Your personal rules for maintenance ?

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  • ianthy
    ianthy Posts: 404 Member
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    Hi

    Good question - I am learning by reading other posters replies. Personally I try do the following;
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    1. 1,800 cals a day
    2. Eat back max of 50% of exerc generally taking intake to 2,000
    3. Exercise 5 days a week - powerwalks, gym and Kettlebells
    4. Take part in MFP challenges - helps to keep me focussed
    5. Log daily and weigh weekly
    6. Limit carbs - bread and potatoes. Drink 3l water a day
    7. 12000 steps per day with Fitbit
    8. Keep using food scales.

    I may drop or change some of these as time goes on but for now they seem to work for me.
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
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    @BigGuy47, yes, good core habits - do just those three help you maintain your weight, or are there other vital things you do also ?

    @cwolfman13, we seem of a similar mould, as all the things you mentioned strike a strong chord for me also. I cook all my meals from scratch usually, have a focus on healthier foods that I feel will give me all the micronutrients I need and more, as I'm all about optimal health personally :) I don't bike, but do walk a lot, and don't see that changing. Currently I clock up 28- 35 miles a week walking, and don't see that dropping below 15, even on a bad week. Resistance training is something I plan to refocus on again, and with some yoga/ pilates, pursuing optimal strength as well as bodily flexibility is a personal goal. Thanks for laying out your habits, and wonder if all of them work to help you keep your weight regular ? I also generally calorie count by habit in my head by the way, and suspect that shall never change, lol

    @ianthy, yes, many of your types of steps and habits ring a bell currently, and have a similar set of habits currently as I focus on weight loss. Going forward into maintenance though personally I would like to manage the maintenance of my weight in a manner that requires much less conscious focus, albeit still in a way I can detect and act on bad trends before they undo some of my good work :)
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
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    Oh, for those who weigh weekly in maintenance, do you find it enough to catch any weight gain in time, or have you even experienced any slips ? And if so, what do you to to address them I wonder ? :)
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    By the way, does anyone worry about eating too little ? This is a worry of mine I must admit, as happy mediums when it comes to food in the past have been rare, either I've eaten too little at times, then too much at others.

    I find that now my log mostly tells me I need to eat MORE, not less. I have gotten very good at elimiating those foods with lots of excess calories. It's another good reason to log - it gives you permission to loosen up.

    Mostly. I just had two pieces of apple pie. :)

    And in response to other notes . . . I weigh every single morning. If I just weighed once a week, I'd put too much importance on it. Doing it every day I know it's going to bounce around and I just stay in my 'range'. When I travel I will always gain a bit, but it disappears in a week or two without any calorie adjustment - I'm pretty positive it's water and salt. Since June my range has shifted downwards 4 pounds (146-149 instead of 150-153). I didn't do it on purpose and don't know if it will last, but it did cause me to FINALLY go up to what MFP says I should have been eating instead of the 250 calorie 'deficit' I was supposedly eating at. I still haven't gained anything. I think my body has just adjusted after a year and a half at maintenance and my metabolism bumped up a bit.
  • marilandica
    marilandica Posts: 88 Member
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    I still log during the week, but don't on the weekends. I don't generally over-do it on the weekends, but that's mostly because I've learned better portion control and food choice etc. through more than a year of logging. My weekday logging is probably not as precise as it was in full-on weight loss mode, but it remains pretty accurate.I give myself a five pound range to work with. If I dip below it, I don't worry too much, but I add a few calories. If I reach the top of it, I don't worry too much, but I reduce my calories a bit. I don't weigh myself more often that every 2-3 weeks. There's no point in freaking about daily fluctuations. I continue to exercise daily and to make an effort to be more physically active in day-to-day activities. That's a life-style change, not a "diet" plan.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    I don't log my food as much as I used to but I do log my workouts. For whatever reason, logging my workouts keeps me on track in terms of going. It's kind of like checking off a to-do list for me.

    I log food about four days a week just to keep myself honest. On the weekends, I find myself fasting until the afternoon and then eating all my calories at night. Seems to work for me!
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
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    I lost the 10 lbs I wanted to three years ago, but obsessively tracked all my cals and macros until a couple of weeks ago. My rules are simple:

    1. 5 servings of non-starchy veggies/day, 3 servings of fruit, 5 servings of protein-rich (20g) foods, 4 servings of starchy carbs, some healthy fats, and a treat every day

    2. Drink water daily, a glass of wine only on weekends

    3. Lift heavy 4x/week

    4. 10K+ steps/day
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
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    It sounds like you don't want to count calories in maintenance.

