Went down hill since Maintenance
dakotababy
Posts: 2,407 Member
I can not believe this! I have been tracking for 3 years, lost my weight and started getting my head into maintenance. Thought "okay I can do this" for maybe a week. I can not stop binge eating now! This is crazy...I am so pissed at myself. I have not gained any weight, because I am still watching the scale, but...I do not know if I am into the whole "binge/restrict" thing in order to maintain my new weight. I feel like it is only a matter of time and I am going to just lose it.
I guess I am having some anxiety and I do not want to be one to gain my weight back. At this point, I feel like I have to keep losing in order to stay on track.
It has just been such a *kitten* day in general.
I guess I am having some anxiety and I do not want to be one to gain my weight back. At this point, I feel like I have to keep losing in order to stay on track.
It has just been such a *kitten* day in general.
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dakotababy wrote: »I can not believe this! I have been tracking for 3 years, lost my weight and started getting my head into maintenance. Thought "okay I can do this" for maybe a week. I can not stop binge eating now! This is crazy...I am so pissed at myself. I have not gained any weight, because I am still watching the scale, but...I do not know if I am into the whole "binge/restrict" thing in order to maintain my new weight. I feel like it is only a matter of time and I am going to just lose it.
I guess I am having some anxiety and I do not want to be one to gain my weight back. At this point, I feel like I have to keep losing in order to stay on track.
It has just been such a *kitten* day in general.
Aw, I'm sorry. Hang in there! Take a hot bath or get a book to read, something else to think about
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Just stay with it. You've actually done the hard work already. Now you have to maintain. This is just another task you have to accomplish. And you can do it!
I'm one of those who gained all the weight back. I had gone from 250 to 160 in 10 months back in 2010. I looked at the scale this March and I was back at 250. I could say it was work/life got in the way. Truth is that I got lazy. I'm now on the march to donate (lose) the weight again. I now have got my head in a better place and realize I will have to track the rest of my life.
It's OK because I have made a lot of friends here on MFP and am still learning things so I'm good with it.
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Do you think it's possible for you to not even think about it "maintaining"? If you can get your mind around continuing to log, just with a higher number, I think that would be best for now. It seems like maybe you have a little bit of anxiety about the "stage" of maintaining.
Not that other people's advice really matters in the long run, you're the one who has to make it happen, but you did all this work to get here, don't let it go to crap now!0 -
When I went into maintenance I hit panic-mode. I was so afraid of putting the weight back on again, and I was still binging, especially when I was anxious. I did end up putting on a bit of weight, but I built muscle too, and I thought I looked much healthier. I made strength training part of my exercise routine again, which burnt more calories and made me hungrier. Being able to eat more stopped me from binging. I usually still logged, but my calories were often way over my goal. It gave me a lot of leeway when I did overeat, but it was a lot rarer. Lately I haven't been able to exercise and I've lost the muscle, so I've been losing a bit of weight again. I think the best thing I did was making my exercise routine more varied, and I'll go back to it when I can. It helped me lose weight faster when I was still losing, too.
None of that is advice - just my own way of dealing with it. You'll find yours. It could be working on anxiety or stress, or exercising more/less, or changing what you eat, or having a low-calorie day each week. You just need time to adjust. 0 -
What are your stats? How can we help you if we do'nt know where you are at in factual terms. Is your diary open.
Apart from that I will say this. I'm also in maitnenance and have been for 10 months. The path has been up and down, not just a smooth coasting along in perfect mode the whole time.
I think i first started climbing because i was sick of the whole monitoring thing and just let myself relax and nibble too much. I didn't ever get into binging that wasn't related to a stressful situation. I did have some of those but to get past those situations, i did what i have done throughout my whole journey which is to go get some councilling so if you are having stress , address yoru stress.
If you are just binging becuase you are hungry, then my advice would be to eat more but make sure its healthy. Allow yourself to go up a little. YOu need to let your metabolism speed up again anyway if you ahve been restricting for a long time. There's quite a lot to be said about this but i can't really say it all here but just trust me you are unlikely to put on a lot by eating normally.
And i mean normnally healthily, not a free for all. If you go back to eating junk you will get fat again and go back to square one. So eat healthy. Keep on refining the quality of your diet. Try to make sure your food is enjoyable. Eat a wide variety of foods, healthy foods of course.
My weight seems to cycle a little bit. It goes up adn then i do something to get a grip again. But i have not gone back above my healthy weight range and i intend never to let that happen again.
