Long time maintainers how do you do it
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You're spot on Sabine. Over the years I've learned to eat low carb and now apply this to SB. It makes life interesting.
Cheers
In fact, SB as maintenance is super simple and flexible.0 -
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
This is the best analogy I have ever heard.1 -
Bump0
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I have maintained for over a year now! I enjoyed reading all the ideas everyone posted. Some of them that really stood out for me and are helpful, or are something I could incorporate into my maintenance are:
1. Ironclad promise to self to not gain the weight back.
2. Make yourself activity goals. Plan that 5k.
3. Logging meals, always. Even for years, everyday. Logging still works for some people.
4. Fitbit helps to motivate.
5. Plan your meals ahead. This is key for me.
6. Whole, real foods.
7. Daily diligence, never give up. FOCUS.
8. Higher protein, lower carbs.
All this and more keeps me in maintenance.
One thing that really motivates me is clothes. I love to look good and feel good in clothes. I was born that way!4 -
I've maintained my loss of 35lbs for over 2 years now. When I started, I didn't do anything outrageous or crazy in terms of dieting. I just started eating cleaner, less processed foods. That has carried over into my maintenance. I exercise regularly....at least 5 days a week. I am a runner, logging about 20 miles a week, unless I am training for a half marathon or marathon. I weigh myself everyday. It works for me. It keeps me in check. I always plan ahead with eating. I pre log everything. If we are eating out, I try to find the nutritional info online and decided what I want to eat rather than at the restaurant.3
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I posted earlier in the replies but thought I would add a couple of other things I do. First in my profile picture, that is a picture of the restaurant I go to each day for lunch, it is a gym. Another thing is I do not get wrapped up in eating. It is currently 3:30 pm and I haven't ate a single thing today. I do this all the time, but somedays I might eat 3 or 4 meals. Am I hungry ? Sure am. Am I going to die ? No ! Before I get lectured, I would just like to ask is it worse to weigh 4 to 500 pounds or do intermittent fasting ? Also I have always wondered who in the heck made the rule to eat 3 meals a day ? Seven years ago I did away with that rule in my life and have never been happier and healthier. What really puzzles me is why all the experts that have studied dogs state to feed them just once a day or if it is a real lucky dog he or she may get fed twice. Could it be that if they are fed more often they may get fat. Some people can't do what I do....or can they ? Maybe not the gym everyday at lunch, but I bet you could find someplace to walk or better yet climb stairs. After you do that, don't worry about eating. That is why the good Lord allows us to have fat on our bodies. It is energy in reserve. If people throw the science out of what use to be common sense, maintaining weight is easy. I don't even think about it, I just do my thing. I go to the doctor each year for my physical, and my blood work comes back and my doctor just says wow. She asked me once how I do this and I told her the same story I have just typed here. All she says is keep it up what you are doing and I will see you again next year. The old saying goes mind over body. If you adopt my philosophy of body over mind this stuff is easy.5
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bump0
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Bump....I'm there and need assistance!0
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Great thread! I am 7 lbs from goal and SO glad I read it, the whole thing, in one sitting. I took notes. Lots of FANTASTIC advice here. Thanks to all you posters. My take away? You have to do what works for you, whatever that may be. Kind of like losing the weight to begin with. Peace!3
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I lost 120 lbs in April 2014 and it has been close to a year that I have been maintaining. Maintaining for me has been continuing to keep track of everything I eat by charting on here and using my fitbit to track calories in vs calories out because of my activities/exercise. I do a lot of walking and so chose to stay active in that way. It is easy to do and fun so it continues to be the main way I stay active which allows me to indulge in fun stuff on a fairly regular basis. As long as I am under and right on, I will not gain weight. I personally prefer to be under to be on the safe side. I have successfully maintained my weight over these 10 months!4
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I changed the way I thought about food. I would just eat before like it was a hobby, as if it was something to do. Now I only eat when I'm hungry and I don't eat when I'm not. That's not so easy for everyone. It's something I've learned with time. I'm always trying to have a better relationship with food. I haven't tracked calories regularly for years; that would honestly drive me insane. Find what works for you.1
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Bump - I want to know how and if they track calories or weight anymore... among other secrets...
