Staying motivated in maintenance mode

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Deipneus
Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
in Motivation and Support
I began in November 2011 and was in maintenance mode by May 2012. Staying motivated is harder the longer I do this.

Once before, I lost weight by tracking my food intake and once I hit maintenance I figured I was now trained to eat properly and could just estimate. Well, I could, but I lost focus and gained much of it back. So when I began again in 2011, I knew that I would keep tracking even after hitting my goal and I've been here ever since, 989 days in a row so far.

When I first lost the weight, I overheard my neighbor talking about me. She weighs more than I did when I began. She was telling someone else at a neighborhood party: "I don't know why he bothered to lose weight, he'll just gain it all back anyway. Everyone does."

I really should thank her. I hold that image in my mind whenever I feel my motivation slipping.

Replies

  • alphabetsoup2013
    alphabetsoup2013 Posts: 208 Member
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    What a great story about your neighbour. I have people like that in my life who are motivating me, too. :-)

    I intend to keep logging my food over the long-term, too. Doing so is key to my success -- and it only takes a couple of minutes each day.
  • jeansuza
    jeansuza Posts: 148 Member
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    I am on maintenance since almost 3 months and it is not getting any easier. It is even trickier as I try different avenues and ponder on the future... I find motivation to be active is really harder since I am not doing it to lose weight. I also don't get the boost of losing a pound (more or less) and see it posted on Mfp for my friends to cheer me up! It is a bit duller in a way... But it is also a fantastic feeling to be in the healthy range. So many people around me wish they would be there and can't do it! I want to remain there and I know it will only work if I keep on logging... So I will do it one day at a time, one meal after the other, the same way I lost all those 195 pounds in the past 2 years...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I've been maintaining for over a year now, and I don't log...there's no way I could log for the rest of my life which is why I made it a point to improve my diet and eat more healthfully as well as establishing a solid understanding of portions of various things. I'm very mindful of what I eat and of my nutrition and I'm about 180* from the SAD these days.

    For me, that's what it's all about...being healthy, rocking my nutrition, and there is a big time emphasis now on fitness goals. Ultimately, it has to be about more than just the number on the scale and motivation has it's ebbs and flows...ultimately, rocking your fitness has to be a habit...just something you do, just like getting up and taking a shower. Same can be said for your diet (noun). I would also add that eating healthfully doesn't have to be bland and boring..I'm a big time foodie and those words are not in my food vocabulary...you can eat very well and healthfully at the same time and still enjoy some "treats" and whatnot.
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
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    Myself if I'm not counting it's just chaos. I know this is a symptom of a greater problem but right now if I count, I'm ok.

    To get off counting I guess I'd have to move to a clean eating style diet because it's easier to get less calories by accident with a diet like that.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Myself if I'm not counting it's just chaos. I know this is a symptom of a greater problem but right now if I count, I'm ok.

    To get off counting I guess I'd have to move to a clean eating style diet because it's easier to get less calories by accident with a diet like that.

    This is largely true....maybe not "clean"...but definitely have to be cleaner that the SAD IMHO. The SAD is practically begging you to over-eat with extremely calorie dense foods that often boast little in the way of actual nutritional value. Don't get me wrong...I'll hit up a fast food joint in a pinch...I have the occasional soda here and there, etc...but nothing like I was in the old days when I ate fast food pretty much daily and drank a good 3-5 cans of soda daily.

    I do have desert pretty much every night though...and I'm a big fan of craft beer which is why I ride my *kitten* off...
  • boatsie77
    boatsie77 Posts: 480 Member
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    I've been riding the "Maintain Train" for 1 yr & 4 months...still logging in food; weigh-in every morning; entering races (5, 10, 15K, 1/2 & full marathons) run/walking. I find having a "race" scheduled almost every upcoming month keeps my focus on keeping fit.

    A few years ago I dropped about 75 pounds (didn't have MFP) and once the "diet was over," I gained it all back and more in about 2 years. I know to stay on track I must have some sort of fitness goal...for now that is run/walking with my first full marathon coming up in January 2015.
  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,208 Member
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    I have to keep track to keep me on track. Thinking I will do ok w/o paying close attention is just foolish, for me, anyway. Been here since Sept 2011, so almost 3 years. I intend to stay. My fat pics keep me pretty motivated. That and the morons that think this was easy or that I only eat salads. Good luck to us all.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I've been riding the "Maintain Train" for 1 yr & 4 months...still logging in food; weigh-in every morning; entering races (5, 10, 15K, 1/2 & full marathons) run/walking. I find having a "race" scheduled almost every upcoming month keeps my focus on keeping fit.

    A few years ago I dropped about 75 pounds (didn't have MFP) and once the "diet was over," I gained it all back and more in about 2 years. I know to stay on track I must have some sort of fitness goal...for now that is run/walking with my first full marathon coming up in January 2015.

