The reality of maintenance...
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DarkSinestra wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »I've been wondering about something I as read people's posts:
Does anyone know someone who has always been thin / never had a weight problem whom they can ask what they do? Do people who have always been thin even think about these things? Do they weigh themselves (and, if so, how often)? Do they plan ahead for birthdays or dinners out?
It would be interesting to see responses from people in their 30s, 40s, etc -- both men and women.
I can't think who to ask ... But I wonder about people who just seem to naturally maintain -- though they probably do not think of it that way at all. Anyone up for a research project?
Anyone know?
Everyone in my immediate and close extended family was overweight from my earliest memory upward. I was crazy active and had a very fast metabolism as a child. I was extremely thin. (Adopted, so different genetics.) However, I always ate like obese people because I never ate any differently than my obese mother and father, and Mom regularly forced food on me by insisting I eat seconds and dessert and cleaned my plate, which was piled with adult portions of food!
It caught up with me hardcore in my early 30s and really messed with my head at first. I wasn't doing anything different! Why was I suddenly gaining so much weight? Well, the truth is it wasn't sudden. There were weight issues I denied in my late 20s, and because I carry weight deceptively well, I told myself the scale didn't matter all that much. It did. Visceral fat is a thing. A dangerous thing.
So I cut my calories, started doing cardio and weight circuits and got down even thinner than I had ever been in my adult life. It made me anxious in inexplicable ways. Someone else here at MFP gave me some insight as to why, but other than the anxiety about my body image, at that time maintenance wasn't difficult. Just balancing activity with food and weighing maybe once per week. I think at that time I still actually had a higher than average metabolism but had been eating over its limits before the weight loss. I never had thought about food, macros, anything like that before when I was thinner. I was thin by default, not design, and had extremely skewed ideas about how much food I needed and that dessert had to be a thing. I was in my mid to late 30s at that point.
Had a debilitating accident that kept me from exercising at all for close to 2 years. Regained all I'd lost + some and didn't try to take it off again because of the mental/body issues I had while maintaining last time. Therapy has cleared a lot of that up, so now it's round 2 of weight loss, this time post-menopause. That high metabolism is a gone pecan. (Where I'm from that rhymes.)
My father-in-law and one of my husband's cousins have extremely high metabolisms. They have trouble keeping weight on and eat constantly. She even had trouble keeping weight on during both of her pregnancies. My husband's metabolism has only slowed within the past decade. He used to be one of those eat whatever he wants and never gain an ounce. He's 5'9" and until ten years ago never topped 130 lbs. His sister and his grandmother are petite (5' 1" and 5' 2") and thin, but they do it by portion control and staying active. They do think about it and always have for the 20+ years I've known them. Being around thin people who have to fight to stay that way and actively plan has helped me, too. It provided some balance I was missing from being around disordered eating through my childhood and teens. It showed me that a healthy weight isn't always accidental and that working on it isn't being "food obsessed," an accusation Mom always throws at me when I'm working to lose, although it's her food obsession that has kept her obese all her life. It's all she ever thinks or talks about, and the only thing she ever reads are cookbooks and food magazines. She doesn't respect my process at all and actively sabotages, so I don't spend nearly as much time around her when I need to lose weight.
It also made me feel less angry with myself for that first weight gain. I was ignorant and had never had a reason to educate myself. Now I do, and now I have. My health is important and worth the extra vigilance, not only during the process but afterward. I also look at it this way. Most of us never think twice about the importance of home or yard maintenance, vehicle maintenance, or fixing or replacing broken appliances or recreational items. Why should we give our bodies any less attention and love? They'll be with us the longest of all.
The bolded part is so true. I may have to use this the next time someone tells me I'm obsessed with calorie counting.0 -
In response to "what the thin people do" post...here's my perspective...YMMV -
I was always super skinny growing up until about my 30's. When I look back on my life, I know I didn't necessarily eat perfectly and I really didn't think I had that much activity in my life, but as I thought about it, I really was pretty active. For me, that's the biggest difference between when I was super thin (actually in the 'underweight' side of BMI at 98lbs and 5'3") and from when I started putting on weight and making it up to the overweight side of the BMI scale - my activity level was much greater when I was younger.
