What happens when/if you hit your goal?

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  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Once you hit maintenance, you get to eat a few more calories, as long as you stay active. I still continue to log and work out, same as when I was focused on losing weight.

    If you're feeling miserable, you should take a look at your calorie target and types of food you eat. Are you set for 2lb per week? That is a bit steep if you only need to lose 35lb. Also, make sure you eat back your exercise cals if you are using the standard MFP set up. I ate at least 1500kcal per day while losing. The last 5kg I probably averaged close to 2000kcal per day and still lost slowly. Try eating more protein and fibre rich food. E.g. A massive chicken salad has same calories as a relatively small amount of fried chicken, and keeps me fuller.

    Losing weight and getting healthy doesn't have to get a stressful unhappy experience.


    Can you explain what you mean by eat back the amount you work off? Does that mean if you walk and burn 200 calories and it adds that to what you can eat..you should eat it? I thought I had read that you shouldnt eat it back because then you wont lose anything?

    MFP is designed so that it has a 500 calorie/day deficit if you chose to lose a pound a week. When you exercise, you log it and get to eat those calories back. Eat all those calories and you'll STILL lose a pound a week. It's very motivational.
  • prettyfitchick
    prettyfitchick Posts: 502 Member
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    Eat back exercise cals and u will still lose weight eating them back u can find healthy foods u like and u won't feel like missing out and if go over a few cals jus remember u are still eating healthier then u were before make sure u are eating healthy because u will stay full longer and feel good eating a low amount of empty cals will make anyone feel miserable
  • telesio
    telesio Posts: 1 Member
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    I was very hungry at first too, but then I think your stomach shrinks and you learn what you can eat that won't put so many calories on. You stop being quite so hungry and start to lose weight. I have lost almost 35 lbs. so far and have about 25 lbs. left to go. It does work if it is followed. A nurse also told me that this is what she tells her patients to go on because it is a healthy way to lose weight. Keep going, you'll do it.
  • missylectro
    missylectro Posts: 448 Member
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    Once I hit my goal, I was then able to eat my exercise calories back and still maintain my weight. My wife doesn't want me to lose not 1 more lb, so she busts my chops if I don't eat my 2,500 cals / day. In fact, I even have to eat ice cream a couple days / week to consume enough cals.

    There are lots of benefits once you hit your goal. (Assuming you continue to exercise.)

    Good luck!
    Wow this makes me so happy to hear!
  • mblair4185
    mblair4185 Posts: 26 Member
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    Once you hit maintenance, you get to eat a few more calories, as long as you stay active. I still continue to log and work out, same as when I was focused on losing weight.

    If you're feeling miserable, you should take a look at your calorie target and types of food you eat. Are you set for 2lb per week? That is a bit steep if you only need to lose 35lb. Also, make sure you eat back your exercise cals if you are using the standard MFP set up. I ate at least 1500kcal per day while losing. The last 5kg I probably averaged close to 2000kcal per day and still lost slowly. Try eating more protein and fibre rich food. E.g. A massive chicken salad has same calories as a relatively small amount of fried chicken, and keeps me fuller.

    Losing weight and getting healthy doesn't have to get a stressful unhappy experience.


    Can you explain what you mean by eat back the amount you work off? Does that mean if you walk and burn 200 calories and it adds that to what you can eat..you should eat it? I thought I had read that you shouldnt eat it back because then you wont lose anything?

    MFP is designed so that it has a 500 calorie/day deficit if you chose to lose a pound a week. When you exercise, you log it and get to eat those calories back. Eat all those calories and you'll STILL lose a pound a week. It's very motivational.

    Umm yeah...this just totally made my night lol!
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    I'm going to try to explain something to you that I wish I had known when I started this weight loss thing.

    Everyone has a BMR (basal metabolic rate) - this is the base - the calories burned every day by having a beating heart and working lungs. This varies based on your weight, height and gender. For this example, mine is around 1650.

    Next you get your activity level and goals - when you input your information into MFP. I have my activity level set at sedentary. So MFP takes my sedentary lifestyle, and my BMR and assigns me my number - which is 2030 - I call this my base (this is my BMR and the calories I'm supposed to burn by walking around and stuff , mine is around 380 - the higher you put your activity level, the higher this number is).

    Now MFP is going to calculate my goals based on the above number, and how quickly I've said I want to lose weight. So - I get 1280 calories a day (1.5/week loss goal).

