Did maintenance (reaching your goal) meet your expectations?

This thread is so helpful. I am forever grateful that you maintainers share tips and experiences with the community.
I'm so nervous since with less than 10 lbs to go, I am to reach my goal before spring/summer, and I worry about getting a handle on how to stay within my range. Having been overweight my entire life, I never thought I'd see the day where I would conclude that weight loss is the easy part. Maintenance looks like a whole different ball game. I'm doing my best to plan ahead for the challenges just as I planned ahead for the challenges of weight loss. I have three plans so far, and I know it'll take hard work and trial-and-error to get into the rhythm of maintenance.
As someone preparing for maintenance, I can definitely say that I am happy to have gone through this journey. I do look different than I expected, but I am happy. I love being short and slender. I think key here is that I never really hated my image no matter what weight I was. I *was* frustrated that I never seemed to have any control over my eating habits, but I still loved myself when I had a BMI of 31. I don't compare myself with the latest look; I have my own body standards. My current body is one I worked hard for, and as such I am proud of it. My new goals involve less cardio and more strength training through yoga, pilates, bodyweight exercises, and *maybe* weights/resistance bands. Ultimately, I want a super flexible and strong body.

When I first started losing weight I thought when I got to around 120 I would look good/feel good. But then when I reached around 124 to 122 I realized I already looked great and felt great. So now my username is a joke and I'm maintaining. Maintaining is way nicer because I can eat more so I feel like freaked out that I'm gonna gain all the weight back if that makes sense. I guess maintaining has shown me that I can do it and reach my goals so now I've been feeling more at ease if that makes sense

for me maintenance has been hard. I haven't figured out how to maintain a stable weight. I fluctuate under and over my goal weight.... but by a bit. My goal was 135, I went down to 123 and up to 148. Considering I started near 180 and considering I started strength training when I was at my lowest weight, 148 (which is where I am presently) might not be so horrible. But I feel like I will always have an somewhat unhealthy relationship with food and i'll either be over consuming, under consuming, or having to strictly keep track of and be mindful about my eating.

CorvusCorax77 wrote: »

for me maintenance has been hard. I haven't figured out how to maintain a stable weight. I fluctuate under and over my goal weight.... but by a bit. My goal was 135, I went down to 123 and up to 148. Considering I started near 180 and considering I started strength training when I was at my lowest weight, 148 (which is where I am presently) might not be so horrible. But I feel like I will always have an somewhat unhealthy relationship with food and i'll either be over consuming, under consuming, or having to strictly keep track of and be mindful about my eating.

As I hover between 5 and 12 lbs above my goal weight, these are the same feelings I'm having. Technically haven't tried actually maintaining since I never hit my goal though... but still. I worry it will be effort all the time forever. I have to keep telling myself that if I do it for 10 years it SHOULD be habit by then!!!

Great question. I lost 35 lbs and look better than I expected. I got my 20-something body back. But I am 53 and that means losing weight took fat off my face and that was a great surprise and adjustment for me. I have lines that I've never had before. BUT, I am SO much happier and at peace that I would not change a thing.

As for maintenance, I've only been there 2 months but so far I find it easier than weight loss. I can eat a little more and exercise less and have not gained weight. But still early days for me.

_0o0o0o_ wrote: »

...emotionally it hasn’t been easy to switch from hyper-focus on my weight and eating towards a more holistic approach to improving my life. I think one needs to be hyper-focused on weight loss to lose successfully, but this is ultimately unsustainable. When I was in the weight loss bubble, I felt pretty successful about my life and like I could achieve things that I set my mind to. Once I started coming out of this and tackling issues in other areas I lost some of that confidence and sense of purpose. I tried making new body improvement goals to keep me on track, but I haven't been successful sticking to those. I've mostly been working on other parts of my life, but trying not to gain in the meantime.

In the end, weight loss is important and it will absolutely improve your life if you get into a normal weight range, but it won’t solve all your issues

Same here! I just can't get into lifting and stick to it like I could with running.

To answer the OP: the actual day I reached goal was cool. I was pretty cheerful and people who I shared my success with were really pleased for me. It felt worth all the hard work. Slimmer than I have ever been as an adult, I now look great in most things (but not everything, as told by a few hastily purchased and quickly returned sale bargains!) and I am fit and getting fitter, strong and getting stronger.

