Finding your true maintenance
beastmode2718
Posts: 108 Member
Not sure what's going on but I get one pound from my goal and then I increase my calories 2 maybe 3 days that week and remain exercising but I end up gaining weight again and have to drop calories again and it's getting soooo annoying. I don't even eat close to my recommend maintence. I'm so tired of cutting and counting and measuring I wanna eat like a normal person again but it seems if I don't eat at my weight loss calories I gain. Any advice
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Replies
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Increase little by little.. 100 every week or something. If you increase too much at once you'll gain temporary water weight.
I found my maintenance by just logging as accurately as possible and doing the math over a year from my weight fluctuations, taking my lowest weight every month.0 -
Increase little by little.. 100 every week or something. If you increase too much at once you'll gain temporary water weight.
I found my maintenance by just logging as accurately as possible and doing the math over a year from my weight fluctuations, taking my lowest weight every month.
Thanks. I share the OP's frustrations exactly.0 -
Increase little by little.. 100 every week or something. If you increase too much at once you'll gain temporary water weight.
I found my maintenance by just logging as accurately as possible and doing the math over a year from my weight fluctuations, taking my lowest weight every month.
@beastmode2718 Maintainance is a bit of a juggling act.....I totaly agree with @Francl27 about raising calories in small increments....thus avoiding the OMG factor of water weight gain mucking you around.
I would add too that part of success in maintenance is accepting that weight does fluctuate as part of normal ongoing everyday processes depending on the amount of solid waste in your system and and how well you are hydrated, whether you are dealing with the aftermath of a high sodium meal/s etc etc.
Most long term maintainers (myself included) have a bit of a buffer built in ie. I have a 3- 5 lb range in weight that if I go above then I know it's more than just daily fluctuations so I lower my calories for a while, go below for a few days then I'll up my calories for a while.
I guess this suggestion is exactly the scenario you are frustrated with and want to avoid.....trouble is it does work and many here on MFP use this method including me and I've been happily maintaining for nearly 3 years.
The only other thing that springs to mind is that during this time where you gain but you aren't close to the 'recommended' maintenance calories are you still vigilant with your logging?? If not this might be the reason why you end up gaining each time....in many ways I believe that logging in maintenance needs to be even more precise than when losing.
Other than that.....the only thing extra that springs to mind is your particular circumstances ie age, height, activity and health all contribute to how your numbers will play out for you. For me, being older, sedentary (through illness) all means that I DON'T have the same amount of calories to enjoy as another lady my height and weight.
Maintenance can be a real trial and a juggling act. A lot of people find it much harder than losing so you are not alone in your struggles.
I hope I have helped a little, all the best.0 -
beastmode2718 wrote: »Not sure what's going on but I get one pound from my goal and then I increase my calories 2 maybe 3 days that week and remain exercising but I end up gaining weight again and have to drop calories again and it's getting soooo annoying. I don't even eat close to my recommend maintence. I'm so tired of cutting and counting and measuring I wanna eat like a normal person again but it seems if I don't eat at my weight loss calories I gain. Any advice
1. You should have a goal range, not just a goal weight.
2. It's quite normal to regain a few pounds immediately when stopping a diet. It's not fat, it's lean mass - glycogen and water. When you are on a deficit, glycogen is somewhat depleted at most times (particularly if you're measuring in the mornings before eating). When you're maintaining, you'll regain that glycogen and the water that is associated with it.
Taken together, the best thing to do is to make a goal range, lose until you're at (or slightly below) the bottom of that range, and then go off slowly - you'll gain lean mass back and end up inside your range.0 -
rankinsect wrote: »beastmode2718 wrote: »Not sure what's going on but I get one pound from my goal and then I increase my calories 2 maybe 3 days that week and remain exercising but I end up gaining weight again and have to drop calories again and it's getting soooo annoying. I don't even eat close to my recommend maintence. I'm so tired of cutting and counting and measuring I wanna eat like a normal person again but it seems if I don't eat at my weight loss calories I gain. Any advice
1. You should have a goal range, not just a goal weight.
2. It's quite normal to regain a few pounds immediately when stopping a diet. It's not fat, it's lean mass - glycogen and water. When you are on a deficit, glycogen is somewhat depleted at most times (particularly if you're measuring in the mornings before eating). When you're maintaining, you'll regain that glycogen and the water that is associated with it.