    Bingo! :)

    Yes, I would like to see if I can't find a few good rules that help me stay within the bounds of my calories each week, while those 'rules' are flexible enough to fit most situations. When it comes to food, I tend to live and die by routine, be it falling into the habit of eating too much consistently, or eating just enough and hopefully not too little :)

    This might all sound a little mechanical, but I find it incredibly liberating, knowing that adhering to a few main principles that I don't have to sweat the small stuff/ count every calorie, while at the same time having a few good checks and balances to ensure I can identify any stumbling blocks before they turn into several pounds/ kilos gained, lol.

    To be honest, counting calories is not great hardship, and easily endured while in pursuit of a goal, but when I achieve that goal I would like to transfer that conscious to other areas/ interests/ projects in my life, and see if I can't find some sort of autopilot to slip into when it comes to my weight :) Of course, if my next target is something bodily-related, like muscle building/ body recomp, or something similar, I am happy to accept counting calories as part of that, just that if its simply maintenance of my weight I would prefer to build some solid, easy routines around it all, that I can manage it less consciously.

    Presently, one good example of a rule/ habit that works quite well for me is breakfast, where with no conscious thought, I can whip up something nice, healthy and nutritious just sheerly from muscle memory. I also have some staple lunches, dinners and desserts in my repertoire that can be conjured similarly. From this stint of weight loss, I have a lot more knowledge also than I've ever had, and quite a few capable tools in the weight loss toolbox, should I need to trim some pounds again in the future.

    Yes, I think in all, I would like to fashion all these bits and pieces into some sort of maintenance blueprint, thus this post I think, to see how and what others have done in a similar fashion :)

    Oh, I should probably add, I am a subconscious calorie counter before ever utilising MFP, and although I don't plan to conscious log, I imagine I shall always find myself roughly calorie totting what I'm eating for a meal just out of habit, in the same way as I find myself subconsciously roughly totting whats I'm putting in the basket when in the supermarket, lol
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    If I'm drinking more than 1 glass of wine most days, I'm not allowed to complain.

    ^^I love this. I'm definitely adopting this rule. Aside from that, my main rule is to weigh daily and start calorie counting/logging when I'm hovering at the top of my 5-lb maintenance range for a couple weeks. When I slack, I tend to slack on several things at once--not weighing as often, losing exercise motivation, and drinking more wine. Logging any of these helps my self-accountability.

    For many years I have gained 5 lb or so in the summer. We drink more alcohol and I exercise less (intensity and mileage) in the Texas triple-digit heat. The heat wears on you, and it's hard to stay motivated. It's easy to have a margarita. When I'm up 5, it's time to lose it the way I gained it, which means less alcohol and more exercise. FWIW, I see a breakpoint at 6 glasses of wine per week. More than that, my weight fluctuates noticeably more (even if the weekly average stays the same) and I eat less clean. Not sure if >6 is a symptom or a cause of demotivation, but it correlates nonetheless. When I'm well below my target weight and not logging everything I eat, I still count glasses of wine (it's easier to count and remember without actual logging).
  • just4me123456
    just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
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    I weigh every day as well. I don't worry about a few pounds up or down, but if I get 5 pounds over my current weight, then I will go back to tracking for awhile.

    Also, I have a few specific breakfasts and lunches that I know the calories for and I rotate among them. This gives me more flexibility for dinner. Also, if I know there is something special happening on the weekend (party, out to dinner, etc) I try to be thoughtful about the other meals I eat.
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
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    My rules are:

    No drinks that contain calories, so tea and water total
    80% unprocessed food and 20% treats (ice cream, occassional burger)
    As little as possible rice, pizza and pasta
    Tons of exercise, I run three times a week 10+km, walk every day my dogs for at least 5km, do weight training and regularly my elliptical
    ...and yes I weigh and log my food every day, less for calories, but more to see my micro and macro nutrients.

    I have a step counter and a multisportswatch with heart rate monitor as fitness is my ultimate goal. Six months ago I could not run more than 100 meters, no I can run comfortably 10k, have participated in races and am currently training for a half marathon. For a former smoker not bad.

    Stef.
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
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    For me, I would not be able to maintain without seeing what I shoveling in my mouth. lol

    However, what I have recently incorporated was a knock-off version of the 80/20 rule.

    I do more of a 90/10 - eating healthy 90% of the time & indulge (within reason) 10%.

    What this approach has done for me is the following:
    1- I'm not so overwhelmed with eating good 100% of the time for the rest of my life. (daunting thought)
    2- I don't binge on junk (Doritos is my kryptonite) because I have refrained from eating anything other than healthy.
    3- Has taken off the pressure to watch every ounce of food 24/7 - 365 days a year.
    4- I'm not afraid to catalog a total crap day of cookies, cupcake, & pizza.
    5- It has greatly alleviated the constant self pressure to make healthy choices all the time.
  • odddrums
    odddrums Posts: 342 Member
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    I've never thought of this, but I've gotten some great ideas reading through the thread!