    2030-1280=750, so that means my goal is a 750 calorie deficit. I need to ingest 750 calories *less* than I'm using in order to lose weight on the schedule I input.

    Now, if I go for a jog and burn 150 calories, that number gets added to my 2030 - meaning for this day, I'm set to burn 2180 - so I can increase my calorie goal by 150 as well - which is what "eating it back" means. Since both your calorie goal and your base go up, it's not an inherently bad thing to eat them back (I only do so if I'm hungry). If you choose not to eat those back, or eat part of them back, you will increase your deficit (that 750 I mentioned above).

    How the FitBit ties into things - this can be tricky depending on how you choose to use it. I use it to track my steps and to make sure I'm hitting my "base" (2030, which I've adjusted on FitBit to match the number here on MFP). I don't use it to track exercise - I use MFP for that. At the end of most days, I have a calorie adjustment listed under my exercises - this means that my ACTUAL burn was higher than the 2030 base I have, and you get credit (in the form of exercise) for it. If you click on my name, and exercise diary, you can see what I'm talking about. These, again, are calories you can eat back if you choose.

    Men can generally eat more and burn more efficiently (jerks!), so try not to compare your success with his.

    You don't need to stop eating the foods you love (seriously, look at my dinner) - you just have to eat less, or work harder to make them fit into your goals.

    Weight loss shouldn't be miserable - and you shouldn't always feel hungry or frustrated. Once you get a handle on what your body is doing and how things work, it'll be easier. I hope I didn't overwhelm you with all the info above.
  • ghosthackexe
    ghosthackexe Posts: 181 Member
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    1) once you lose all that weight your appetite should be vastly different than what it is now.
    2) its worth it
  • Desifreckle
    Desifreckle Posts: 110 Member
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    Subway has egg whites, flatbread, and english muffins.. I love the egg white and steak sandwich.

    Denny's has healthy options, egg whites, turkey bacon, fruit, etc... (so does ihop)

    Mcdonalds has the egg white delight and I love their oatmeal...

    Special K, Jimmy Dean and others have low calorie breakfast sandwiches. Smart ones and atkins and lean cuisine have low calorie breakfasts in the freezer section.

    Low fat whole wheat waffles (eggo) with ihop sugar free syrup is great tasting for a treat, add some fruit on top or a egg on the side. Very low calorie.

    Lean pockets are fast and easy, and under 300 calories.

    Sugar free oatmeal is great, quick, filling, and add some raisins or apples. I like to add 'breakfast on the go' packs to mine (cranberry yogurt one), its very filling almost can't eat the whole bowl-- I add some sweet n low or my own splenda if it isn't sweet enough. Brown sugar and maple is my favorite flavor.

    Luna bars, quest bars, and crunch bars are all quick and easy options if you don't have much time. You can get them at any grocery store and most gas stations and convenience stores.

    Fruit...Apples, bananas, oranges.. add some yogurt or cheese or granola or all three..

    Make your breakfast in a crockpot the night before, use turkey sausage, egg whites, low fat cheese and even some potato if you like..

    I make low calorie breakfast burritos using the small fajita sized tortillias, or josephs lavash (Flatbread)... if you don't like egg whites then crack one whole egg and mix it with a couple egg whites -- you will not be able to tell much of a difference.

    Also, I discovered making french toast using a josephs lavash cut into strips dipped into a single scrabled egg (add egg whites if its not enough) and then a little butter and sugar free syrup... another one of those 'treat' breakfasts that is low calorie.

    egg mugs are easy and quick, put an egg scrambled and whatever ingredients you want in a mug and microwave...


    oatmeal muffins can be made ahead and are easy to grab while running out of the door.. in fact Quaker makes some that you can buy if you don't even have time to make them on your own.. they are pretty good too, they are found by the snack cakes and breads.

    My go to breakfast is one egg, two egg whites, scrambled with spinach and a little salsa and cheese and a couple slices of turkey bacon. Usually less than 300 calories and keeps me full until lunch no problems.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Am I going to have to be miserable like this the rest of my life just to maintain that weight?

    A LOT of people struggle to maintain their weight loss. It ain't no joke - it's hard work for most.