Taken together, the best thing to do is to make a goal range, lose until you're at (or slightly below) the bottom of that range, and then go off slowly - you'll gain lean mass back and end up inside your range.
+1 you need to eat those extra calories for a few weeks and give your body time to adjust.... all will be ok, I've been there...weight will always fluctuate daily by a few lbs so having a range is a great idea and will keep you sane.0 -
The real question is "WHAT are you gaining?". If it is muscle, be thankful.
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"I wanna eat like a normal person again"
I'm curious what you mean by this? Many of us realize that we cannot go back to eating the way we did before. If "normal" means eating whatever you want, whenever you want, in the quantity you want, you will be in for disappointment.
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rankinsect wrote: »1. You should have a goal range, not just a goal weight.
2. It's quite normal to regain a few pounds immediately when stopping a diet. It's not fat, it's lean mass - glycogen and water. When you are on a deficit, glycogen is somewhat depleted at most times (particularly if you're measuring in the mornings before eating). When you're maintaining, you'll regain that glycogen and the water that is associated with it.
Taken together, the best thing to do is to make a goal range, lose until you're at (or slightly below) the bottom of that range, and then go off slowly - you'll gain lean mass back and end up inside your range.
+1
Also, I'm with @lorrpb - not sure what you mean by "eating normal." Eating normal as without measure & logging? Or eating normal as in eating the way you use to?
If eating normal means without logging & weighing food that is something only you can figure out over time if you are one of those people who can maintain without doing either.
Some long time MFP members regains their internal portion calculators and are very successful maintaining without logging or weighing or a combination of the two.
There are those of us who acknowledges that our internal portion calculator is on a permanent fritz and logging & weighing is an intricate key to our continued success.
No matter what camp you ultimately fall into, you have to be ready to embrace that fact. I have logged & weigh food for so long it has become a rather seamless part of my food prep routine and I don't mind it one bit. But if you find it particular burdensome and find yourself having difficulties maintaining without it then I'd strongly suggest that you reassess of what is more important to you personally ... having to take the few minutes to continue to log & weight food in order to maintain or save the few minutes worth of effort & increase the risk of potential regain.
And if 'eating normal' means reverting back to eating without any regard then the answer is no, you can't ever eat that way again if you want to keep the progress that you've made.
Good luck!
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beastmode2718 wrote: »Not sure what's going on but I get one pound from my goal and then I increase my calories 2 maybe 3 days that week and remain exercising but I end up gaining weight again and have to drop calories again and it's getting soooo annoying. I don't even eat close to my recommend maintence. I'm so tired of cutting and counting and measuring I wanna eat like a normal person again but it seems if I don't eat at my weight loss calories I gain. Any advice
The bold part is what you are doing wrong - you absolutely don't have to and shouldn't drop calories again after a couple of days.
Micro managing your weight trying to even out perfectly normal day to day fluctuations is a recipe for obsession and unhappiness.
Stick to your new calorie limit for weeks not days.
Why not either stop weighing yourself so frequently or get one of the weight trending apps? Follow the long term trend and not the daily fluctuations.
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Eat like a normal person again?
you just eat a bit bigger portions ( like said before 100 calories a week more) so a bit more food.