Eating habits: Not necessarily great - I could eat a whole bag of Doritos in a sitting...of course, back 40 years ago, they didn't have the super large bags of Doritos either. I remember when we went to my favorite restaurant, my Dad and I would compete to see who could eat their monster meal of fish and shrimp first...but I only really stuffed myself like that once or twice a year. Most of the time, I ate because I was hungry, and ate until I wasn't hungry (not until I was stuffed). However, I also know that I was never one for breads, baked desserts (like cookies or cakes or pies), chocolate, or too much salt on food (I still remember getting chastised by my mom for not putting salt on my french fries). I did like my meat and potatoes, chips, and sour candy (was never much of a veggie eater), so probably not the best diet. Oh, and my drinks included full strength sodas, sweetened kool aid, and my mother's insanely sweet iced tea, so don't tell me sugar is the great demon that it's made out to be today. Of course back then, I remember the first McDonald's that came to our town, so they weren't on every street corner like today. So, we didn't eat out all that much, and rarely had fast food. KFC was a treat on Sundays when we went to the beach when we'd get a bucket of chicken to take with us and munch on all day. There were a lot less processed foods, TV dinners (most were pretty bad, so you ate them as rarely as possible), no microwaves until I was in high school.
Now, you also have to consider, it's not just your height that has an impact on how much you get to eat, but it's also your age. When I was younger, I got more calories than I do now (300 more calories at 18yo than now at 52yo for the same weight, height, activity level). I sometimes suspect it is less about your metabolism "slowing down" as you just need less calories as you age (though it could be due to metabolic changes), and few of us adjust for that basic reduction. It is what it is.
Activity: I never really considered that I was that active. I wasn't an athlete by any stretch of the imagination (was never on any sports teams), but as I look back, I really WAS active...like REALLY active. At one point my mother gave me the rule of I wasn't allowed to start my homework until I had been outside playing for at least an hour. I guess my mom knew I was destined to be a sedentary bookworm/nerd, or maybe she saw I was putting on weight (and I was probably oblivious). Of course back then ('70's/'80's), we also had recess for an hour a day or physical education classes, which I know some schools don't do anymore. So, in reality, I was probably getting at least 2 hours of exercise each day (if not more)...but it didn't feel like exercise because we were just playing - recess was running in fields, playing on the swings, hopscotch, jump rope, climbing the monkey bars; playing outside was climbing trees, riding bikes, playing kickball, shooting hoops, and in the summer, spending hours in the pool. Also, I think back, and remember in junior high and high school, going to the skating rink EVERY SINGLE Friday night. I'd usually skate for two sessions (3 hours total), and when I got old enough stay for disco dancing afterwards (another 1.5 hours)...so that was 3-4.5 hours of activity every Friday (~1400+ calorie burn), in addition to whatever PE or play time I did during the week (~400+ calories per day). It's no wonder I could eat a whole bag of Doritos and it didn't make a dent in my calories for the week. Honestly, I don't remember obese kids when I was growing up either. Sure, there were a few that were 'chunky' (so probably in the overweight BMI range), but for the most part all my neighbors and school mates were probably in the normal range or under. But we all played outside regularly - we didn't have TV and video games and computers and other things to keep us inside. We read books. If we were nerds we read lots of books...but I was often found reading my favorite books after I had climbed up the tree in my front yard. Though if you carried a lot of books home from school, you also got some weight training in...lol.
Even in college (early '80's), I didn't gain that much. I had to walk or bike to all my classes since the first two years, we weren't allowed cars on campus...and even when we had our cars, they usually stayed parked because it was easier to walk or bike. I then went into the Army (late '80's), so I was still working out regularly - physical training three times week. It's only when I got a desk job and never did any working out that I started gaining...it was slowly, so not even all that noticeable at first...pretty much made it through my late 20's and early 30's without realizing how much I was gaining (and for me, being so skinny, some weight gain was probably good anyway).
But in my 40's I decided to lose the weight I had gained from sitting at a desk all the time (I was at my "highest" weight ever - 137lbs; at the upper end of normal BMI for me). Needed to lose about 15-20 pounds. I did it with a restricted eating program and exercise, but 10 years later, I gained it all back and then some because the eating program wasn't sustainable due to the restrictions (hit 152lbs in my early 50's; in the overweight zone of BMI for me). So, in my 50's, I've now lost 30 pounds from that highest weight, I'm in maintenance, I'm working out for at least an hour or two daily, and I'm now watching/counting my calories regularly. I'm still working on eating more vegetables, since I know they provide good nutrients that my body needs.
