Long time maintainers how do you do it

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Replies

  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I have always maintained my weight. I gained a normal amount with 2 pregnancies, returned to my prepregnancy weight both times. I am always active, always gone to the gym, built activity into my life and recreation, I walk instead of driving, I lift weights. I have always been conscious not to overeat or undereat. I started counting calories a little over 2 years ago. I use that as a helpful tool to continue my weight maintenance.
  • JeanCricket
    JeanCricket Posts: 156 Member
    Just started maintenance phase and find this thread really helpful. Commenting to mark my place ...
  • nainai0585
    nainai0585 Posts: 199 Member
    There is a great book I read called "Thin for Life". It gives great examples of how people maintained their weight loss over years. My best advice? Make MFP part of your life just like checking your email, voicemail, and bank balance, etc every day.

    What I tell my patients who want to lose weight and maintain is this:
    Think of tracking your intake and exercise is like tracking your checking account. Would you ever go to a store and swipe your debit card without ever knowing what your balance is to spend or what the price of the item your buying is? Eating without tracking is exactly this.

    Who would ever go to Best Buy and just start writing a check for the prettiest washer and dryer or fanciest computer just because you were "hungry to have one"? Blind eating is just like blind spending.

    Would any of us irresponsibly ask the question, "Hey when can I stop checking my balance at the bank? It's getting old seeing how much money I have or don't have every day . I just want to relax and spend freely and assume that I have unlimited funds available". Or how about, "Hey, I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks...can't I just blow a bunch of cash that I don't have and just worry about the overdraft fees later when I get home?"

    I would hope not.

    Your friendly Registered Dietitian

    After reading this, a light bulb went off. This makes complete sense, especially with the 'little conversations' that I make with myself consistently. Thank-you for your in put, it has helped me think differently about maintenance.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    What do you do to maintain?
    What sort of lifestyle changes did you make while losing or after that made it easier (or possible?) to maintain your loss?
    And, are you active/do you exercise regularly?

    What works for you?
    I've been maintaining now for the past 3 years. I am also a lifetime member at Weight Watchers, however, I don't follow their plan as I prefer MFP method of calorie counting. I do go to WW once a month, though, to weigh in.
    I eat between 1800 to 1900 calories a day. Less on the one day a week that I don't exercise. Lifting heavy weights 3X/week combined with 6 days of cardio keeps me a little under my maintenance weight every month.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    Weigh and log my food. lift weights three times a week. stay active. eat what I want.
    This is what you do in maintenance? How long have you been maintaining?

    probably about 1 and half years, closing in on two years.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    Bump - I want to know how and if they track calories or weight anymore... among other secrets...
    I track on and off. Since my weight only fluctuates by 3 pounds up or down I don't see any harm in taking a break from counting calories every now and then.
  • megarhyn
    megarhyn Posts: 2 Member
    It became a lifestyle. I exercise almost every day for about an hour. I do have recovery days as well. At least one a week. But I choose to walk when I can, take stairs instead of the elevator... I do not track my food anymore. I eat healthier though. Since I eat clean 95% of the time, I rarely crave sugar and processed foods. I indulge, but in small amounts.
  • kimberlyblindsey
    kimberlyblindsey Posts: 266 Member
    I guess I'm a lifetime maintainer, pretty much. I ran for years even through two pregnancies.and then when I hurt my knee and my metabolism slowed I put on about ten pounds and I was forced to try some alternatives, and have since lost it, so now I'm doing Hiits a few days a week, steady state cardio on alternate days, and lift about five days a week.
    I've always been somewhat vigilant about weight but just in the last five years or so I've had to rethink my diet(this is where MFP comes in) because just working out is now not enough. I've always weighed myself daily or every other day, even though I know experts tell you not to. I guess I'm just a sadist, but I guess that's why I don't understand when someone's says 20 or 50 lbs snuck up on them, lol I know when I put on 2 lbs, and maybe it's just water weight, and I'm okay with that, but I'd rather know.
    Additionally, I'm just active in general: regular dog walking, taking stairs, parking further away etc.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Weigh and log my food. lift weights three times a week. stay active. eat what I want.
    This is what you do in maintenance? How long have you been maintaining?

    probably about 1 and half years, closing in on two years.
    Thx for clarifying.
  • traceywoody
    traceywoody Posts: 233 Member
    There is a great book I read called "Thin for Life". It gives great examples of how people maintained their weight loss over years. My best advice? Make MFP part of your life just like checking your email, voicemail, and bank balance, etc every day.

    What I tell my patients who want to lose weight and maintain is this:
    Think of tracking your intake and exercise is like tracking your checking account. Would you ever go to a store and swipe your debit card without ever knowing what your balance is to spend or what the price of the item your buying is? Eating without tracking is exactly this.

    Who would ever go to Best Buy and just start writing a check for the prettiest washer and dryer or fanciest computer just because you were "hungry to have one"? Blind eating is just like blind spending.

    Would any of us irresponsibly ask the question, "Hey when can I stop checking my balance at the bank? It's getting old seeing how much money I have or don't have every day . I just want to relax and spend freely and assume that I have unlimited funds available". Or how about, "Hey, I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks...can't I just blow a bunch of cash that I don't have and just worry about the overdraft fees later when I get home?"

    I would hope not.

    Your friendly Registered Dietitian

    Best analogy ever! Thank you!!

