Maintenance findings...4 months on :)

Kim55555 wrote: »

RunRutheeRun wrote: »

@kim55555 you are the reason that I've been keeping on increasing my calories lol...I might do as you say but in this cold weather I just get hungry more so I reckon when it starts warming up I'll feel its easier to stay at 2100 then. Yesterday I ate 2400!! I just could not get filled. The thing is two days earlier I 'only' ate 1900 so it all balances out. It seems if my body gets 'under' fed one day, then the next two days its crying out to be fed all the time LOL. I'm still learning!

Haha, your appetite (metabolism) has awoken.

haha Kim you are sooo right LOL

netutopia wrote: »

What an insperational post. You have prompted me to post on here for the first time instead of just "lurking". I am in my first month of maintenance and finding the conflicting advice confusing, I am also obsessed by the scales.Thank you for making me stop and think and congratulations on finding what works for you

Thanks for the FR, you will always find conflicting advice on the forums lol, everybody is different and have different ideas of how to do things. I just didn't want to believe I'd have to keep lowering my calories so I'm happy I stuck with trial and error - it took a little time but its such a great feeling! Imagine being able to maintain an ideal weight whilst eating everything I like and practically stuffing my face LOL exaggeration, but I'm sure lots of people would look at my diary and think Miss Piggy :-D

SuperJo1972 wrote: »

Well done - What a great inspiration to us all. It helps to know that a healthy maintenance is doable. )

Thank you for your comment

Montu42 wrote: »

First of all, amazing job, Ruth! I know I'm finally looking forward to 40 whereas before I'd been dreading it. Mind if I ask what your heaviest weight was and what kind of diet and also exercise you do besides walking, push ups and planks? Thank you. -Shannon

@Montu42‌ Hi Shannon,
At my heaviest I was 154 lbs approx, I didn't weigh myself for years prior to joining mfp in may 2012.
My diet, that's sort of a laugh actually as I eat everything, nothing is banned lol, just watch my portions and still weigh stuff. I know that's why I've had continued success, the not banning food groups etc. I cook all meals bar Saturday night which is take out night. Breakfast is always eggs of some sort with wholewheat toast, sometimes bacon. Mid morning I have a pancake with a cuppa, lunch is either tuna/chicken pasta salad or a sandwich plus yogurt and crisps. My dinners are always around 600 cals, from curries to casseroles to home made fish n chips etc...and of course always some chocolate treat. All doable on 1600 cals but nowadays I eat more of it all. These days I eat absolutely loads lol...and I love that my body needs the fuel and burns it all off. Last week I averaged 2200 and stayed same weight.

I run 5 to 6 days a week, 5 miles minimum, no more than 7. And strength train 3 times a week. Last week I tried a few different workouts but I always come back to my running ☺ my strength workouts are done with dumbbells and using Hasfit/Fitness Blender/Jessica Smith workouts on youtube.

Hope this helps ☺

elansc wrote: »

Ruth,
Wonderful post! Highlights perfectly that this is a trial and error process as we are all different and need to take the time to figure out what works for us. Thanks so much for sharing what works for you and inspiring us all to be patient with ourselves while we learn to be healthy, happy, and fit!! I am 10 pounds (or so...) from maintainence and your post will help me to plan that stage of this journey

The last 10lbs are hard, be patient, keep at it and you'll get there ☺ all the best ☺

Kristy5225 wrote: »

Wow - this is great. I just reached my goal weight at my weigh in this morning and I have just updated my MFP account to maintenance. It has suggested I move from 1200 to 1680 calories per day. That seems like a huge leap to me. Would I be better to just do it in stages, say go to 1450 for a couple of weeks, and see how I go? I have never done this before and I know it is a bit of trial and error, but don't want to undo all the work I have put in to get this 10kg off

I would say you could eat at 1400 calories for a few weeks, let your body get used to that and then up them another 100 and then another. Take it slowly and don't be put off when you see the scale going up, its a natural fluctuation ok. You have to retrain your body to enjoy those extra calories, and it will get used to it Great job on getting to goal!

werdna1043 wrote: »

What an inspiration. I am 5" 3" and 47 years old. Current weight. 128. Just want to lose two more pounds. Never had an issue with losing weight. But never really managed to maintain for very long

With the help of MFP which I am now addicted to and your advice. Looking forward to the challenge of trying to crack maintenance.

You're doing great and having the support is a way to certainly keep up the momentum

cheslightsey wrote: »

Would you mind telling me if you are eating 2100 total...and not eating back exercise calories? Or is it 2100 + exercise calories? I'm working to find my maintenance sweet spot now. Thanks so much...and Congratulations!

@cheslightsey‌ when I talk about 2100 that's my total cals, I do go over that some days, last week alot of days I ate between 2200-2300. When I'm hungry I eat lol my weight stays in my lower range all the time now. I could probably do with losing a few more pounds but I'm done fighting my body's happy weight and am loving pushing how many cals I can eat up and up...its exciting! as the weather improves and I'll be even more active I think I'll lose a bit more without even trying - what a happy place to be ☺