Look, back when I was growing up, when they said to count calories, it was hard...we didn't have computers like we do now. You'd have to log everything in a notebook and add on your calculator and hand write everything. We didn't have google searches to look up nutritional values of things, you'd have to check out books from the library for information like that. And even when we did have home computers (like in my late 20's), you'd still have to do all the research for everything you ate to put it into a spreadsheet. I was an overwhelming task and frankly too hard. That's probably why all these eating programs sprung up...they were so much easier to deal with portion control than actual counting calories. So, I NEVER counted calories until last year when I found MFP. Now with an app like MFP (or others), it's so easy. It's crazy not to count, even into maintenance.
If you are still hungry at your calorie levels, then maybe you need to find foods that make you feel more full. It's different for everyone. Some say fruits and vegetables make them feel full. They don't for me. For me, it's protein and fats that make me feel more full (though I have to watch my fat levels for other health reasons). You have to figure out what works for you.
Oh, and per weighing yourself. I don't really remember weighing myself that much growing up or into my 30's - maybe when I went to the doctor I got weighed. Only when I was trying to drop weight in my 40's did I start to weigh myself regularly. I now prefer to weigh daily, but I like to map the fluctuations (I'm still a bit of a sedentary data nerd). Also after losing and gaining it back, I want to be sure I don't gain it back this time around, so I want to be on top of any real upward trends.
TL/DR - Activity levels are key if you want to eat more - find things that are fun and feel like playing so it doesn't feel like you are exercising/working out. Counting calories helps you stay within your weight goals - find foods that make you feel full but keep you within your calorie goals.8 -
Kimblesnbits13 wrote: »Does anyone else notice that maintenance isn't much different than losing weight other than a few hundred more calories? (That means I can have a large scoop of ice cream lol) Maybe I don't really notice a big difference because I never went too low on my cals when I was losing weight? It's kinda sad, but a reality check that I can never return to eating the way I ate before. It's always going to be a "checks and balances" or "sacrifice this for that" mentality for me. Is that an unhealthy mindset? Also, do you miss eating a restaurant sized dinner drink and dessert for one meal? For instance, on the weekends I get invited to breakfast, lunch, and dinner all in one day, and there's no way I can fit those restaurant calories in. Anyway, I'm just trying to get a perspective of this maintaining thing. Any comments and replies are appreciated! Thanks!
People focus so much on weight. Forgetting that excess weight is only one side effect of a much more critical issue--health. When you eat a bad diet, your health suffers, regardless if you are 4% BF or 30% BF. Just because the "skinny" individual doesn't show the side effect of weight gain does not mean that he or she can continue on their current diet and remain healthy. You can lose weight and lose health. Or gain weight and gain health. Focus on what you add to your diet vs what you take away. Make natural, whole foods a staple and you will begin to realize that junk food appeal to you less and less. Also--dealing with the societal pressure to eat out sucks...I can commiserate with you there... But it is no different than the non-smokers dealt with in previous generations.2 -
Same here. I still track and I try to do a "light" variation of intermittent fasting/dieting to allow for cheat days (usually at the weekend!), like 1-3 days a week I'll deliberately undereat a little which makes up for going over a bit at the weekend! My maintenence is about 1820, so say if I eat 1200 one day then that makes for a 620 calorie deficit- that's a slice of cake and a soya latte earned, or I could have a big 1000calorie Zizzi's dairy free rustica pizza instead of a healthy 400ish calorie lunch like soup or a sandwich iyswim?
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Some great stories here, thanks everyone for sharing.
I have NEVER been thin. My parents were but lived a very unhealthy lifestyle (ED's, pills, booze, etc). I was constantly scolded as a child for being fat, even grounded for weeks on end if I gained weight. I would eat piles of sugar packets from the coffee cart in the office at elementary school because sweets were off-limits at home. There are a few times in my 20's, 30's and 40's that I lost enough weight to look good -- but I was never able to keep it off.
