye on my intake for the week, everything seems okay. (I still weigh food but I still eat out at least once a week at places with no nutritional information.)

I was nervous---mostly because I had been eating a lower number of calories while I lost the weight. I was nervous because I don't really work out. I was nervous because I'd never been at THIS low of a number and I thought there was no way it could last.

That being said, I never felt like I could not go out and enjoy myself. If I go out to places I have no idea what the calories are, I always just estimate and log in a quick add. The fact that you are feeling anxiety about so many different things is not a good thing---that's not a healthy relationship with food. And if you already feel bad about eating back calories you burn working out, then I can only imagine you will feel not-so-great about not only eating at maintenance but then eating the calories back on top of those. You work out a lot---you'd need the fuel. You need to set a maintenance range (not A number) and not freak out if you gain a few pounds once you switch to maintenance. (Which usually evens out and falls away anyway.)

I think talking with someone would be good idea. Especially if these feelings do not pass.

lucirebecca · May 2014

Wow, thank you all for your responses!! :-) It really helps a lot to know that others go through this too. I knew going in to a Maintenance mode would be hard, but I hadn't accounted for the mental state that seems to have come from the counting & cutting!

I'm definitely going to take the advice suggested - which thankfully all seems pretty much the same - and try and let go a bit. This food anxiety is worrying me, I know it's wrong. I'm still basically in cut mode, but trying to transition upwards. Towards the end, I was barely eating 1000-1200 calories - before exercise which I know was too low, so I'm trying to increase that up to a steady 1200-1300 before exercise this week, but it's tough. I panic if my breakfast or lunch goes above 250 cal. Day snacks have to be < 100 cal. Dinner I prefer to be < 500...

Tonight, I can't take food since it's a set meal but I know enough about foods and healthy choices to maintain a sense of what I'm eating(!) but I'm going to enjoy myself - might even treat myself to a little birthday cake. I want to enjoy my life (and cake haha), especially after I worked so hard! Been to the gym this morning and earned myself a treat, I guess?

I think a lb fluctuation allowance is a really good idea too, so I'm going to try and not panic when my weight shifts a little each week - which it does, sometimes wildly up to 5lb! I think I'm going to have to play that one by ear and see what fits though. For me, mentally, 5lb is a lot in either direction. I can't really be losing 5lb, as I think that'd be too far, but the idea of gaining back 5lb terrifies me too... stupid brain!

Most of my friends and family aren't that helpful tbh. My mother, for example, has been on and off dieting since I can remember and never seems to just make a lifestyle change, just always says the same thing. Even when I was at my biggest (about 140lb) she said I looked fine and when I tell her about my latest fitness achievement she shrugs it off and asks me why I bother with running/weights etc at all.

It's so good to hear from other users

gregwalker773981 · May 2014

I have anxiety and since I have truly used myfitnesspal I have been able to control my anxiety. I find myself working out all the time now every second I got. I am a chef and I am on my feet all the time and I do some form of work out before work everyday. If I don't go to the gym I go swimming or I walk to work. I walked over 70 km in 3 weeks. I find myself tracking everything now I just bought a fit bit so I can track my everyday steps. Its crazy I can stop right now. 2 months ago I thought I had heart problems because of my anxiety now I have fitness anxiety. I guess what I am trying to say is is a good anxiety to have I hope every thing works out for you.

loribethrice · May 2014

I worry about this all the time for when I reach goal. I don't want to gain any weight back and so I think I'll probably just stay at the same level of calories no matter what because I know exactly what I can eat and how much. It scares the crap out of me to think I could gain weight back.

SezxyStef · May 2014

Yup I hear you except for not going out with friends etc.

I don't have that aniexity as I have been doing that all along anyway.

But the fear of gaining back is there for sure...even when I was coming up to maitenance and reverse dieting I had a bit of a scare as the last pound stuck around for 3 weeks..so I stopped upping calories..

I "know" my maitenance is not 1800 calories...but emotionally I was like holy crap nooooooooooooo.....

I just think that if you log and weigh and know in your head that you are not over maitenance the rest will follow eventually.

I hope anyway...

