Maintenance is possible long term!

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  • jessiruthica
    jessiruthica Posts: 412 Member
    I love everything you said! I'm only half way to my goal but am already planning for maintenance. Thanks for your great plan!
  • LJL162
    LJL162 Posts: 13 Member
    Great post, I am getting near my goal and you have definitely been an inspiration to know that we can all find what works for us and maintain the weight loss we've all worked so hard for. 10 years that's a great job. :D
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    Well done, OP! I haven't kept it off for very long yet... only about a year now, but agree with everything you said and I am doing many of the same things and don't find maintaining hard.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    yayamom3 wrote: »
    I'm curious. Are you still weighing/measuring foods now? Or are you able to eyeball it?

    Any day I log, I weigh and measure. Using my scale is second nature.

    On my non-logging days, I will still sometimes weigh out a serving of chips for example, but not fruits/veggies/meat.

  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    Run_Fit wrote: »
    Congrats! I'm going into my third year of maintenance after losing 120 in 2012. Maintenance is possible! :smiley:

    Wow! Yes it is and in your third you know how true that is :)
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    yayamom3 wrote: »
    OP: Congrats on all of your hard work and continued success! This is definitely a post that I will be saving to refer back to when I reach maintenance.

    I'm curious. Are you still weighing/measuring foods now? Or are you able to eyeball it?

    I do. I know people who don't but for me personally I feel like in order to keep a good handle on how much I'm eating I really need to. It really is second nature :D
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    MapDancer wrote: »
    You are just what I needed to read this morning!

    I am 60yo and also 5'2" and have lost 41 lbs. so far. Only 7lb more to go, to reach my goal of 130 lbs. and perhaps even break into the 120s?? This has been my first effort to lose the weight that appeared over the past 15 years. I recently read the dismal stats on maintaining weight loss. I came across the National Weight Loss Registry and your comments mirror several points that most people have in common for successful maintenance.

    Thanks for your summary of successful traits!

    Yes the stats are very dismal and honestly that is why I felt the need to make this post because it is possible! I think part of the problem is that we focus so hard on making changes and losing weight that when we get to that point where we should transition in to maintaenence so many are not fully aware of how to do that. I know I had to learn from trial and error but at no point did I ever give up. You have to keep that same commitment and determination that set you down this road to begin with. Like I said in my post, I sign up for all kinds of races/events and keep my eye on the prize. With goals set it keeps me focused and I'm human, it is easy to lose focus sometimes :D

    On the Weight Loss Registry, I am a part of that :) I've been part of the WLR for five or so years now. I find it one way to help people study weight loss success and possibly find ways to help more people keep it off.

    Congrats on 41 pounds, that is awesome!
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    ShannonMpls wrote: »
    I am 2.5 years into maintaining a 130 pound weight loss. You and I have very similar approaches to maintenance, except I don't weigh very often. Otherwise: exercise, tracking regularly, and days "off" are exactly what I practice.

    I especially love that you share my belief that loving food is OKAY. It's okay to like pizza, fries, and candy. I love these things but I understand that if I want to weigh what I weigh, I need to eat them in moderation.

    Best of luck to you as you continue to maintain your new, healthy life :)

