I have less self control while maintaining then I did while losing

I'm in the same boat !!! just completed my first bikini competition.... I just binge ate like there was no tomorrow because I went a little bit over.
all throughout my prep I never cheated.... worst feeling ever...

After reading this thread seems like most of you are not satisfied with eating at maintenance calories.

So, if you are still hungry at maintenance calories, how long do you think you will be able to keep your calories at maintenance level at the goal weight you have chosen?

I read somewhere, probably on MFP, that you have two choices. You can either be hungry, or you can be fat. I have to remind myself of that all the time, because I am always hungry. My maintenance level is only about 1400 calories, and despite eating large amounts of veggies and lean protein I can't add much fat or I will go over, so I am always hungry. Always.

Gamliela wrote: »

After reading this thread seems like most of you are not satisfied with eating at maintenance calories.

So, if you are still hungry at maintenance calories, how long do you think you will be able to keep your calories at maintenance level at the goal weight you have chosen?

I'm fine with my maintenance calories...depending on what I have going on, they can be anywhere from 2800 - 3500 per day...I'm pretty active. When I'm at the higher end (training for century rides and whatnot) I have a hard time hitting them consistently and I usually end up losing some weight even though I'm not really wanting to.

I'll be four years maintenance this Spring.

Your maintenance calories aren't exactly some number...maintenance calories are a range.

dbashby wrote: »

Studies from people who lost weight and kept it off 5 years or more show that eternal vigilance is the common factor in their success . Not exactly what one want to hear I know. That said I do this on a weekly basis not a daily one as that becomes too obsessive but I do weight myself daily so I know where I am from my ideal weight. If I get +5 lbs over, I know that it has to be addressed.

My only suggestion to you is that even though you had 500 calories to burn you should not have chosen the burger because you also had the desire to be satisfied and the burger alone wasn't going to do that. I run into this choice all the time and what tends to help that the most is to fill almost all the way up with a low caloric density food (probably a salad) and then perhaps then go for the burger. Otherwise the burger alone, while much more tasty and satisfying to the palate was not going to be satisfying enough for the hunger/appetite. This is the same basic principle you followed to lose the weight in the first place.

Are you referring to the OP?

OP didn't have a burger. OP had a chicken sandwich and might well have been satisfied with that, but gave into pressure and was up-sold on french fries. OP didn't say anything about satisfied in regards to actual hunger. He's mentioning not being satisfied as far as having to limit himself in how much and perhaps what he eats.

A mental dissatisfaction as opposed to a physical one.

cwolfman13 wrote: »

srecupid wrote: »

I went from around 250 pounds last september to about 165 this year. Well anyway the last couple of days have been brutal. I had about 500 calories leftover for the day after work and decided to go for a jalapeno mchicken which was 430. Well anyway the guy upsold me on a medium fries for $1 more which was 340. So yeah I'm over already. And part of me just snaps when I'm already over my goal. I just don't stop and tell myself i'll try again tomorrow I just keep eating and eating and eating. When I was losing weight it was easy because I had some kind of goal to focus on. Now I think I'm kinda rebelling against the "rules" i set for myself by forcing a certain amount of calories on myself. Anyone go through this and have any advice? The good knews is I know I'm doing it. The bad news is I have no *kitten* clue how to stop it.

Well, the good news is that your maintenance calories isn't exactly XXXX calories...your maintenance calories are a range and the human body is very adept at using excess energy in the short run...the human body strives for homeostasis so in the short run it will simply speed up or slow down processes to compensate for more or less energy...you have to consistently underfeed or overfeed to override your body's ability to maintain homeostasis.

Yes this. I maintain in a range 2100-2600. I've found I can maintain on 2100 or 2600 (so I go with a range). I can go a whole week on the higher end without gaining, but have more energy naturally, haver higher body temp, etc. I can stay at 2100 but I do notice that I naturally feel a bit "lazier". I've monitored myself and seen I've not wanted to "take the extra half mile walk to X" etc. The body fights to stay in homeostasis by naturally trying to use up excess energy. The longer you maintain a certain weight range, the more "set" the body gets in that range and you will find you can easily eat excess a day or two and not gain anything.

srecupid wrote: »

Part of me just snaps when I'm already over my goal. I just don't stop and tell myself i'll try again tomorrow I just keep eating and eating and eating. When I was losing weight it was easy because I had some kind of goal to focus on.

Same struggle here. Depending on the "starting weight" you want to go by I am down 60 (start this time) - 130 pounds (highest weight ever). Have still been trying to lose that last 10, but the scale hasn't been trending downward so close to maintenance.

I find it really hard to keep focus without some kind of concrete goal. I mean, I have one, but the near complete lack of progress has made me discouraged.

So then, yeah, when I see that number go red I tend to say, well, screw it...today is toast, might as well eat whatever. And I didn't do that before, so WTH?

Trying not to give in to self-pity, but not being able to do this is so maddening.

I think we just get tired. Still you know you can't quit, because quitting is a road right back to a place you don't want to go.

Personally have a creeping case of the "not fairs". As in it's not fair that this is so hard, that eating X amount and exercising X amount is just standing still for me when it "should" work. I "should" be able to eat more/work less and still lose.

And then, if it isn't working, why keep trying?

Don't know if this was in any way helpful other than to say you are not alone.

The reality is that you may need to figure things out consistently. Life changes and you may need to stay tuned in to how the current environment and lifestyle fits in with your goals and you may need to keep changing things to find what works for you now as it maybe different to what worked few months ago

I find myself having to figure out winter vs summer right now. In the summer I went to the gym on my lunch break and did walks before after work. Now it's dark before and after work and I find I crave day light and my only option is to get outdoors during lunch and figure out time to do strength training before or after work.

In the past I went through a how much can I get away with stage. For example I go on vacation, I am very active and eat a lot more and end up gaining only pound and half. It's not that bad I would think, lets don't go back to counting - I am ok with that pound and half. Another pound creeps back in and I still don't do anything and another... you get the picture. From it's not that bad to oh no, I have to go on diet again!

This time there is element of acceptance that my normal is different than other people's normal. That 70% of adults in many countries are overweight or obese and if I want to do what most people do I have to accept I will weight as what most do to. That as I manage my money, adding my numbers for 10 minutes a day consistently is a way to keep me where I want to be. I find this easy and I couldn't care less if some people are against it - many long term maintainers count, or count occasionally as needed.

There is also a buzz when loosing weight. You see the scale moving, you feel great, you get compliments. Once you reach the goal the buzz is gone. I feel I need to get my feel good finding unrelated challenges - as looking to volunteer, learning photography.

It's my 3rd time hitting maintenance and I won't lie to you, I am also nervous about it. I took a really good look at what went wrong last 2 times, and I am ready for it. My mindset is so different this time.

You are doing the right things - speaking up and remaining vigilant! You got this, it will get easier.