Long time maintainers how do you do it
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@rainbow198 aww thanks Oh yeah maintenance is a breeze what's not to love about eating 2000-2300 calories and staying at goal weight/range
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RunRutheeRun wrote: »@rainbow198 aww thanks Oh yeah maintenance is a breeze what's not to love about eating 2000-2300 calories and staying at goal weight/range
Nice!!!! I average around 2500 calories and it is awesome!
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I'm 20 and have been maintaining for about 5 years now. I am a vegetarian and keep a strict workout routine(running and weights). Plus I go to community college and work on the weekends. Now does that mean I eat healthy all the time? No I give my body a cheat day every so often. Normally after my period because that's when it hits.0
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I work in IT and sit for roughly between 6-7hrs a day in the office and here are my tips after 10 years of the yoyo weight gain/loss.
1. Move, get up and walk around.
2. When people bring in sweets, which they always do in an office, do not join in, be that person everyone hates because they aren't eating junk with the rest. Which I think a lot of people feel helps justify their bad habits. Similar to smokers, no offense to smokers, but with people quitting left right and centre, I hear so many stories of smokers sabotaging people trying to quit. It's no different with food. Ignore the peer pressure.
3. Always keep healthy snacks in your desk.
4. If you work in an office, exercise! We aren't meant to sit all day and go home and sit when at home after sitting in our cars. At least go for a walk, go to the gym at lunch, or find a sports team to play on once a week and don't say you don't want to play because you're not good at something, that's just an excuse.
5. Keep junk food out of the house. If you have kids and that's why you're keeping it around, that's an even worse excuse because they shouldn't be eating that crap either. If it's something you are avoiding eating then why feed it to your kids? If it's in the house then you'll eat it!
6. The saying "It's all in moderation" is more true then most realize. I used to drink a bottle of wine each Wednesday to help split out the week, then it was two bottles of wine during the week. It wasn't until I reduced my wine consumption from 2 bottles to 2 glasses a week where I started to see some differences without much work. Alcohol is a big one!
7. Don't justify eating something bad because you did something good.
8. This is one you may not hear. Limit your meat intake during the week. I only eat meat a couple days a week and that's mostly on the weekends when it's hard to avoid. Meat has a lot of calories and takes a lot to fill you up, hence the massive steaks you can get at the grocery store. No I'm not a vegan or vegetarian, but after my years of struggle it wasn't until I stopped eating meat and started eating more veg that I also started to see good results. Plus it's nice on your wallet. The savings are amazing at the grocery store.
Those are what works for me and trust me it's been a struggle. I gain weight in the summers but then when I start following the above guidelines in the winter is when I start seeing results.10 -
A few more that I missed.
9. Weigh yourself every couple days. I've heard that's not a good idea, but I believe it helps keep you accountable.
10. Find people who are in the same boat you are. It's so much easier when you work as a team compared to being an individual. If you're slipping, find someone to have a small competition with. % of weight lost over 3 months, loser buys the winner a bottle of wine or cooks them dinner. Plus it's fun.
11. Final point. Make this a lifestyle change you can live with and don't focus on huge immediate results, focus on long term results, a plan you can live with day in and day out. Lose 1lb a week, that way you're not making huge sacrifices which are hard to stick with. Typically if you're starving or depriving yourself, then you'll end up binging and gaining back.
One final note. If you eat bad, weigh yourself and don't see the results right away, don't be happy, because I sincerely believe that it takes a week for your body to metabolize the junk before you see the gain, it seems for me that I never the next day or two, it's always a week later. Pretty sure it takes a while for your body to turn something into fat. Hence why I weigh myself almost every day6 -
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
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dawnmcneil10 wrote: »I've been at this for 14 years, I lose for a while then maintain that loss, lose some more and maintain. Something clicked last year and all the changes I've made over time have led me to the lightest weight I've ever been, I'm "healthy" by all the charts and while I haven't been here for years (almost 7 months now) I've successfully maintained losses for long periods. Here's how I've done it....