Now, at 50, I have lost 70 pounds, I'm still not "thin", but I am at a healthy BMI. I'm taking it upon myself to study nutrition and balance exercise. I've maintained within a few pounds for 6 months, but I still feel like I'm white knuckling it on most days. Reading threads like this are super helpful to realize I'm not alone.14 -
I enjoy eating this way. I have cheat days on the weekends, and while I use to always take advantage of it, I always feel like crap afterwards. I find myself turning a cheat day into simply a cheat meal on the weekend. The problem is not indulging in life's pleasures, it when you make bad eating a lifestyle.
For me, nothing feels better than a day filled with eating correctly then getting a good workout in. I actually prefer the satiated feeling without feeling completely dragged down and useless with an overfull stomach. Especially during the work week and when I do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I save that feeling for the weekend when visiting my mother in laws if I'm going to have it all.3 -
youdoyou2016 wrote: »I've been wondering about something I as read people's posts:
Does anyone know someone who has always been thin / never had a weight problem whom they can ask what they do? Do people who have always been thin even think about these things? Do they weigh themselves (and, if so, how often)? Do they plan ahead for birthdays or dinners out?
It would be interesting to see responses from people in their 30s, 40s, etc -- both men and women.
I can't think who to ask ... But I wonder about people who just seem to naturally maintain -- though they probably do not think of it that way at all. Anyone up for a research project? Anyone know?
I have always been relatively thin and in shape. I've only had 3-4 years of my life where I was 30 pounds overweight. I had to reallllllly work at adding that over weight. I worked from home at a desk all day, so I didn't have to walk very far everyday. I was eating whatever I wanted and as much as I wanted. I would go in and out of getting tired of eating crappy and would eat healthy and then I would fall back into eating a half a pizza, donuts and koloaches in the morning, and milk or cokes at every meal, and chips. It took a few years but I went from a ripped 150 pounds (training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 3-5x a week) to 182 pounds doing no activities. (Before and after pic in my profile)
I was miserable. I felt like I had a bowling ball in my stomach when I went to tie my shoes. I would randomly weigh myself but it was only to become more shocked at each new threshold of "what the hell am I doing to myself" that I reached.
I eventually had enough and started eating right and doing some activities. (Fishing and kayaking). I lost about 12 lbs only to have my mother, my uncle and then brother all die within 6 months. That derailed me for awhile until July 2016. I started eating perfectly throughout the week and left the weekends to eat what I want. I also do daily cardio. I set a 20 min timer and do circuit training. I will do 20 squats, 20 pushups, 20 situps, 20 lunges, run stairs, curls, etc. But I don't rest in between. Its constant moving for 20 min and I rest one muscle group by working out another. I also do 10-20 reps each time I pick a new exercise. I wont hover in easier ones.
In addition to this daily activity, I train BJJ 2-3 times a week an hour each class. I spend 10-20 min in the morning and/or evening doing light yoga. Mostly just deep stretches. This has gotten me down from 170 lbs down to 156.1 pounds as of today since July 2016.
To answer your questions, yes. I weigh myself every day. (Every morning after using the restroom, without clothes, in order to have as close to a baseline as possible. The weight of clothes and the amount of waste and water in your body causes around a 5 pound fluctuation. So I try to minimize that so that I can get an accurate reading.
I don't plan ahead for birthdays or eating out. (We would only eat out or do a birthday during the weekend anyway, which is always my "cheat day" if we go out. I always allowed myself a day on the weekend to do what I want but I don't always use it. I enjoy feeling this way. I don't enjoy an overly full stomach that weighs me down anymore. I pay more attention to portions than I do what I eat now. A ribeye, for example, if you read the package, it says 2 servings. I never paid attention that. If I eat it now, I split it with my wife.
If I have a desert on the weekends. I have a reasonable amount. I'll eat two oreos with milk instead of 10 like I used to or a handful of chips instead of a half a bag. But again, the healthier I get, the more I workout, the more I even crave those things. I'd rather grab an apple or an orange.