If you are hungry, the only solution is to eat. Trying not to when your body is telling you it wants to eat is what is causing this stress and strife. You can get into a dangerous pattern of not eating and then binging becuase you are even more hungry. So be sensible and settle. Message me if you need to.0 -
Do you think it's possible for you to not even think about it "maintaining"? If you can get your mind around continuing to log, just with a higher number, I think that would be best for now. It seems like maybe you have a little bit of anxiety about the "stage" of maintaining.
Not that other people's advice really matters in the long run, you're the one who has to make it happen, but you did all this work to get here, don't let it go to crap now!
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Was it just one day? If so, I don't think I would stress too much about it, we all have bad days, I'm sure you had them when losing too. Just get back on track today, drink plenty of water, eat at a slight deficit, and maybe do some exercise to help get your head back in the game.
Are you continuing to log while in maintenance? How much of a deficit were you at when losing and how quickly did you raise it?0 -
How about pretending that you still have to lose, set your calories down, but then let weekends be free? See how it goes. You've been great at losing weight. Somehow you'll find your stride. Wishing you the best. Congratulations on your loss.
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Deep breath.
What's different? Are you still doing what you were doing when you were losing? If not, start there. It's the same mindset, just with a higher calorie goal.
But I get the feeling though, there's always a day or two a week when I end up eating more (sometimes way more). But I keep a deficit the rest of the time (I don't 'restrict', still eat what I want, just less) to maintain. I don't like it either but I've come to accept that it's going to have to be how it is - some days I'm just way hungrier, and if I don't eat less the other days, I will end up gaining.0 -
I know what you mean in that when I did not track, I lost some confidence and went off the rails. It took a while before I could feel like I could do it without tracking every little calorie every single meal every single day, etc.. You have to take it one meal at a time and not over think it bc that might lead to feeling anxious and you should be really proud of the fact that you had been doing so well. Don't beat yourself! Push forward!0
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I have not been tracking over the last month or so...and when I start to track, I just stop because I end up having a wicked binge by the evening. Typically - I do really good during the day, then after supper I just can not stop eating.
Oddly enough, I am actually losing weight though. Weight went up to 148lbs, and now shot back down to 145lbs (even after eating an entire bag of M&M almonds last night). Soooo wtf? I think I might be iron deficient...I am craving chocolate and steak so bad lately. But really - this has been going on for the last month. I keep eating lots, but I am not really gaining weight at all either. Went to a chinese buffet, ate a good 3 days worth of food...didnt gain anything.
I am trying to stay active, but holy *kitten* the excuses are flying. It is like I am back to my old self 1 month into this weight loss!
Stats - 5'7 Female, 26yo. SW - 250lbs. CW - 145lbs...Maintenance range 145-149lbs.
Workout (right now) MAYBE 1-2 times a week for about 30-60mins cardio/weights at home. (Turbo Fire, barbell)
I have no clue what I am eating...I am guessing around 2500 a day. Except for Chinese Buffet day...that was worse. My goal is around 1800-2000 calories a day.0 -
How did you work out that your goal is 1800-2000 calories per day? That seems too low for someone your age, weight, and activity level.
The fact that you aren't putting on weight suggests that maybe your calorie needs are closer to the low to mid 2k calories per day.
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Exactly.How did you work out that your goal is 1800-2000 calories per day? That seems too low for someone your age, weight, and activity level.
The fact that you aren't putting on weight suggests that maybe your calorie needs are closer to the low to mid 2k calories per day.
OP, you are probably eating your correct maintenance calories.
Just start logging again and stick with the exercise and you'll be fine.
I wish i could eat 2500 cals a day and not put weight on!
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Please do some soul searching. I saw your success story, which is such an inspiration (it caught my eye, because we're a similar height). Now at goal you're self-sabotaging with binging? I just worry for you that, given enough time, the scale will go up and you'll undo your hard work and tremendous success. So please look a little deeper at the 'why' of the matter; which can be a myriad of reasons, from being uncomfortable in a 'new' body; shifts in social circumstances; reactions from friends/family; attention (even good attention can be uncomfortable); etc., etc., etc...
In the meantime, you know what worked - logging - so back to basics, even if it isn't pretty or perfect.
I wish you the very best!1 -
In response to Patttience on Sept. 23:
Great advice!
I try to stay within a healthy range instead of focusing on a number. If I plan to eat out, I might exercise a little bit more that day. If one day I give in to junk food at work, I just start eating healthy the next day. I have also found that there are certain foods I should avoid having in my house such as tortilla chips as it's hard for me to eat just one serving.
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Also, kudos for asking for help! Every time I regained / lost control, my only instinct was to hide and disappear. It's great that you're aware of what's going on and also seeking some support.0
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I am prolly qualifies as I've been there done that, my advice is don't lose it and start working out again. I lost 70 pounds before and gained it back after 5 years... Now I am fighting it back, one habit at a time...