I made subtle changes over the years and went back to basics. I pretty much look at food now as fuel, I listen to my body and know it needs protein to feel full, veggies to have energy and when I'm going to burn a ton of calories that's when I go for the carbs. I know the signs that I'm thirsty, the signs of being hungry and I learned I need to eat even when I don't want to. I was a meal skipper, horribly bad for me, this I now know.
I'm active for 30 minutes every day. It doesn't matter what I do, I actually find I've discovered so many active things in life I have a hard time sitting still, that and there isn't much cushion on the back side anymore. :blushing:
I do log my food most days, I'm a little free with the diary on the weekends now mostly because I'm busy doing things and stopping to take the time to log food seems almost obsessive. I always use the recipe calculator when I create a new dish so that I know just where the meal stands for nutritional value. At this point I'm not sure if I'll ever stop logging regularly, I enjoy the friendships I've built on MFP so if I'm going to come on here to visit then it seems like a few minutes to log food is no big deal.
I hope this helps any of you working your way to "maintenance" mostly what I would say is that you have to find your own balance, that's to me what "maintenance" is, its not some secret club, it's just finding your own self along the journey.
Good luck!
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Dawn, I think your "secret" is the slow weight loss and then maintaining for a while before losing more. This doesn't give the body a chance to go into starvation mode and kick out the appetite hormones (ghrelin, leptin and insulin to name a few).
A fast weight loss is doomed. The body fights back and you don't win. I lost 68 pounds over a year but regained every bit due to an appetite from Hell. I couldn't help myself... I started eating like crazy until I'd put it all back on plus another 14. Now I've lost 45 over two years and am having no trouble keeping it off.
It's discouraging to go so slow.... but I truly believe it's the only way. You need to look at weight loss as a very long journey... a lifetime one. Each day you eat good, low calorie, low fat, nutritious food and stay active. You gain better health each day and in the long run, AS A BYPRODUCT of what you're doing, you lose weight. Losing weight should not be the focus. Striving for good health is.1 -
divinitylove wrote: »Dawn, I think your "secret" is the slow weight loss and then maintaining for a while before losing more. This doesn't give the body a chance to go into starvation mode and kick out the appetite hormones (ghrelin, leptin and insulin to name a few).
A fast weight loss is doomed. The body fights back and you don't win. I lost 68 pounds over a year but regained every bit due to an appetite from Hell. I couldn't help myself... I started eating like crazy until I'd put it all back on plus another 14. Now I've lost 45 over two years and am having no trouble keeping it off.
It's discouraging to go so slow.... but I truly believe it's the only way. You need to look at weight loss as a very long journey... a lifetime one. Each day you eat good, low calorie, low fat, nutritious food and stay active. You gain better health each day and in the long run, AS A BYPRODUCT of what you're doing, you lose weight. Losing weight should not be the focus. Striving for good health is.
@divinitylove totally agree! I'm loving your positivity and attitude - you are making this process work for you long term! result!0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I'd like to hear from other folks who've maintained their weight loss for several years or so.
What do you do to maintain?
What sort of lifestyle changes did you make while losing or after that made it easier (or possible?) to maintain your loss?
And, are you active/do you exercise regularly?
What works for you?
Thanks. It just seems with all the discussions about LOSING weight, hearing from some long time maintainers would be helpful. Since THAT is one of the biggest challenges.
cheers
This is an old post but I want to answer it since I have been successfully maintaining for three years and used to wonder the same thing.
Like others that have successfully maintained on here, I keep at it and have made a lifestyle change, not a quick "for now" change to lose weight. I have seen many people on here lose weight -- some lost a lot of weight --- only to gain half or all of it back again and get frustated. Others lose weight for the holidays and then drop out again and repeat the cycle every year.
Here's how I do it:
1. Stay accountable by logging my exercise days (5 days/week for .5 hour), water and number of meals (3 or 4) in the Notes section. A few months ago I STOPPED logging my calories and macros. So, logging is faster. But I still remain accountable and keep in touch with my friends on MFP. When I was losing weight, logging my meals consistently taught me a lot about the food that I was eating and opened my eyes as to how it affected my weight and digestion, so I recommend doing that.