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I'm a year into my weight loss and just now entering the maintenance phase (39 pounds gone) and Realizing that this is now permanent. Its a little depressing to me for some reason. I thought I would be on cloud 9 but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I love what I've turned myself into. I'm healthier, and more I shape at 34 than I have ever been! I feel like I've set a better example for my girls on healthy living. The old me would binge on cake, candy and crap daily! I knew starting this I could never go back to eating a bag of recees a day, but I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be once I was at a stopping point. I've been so strict for a year and now that I'm at my goal it's actually more difficult than "dieting" if that makes sense. I'm scared to death of putting the weight back on. I measure and count every thing I eat. It drives my family nuts but I can't imagine not doing it. I still work out daily whether it's weight training or cardio I must get my workout it! Makes a bad mood turn around instantly for me! I feel like I'm rambling now lol! Anyways, this thread has given me a boost and I'm hoping I don't sabotage myself! Just have to keep on doing what I do!6
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paigemedlock855 wrote: »I'm a year into my weight loss and just now entering the maintenance phase (39 pounds gone) and Realizing that this is now permanent. Its a little depressing to me for some reason. I thought I would be on cloud 9 but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I love what I've turned myself into. I'm healthier, and more I shape at 34 than I have ever been! I feel like I've set a better example for my girls on healthy living. The old me would binge on cake, candy and crap daily! I knew starting this I could never go back to eating a bag of recees a day, but I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be once I was at a stopping point. I've been so strict for a year and now that I'm at my goal it's actually more difficult than "dieting" if that makes sense. I'm scared to death of putting the weight back on. I measure and count every thing I eat. It drives my family nuts but I can't imagine not doing it. I still work out daily whether it's weight training or cardio I must get my workout it! Makes a bad mood turn around instantly for me! I feel like I'm rambling now lol! Anyways, this thread has given me a boost and I'm hoping I don't sabotage myself! Just have to keep on doing what I do!
Just remember, it takes a lot of work to take off weight, but at the same time, it takes ALOT of work to put that back on. Once you reach your goal, you should allow yourself the freedom to not count calories on one or two meals during weekend.
That doesn't mean you have to eat as much horrible things as you can all day long. It means, simply put down you scale and my fitness pal app on Sunday. Eyeball what you would normally eat without fear of being a little over. Want a desert? Grab it. Let this be your stress-free day that gives you a break. One pound of body weight is equal to 3,500 calories, so eating an EXTRA 500 calories, per day, that ENTIRE week, on top of what you already eat....will only cause you to gain a single pound. That's a whole week of eating crappy only affecting you by one pound.
So one day of not stressing out is not going to have an effect on maintenance. Take that break and even eating a little bad food here and there, and then feeling the effects of that sugar or greasy food, will often make you look forward to eating healthy again the next week.3 -
paigemedlock855 wrote: »I'm a year into my weight loss and just now entering the maintenance phase (39 pounds gone) and Realizing that this is now permanent. Its a little depressing to me for some reason. I thought I would be on cloud 9 but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I love what I've turned myself into. I'm healthier, and more I shape at 34 than I have ever been! I feel like I've set a better example for my girls on healthy living. The old me would binge on cake, candy and crap daily! I knew starting this I could never go back to eating a bag of recees a day, but I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be once I was at a stopping point. I've been so strict for a year and now that I'm at my goal it's actually more difficult than "dieting" if that makes sense. I'm scared to death of putting the weight back on. I measure and count every thing I eat. It drives my family nuts but I can't imagine not doing it. I still work out daily whether it's weight training or cardio I must get my workout it! Makes a bad mood turn around instantly for me! I feel like I'm rambling now lol! Anyways, this thread has given me a boost and I'm hoping I don't sabotage myself! Just have to keep on doing what I do!
Don't stress so much. There's nothing wrong with counting calories, it you want to, but by now you can probably keep your consumption in line without it. Weigh once a week or so to keep yourself honest and so you can catch yourself before you get to far from your ideal weight, but I've found that my weight stays pretty much the same for months at a time if I just eat what I think I need to eat.
