Tips for maintaining

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rivera781
rivera781 Posts: 2 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello everyone , just looking for some tips/ideas for helping maintain your weight once you are at your goal ? I am down 12 lbs and not looking to lose anymore eating three meals a day and snacks in between ( yogurt, fruit and maybe a granola bar ) I was allowing myself one cheat day a week normally on the weekend when we eat out but now just trying to figure out how to balance my diet or up my intake a bit to help maintain but not gain any suggestions I appreciate thanks :)

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  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
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    Do whatever worked for weight loss, but eat at your maintenance calories. It has worked for me for 14 months. I have more energy now and am more active, so last night around 7:30 I ate an apple with peanut butter and was still under for the day, but I wasn't hungry, so I am good with that. I know I am on an active rest day in my lifting today so I expect to eat less. The longer you maintain, the easier listening to your own body becomes.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Tip #1: Don't expect to have a goal weight as a single #. Can be insane trying to keep the scale at exactly xxx.x pounds. Instead have a reasonable range for yourself. For me that's 123-128. I eat how I want to - which is around the 1800 calorie range most days. But I feel free to eat higher/estimate more/eat out where I have less control over the portions because I know I can control that range. If I seem to be on the high end I can trim 100-200 calories a day temporarily. If I'm too close to the low end, I make an effort to eat a little higher for a few days.

    Tip #2: Don't be surprised if you have a mental 'issue' with adapting to maintaining. I've been in maintenance for almost 6 months, and I sometimes feel a little bit disappointed when the scale is not showing a loss. Have to remind myself that I'm no longer trying to lose.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I believe in the range too. I also think staying active and eating most meals at home is key for me. I average my calories out over a week.
  • rivera781
    rivera781 Posts: 2 Member
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    thanks everyone for the input and tips and that is great advice on having a range ( so I don't drive myself crazy at the scale ) thanks :)
  • NCSteveVH
    NCSteveVH Posts: 85 Member
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    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »

    Tip #2: Don't be surprised if you have a mental 'issue' with adapting to maintaining. I've been in maintenance for almost 6 months, and I sometimes feel a little bit disappointed when the scale is not showing a loss. Have to remind myself that I'm no longer trying to lose.

    This is comment is so me. Once I hit my weight and BF% goal, I kept wanting to lose more, just for the thrill of an "accomplishment". Now I have to keep telling myself that just staying within a weight and/or BF% range is accomplishment enough. Sounds stupid, but I had a problem with this....
  • robynsklar
    robynsklar Posts: 10 Member
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    I have a range too. I weigh myself almost every morning. If I'm on the high end of the range I go to bed with a little hunger in my belly. My range us 130-133.
  • mamatothelils
    mamatothelils Posts: 17 Member
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    I have been reading a lot about maintenance, and so often I have read to weigh daily until you feel really comfortable with your maintenance plan... Then maybe weigh every few days. But for me...I have become so used to weighing myself each morning, that I will just continue. I think its especially important to weigh on Mondays because like most folks...a cheat meal happens over the weekend.

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