    Prepare for the long haul....
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    You shouldn't be miserable at all! A lot of people gave you great advice and I'll just add my .02. Don't be miserable. Don't dread losing weight. If you do then you won't stick to it or you'll overeat in retaliation. You will find your balance and you will find foods that fit into your lifestyle. It just takes time.

    Read the forums and pay attention to those people who have been here a long time and have lost lots of weight or have been in maintenance for awhile. They know what they're talking about. That's how I learned.

    I think the biggest shocker to me when I first started (and I first got my Fitbit) was that some exercises don't burn nearly the calories that you think they would. It can be very discouraging at first.

    Remember the weight didn't come on in a few months and its not going to come off in a few months. This isn't an overnight fix at all. You'll be doing this for quite some time and your eating habits will have to be a permanent change--not a temporary change. If you think of it in those terms then you won't beat yourself up too much if you fall off the wagon for a day.

    Good luck and think of this as an adventure not a chore. :flowerforyou:
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    What happens? You find a way to maintain that. For me it's fasting every 2nd day. Not only is it healthy, but means I am not starving in the slightest.
  • breakingfitter
    breakingfitter Posts: 26
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    IMO if you try to go low cal / low fat, you're going to be miserable. Low carb /high protein and fat is far easier. I started cutting out bread and other refined carbs and eat as much protein as I want. I'm never hungry and after a few weeks, I don't even care about the bread I'm missing from my burger.

    As others have said, you should NOT be miserable. That is just a recipe for failure. Find a diet that you can actually live with and you will be much happier.
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
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    No one loves food more than me. I think about it, I dream about it, I start working on Thanksgiving recipes in Jan. I can say without question that if you just stop putting junk in your mouth (no cheating) you will adjust. Now that does not mean that you will not recognize that fried chicken tastes better than baked chicken but once you stop looking at food as a reward for good behavior, a friend when you are sad, a celebration when you are happy, or anything other than fuel , you will stop being miserable. Your body can adjust but right now you have an addiction. You cannot give up food all together to break the addiction but you can give up the foods you love until you break the addiction. I still love food and I still cook up a storm but I have better control over what I put in my mouth now. You can do it.
  • ComradeTovarich
    ComradeTovarich Posts: 495 Member
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    Well, once I hit my goal, it's bulking time so I can get shredded and joocy. Just like Scoobs.
  • Stopin_da_yoyo
    Stopin_da_yoyo Posts: 138 Member
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    A lot of great advice! My quick 2cents. Know your numbers bmr, set goals daily weekly monthly and reassess every now and then. I would also maybe recommend eating out half as much or at least watch out plan ahead for the calories your going to intake.
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
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    Have you read any of the pinned posts on here? Definitely read the top one - guide to sexypants. It will help you a LOT.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    So Im new to this and I will be honest...its miserable. Im starving all of the time. It came to me today (after going to three different restaurants looking for a breakfast that was edible and low calorie!) that IF I can make it through this long enough to lose the 35 pds Im wanting to..what happens next? Am I going to have to be miserable like this the rest of my life just to maintain that weight? Do you get to start eating a normal 2000 calories a day or what??

    This is just so frustrating. Ive literally just spent 4 hours looking for low cal recipes that I would actually eat and its nearly impossible. I dont see how everyone does it.

    In the end its not realistic if Im going to have to continue to be miserable in everything I eat...
    You really shouldn't have to suffer to lose weight. Are you eating enough? Have you set a realistic weekly weightloss and not the over aggressive 2 pounds a week?

    Maybe have a look at the link it may help you. Good luck

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
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    When you reach a goal you set another. There is no if when I set goals they are attainable and it's just a matter of when.

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. There is no reason to be miserable. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit: Most people do not need to eat 1200 calories to lose.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    Log your food accurately and honestly this thread will help:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    When you reach a goal you set another. There is no if when I set goals they are attainable and it's just a matter of when.

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. There is no reason to be miserable. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit: Most people do not need to eat 1200 calories to lose.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    Log your food accurately and honestly this thread will help:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    QFT

    I'm gonna add these links just incase you want to look into strength training.

    Want to lift heavy things?
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Stronglifts Summary
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    Stronglifts Womens Group
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    www.stronglifts.com
    There's also a program called Starting Strength and New Rules of Lifting for Women (same author wrote one for men before the women one called the same thing - for women).

    Strength training will help you keep some of the lean muscle while losing weight.

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