    I'm still working towards slowly losing 5-10 pounds, or at least a few pounds of fat, so I'm not really maintaining right now, but during the summers I work at a sleep-away music camp for extra income. There's no internet or cell reception there, plus all the meals are pre-planned so I kinda have to go blind. What I did the first summer was just EAT, and ended up gaining 10 pounds back after the 7 week session. This past summer I made a better plan:

    First - lotsa water [to help with digestion] and tea most mornings, coffee when I needed it.

    For breakfast, no or low carbs, decent amount of protein, and whole fruits when available. I avoided oatmeal, toast, PB&J, cereal and tortillas successfully. Still ate pancakes, biscuits and some croissants because they stuff is TASTY, but never went for 2nds, and usually a good amount of eggs/bacon/sausage.

    For lunch/dinner I always had a large salad and skipped bread products. Usually I'd just turn whatever we were having into some kind of salad: Sloppy joes = sloppy salad [no bun] burgers or sandwiches = salad toppings. There was also portion control built in as I was only supposed to take one scoop of food, so if I had a full plate and ate slow enough I could avoid seconds. I can still have dessert but just be conscious of how much is there and all that.

    I tried to apply these rules at home and it kind of works, but I've learned that if I just do low carb for most meals and I still log during the week I can maintain better and keep myself honest. Being cheap has helped too, as I'll end up eating the same thing most days for breakfast [my staple is 2 eggs on 2 pieces of thick cut bacon on 1 piece of high-protein toast] and my lunch [a mixed green salad with some kind of protein, maybe other veggies]. Then I'll log some snacks to keep me going through the day and avoid drinking.

    I'll probably keep counting for awhile, like someone mentioned here I'm still teaching my body to stop eating when I'm full, not when the food is gone, and counting helps me do that successfully.
  • ctalimenti
    ctalimenti Posts: 865 Member
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    My first line of defense is not bringing junk food or snacks into the house.

    I have stopped tracking 3 times and gained 7-8 lbs each time so I will probably track forever.

    I weigh myself just about every day in order to see and understand fluctuations and am always a 2-3 lbs heavier after the weekend. By Wednesday, it's normalized again.

    I don't restrict any foods but watch my portions and try to stick to my caloric limits.

    I bike on average 50 miles weekly.
  • kwantlen2051
    kwantlen2051 Posts: 455 Member
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    If other people can maintain without tracking, more power to them. But I cannot do it. The 5 minutes a day is well worth the outcome.

    I agree
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    Eat what I enjoy just track quantities. A body in motion tends to stay in motion so I try to keep moving. Find exercise you enjoy so you will continue doing it.

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  • thunderseed
    thunderseed Posts: 40 Member
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    For those of you who maintain without tracking/ logging everything, I wonder do you have self-enforced rules for keeping you on track in maintenance ? If so, I would love to hear them if you care to share them :)

    I just don't follow many rules, I've slowly developed a way of life that is healthy, and this way of life also includes gradual detoxing methods, such as naturpathic actions and I've learned to eat foods that don't bother my digestion, I remember to take things like probiotics all the time, I love participating in hydrotherapy, in the winter I do cold swims frequently, and my natural interests are healthy interests.
    I genuinely love sports and working out, so I never have to motivate myself to stay active.

    I developed a very healthy relationship with food and my body. I rely on hunger pangs to tell me when to eat, rather than counting calories. This was because I used to suffer from anorexia, but it turns out not counting calories is the best way for me to maintain my healthy weight.
    I eat lots and I eat regularily, because of that my metabolism is really fast now and I can eat whatever I want without ever gaining weight.
    To me though, the most important thing is health, so I'd rather not eat "whatever" I want - so I try my best to eat as organic and as healthy as possible, but I also make sure to treat myself to unhealthy things often, and I never beat myself up about it.
  • myfitnesspale3
    myfitnesspale3 Posts: 276 Member
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    For those of you who maintain without tracking/ logging everything, I wonder do you have self-enforced rules for keeping you on track in maintenance ? If so, I would love to hear them if you care to share them :)

    A month on maintenance, I weigh every day but no longer log food on MFP. I logged for 180 days.

    Weight will tell me if I'm on plan, plus or minus 3#.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
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    I log everyday, except when I don't have access to a computer. But, I have rules.

    Eat at home for as Many meals as possible.

    Drink water as my main beverage.

    When I go out, I typically eat vegetarian or lean meat dishes.

    Don't use oil in cooking.

    I eat 5 meals a day, almost always.

    Weigh myself each morning before coffee.

    I forgive myself after a binge, drink a glass of water, and move on. This is not a diet, it's my life.

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