I didn't cut out anything at all. So my maintenance now is just upping the calories...bigger portions yummie
Instead of 2 small pancakes i eat 3
Instead of half an avocado i eat a whole
or 100 gram of ice cream became 150 grams etc etc
i eat normal so dont totally get what you mean with "normal person again"
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By normal I mean actually being satisfied from a meal or not having to choose a salad because I only have 300 calories I can eat. I know I can't eat cookies and burgers all day everyday but I can't wait until I can have a little extra. It just gets awkward looked up my food and saying oh I can't eat there I will go over my calories and having people get annoyed. I guess I'm wondering if you can ever maintain without having to be so obsessive about it. Like do you ever just figure out your portions or what foods you SHOULD choose it is getting easier but yea0
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beastmode2718 wrote: »Not sure what's going on but I get one pound from my goal and then I increase my calories 2 maybe 3 days that week and remain exercising but I end up gaining weight again and have to drop calories again and it's getting soooo annoying. I don't even eat close to my recommend maintence. I'm so tired of cutting and counting and measuring I wanna eat like a normal person again but it seems if I don't eat at my weight loss calories I gain. Any advice
The bold part is what you are doing wrong - you absolutely don't have to and shouldn't drop calories again after a couple of days.
Micro managing your weight trying to even out perfectly normal day to day fluctuations is a recipe for obsession and unhappiness.
Stick to your new calorie limit for weeks not days.
Why not either stop weighing yourself so frequently or get one of the weight trending apps? Follow the long term trend and not the daily fluctuations.
+1
Weight fluctuations on a day to day basis or even a couple of days out, will drive a person insane. A good range is about 4 to 5 pounds while in maintenance (it is for me).
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beastmode2718 wrote: »By normal I mean actually being satisfied from a meal or not having to choose a salad because I only have 300 calories I can eat. I know I can't eat cookies and burgers all day everyday but I can't wait until I can have a little extra. It just gets awkward looked up my food and saying oh I can't eat there I will go over my calories and having people get annoyed. I guess I'm wondering if you can ever maintain without having to be so obsessive about it. Like do you ever just figure out your portions or what foods you SHOULD choose it is getting easier but yea
You don't have to eat precisely to your goal every day.
You can have high days and low days.
You can chose to have a weekly allowance not daily.
You can eat unrestricted on holidays and vacations and lose any weight gained afterwards,
You can also maintain without logging.
It's as flexible as you want or need it to be. Calorie counting is just a tool and it doesn't have to control your life.0 -
beastmode2718 wrote: »By normal I mean actually being satisfied from a meal or not having to choose a salad because I only have 300 calories I can eat. I know I can't eat cookies and burgers all day everyday but I can't wait until I can have a little extra. It just gets awkward looked up my food and saying oh I can't eat there I will go over my calories and having people get annoyed. I guess I'm wondering if you can ever maintain without having to be so obsessive about it. Like do you ever just figure out your portions or what foods you SHOULD choose it is getting easier but yea
Well, i've been maintaining now for about 4 months and getting along fine (No Salads for me! ).
I have been logging and weighing all my food though, BUT within the last 3 weeks i've not logged any foods.
I still weigh certain things, but i wanted to see how i'd get on without logging.
So far (touch wood) i've stayed the same - so it is do-able!
OP, how did you work out what your maintainance calories are and do you exercise?
I find exercising at least 3 or 4 times a week does give me the confidence to eat more and "not worry" so much.
The calculator below gave me an approx TDEE of 1838 cals (which includes exercising 4 days a week). 5 days exercise gives me 2000-2100. http://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/
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I think the weight fluctuations is the most frustrating thing to except. I'm constantly struggling with it. Sometimes I'm mentally prepared and okay with it and other times im like WTF.
Too much sodium, dehydration, weight training, TOM, just because.... All reasons to gain weight when u are still doing the right things.
I try to remember I've lost and gained over the last 20 years. When I stopped working out and ate whatever I gained it all back. This time around I'm focusing on working out at least 5x a week and eat close to maintenance. Still figuring out what that number is for me.
Good luck0 -
You could try losing like 3 to 5 extra pounds, then when you go to maintenance and the water and glycogen come back, it will set you where you want to be. I'm trying that also.0
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