Maintenance findings...4 months on :)

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  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    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 ☺
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    cincysweetheart wrote: »
    Thank you for sharing. I'm not ready to switch to maintenance yet… but I try to educate myself so that I can be successful when the time comes. I find your post very helpful!

    Thank you Cindy ☺ knowledge is power....and being patient and not relying on the scale reading. Keep on keeping on
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited January 2015
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    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
    Kristy5225 Posts: 14 Member
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    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
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    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
    werdna1043 Posts: 1 Member
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    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.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    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 :)
  • aylajane
    aylajane Posts: 979 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I have a theory about this... I am 43 and range between 129-135 lbs. I have maintained my weight (lowest of my adult life) for about 10 months now. In that time, I have increased my daily calories from about 1400 to 2100-2200. I swear, everytime I up my calories by 100, I make up for it by burning 200 more! FOOD=CALORIES=ENERGY. I eat more, I have more energy, I move more! Makes me wonder how high I can go :)

    And now I am in the fun boat of *having* to eat on purpose even when not really hungry just to maintain my weight and energy level :) How different from the last 40+ years of my life!

    Congrats!
  • ggeise14
    ggeise14 Posts: 386 Member
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    Inspiring - thanks! I am one of those who lost 30 lbs and was very briefly in maintenance and am now recommitting to lose 15 lbs. For me, limiting carbs works best they are a trigger. Just the post I needed today.
  • cheslightsey
    cheslightsey Posts: 13 Member
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    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!

  • michelle_816
    michelle_816 Posts: 621 Member
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    Runrutheerun - I love your MFP name :smiley: And you are so much so an example I want to follow as I get to maintenance (probably still about 20 lbs away). But I do think about it as I inch closer to my goals and I loved reading that you are not limiting anything when it comes to food. I always have been a believer that everything is good in moderation and would not succeed in this if I tried to omit anything!

    I put in a FR for you as I'd love to follow you and chat you up as I get closer to my goals! Thank you! I am so glad I ran into your post today :smiley:
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    aylajane wrote: »
    I have a theory about this... I am 43 and range between 129-135 lbs. I have maintained my weight (lowest of my adult life) for about 10 months now. In that time, I have increased my daily calories from about 1400 to 2100-2200. I swear, everytime I up my calories by 100, I make up for it by burning 200 more! FOOD=CALORIES=ENERGY. I eat more, I have more energy, I move more! Makes me wonder how high I can go :)

    And now I am in the fun boat of *having* to eat on purpose even when not really hungry just to maintain my weight and energy level :) How different from the last 40+ years of my life!

    Congrats!
    @aylajane so agree!! I am like a bin these days I eat so much lol thanks for your comments. .I have so much energy I hardly want to sit down☺
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    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 ☺
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    michelle_816 wrote: »
    Runrutheerun - I love your MFP name :smiley: And you are so much so an example I want to follow as I get to maintenance (probably still about 20 lbs away). But I do think about it as I inch closer to my goals and I loved reading that you are not limiting anything when it comes to food. I always have been a believer that everything is good in moderation and would not succeed in this if I tried to omit anything!

    I put in a FR for you as I'd love to follow you and chat you up as I get closer to my goals! Thank you! I am so glad I ran into your post today :smiley:

    @michelle_816‌ I'll go accept that request right now :smile: I am pretty chatty on my newsfeed :smiley:
  • MandaLeigh123
    MandaLeigh123 Posts: 351 Member
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    thanks for sharing! I'm close to goal and worried about maintaining so good to read your success. well done!
  • Ideabaker
    Ideabaker Posts: 508 Member
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    Thanks so much for posting your discoveries in your four months at maintenance! I find that maintenance is much less "straightforward" than weight loss, and hearing your findings as you navigate the path of maintenance is very encouraging. It is especially comforting to know that the weight gain as the body adapts to a higher calorie intake in maintenance is temporary, and that the body will settle into the greater quantity of food without undoing the progress of weight loss.

    I hope you'll keep us posted as you continue to move forward in maintenance.
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
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    Bump! Loving this thread. I wanna hear from others :)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    This was great to read. I really don't think I would have the patience to up my calories, see the weight gain, and stick with it...I'm trying to get into maintenance now but I'm a hot mess.
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
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    The weight gain when you start your maintenance is just something that happens, its normal. When you eat more (start eating at maintenance your body stores the glycogen and glycogen comes with 4 grams of water causing the scale to go up a few pounds). It's not fat gain.

    It's the direct opposite of that first week of your diet where you lose a heap of weight. Your not losing fat in that first week, you are losing water. Then when you start maintenance you are gaining that same water back.
  • meryl135
    meryl135 Posts: 321 Member
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    Great work! so good to hear maintenance success stories :smile:

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