NYT Ain't Got Nothing on Us: Maintainers Roll Call!

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Replies

  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
    I lost 60 lb over a 14-month period and have maintained a range between 205-210 for just about two years now.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    Finishing losing weight 5 years ago, but dipped a little too low. Been maintaining 118-125lbs for 4+. I eat 1700-2500 calories a day, depending how active I am.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    First, I think the NYT article was terribly one-sided and didn't even attempt to discuss "normal" weight loss. I truly hope no one here is eating under 1000 calories and working out 8 hours a day. That's ludicrous. I found this article helpful. It explains what the normal person can to to preserve metabolism. Its geared towards women, but applies to all. Enjoy and maintain!

    http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/common-diet-mistakes-slow-metabolism
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    I am new to maintenance after losing 85+ pounds! It is inspiring to see all of you who have maintained for many years and it will be me one day! I still log diligently and probably always will, maybe not in as much detail always but I definitely see logging in my future. :)
  • HippySkoppy
    HippySkoppy Posts: 725 Member
    Thank you very much for the kind words @20yearsyounger.

    I'm not the only one here at MFP facing challenges, there are many many people here who have inspired me to continue day after day as they battle their own demons.

    I'm so glad this thread has been started. We need more inspiring and reality based threads like this to counteract the doom and gloom from ridiculous articles and fitness Blogs and various other dubious health, weight loss 'gurus'.
  • kay_78
    kay_78 Posts: 6 Member
    I lost 45 pounds using myfitnesspal and have maintained that weight loss for 4 years. I refuse to be tempted by shakes and magic pills and during my weight loss journey I learned so much about how to eat properly and I use those skills every day to maintain my goal!
  • 737jac737
    737jac737 Posts: 54 Member
    feisty_bucket wrote: »
    Hi. Yeah, here: thirty years within about a ten-pound range (I'm 46, and started caring about this stuff when I was 15-16).

    As for how: the main thing was probably starting to think of myself as a fit person. And so you do what a fit person does (ie: exercise, don't eat mindlessly). So the details of what that means have changed over time as I learn new & better stuff, but that's basically it.

    Exactly. You have to change the way you Live. It's a conscious choice and it's every day, for the rest of your life.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    3 years, and I'm so much more active that I can eat at least 500 calories a day more than I could to maintain my weight when I started, even though I'm almost 30 pounds lighter.
  • ReaderGirl3
    ReaderGirl3 Posts: 868 Member
    One more bump, since people are still posting new threads about the NYT article :p
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Maintaining for around 2.5 years.
  • mindycreed
    mindycreed Posts: 4 Member
    I lost 75lbs over 6 years ago. I keep it off by being honest with what and how much I'm eating, by remaining very active and surrounding myself with those who also live a healthy lifestyle.
  • walking2running
    walking2running Posts: 140 Member
    I am not at maintenance yet, but... I weighed 240 pounds 13 years ago, then dropped to 150 pounds. One marriage and two kids later, I am at 142 pounds, with a goal to get down to 120-130 pounds. I have never gone back to 240, but I came close with my second pregnancy.

    My TDEE numbers have so far been fairly accurate.
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,283 MFP Moderator
    Nearly 2 years maintaining a 70 pound loss. I've managed by continuing to count calories and weighing regularly so I know if I need to tweak something. I also took up running and biking and have found motivation in helping others . :)
  • Natalie2950
    Natalie2950 Posts: 116 Member
    I don't know if I have actually been 'maintaining' for the past 25 years which seems a little extreme but there is not a day when I have not been conscious of what I eat and making sure I do some exercise. I have tracked on and off using MFP for the past 5 years.

    Maintaining is not easy in some families. I only need to look at something and I will put on weight. The average weight of my mom's brothers and sisters was 30 stone+ so all my generation have tracked it since our teens. It just seems too easy to put it on. I keep a fairly tight rein on it but the range is about 6lbs.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    I've maintained about a 30lb loss for about three years. I begin most days by logging breakfast and then see how the day is going. I check in with MFP every day as a base of reference. It reminds me to be mindful.