The most accurate word is 'insidious' , these bad habits creeps back in slowly and will surely destroy you.0 -
Your maintenance has to be something that is reasonably sustainable in the long term for your lifestyle etc. Your maintenance should allow for fluctuations in food intake on a daily basis (a bit of overeating/underrating here and there) and the phycology of how you can reasonably maintain that weight long term without it impacting on your mind set (not feeling deprived/accounting for treats etc).0
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Tons of good advice here!! You are not alone!
It doesn't work all the time but sometimes when I'm about to just "fall off the food wagon", I think why am I about to eat this and will I feel like crap after? If I just take a moment I usually talk myself out of eating it. BUT sometimes I don't! I have however always increased my cardio that next morning and it has always balanced out.
Good luck!
Sometimes knowing your not the only one that does this helps and you are not!!!0 -
I've been working maintenance for more than a year - it's been much more work than losing the 95 lbs. I think I kinda burned out on the logging, weighing, counting, etc so stopped keeping such tight control. Over 3 months (October-December) I gained 10 lbs back. I have gone back to weighing, counting, etc. I don't log for a time, but when I feel that I've lost control I get back on with the logging. No more gains. And I'm really comfortable with my new "set-point" so if I lose the 10 lbs back or not, I'll be fine.
I think once you maintain for a while, you'll be able to relax a little bit and not worry over it. Just do what you did to get here and you'll be fine.0 -
Why not log for a bit, until you get the hang of maintenance?0
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I think this may be a psychological thing! You reached maintenance so no longer had to 'restrict' your calories. Enter the "YESSSSS, I CAN EAT!!!!" mentality. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this has happened to me on so many occasions upon reaching goal. It's good that you're on top of it and keeping those scales close for tracking reasons but I'd suggest logging again - even if it's just for a couple of weeks, until you are used to the calorie allowance and how you are feeling
Congratulations on getting to goal.0 -
dakotababy wrote: »I can not believe this! I have been tracking for 3 years, lost my weight and started getting my head into maintenance. Thought "okay I can do this" for maybe a week. I can not stop binge eating now! This is crazy...I am so pissed at myself. I have not gained any weight, because I am still watching the scale, but...I do not know if I am into the whole "binge/restrict" thing in order to maintain my new weight. I feel like it is only a matter of time and I am going to just lose it.
I guess I am having some anxiety and I do not want to be one to gain my weight back. At this point, I feel like I have to keep losing in order to stay on track.
It has just been such a *kitten* day in general.
hey am on the same boat, seems like maintaining is way more difficult than loosing...
i constantly overeat since i hit my gw ( bmi 19) and i already gained 2 pounds in september but this month has been messy with food too... and now i started to carb overloading....ughhh. how are you coping now? need motivation buddy?
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I urge you to buy (or download) "Brain over Binge" in pdf form and read it tonight. It puts things into perspective and helped me a lot.0
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I feel your pain!! I cant get my head around maintenance either. I am at my goal weight of around 61kgs. I have been loosing for 18 months with a slow loss of about 1 kg per month, and Im bored and tired of it now. But twice I tried upping my calories a little and I put on weight straight away. This time I put on nearly a kilo in a week. I had only upped my calories by 300 one day in the week. So its back to fasting 3 days a week at 650 . I was doing 500 calories a day , 3 times a week whilst loosing. I eat 1500 the other 4 days. I am not very confident about maintenance and I seem to be jumping around all over the place. Maybe this is as good as it gets. Any ideas please guys??0
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Happycamper, thanks for that useful reminder. I did read it before but I forgot the message and your input was most timely. How are you doing?0
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I have been on yr 3 yrs in Feb. I lost the weight and gained 10 back this summer. It is so easy to get comfortable and then say I can have this and start overeating. trying now to get the 10 off before it becomes the 40 I lost. Join the club, maintenance is not easy but worth it.
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Keep logging. I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I'll need to keep logging for long time to make sure I stay on track. So I don't think of it as 'maintenance' as much as 'hitting my calorie goal'. I'm not as strict about the goal like I was, and honestly, most of my logging is either things I've had before or guesstimates. The important part for me is to keep track of what I'm eating so I can adjust if I need to.
Also, I don't have a target 'weight', I have a target 'weight range'. As long as I'm within that range, I'm fine. If I go over, I'll need to adjust a little bit, but that range gives me some wiggle room, since your weight will naturally fluctuate over the course of the day.0 -
Yep - I agree with this.
No one tells you how hard maintenance is. It DOES take work. I've lost weight a couple times....yet here I am again.
Log, log, log.....until you are comfortable.0
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