Mimi4566 · May 2014

I am still working toward taking off some weight I gained over the past year but I saw this post and felt bad for you. You've worked hard to get where you are and you don't want to go back - boy do I get that! I am going on a cruise shortly - and like you, I am afraid I will just gain back some of what I worked off. But I also know that I can take it off again and as long as I am making mostly healthy choices from what is available, I feel more positive about the trip.

One thing that I started to do is to recognize and mark dates on my calendar to alert me to what I call "Eating Day" which is generally a day where there is a social event. I recognize that there is a good chance I will go over my normal caloric intake and I make adjustments around that day - either cut back my calories or increase the amount of exercise so that I can have a good time (within reason) and have that extra slice of pizza, a piece of cake or even an extra cocktail. Knowing in advance and preparing for it makes it easier to truly enjoy the event rather than agonize over it.

PS - I tried to remove this reply because when I went back to the original post, I found that my answer was a bit irrelevant to the original topic but MFP doesn't seem to allow for deletion. I wish you the best!

(i just installed my tracker this morning - I've lost 8 pounds since Feb. and have currently 8 to go)

Joannesmith2818 · May 2014

I was a little like this at first. But over time i have become alot more relaxed. I know now that I can eat quite alot without putting on weight. So after the trial and error phase hopefully you will become more relaxed too! I do still weigh everything and log it all, but I have every other weekend where I wont, and I wont gain weight

.

Congrats on hitting your goal

DianneP6772 · May 2014

Oh yes! I am right there. Have been in maintenance for about 7 months now. I left my calories at 1200 - however i eat much more now. I usually eat between 2200 and 2400 a day. But i still exercise - almost insanely. I feel i Have to get in at least 2 hours a day of activity. Usually either tennis, or cycling or weight training for 1- 1.5 hours. Then i do yardwork. I don't feel like i can relax with this.
I have maintained which is my goal. I have Never lost this much and have not weighed what i do now for 45 years or so! I definitely do not want to go back to where i was. I love feeling slim and know i cannot go back to eating like i used to. Thats the hardest part.
You can't eat like you used to - or you will go right back up! The rewards are worth it - but it is a daily struggle.

battybecks · May 2014

I'm feeling the fear too!

But the fear of gaining back is there for sure...even when I was coming up to maitenance and reverse dieting I had a bit of a scare as the last pound stuck around for 3 weeks..so I stopped upping calories..

Sezxy Stef - I am going to try "reverse dieting" too - at the end of this week I'm upping my calories by 200 per day for the whole of June, then another 200 per day for the whole of July, etc etc. Am interested in the process - did you still lose while you did this? I read a blog post where someone said you won't lose, because your metabolism will be shot, but I'd like to think that mine isn't and I can drop the last few pounds slowly and carefully, while getting used to maintenance ... (that would be my suggestion OP - add the calories bit by bit and it won't seem so scary?)

chani8 · May 2014

Totally had that problem. The most important task at hand is slowly finding your maintenance calorie goal. You'll be surprised at how much you get to eat. But you'll also be playing with fire. Hold on tight to counting those cals as you slowly increase them. Don't try to go without counting and loggin, for several months. Once your weight is stable and you get used to eating at maintenance, then you may be able to stop counting cals, but don't rush it.

lucirebecca · May 2014

I'm feeling the fear too!

But the fear of gaining back is there for sure...even when I was coming up to maitenance and reverse dieting I had a bit of a scare as the last pound stuck around for 3 weeks..so I stopped upping calories..

Sezxy Stef - I am going to try "reverse dieting" too - at the end of this week I'm upping my calories by 200 per day for the whole of June, then another 200 per day for the whole of July, etc etc. Am interested in the process - did you still lose while you did this? I read a blog post where someone said you won't lose, because your metabolism will be shot, but I'd like to think that mine isn't and I can drop the last few pounds slowly and carefully, while getting used to maintenance ... (that would be my suggestion OP - add the calories bit by bit and it won't seem so scary?)

Just been having a read-up on reverse-dieting - sounds spot on. The only thing I don't get is where calories burnt from exercise come in. Are you supposed to eat them back?
For example, I've set my limit at the moment on 1350 per day. If I burn 200 in exercise, do you think I should still aim for 1350, and keep the deficit, or eat 1550?

Transitioning to Maintenance... now with food anxiety

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