    Yup...fitness goals are extremely important. Once I went into maintenance, that's when I really started getting out there and signing myself up for events. I primarily do endurance road events, usually charity stuff and I like to race cyclocross in the fall and into the winter months. I also lift, which makes me a better rider.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    Focussing on performance first helps a LOT! If you are aiming to break a PB (strength or endurance doesn't really matter) you know that you need to be adequately fuelled and not deficient in micro nutrients. So this sort of ensures that you stick to the "healthy" type foods for the majority of the time. (yes, still possible to overeat but just harder)

    Another option which I don't like to push on anyone but can definitely help is just skipping one meal. I typically do IF so I skip breakfast. Eat first meal about lunch time. For most people, this will drop 400 or so cals out of the first part of the day and as long as you don't go nuts at night, it is quite easy to maintain weight.
  • jeansuza
    jeansuza Posts: 148 Member
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    I am hoping to find a way to be balanced in body and mind. I don't want to become an athlete that needs to perform all the time. I want to be healthy, in shape, balanced and happy. There's a lot on my plate ???? and I don't know how and if I will succeed...
    Please understand that I am not judging anybody's choices. And I know athletes that are very much balanced too! It is just not my cup of tea...
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    I've been maintaining for over a year now, and I don't log...there's no way I could log for the rest of my life which is why I made it a point to improve my diet and eat more healthfully as well as establishing a solid understanding of portions of various things.
    I've seen that sentiment expressed by a lot of people that continued logging just isn't for them. I truly believe that there is no one way to do this so if that works for you that's all that matters. For me, it's like I have a brain glitch that prevents me from remembering what I just ate and this is my work around.

    I'm a bit of an outlier because I've always been active and always eaten healthy food, even when overweight. I just ate too much of it. Some people think that if you eat healthy food you won't be hungry and you won't overeat. Maybe for some people but not for me. I have always had a voracious appetite and I still do.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    What a great story about your neighbour. I have people like that in my life who are motivating me, too. :-)

    I intend to keep logging my food over the long-term, too. Doing so is key to my success -- and it only takes a couple of minutes each day.
    You and I have been MFP friends for a while now and I've always been impressed by your consistency and resolve. I am sure you'll do great on maintenance.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
    Options
    I am on maintenance since almost 3 months and it is not getting any easier. It is even trickier as I try different avenues and ponder on the future... I find motivation to be active is really harder since I am not doing it to lose weight. I also don't get the boost of losing a pound (more or less) and see it posted on Mfp for my friends to cheer me up! It is a bit duller in a way... But it is also a fantastic feeling to be in the healthy range. So many people around me wish they would be there and can't do it! I want to remain there and I know it will only work if I keep on logging... So I will do it one day at a time, one meal after the other, the same way I lost all those 195 pounds in the past 2 years...
    You look great! Congratulations on your success!
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    Been here since Sept 2011, so almost 3 years.
    I joined in November of 2011. I think one key to showing you're serious is not waiting for January 1st. :-)
  • 98bikinisuitedlbs
    98bikinisuitedlbs Posts: 416 Member
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    I have couple pounds and recovering from surgery. Still on crutches for the next 3 weeks.
    Completed mat workout legs and abs.

    <
    My pic shows my first push-ups with one leg.. Eyes on the prize...your body..
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    Options
    Myself if I'm not counting it's just chaos. I know this is a symptom of a greater problem but right now if I count, I'm ok.

    To get off counting I guess I'd have to move to a clean eating style diet because it's easier to get less calories by accident with a diet like that.

    This is largely true....maybe not "clean"...but definitely have to be cleaner that the SAD IMHO. The SAD is practically begging you to over-eat with extremely calorie dense foods that often boast little in the way of actual nutritional value. Don't get me wrong...I'll hit up a fast food joint in a pinch...I have the occasional soda here and there, etc...but nothing like I was in the old days when I ate fast food pretty much daily and drank a good 3-5 cans of soda daily.

    I do have desert pretty much every night though...and I'm a big fan of craft beer which is why I ride my *kitten* off...

    Hey can you tell me what you mean by "SAD"?
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    Hey can you tell me what you mean by "SAD"?
    I believe that's "Standard American Diet".
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Hey can you tell me what you mean by "SAD"?
    I believe that's "Standard American Diet".

    Yes...

    Another great example for myself would be potato chips or corn chips...I can eat them by the bag full without thinking...so, I rarely keep these things in my house and when I do I tend to by smaller and more expensive brands/bags of chips and I portion them out for myself and basically, that's what I get...generally a handful and I don't go back. Usually this means there is a BBQ or picnic or I'm camping or something like that...I just don't keep that stuff in my house on a regular basis anymore and if I do, it's in very small amounts and usually my family will consume it before I do.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    Options
    I am hoping to find a way to be balanced in body and mind. I don't want to become an athlete that needs to perform all the time. I want to be healthy, in shape, balanced and happy. There's a lot on my plate ???? and I don't know how and if I will succeed...
    Please understand that I am not judging anybody's choices. And I know athletes that are very much balanced too! It is just not my cup of tea...

    You don't have to be an athlete...I do the things I do because I enjoy them and I enjoy feeding off of 3000 - 3200 plus calories per day.

    My mom is a great example of someone who is not an "athlete" per sei and maintains just fine...I don't know what her consumption is, but by and large her primary activity is ball room dancing with her boyfriend...they dance about 5 nights per week. She's 61 with an athletic build around 20% BF.

    You don't have to be grinding out miles...you do need to be active and not sedentary...that's the real key. The more active you are, the more you need...i.e. I like eating around 3200 calories per day so I ride my *kitten* off, etc.

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