I no longer count calories since I have successfully kept the 30 pounds that I lost off for the last 3 years. I eat healthy and make good choices like eating Greek yogurt for an evening snack instead of chips. I do Stronglifts at the gym 2 to 3 days a week and 30 minute HIIT workouts in the evening a few nights a week. I do weigh myself weekly to see if I need to make any changes to my diet or exercise schedule. If I lose a pound like I did last week I'll do one less HIIT workout the following week. Also, visiting the community forums here on MFP and chatting with friends here has really been a big help with maintaining as well.1 -
Bookmarking so I can come back and read later! Great responses so far!0
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I'm just a few pounds from maintenance and very excited about this new adventure I'll begin soon. There's some wonderful advice here about successful maintenance. I hope others add to it. I feel like I've a plan for the next phase of staying healthy.
Thanks everyone.1 -
When I first started, I never "tracked" food. I just made what I thought would be the best choices for food. lots of meat, veggies and limited carbs spread out at least 6 times a day. I also worked out at least 4-5 times a week. I still do almost the exact same now, only I measure my foods to try an achieve a goal that requires a lot of attention and dedication. By this I mean staying lean while trying to add muscle/surplus. As for the workout, it changes every time I stall or plateau. I have kept 80lbs off for the past 3 years ~4
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I started almost 7 years ago at 240 lbs. I've lost 70 lbs total, and have been maintaining +/- 5 lbs for about 5 years now.
I'll echo what many have said above - I really changed the way I look at food. Also, after trying many different ways to moderate/control/regulate alcohol, I gave it up 3 years ago. (I'm 45, so I had a nice long career, ha ha.)
But the main thing is, I still log & track religiously. (I'm on an 80-day streak right now.) I weigh myself every Thursday morning. I work out 30-45 minutes 5-6 days a week. (Spartacus workout DVDs are AWESOME.) I allow myself 1 cheat meal a week, and I take full advantage of it. Notice, I said cheat MEAL. Not cheat DAY, or cheat WEEKEND. 1 meal!
Every single time I slack off on logging & reporting, after a week or two I gain. It's inevitable. I may slack over holidays, or on vacation, but rest assured immediately after I start up again and go long.
I'm in the best shape that I've been in since my mid 20s. It doesn't feel like work, or feel like I'm depriving myself. It just feels GREAT.
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I lost 120 lbs in April 2014 and it has been close to a year that I have been maintaining. Maintaining for me has been continuing to keep track of everything I eat by charting on here and using my fitbit to track calories in vs calories out because of my activities/exercise. I do a lot of walking and so chose to stay active in that way. It is easy to do and fun so it continues to be the main way I stay active which allows me to indulge in fun stuff on a fairly regular basis. As long as I am under and right on, I will not gain weight. I personally prefer to be under to be on the safe side. I have successfully maintained my weight over these 10 months!
Well done!0 -
There is no secret to success. You only get out of it what you put in. Cooking food and staying on a meal plan is a huge help, the gym also helps. Don't rely on an easy answer or a quick fix. Do the *kitten* work and earn it0
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I lost 60 lbs in 2006 and kept if off in a 10 lb range until 2013. My best friend is my workout/diet partner. As our diets became more lax we continued to enjoy an active lifestyle together. We could still go out to eat, have drinks, and bake the occasional cupcakes together and maintain the loss. In 2013 we started a business together and we quit regularly working out. Both of us gained almost all of it back in less than a year. We are both back at it and this time it was much harder being 10 years older but I can say with out a doubt its all about being active and being mindful of food choices. I see a quote often and I intend to live by it this time. Never skip a Monday, don't go more than 3 days without a workout, and minimum 3 times per week. My diet will naturally stay in maintenance if I work out. Denial is the worst.2
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