NOT a Smooth Landing

nowine4me
nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
edited November 13 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I hit my goal of 150 in September (5-7"F) and I increased calories slowly hoping for a soft landing, I've had success insofar as I haven't gained any weight, except normal fluctuations, but my calorie swings feel wildly out of control. My MFP goal is about 1660 and I earn back about 500 from running/walking 10 miles a day. All good.

But lately I've been eating 1200 one day, 3500 the next, 2800, then 1100.... you get the idea. The bad days are starting to outnumber the good. Yesterday, I had 1200 calories worth of pie, today 1500 in Reese's PB cups and donuts.

My success in losing 70# came from being a huge tight-*kitten*, eating basically the same thing every day, no drinking and having zero fun for 10 months. Please tell he there's a happy medium to be found in this process. Where do you find your balance? How long should it take to hit your stride in maintenance?

Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,694 Member
    When I went to maintenance, I essentially added one thing to my daily diet, and I started taking weekend diet breaks about once a month instead of once every 4 months.

    If your MFP goal is about 1660, why not eat 1660 every day? That's a decent number of calories. When you drop to 1100 or 1200, you get hungry and want to eat more the next day, so you over compensate and eat too much.


    As for fun ... my fun doesn't come from food and drinking, it comes from exercise and hobbies.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited November 2016
    There is a happy medium, well at least I've found mine - no food groups are cut out, I just watch overall portion sizes and keep an eye on the amount of sugary snacks. The 80/20 rule works well, 80% of good wholesome food and 20% of whatever I fancy.

    It sounds like you limited your calories so much during your weight loss period that now you're wanting to just break out and eat more (totally understandable). Try and limit the days you have those excess splurges, say once a week? not that there's anything wrong with them, but too many of them and you know it will lead to gain over time.

    At your height and with exercise you should be able to easily eat 2200 cals a day at least and maintain. I'm petite at 5ft 2" and my maintenance cals average 2000-2100. I eat Mon-thu at slight deficit (1700-1800cals) so Fri-Sun I can average 2300 cals those days. Its all evens out and that's my happy medium :smile:
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Sounds like you are returning to your eating patterns that caused you to gain those 70lbs.

    Think to yourself; " do I really want to have to diet for months/years to get back here again".

    +1
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited November 2016
    No no no... Its not over after losing...there really is no finish line, road just merges to another.. Work with your diet and exercise so that it suits you and maintaining your weight..

    Always ok to reserve calories during the week to have a great weekend of eating (for example)..We all have had to find the right balance, no one method works for each and everyone..

    Good news is you recognize it and wanting to correct this now.. Planning for maintenance at the last 10 pounds is always a good idea.. makes the transition much easier.
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    I keep in mind that I would have to eat about 3,500 calories in excess of my TDEE to gain one pound. In order to keep my current weight I just need to eat the exact amount of calories I burn. Some people find it easier to calculate that over a week. For me I judge my calories over a few days. My calories per day can fluxuate around 200 or 300 more or less, depending on how active I am. More active days I'm more hungry.

    Best wishes, I think it probably takes a few weeks to our own way in maintenance, it did for me. :smile:
  • tahxirez
    tahxirez Posts: 270 Member
    I've been doing a version of this myself recently but I have had to get myself under control. Luckily my 30 day average is 1535 which is below my net 1600 total goal (if you look at my diary you will see a 1350 net because I'm a lazy logger and I like a buffer zone.) I'm getting dangerously close to a slow gain and I'm just not willing to go back. Lets just commit to it...we're not going back to how we used to be. Oh also, I rarely drink now either. Its been building up to this for years but I don't really miss it. if there is an occasion, I'm down but just drinking a beer daily has never been my thing (it was 30 beers daily in my younger years.) I've also quit smoking and alcohol is too much of a trigger for me. (Sorry oversharing, good luck woman!)
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    I found that when I started reversing out of my diet that I could eat without feeling full for several weeks because of the affect dieting has on leptin. It's all about imposing a discipline on yourself since your body will need to readjust to the post weight loss eating patterns. You want to make sure you don't fall into your old patterns and regain like the vast majority of people do.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Thanks everyone for taking time to reply. I know what's needs to happen, I just need to follow the lead of you wise ones and buckle in for the long haul. I most definitely don't want to do this again, but I also want to the ride. Have a great day!

    .....stepping away from the pie o:)
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    I focus more on weekly calorie targets rather than daily ones. My daily maintenance is 1800 (without exercise), which is 12,600 per week.

    My daily intake varies from 1400 (Mondays and Tuesdays for some reason) to 3000 (Usually Saturdays-- and I KNOW why!) but at the end of the week, I'm still +- in the 12,000 - 13,000 range and maintaining just fine since February.
  • bigmuney
    bigmuney Posts: 284 Member
    nowine4me wrote: »
    I hit my goal of 150 in September (5-7"F) and I increased calories slowly hoping for a soft landing, I've had success insofar as I haven't gained any weight, except normal fluctuations, but my calorie swings feel wildly out of control. My MFP goal is about 1660 and I earn back about 500 from running/walking 10 miles a day. All good.

    But lately I've been eating 1200 one day, 3500 the next, 2800, then 1100.... you get the idea. The bad days are starting to outnumber the good. Yesterday, I had 1200 calories worth of pie, today 1500 in Reese's PB cups and donuts.

    My success in losing 70# came from being a huge tight-*kitten*, eating basically the same thing every day, no drinking and having zero fun for 10 months. Please tell he there's a happy medium to be found in this process. Where do you find your balance? How long should it take to hit your stride in maintenance?

    I cal my weekend calorie swings "the circus"
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    nowine4me wrote: »
    I hit my goal of 150 in September (5-7"F) and I increased calories slowly hoping for a soft landing, I've had success insofar as I haven't gained any weight, except normal fluctuations, but my calorie swings feel wildly out of control. My MFP goal is about 1660 and I earn back about 500 from running/walking 10 miles a day. All good.

    But lately I've been eating 1200 one day, 3500 the next, 2800, then 1100.... you get the idea. The bad days are starting to outnumber the good. Yesterday, I had 1200 calories worth of pie, today 1500 in Reese's PB cups and donuts.

    My success in losing 70# came from being a huge tight-*kitten*, eating basically the same thing every day, no drinking and having zero fun for 10 months. Please tell he there's a happy medium to be found in this process. Where do you find your balance? How long should it take to hit your stride in maintenance?

    I'm following this because I'm where you are. As the weather turns to crap (cold/snow/ice) I'm losing some of my resolve. I haven't found my maintenance sweet spot so I've found it easier to just keep doing what I've been doing all along. I still eat to lose .5#/week then not worry too much if I go over a bit.
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    edited November 2016
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    I found that when I started reversing out of my diet that I could eat without feeling full for several weeks because of the affect dieting has on leptin. It's all about imposing a discipline on yourself since your body will need to readjust to the post weight loss eating patterns. You want to make sure you don't fall into your old patterns and regain like the vast majority of people do.

    This happened to me too, hunger signals seemed wierd. It settled back to normal, I'd say give it between a month and ahalf to two months of slowly increasing calories.

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    1660 seems low given your stats, even if thats a net figure?

    also, i agree with looking at your weekly goal. i generally eat 100-200 cals less per day Monday to Thursday so that i can eat more on a weekend.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    What I find works well for me is to consciously know that Monday - Friday I will generally eat a little under maintenance and loosen the reigns somewhat on weekends.

    That takes away the pressure of feeling I have to reach exacting standards every day and feeling deprived because I know I can have some of what I really crave on the weekends.
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