    My biggest issue is not having a regular schedule, so sometimes it's 3 pm and I forgot to eat lunch, or I get called to teach an evening class and I don't get to dinner until after nine.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Four years of maintenance. Still in that 5 pound zone. I'm 55, lost 38 pounds, and have been maintaining at my college weight. And am in the National Weight Loss Study of people who successfull maintain (you should join too). What they do not say is that the research says that 65% people who lose a lot of weight gain it back. But that means 35% of us do. Those are the one who keep logging (or the equivalent), exercise 5 days a week (I just walk), and don't limit their diets - they eat what they want but hit their calorie goals. Go us!
  • ReaderGirl3
    ReaderGirl3 Posts: 868 Member
    nxd10 wrote: »
    Four years of maintenance. Still in that 5 pound zone. I'm 55, lost 38 pounds, and have been maintaining at my college weight. And am in the National Weight Loss Study of people who successfull maintain (you should join too). What they do not say is that the research says that 65% people who lose a lot of weight gain it back. But that means 35% of us do. Those are the one who keep logging (or the equivalent), exercise 5 days a week (I just walk), and don't limit their diets - they eat what they want but hit their calorie goals. Go us!

    Yay, glad to see another participant in the NWCR :#
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
    "Therefore, long-term weight loss requires vigilant combat against persistent metabolic adaptation that acts to proportionally counter ongoing efforts to reduce body weight."

    Oh well. No big deal, just keep doing what you need to do to stay vigilant. Weigh yourself regularly, keep logging (if you need to), and keep logging in to MFP!
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    I started about 12 years ago, lost some weight, stayed put for awhile and then lost some more. I would say it's been 7-8 years that I've been maintaining a 100 pounds loss. To say my life changed is an understatement. Two weeks ago I ran my fifth marathon but this time I set a goal to qualify for Boston and I did :D In a few months I'll run my sixth and attempt to better my time. When I think back to where I was all those years ago compared to where I am I don't even recognize that person! My idea of exercise was walking to the mailbox, how times have changed LOL People need to know it can be done! I still have my struggles with food and probably always will but that doesn't make me weak, just human!
  • alias1001
    alias1001 Posts: 634 Member
    Been maintaining since September but it feels like my fitness journey is far from over. I've put on a lot of muscle and changed my range up two pounds a couple of months ago. Still less than a year, but a great portion of my life has transformed. I still count calories, measure food, and exercise (body weight strength training) 5x a week. Never going back. :smiley:

    SW: 133 pounds
    GW: 110 (original)
    GW: 105 (revised)
    Lowest: 102
    Current: 106.8
  • ReaderGirl3
    ReaderGirl3 Posts: 868 Member
    edited May 2016
    Thanks everyone, loving all of the responses so far! It's great to see how we're all so different-ages, guys/girls, weight loss histories, medical histories, etc etc. This really shows that no matter who you are, you CAN be successful not only at long term weight loss, but also better health!

  • fkwan
    fkwan Posts: 28 Member
    Still trying to figure out "maintenance" after a 35 pound weight loss last August. 60 years old and hypothyroid. BMR is about 1100 and TDEE is about 1300. I plan on logging my food every day until I die, and using a Fitbit/heart rate monitor ditto. Weight so far has varied nicely in the 1-3 pound range. I had some orthopedic surgery and plan on more, so know to lower the calories to compensate for no exercise. So far so good....
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    nxd10 wrote: »
    Four years of maintenance. Still in that 5 pound zone. I'm 55, lost 38 pounds, and have been maintaining at my college weight. And am in the National Weight Loss Study of people who successfull maintain (you should join too). What they do not say is that the research says that 65% people who lose a lot of weight gain it back. But that means 35% of us do. Those are the one who keep logging (or the equivalent), exercise 5 days a week (I just walk), and don't limit their diets - they eat what they want but hit their calorie goals. Go us!

    I've been part of the study for years! I hope that my story will help others in the future :)
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