Has anyone tried maintaining in the middle of weight loss?

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amazon35
amazon35 Posts: 98 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I was thinking about it today. I may decide to try and maintain for 6 months after my first 100lbs. Just so my body and mind can have a break and get adjusted I guess. I'm also thinking it'll help me make this a permanent change. Then after the 6 months jump back on it and loose the last 40-50lbs but do it super slowly until I figure out what weight I want to stay at. Does this make sense? Has anyone done this?
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  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
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    yep I have. Its good practice for future weight maintenance, and helped me to assess what weight I wanted to be at.
  • BigLifter10
    BigLifter10 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    I did exactly that. When I started about four years ago, I was scared I would lose it and have it all pile on again. I had 35-40 lbs to lose, so I dropped the first 24 easily by changing what I was eating and doing a bit more for walking. Then, I maintained (on purpose) for six months. I knew I could do it after that - I proved to myself I could maintain and not just puff up again. Then I lost another 12 and basically was were I wanted to be (not accounting for shaping and needing to do resistance exercises). I started lifting and varying my cardio... then, over time, my body changed shape little by little and I haven't worried about the scale since. My clothes fit how I want them to and I am, for the most part, satisfied. I still change things up from time to time, but the body fat itself has stayed away -and that was my main goal. So, yes, it certainly is one way to do it.

  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I didn't plan it that way but I took two pretty long maintenance breaks in the process of losing weight. It seemed to work well for me.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Yup sounds good..I would say max 6 months as you might find you want to go back to losing in 3 months...

    I have done week long "breaks" here and there...they do help mentally.
  • amazon35
    amazon35 Posts: 98 Member
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    BigLifter10 wrote: »
    I did exactly that. When I started about four years ago, I was scared I would lose it and have it all pile on again. I had 35-40 lbs to lose, so I dropped the first 24 easily by changing what I was eating and doing a bit more for walking. Then, I maintained (on purpose) for six months. I knew I could do it after that - I proved to myself I could maintain and not just puff up again. Then I lost another 12 and basically was were I wanted to be (not accounting for shaping and needing to do resistance exercises). I started lifting and varying my cardio... then, over time, my body changed shape little by little and I haven't worried about the scale since. My clothes fit how I want them to and I am, for the most part, satisfied. I still change things up from time to time, but the body fat itself has stayed away -and that was my main goal. So, yes, it certainly is one way to do it.

    That's what I'm trying to avoid is gaining it all back again. I lost 50 or so in 2013 and gained it all back plus 17. So I have a different mentality this time, that I know I can take it all off it's just keeping it all off that is worrisome. I gained the weight back because my mind wasn't ready for the changes. Now I know what to expect. Just want to find a way to handle the changes better
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
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    That is exactly my intentions. I have three goals and three phases planned. Phase two is maintaining for four months.
  • tephanies1234
    tephanies1234 Posts: 299 Member
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    I'm currently going to try and maintain for a month and then keep going.
  • bainsworth1a
    bainsworth1a Posts: 313 Member
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    i've done it but not on purpose. vacations, holidays and other special occasions come up an end up kind of like maintenance. also I've recently had a hard time staying on target. For me it is important to still log on everyday and enter my food diary good or bad.
  • thomasgfloyd
    thomasgfloyd Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm a 61 year old male. Iwas 280 in September of 2014. November 24, 2014 I was 277. That's the day I got serious about getting healthy. Today I am 198. My doc would like me to get to 180 but first he told me to get under 200 and maintain that for awhile. I've been maintaining for about 3 weeks now. It's tough knowing how much I should eat. I exercise 6 days a week doing cardio. But I'm slowly increasing my calories. I hope it works.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Yep. I actually go into maintenance whenever I feel like it. I find that after a few months, a break for a week or two does my mind and body good.
  • Ekatrina
    Ekatrina Posts: 12 Member
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    So glad I found you ladies. This is exactly what I am doing. I lost 48 and want to keep it off until September (6 mos) and then I will go back and lose another 10-15...
  • BunBun85
    BunBun85 Posts: 246 Member
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    I take breaks at maintenance too. I think when you have a lot of weight to lose that it really helps you keep the stamina that you need. I've lost ~160lbs in the past three years and still have ~20lbs to go. I think it's good practice for when you get to your goal weight.
  • 2_FitNFab
    2_FitNFab Posts: 163 Member
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    I went into maintenance mode for the last two months. I gained 5 pounds, back at it strong now and wanting to lose 10.
  • 40andFindingFitness
    40andFindingFitness Posts: 497 Member
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    Yes. I'm unintentionally doing it now.
  • _incogNEATo_
    _incogNEATo_ Posts: 4,537 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Yep. I actually go into maintenance whenever I feel like it. I find that after a few months, a break for a week or two does my mind and body good.

    I'm trying that this week, and maybe next.

    The hardest part for me has been keeping in mind that there's really no time constraints or restrictions. Allowing myself to eat at maintenance isn't going to spoil my hard work from the past 6 months. My thoughts anyways...
  • gramarye
    gramarye Posts: 586 Member
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    Absolutely. They aren't always intentional or mindful -- I realized recently that instead of putting on weight at the start a relationship (back last autumn), I'd unintentionally gone into maintenance, lol.

    But sometimes they are. Especially when there are other life stressors going on, such as job drama or mental health issues. Not having to deal with internal pressure to lose on top of the external stress does me wonders once in a while.

    Also, I think it's important to learn a) how to maintain and b) that maintenance is possible, especially when you've either always been fat (yo) or never really learned how to do it before.
  • austinartgirl
    austinartgirl Posts: 26 Member
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    ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
    I didn't plan it that way but I took two pretty long maintenance breaks in the process of losing weight. It seemed to work well for me.

    Me too. Wasn't planned necessarily, but I've had several periods of lose then maintain. I really think it has helped me, in the long run.
  • nathan_haveagoodday
    nathan_haveagoodday Posts: 38 Member
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    At the current rate I am going I should hit my first goal of losing 25 pounds (out of 120) in about a month. I plan on taking a two week maintenance break and jump starting my weight lifting routine. Right now I am at a 1000 calorie deficit and I can only weight lift twice a week due to long recovery times.
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Yep. I actually go into maintenance whenever I feel like it. I find that after a few months, a break for a week or two does my mind and body good.

    It wasn't planned but I went into maintenance during the Dark Cold Dog days of winter. With only 8 hrs of daylight we end up going to work in the dark, coming home in the dark etc. Actually had about a 3 month period of flat line stability and has worked out for me so far. Also I am in the push for the last twenty pounds and that is always a slower process so its nice to come into it refreshed by a break and the increased energy/attitude from spring and summer weather.
  • jessicapk
    jessicapk Posts: 574 Member
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    I did that during the winter. I partially counted calories and partially just tried to do it naturally. Between December and February, I put on about a pound (after subtracting the water weight that dropped off my first week) so I do think I'll have to count to maintain long term. However, it was a major boost to my motivation when I started back in February. It's nice to take a break for a while but make sure you set a firm date to start back and watch your weight closely so you don't regress. I think it's a great idea to do from time to time if you have a lot to lose.

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