All told though, it was a mixed blessing and perhaps another cautionary tale. When I was overweight, I was carefree about my body and what I ate. I accepted my round belly and wobbly thighs as part of my whole package. I wasn’t as physically healthy as I could be, but I felt mentally healthy. Now that I know I can lose 70 lbs, the urge to keep pushing hasn’t gone away since reaching goal. My new body and fitness goals are not unrealistic, but I think they have led me to feelings of inadequacy, even though my body is relatively ‘better’ than it has ever been. I have haven't shaken the obsession with calories that I developed when losing.

I’ve a few pounds to lose after Christmas delicious-ness, but after that, I resolve to take time to enjoy the new, improved me and consolidate, before I move on to something new. Which, I suppose is what maintenance means anyway!

For me I'm keeping at it as if I'm still losing weight. I work on my body and make healthy choices/plan for treats every single day.

When I hit maintenance I had no idea what I weighed. It got to a point where I was very happy with my measurements and the way I looked so I decided to stop losing.

It feels so good to be in maintenance. I feel great and completely healthy, plus I love shopping for clothes and having a fit body - something I've never had before. It was a long road to get here and I'm working hard to stay put.

It will be three years in May since I've been maintaining officially and I'm very thankful for MFP. I've learned a lot over the years and made some truly wonderful friends here.

thorsmom01 wrote: »

Well for me once I reached my goal weight , I realized that weight on the scale was only a very small piece of the puzzle. Someone can be 110 lbs but look terrible, they could have loose hanging skin and look flabby. Then someone at 180 lbs could look great with a tight stomach and abs. So I realized that weight isn't as important as I thought .
I see many people on here that are only concerned with dropping weight , and they may be in for a rude awakening when they get to goal. So now instead of worrying about the scale, I focus on fitness. ( im 135lbs, 5'8 tall)

This was me. I reached my goal and realized that there was a lot more to looking how I want to look than a number on a scale. So now I have different goals and I started strength training to try and reach them.

I'm still not in a good mental space calorie wise, I probably eat too little but I'm terrified that if I eat more I'll put all the weight back on. I've been told to ditch the scale altogether and go by how clothes fit / measurements but I so far haven't been able to.

Dreysander wrote: »

thorsmom01 wrote: »

Well for me once I reached my goal weight , I realized that weight on the scale was only a very small piece of the puzzle. Someone can be 110 lbs but look terrible, they could have loose hanging skin and look flabby. Then someone at 180 lbs could look great with a tight stomach and abs. So I realized that weight isn't as important as I thought .
I see many people on here that are only concerned with dropping weight , and they may be in for a rude awakening when they get to goal. So now instead of worrying about the scale, I focus on fitness. ( im 135lbs, 5'8 tall)

This was me. I reached my goal and realized that there was a lot more to looking how I want to look than a number on a scale. So now I have different goals and I started strength training to try and reach them.

I'm still not in a good mental space calorie wise, I probably eat too little but I'm terrified that if I eat more I'll put all the weight back on. I've been told to ditch the scale altogether and go by how clothes fit / measurements but I so far haven't been able to.

If I did that, I wouldn't have realized that I actually gained 3 pounds in the last 2 months... so I'm honestly not sure it's such good advice, honestly. Clothes still fit the same and measurements are similar (I honestly don't really trust measurements though because I've found that it's pretty hard to be 100% accurate unless you have help). So I could be in denial and thinking I can afford to eat more than I thought, and gain back more weight...

I mean, if you're actively bulking, sure, it won't mean much, but otherwise... I personally don't recommend it.

Ditching the scale is like stopping counting calories - Personal.

I am lucky that I hold my maintenance pretty steady even though I no longer count or weigh very often.

I did when I first hit maintenance, but 6 years on I eat and weigh myself like a person who has never counted calories- almost.

I think once one has counted calories and weighed and measured themselves for a year or more one can't forget.
I look at a piece of cheesecake and think 'hmm I will eat half of that, it is about 800 cals' ; not just wolf it down then feel over fed.

But isn't that the whole point of MFP? Training wheels for the rest of ones life.

To help one recognize correct portion sizes through weighing, and over time through sight.

To recognize that full feeling or better yet, comfortable feeling, and know that is when to stop.

To look at and recognize our bodies, feeling and seeing when extra pounds are creeping on, jumping on the scale to confirm, then having the means and knowledge to take action before we have a problem.

And to know that some movement or activity is better than none.

I know not everyone can stop counting and weighing, that is how they can control their intake. But isn't that great too. There is a simple to use tool that you can use daily and it will help you lead the life you want. Just like putting on your glasses in the morning!

Cheers, h.