Did you just "know" when to begin maintenance?

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Gska17
Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Once I reach my goal weight I might try to lose more (I'm one pound away). How does one realize "enough! Let's maintain!"

Can you share with me your stories? Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • rosehips60
    rosehips60 Posts: 1,030 Member
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    I reached my main goal in September (down 30 lbs) and now that spring is springing I want to lose 10 more. Then I know I'll be done
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,401 Member
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    I looked in the mirror and knew. My face was getting too thin and my hip bones pointed out too much. Hey, when I sit sideways with curled up legs my arm feels unpleasant on my hip bones. I am in a healthy BMI range though at 21.2 or so. I just happened to lose weight at the wrong spots. I'll never have thin legs. Oh well...
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
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    No, it was something I had to think about. I've been 'done' lots of times before, but I think I am finally done now. My BMI is well within the range of normal, I look nice and curvy clothed. I am not sure what added benefit losing more weight would have. My focus has shifted to recomping, replacing fat with muscle while maintaining a certain weight range.
  • BigLifter10
    BigLifter10 Posts: 1,151 Member
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    I built in 'break periods' where I would test myself to see if I could do it (it took over a year to have any confidence that I could). During these time frames I would still chart my intake (however, for the first six months I did not and quickly realized I had to). I had a strong feeling where I would go off course, but wanted to really see it on the screen/paper. I now see where and how I EVER go off track and how it is a specific pattern and how that pattern unveils itself. Those periods usually lasted about two weeks and that was long (and short) enough for me to tell a difference in how my body responded.

    That said, I find that when it is relatively easy to maintain, then I'm pretty good, overall. If I feel I'm still gaining I can tell and that goes for losing too. I have a pair of jeans that, if I can wear them, then I know I'm going to look a little thin. I comfortably hover around one particular size.

  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
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    @GingerSka My doctor told me it was time to stop losing; he said I was exhibiting some wasting at my temples. After losing 185 pounds, I was not able to lose any more in any case.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
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    I got to a BMI of 21.2, started seeing bones in places. My bra band got so small I can't find bras at stores because the cup is too big. And I didn't want to buy any more clothes. Size 6/8 was good enough.
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
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    I hit a wall of sorts with progressing on my weight training & moved to maintenance 10 days or so ago. It seems to me I am having more productive (and more fun) workouts and feeling less run over by a truck afterwards.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
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    Something just dawned on me...I can go back and forth as needed. DUH.

    (Thank you everyone for the replies, they're really helpful. Maintenance sounds so daunting.)
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I hit my initial goal and decided to lose another 10 pounds. Then I hit that and decided to hit a goal zone that was 5-10 pounds lower. I got to the top of that and said 'yes, this feels good'. I was loosing very very slowly at that point but very comfortable with what I was eating, so just stayed there. I got to the bottom of it and said 'yep! this is it'. I upped my calories.

    This was, btw, my recommended healthy weight that I never thought I'd get to. I still lost a few more pounds, but I've bounced up into my zone. I expect this summer I'll exercise more and drop down a little more again.
  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
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    I set my goal weight on day 1 and started maintenance the day I reached it. I set it low enough that there wasn't much temptation to take it any lower.
  • maasha81
    maasha81 Posts: 733 Member
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    When I reached my goal weight, I still wasn't happy but then I realised if I lose more then I would look haggard. So I started to do body recomposition as I wanted more definition to my body. I was a typical cardio junkie doing a few bodyweight exercises ..now I'm starting to lift.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    I did it too early, lol. Increased my goal to maintenance with 3 pounds left thinking 'I'll keep a deficit when possible and get there eventually'. But I got used to eating more and it was hard for me to keep a deficit, and 8 months later, I still wasn't there, actually starting to gain back a little, so I went back to cutting last month (might be there now, I'll know after my period).

    So this time I'm waiting until I actually reach it then will increase my calories by 200 and see. It will be right in the middle of the normal range so if I lose a bit more, I won't complain.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Not really. I started to realize that my upper body was getting too thin-- my ribs were sticking out and my sternum was starting to show. But I still had quite a bit of fat to lose on my thighs/butt. I was getting pretty down about it because it didn't seem possible to get the body I wanted. Then I discovered recomp and started lifting weights while eating at maintenance. 2 years later I wouldn't say my body is perfect by any stretch but it's 1000% better, and more importantly I've stopped caring as much. Lifting put me in touch with what my body can do, not just what it looks like.
  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I was hit by major diet fatigue after hard dieting and exercise for 4 months and some other life events, leaving me at about 4 kg away from GW. I realized that forcing myself to further dieting would only lead to disaster. So instead I chose to go on a full diet break.