2. Weigh myself every morning to stay within my 5-pound range. The scale is my #1 tool and resource for keeping myself honest and aware of weight fluctations. If it stays on the same number and doesn't change, I recalibrate it by stepping on it again with somethng heavier and then a third time to see the "true" weight. When I am at the top of my range, I eat more veggies and watch my food intake more closely.
3. Keep exercise fun. If it's fun and you enjoy it, you will keep doing it. My main exercise is aerobics: lots of jumping and dancing around to my favorite tunes for half an hour 5 days a week. Some days I also go for walks. But I have noticed that my body responds more to dancing and runnging around to music than to walking. Activity that keeps you moving and not sitting for long is a good thing.
4. Drink water throughout the day. I drink filterered water from a Pur filter on the kitchen faucet since I do not like the taste of the regular water and want fresher, cleaner water without buying bottled water.
5. Avoid added sugars and high sodium foods. I avoid canned and processed foods that are high in sugar and salt. For example, I drink low-sodium V8 juice at breakfast instead of store-bought orange juice that is high in sugar. (Even better would be homemade veggie juice.)
6. Don't drink my calories. I avoid fruit juices, sodas and booze except on special occasions.
7. Eat lots of veggies (helps to lose weight), fruit and whole foods. Eat mostly whole foods. And eat healthier restaurant food (grilled or baked vs. fried) and frozen convenience food (such as Amy's brand).
8. Think positive. When I splurge on goodies, I am treating myself, NOT cheating.
9. Think portion control. Eat anything and everything in moderation.
10. I'm aware of what I'm eating and why. For example, I eat a serving of almonds every morning for the good fats.
Keep at it, stay aware, think lean and be healthier.
Of course, If a food or exercise is medically prohibited or restricted, heed that advice.
The Simple Math of Eating
Protein + Veggies = Weight Loss
Protein + Fat = Maintenance
Protein + Carbs = Muscle Gain / Strength Training
Joined MFP on June 23, 2011, and lost 35 lbs. by May 20, 2012.
Maintained 120 lb. goal weight (and under) and logging streak for three years and counting.
Not accepting friend requests at this time.3 -
Add me-1
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Also, I've basically maintained my weight for 9 years now. Had two pregnancies during that time as well.
Oh and one more thing, weigh at least once a week, even when not trying to lose!
Geeze louise. Two pregnancies and you kept it off! Congratulations!!!!! My mother had 4 kids, and she is so tiny and frail still. Although she kept her physique, she didn't keep muscles. I WISH I could push her to do a little bit of strength.1 -
I lost 30 lb to maintenance three years ago. It took a year. Currently I'm 5lb below the bottom of my range because I had 4 molars removed last spring and was injured about 3 weeks ago. Between trouble chewing and stress, it's been hard to eat enough.
However, the way I usually maintain is I'm very active. The most recent thing I did was to raise my computer's height so I have to stand while I work. Sitting is one of the worst things we can do for long periods of time. If you work out for an hour and then are sedentary for the other 23, it's not the best way to live. I hate those activity trackers that beep at you every hour, but if that's a way to remind you to move a bit, it might not be a bad idea.3 -
Just read through this thread. Thanks all, for your advice!
I've got 10 kg to go to get to goal weight (unless I reassess my goal), so it's been great to get my mind moving towards a new phase.0 -
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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
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It's a simple.formula but need lifetime dedication and motivation. Energy in - energy out = 0 means weight maintenance. With the help of this app, I've lost 17kgs for the last 6 months, I've been on my ideal weight for already 3 months and still using this app to track my calories and activities.2
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It's a habit now, I eat and log a certain way and enjoy the benefits of healthy eating and exercise. I have re-educated my brain into thinking of food as fuel, which it is3
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This is a great thread. (Hit goal weight this week.) Thanks to all who contributed!5
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feisty_bucket wrote: »
Mostly, pay attention to what's happening. You have to consider yourself a "fit person" and a fit person does certain things that other people do not.
This when I did this I was easily able to maintain an 80 pound weight loss. Now I am up twenty aiming to get back to this mindset.1
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