    +1 Great way to look at it.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    I've been maintaining for a while. I log most days, but if I'm out of town or at an event, I don't. Also, I don't go back and log after I've finished for the day. I changed my status to "very active." and it seems like I'm eating all the time just to stand still. My brother commented on this when I visited last week. ;-)
  • RonaldoAllen
    RonaldoAllen Posts: 6 Member
    To maintain weight for long time it is important to do workout daily and eat less but only good diet food. Too much eating is not good. Vegetables and fruits are best diet food to maintain weight for long time.
  • amflautist
    amflautist Posts: 941 Member
    Bump because I NEED this advice..
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    To maintain weight for long time it is important to do workout daily and eat less but only good diet food. Too much eating is not good. Vegetables and fruits are best diet food to maintain weight for long time.
    I don't think it's necessary to eat "diet foods" in order to maintain ones weight. Simply staying within ones calories each day is enough to maintain weight loss.
  • Follow_me
    Follow_me Posts: 6,120 Member
    To maintain weight for long time it is important to do workout daily and eat less but only good diet food. Too much eating is not good. Vegetables and fruits are best diet food to maintain weight for long time.
    I don't think it's necessary to eat "diet foods" in order to maintain ones weight. Simply staying within ones calories each day is enough to maintain weight loss.

    And maintain a consistant exercise routine. It's easy once you're disciplined enough to accept the lifestyle change.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    There is a great book I read called "Thin for Life". It gives great examples of how people maintained their weight loss over years. My best advice? Make MFP part of your life just like checking your email, voicemail, and bank balance, etc every day.

    What I tell my patients who want to lose weight and maintain is this:
    Think of tracking your intake and exercise is like tracking your checking account. Would you ever go to a store and swipe your debit card without ever knowing what your balance is to spend or what the price of the item your buying is? Eating without tracking is exactly this.

    Who would ever go to Best Buy and just start writing a check for the prettiest washer and dryer or fanciest computer just because you were "hungry to have one"? Blind eating is just like blind spending.

    Would any of us irresponsibly ask the question, "Hey when can I stop checking my balance at the bank? It's getting old seeing how much money I have or don't have every day . I just want to relax and spend freely and assume that I have unlimited funds available". Or how about, "Hey, I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks...can't I just blow a bunch of cash that I don't have and just worry about the overdraft fees later when I get home?"

    I would hope not.

    Your friendly Registered Dietitian




    I am copying this and putting it on my newsfeed (credit to yu of course) It is too good to not share!
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    I've lost and gained weight many times before, but I didn't start maintaining until I started using MFP. I initially lost 9 pounds I gained while training for a marathon, and since then, I've kept it off. That was three years ago. I lost another pound in the process. (It doesn't sound like a lot but I'm a very petite person so my 10 pounds is like a normal sized person losing 30 pounds!)

    The key for me has been to stick to things I love, not restrict myself, and log diligently. I think I'll be logging for life. I don't mind it at all. It's become a lifestyle to me - and very much like brushing my teeth everyday. I just do it.

    I don't cut anything out - nothing is off limits. I eat pretty "healthy" just because I like to, but keep everything else in moderation. I still love to drink, I love to go out to eat, I love to cook. I don't "binge", I don't have "cheat" days, and I don't fear holidays because I eat pretty consistently. (My calorie goal is set to 2000 per day. I'm 4'10" and weigh 102 pounds).

    Oh, another thing is, I'm blessed in that my primary form of exercise is also one of my greatest passions in life (running). I run about 45-50 miles a week or more if I'm training for something. I also love to bike and I'm trying to be more consistent with the strength training.

    Best advice I was ever given was to look at the long term and make it a lifestyle, not a "diet" that can't be sustained over time. Small changes. Find exercise and activity you love to do, and it's easy to stick to it.
  • AllTheNoms
    AllTheNoms Posts: 135 Member
    Bump to mark my place - long time Loser-And-Re-Gainer here, so this advice is extremely helpful!
  • I've maintained my weight for two years. When I was losing I was eating less food, and I like food, so I had to really get into the swing of it to keep it up. Once I hit my goal I was very excited to bring my calories up.

    My exercise has been inconsistent over the last two years. I will run regularly for a few months, then cut down to once a week or so. I have also gone through spurts of weight lifting, but only for a few weeks at a time. My longest weight lifting stint was this Spring when I did my a hybrid of Starting Strength and physiotherapy. I also took belly dancing classes once a week for about three months. My exercise has been sporadic because I have had ongoing pain and problems with both shoulders and a surgery in the middle.


    Sometimes I eat too much for a while without enough exercise and gain a little, but I just need to tighten my tracking a bit. I don't usually eat too much below my TDEE when this happens. I prefer to lose about one pound a month and just let it come off slowly.

    I don't have particular habits of methods. For the most part I just keep things as simple as possible.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    To maintain weight for long time it is important to do workout daily and eat less but only good diet food. Too much eating is not good. Vegetables and fruits are best diet food to maintain weight for long time.
    I don't think it's necessary to eat "diet foods" in order to maintain ones weight. Simply staying within ones calories each day is enough to maintain weight loss.

    And maintain a consistant exercise routine. It's easy once you're disciplined enough to accept the lifestyle change.
    I love to exercise and make time for it 6 days a week. However, I also have a few friends who only watch what they eat and don't exercise at all. They are able to maintain without it. I could do it too butt don't think I could go more than 1 day without exercising. I think there are far more benefits to exercising than losing or maintaining weight.