Just trying to maintain.

Options
lizzyheath09
lizzyheath09 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone, I am fairly new to the program (2-3months) and am looking for some advice from those of you who use this program to maintain your current weight.

First, here is some background information on myself. I embarked on my lifestyle change during my last semester of high school (2003). At my heaviest, I weighed approximately 180lbs and am only 5'3". To make an incredibly long story somewhat shorter, I quickly dropped to 114lbs within 12 months. I was not very healthy while doing this and have struggled to maintain ever since. Since then, I have "yo-yo'd", if you will, from 115-135lbs. I have done weight watchers before with great results but I just can't seem to make myself count points forever. This program seems much better and like something I can use for many years to come. However, I do have some questions and concerns...

For my height, MFP states that I need to consume approximately 1600 calories a day which, to me, seems like a TON of food. This makes me scared that I will slowly gain weight. When I put "lose 1/2lb each week," it only allows me to eat 1390 which sometimes leaves me feeling hungry. When I exercise, since I am training for a 1/2 marathon, I eat my extra calories with much delight. :bigsmile: However, during my last race, I strained my hip flexor and haven't been able to run since. As many of you may understand, this has caused a lot of distress in my life as I am even MORE concerned about weight gain. I have finally found a happy weight and love the way my clothes fit at this time so I cannot even bear the thought of gaining any weight. Since I haven't been training, I have only eaten the 1390 calories (maybe a little bit over sometimes) and somehow seem to have put some poundage back on (from 112-114) in just 8 weeks and I am getting very frustrated.

I guess my question for you is, what do YOU do to make sure you don't gain any weight.. but also don't lose too much?

Thanks in advance for all of your help!

Replies

  • girlontheseesaw
    girlontheseesaw Posts: 90
    Options
    Have no answers, but interested in the replies for when I reach this point. I'm so nervous that I'll reach goal and then just slip back into overeating!
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    Options
    its not a progam you need to be on. all i do with MFP is track my calories.

    you really need to go on the BMR formula with activity level to find your Maintenance calories.

    i am 5'2". i average 120 lbs. my maint cals are 1800. I was recently trying to bulk up..build muscle..so i ate around 2000 cals..i think in 6 months I gained 3 lbs. And all I did was lift weights for about 40 mins 3 times a week. no cardio.

    its not that hard to maintain your weight. just mointor your cals and your weight. you wont wake up one morning with 20 extra lbs on you. it takes time to gain that much, and if you are paying attention to what you eat and how you work out you shouldnt have any issues.

    i have no problem eating 1800 cals.
  • lizzyheath09
    lizzyheath09 Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    My BMR states that I should eat 1226 each day... I guess my issue is walking that fine line between eating too much and eating too little. I originally starting using this program to track my calories while training for a half marathon because I noticed I was losing a LOT of weight quickly and didn't want to lose too much. It turned out that I wasn't eating nearly enough calories to support my training schedule.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Options
    I've been in maintenance mode for quite a few months now. Much of that included marathon training. Now I'm just doing recreational running. Depending on the week and what all is going on, how much i run, etc, there is a little bit of drift both directions by a few pounds. I think that is fairly normal. I can't see how one could always hold thier weight exact all the time.

    If I were you I'd jsut keep tweaking your calories, setting them manually if you have to to find out what works best.
  • lizzyheath09
    lizzyheath09 Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    I have not yet figured out a way to set them manually. I did it once before when I started using the site but can't remember where it is!

Categories