    I love meeting people who understand why I do what I do! I can't tell you the number of times I've been told well you're doing it wrong. For a moment I stop and think ok if I'm doing it wrong then how have I kept all the weight off for this long!?! I actually know a couple of people who are 'trainers' who preach no variation in diet. You eat right and whole 100% of the time and if you go off that plan then you have failed. It is so frustrating because I know it scares people from even starting. I find that so irresponsible and unrealistic! So anyway, congrats on your success too :)
  • GoPerfectHealth
    GoPerfectHealth Posts: 254 Member
    Congratulations! Thanks so much for sharing your story. Losing weight and keeping it off can be done. As more and more research comes out on how to do that successfully, more and more people will keep it off! I will be one of them!
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    I'm 46 years old, five three, 120 lbs and wear a size 8. I hope to stay like this by continuing to log cals and to go to the gym every other day. (off days = walking). I finished getting the weight off at the end of November. I seem to maintain at like 1400 to 1500 cals (I'm hypothyroid and borderline diabetic, which messes things up a bit.) I truly never want to go back to being fat, especially since my blood sugar went downhill!
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    wow I cant believe you eat 2,000 calories. Well you are 45 and very active. I am 61 and so so active, not as active as you but go to the gym 3-4 times a week doing zumba and walking. I can only eat around 1500 calories, if I go over 1600 I start gaining. Probably age, I have kept my weight off 4 years. You are amazing with the stats out there and everyone loses it but no one seems to keep it off. You are an inspiration.
  • michellesz
    michellesz Posts: 429 Member
    Congrats to you and to well written advice for others. Sounds as though it was written by me except for the runner part - lol. Lost over 80 pounds, 44 here & maintenance mode ON almost 2 1/2 years. This is a lifestyle change that simply involves learning how to balance daily life with daily exercise and healthy eating for the best health. The best part of maintenance is if the scale dips down too low, more healthy food needs to be consumed (licks lips) and if the scale goes up a bit, recognize there are many fluctuations involved (re-check) the next day or pull back the reigns a bit and/or increase physical activity :)
  • fitphoenix
    fitphoenix Posts: 9,673 Member
    Thanks for posting this. Maintenance is the part of this journey that I have yet to fully figure out. I get the theory, but I keep messing it up in practice, lol. Concrete examples are really helpful to me, so I loved all your details, as well as your ready admission that it's what worked for you and my mileage may vary. Congrats on your awesome loss and even more awesome maintenance! ^_^
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Congratulations on your achievement? Have you joined the National Weight Control Registry? If not, give it some consideration.
    runnerchick69 wrote: »
    • I have one day a week, typically Saturday, where I don't log calories and I eat what I want. I call it my ME day and for many years this has helped me stay on track.
    • One of my biggest motto's in life is everything in moderation.

    I'm glad taking one day without logging works for you. I suspect you can do it because of the next item on your list: doing everything in moderation, including eating on days you don't log. Some people could easily eat a pound's worth of extra calories on a non-logging day; they should probably stick to logging until they have learned moderation.
  • tandala86
    tandala86 Posts: 5
    1961dublin wrote: »
    Congratulations!! And thanks for the advice, but my problem is I cant decide where maintenance is. When 68KGS I wanted to be 66kgs. When I was 66 kgs I wanted I to 65kgs, and so on.....I am now 64kgs and wanting to be 62kgs. My BMI is 24. I had a good luck in the mirror today....my arms are skinny , my waiste is small , my hips and legs are acceptable but I still see fat around my belly. I am trying to tone up in the gym but its not working in the right places.....I take size 10/12 (UK sizes). Im trying harder and harder every week to loose weight and have gone from 5;2 to 4;3 to ADF and now 2 back to back fasts twice a week ie mon/tue and fri/sat. I just wish I could be happy at some weight, but I never seem to get to that point.....

    This really is pretty common. It makes you realize, not all foods are created equal. Not all exercise programs are created equal! Calories are important, so are protein, fats and carbs. More importantly than this, though, is what kinds you are eating. As well as when and the combination of these foods! The real problem people come across is that everyone thinks there's a magic formula. There are sure some great formulas out there, but each person is different! Listen to your body. Educate yourself. Focus on how to increase your mitochondria and energy, and try to think less of the weight. The mirror will come! Hope, inspiration, and finding deep value in what you do are key to changing your life and confidence.

    Long term maintenance is merely a strong will to adhere to your lifestyle change. Most people do it because they find motivation in what they DO, not what they SEE. Dig deep!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I love this post because you are very clearly sharing what worked for you and not saying everyone should do what you did. Job well done all the way around! :)

    I have been maintaining for over a year now and feel fantastic, and I can relate to a lot of what you shared.
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