    I've now successfully "maintained" scale weight within range for 3-4 months while accidentally noobgained muscle AND lost a bit of belly fat as well. I've tried to eat what I want intuitively, but within reason and logging that. So I guess my body has found the sweet spot. I always knew my body is smarter than me ;)

    It's quite challenging though, cause if I start *kitten* myself finding excuses to comfort eat, I know that path is slippery. Having an honest dialogue with oneself is crucial to "intuitive" eating, I think.

    As someone mentioned above, dieting techniques can be used here and there to reign in. There's no need for black and white, either or. I sometimes put in semi-fasting to create a contrast and deficit. It helps enormously to retrain perceived hunger. It's very odd, but for ME, overeating consistently over a period of time, seems to not only physically extend belly capacity. I also feel hungrier when I eat a lot. But I've been a binge eater. I guess we're all different in many aspects.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    I *didn't* hit my goal weight but knew it was time anyway. I saw myself naked one day and thought "I think I looked better 10 pounds heavier; these last 6 pounds are achievable but won't look good on me. I'm done."
  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
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    ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
    Not really. I started to realize that my upper body was getting too thin-- my ribs were sticking out and my sternum was starting to show. But I still had quite a bit of fat to lose on my thighs/butt. I was getting pretty down about it because it didn't seem possible to get the body I wanted. Then I discovered recomp and started lifting weights while eating at maintenance. 2 years later I wouldn't say my body is perfect by any stretch but it's 1000% better, and more importantly I've stopped caring as much. Lifting put me in touch with what my body can do, not just what it looks like.

    and THIS, ladies, is why we lift :)
  • jenniferjohnsonament
    jenniferjohnsonament Posts: 85 Member
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    I set my goal to my pre wedding weight. That is a time I felt beautiful and healthy in my own skin. I've been thinner then this and (obviously) quite a bit heavier.

    When I got "here" I wasn't happy...ironically I felt great 10 lbs heavier (go figure!)

    Soooo about 3 weeks ago I decided that "here" is where I'm staying for the time being....I'm upping my calories every week that I still lose or stay to get to my maintenance calories..BUT I'm working out more and I can tell that I'm losing fat, building lean muscle, and losing inches.

    It's more then a number.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,401 Member
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    Karen_libert wrote: »
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
    Not really. I started to realize that my upper body was getting too thin-- my ribs were sticking out and my sternum was starting to show. But I still had quite a bit of fat to lose on my thighs/butt. I was getting pretty down about it because it didn't seem possible to get the body I wanted. Then I discovered recomp and started lifting weights while eating at maintenance. 2 years later I wouldn't say my body is perfect by any stretch but it's 1000% better, and more importantly I've stopped caring as much. Lifting put me in touch with what my body can do, not just what it looks like.

    and THIS, ladies, is why we lift :)

    I like lifting, but please explain how body recomp would prevent my face from looking even thinner? After all, in a recomp I'd still be losing fat and building muscles instead. But building muscles in my face? Hmmm
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    edited April 2015
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    yirara wrote: »
    Karen_libert wrote: »
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
    Not really. I started to realize that my upper body was getting too thin-- my ribs were sticking out and my sternum was starting to show. But I still had quite a bit of fat to lose on my thighs/butt. I was getting pretty down about it because it didn't seem possible to get the body I wanted. Then I discovered recomp and started lifting weights while eating at maintenance. 2 years later I wouldn't say my body is perfect by any stretch but it's 1000% better, and more importantly I've stopped caring as much. Lifting put me in touch with what my body can do, not just what it looks like.

    and THIS, ladies, is why we lift :)

    I like lifting, but please explain how body recomp would prevent my face from looking even thinner? After all, in a recomp I'd still be losing fat and building muscles instead. But building muscles in my face? Hmmm

    I don't know that it would do anything for your face since you're not going to be building muscle there. For me I built some abs which helped my ribs not look as unnatural and some upper body muscles that helped with the sternum issue. And I lost some of the remaining thigh fat, so overall it gave the impression of just evening everything out.

    eta: I have heard some ladies say that when they start bulking they find they can keep a higher body fat percentage and still be happy with the way they look because of the muscle they built underneath. So that might help with things like faces getting too thin. But I can't vouch for that since I haven't done it, and of course bulking is different from recomp.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I stopped losing weight. One pound below my rough goal weight. I figured I'd found a sort of balance. So I stopped there. (I hadn't been counting to lose)

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