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paigemedlock855 wrote: »I'm a year into my weight loss and just now entering the maintenance phase (39 pounds gone) and Realizing that this is now permanent. Its a little depressing to me for some reason. I thought I would be on cloud 9 but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I love what I've turned myself into. I'm healthier, and more I shape at 34 than I have ever been! I feel like I've set a better example for my girls on healthy living. The old me would binge on cake, candy and crap daily! I knew starting this I could never go back to eating a bag of recees a day, but I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be once I was at a stopping point. I've been so strict for a year and now that I'm at my goal it's actually more difficult than "dieting" if that makes sense. I'm scared to death of putting the weight back on. I measure and count every thing I eat. It drives my family nuts but I can't imagine not doing it. I still work out daily whether it's weight training or cardio I must get my workout it! Makes a bad mood turn around instantly for me! I feel like I'm rambling now lol! Anyways, this thread has given me a boost and I'm hoping I don't sabotage myself! Just have to keep on doing what I do!
Just remember, it takes a lot of work to take off weight, but at the same time, it takes ALOT of work to put that back on. Once you reach your goal, you should allow yourself the freedom to not count calories on one or two meals during weekend.
That doesn't mean you have to eat as much horrible things as you can all day long. It means, simply put down you scale and my fitness pal app on Sunday. Eyeball what you would normally eat without fear of being a little over. Want a desert? Grab it. Let this be your stress-free day that gives you a break. One pound of body weight is equal to 3,500 calories, so eating an EXTRA 500 calories, per day, that ENTIRE week, on top of what you already eat....will only cause you to gain a single pound. That's a whole week of eating crappy only affecting you by one pound.
So one day of not stressing out is not going to have an effect on maintenance. Take that break and even eating a little bad food here and there, and then feeling the effects of that sugar or greasy food, will often make you look forward to eating healthy again the next week.
For me (and probably others) it's not that hard to put the weight back on. I'm an emotional/stress/boredom eater. It's easy for me to go eat food when not hungry because, to paraphrase Bruce Banner, "That's my secret, Cap. I'm always hungry." I can put away a lot of food if I don't bother to track it. I have days where I eat what I want and *do* track it since I want to know the numbers. In a day, I can put down 5,000 calories an just hit "satisfied" on my hunger metre.
There's nothing wrong with continuing to weigh food after weight loss.13 -
paigemedlock855 wrote: »I'm a year into my weight loss and just now entering the maintenance phase (39 pounds gone) and Realizing that this is now permanent. Its a little depressing to me for some reason. I thought I would be on cloud 9 but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I love what I've turned myself into. I'm healthier, and more I shape at 34 than I have ever been! I feel like I've set a better example for my girls on healthy living. The old me would binge on cake, candy and crap daily! I knew starting this I could never go back to eating a bag of recees a day, but I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be once I was at a stopping point. I've been so strict for a year and now that I'm at my goal it's actually more difficult than "dieting" if that makes sense. I'm scared to death of putting the weight back on. I measure and count every thing I eat. It drives my family nuts but I can't imagine not doing it. I still work out daily whether it's weight training or cardio I must get my workout it! Makes a bad mood turn around instantly for me! I feel like I'm rambling now lol! Anyways, this thread has given me a boost and I'm hoping I don't sabotage myself! Just have to keep on doing what I do!
Just remember, it takes a lot of work to take off weight, but at the same time, it takes ALOT of work to put that back on. Once you reach your goal, you should allow yourself the freedom to not count calories on one or two meals during weekend.
That doesn't mean you have to eat as much horrible things as you can all day long. It means, simply put down you scale and my fitness pal app on Sunday. Eyeball what you would normally eat without fear of being a little over. Want a desert? Grab it. Let this be your stress-free day that gives you a break. One pound of body weight is equal to 3,500 calories, so eating an EXTRA 500 calories, per day, that ENTIRE week, on top of what you already eat....will only cause you to gain a single pound. That's a whole week of eating crappy only affecting you by one pound.
So one day of not stressing out is not going to have an effect on maintenance. Take that break and even eating a little bad food here and there, and then feeling the effects of that sugar or greasy food, will often make you look forward to eating healthy again the next week.
For me (and probably others) it's not that hard to put the weight back on. I'm an emotional/stress/boredom eater. It's easy for me to go eat food when not hungry because, to paraphrase Bruce Banner, "That's my secret, Cap. I'm always hungry." I can put away a lot of food if I don't bother to track it. I have days where I eat what I want and *do* track it since I want to know the numbers. In a day, I can put down 5,000 calories an just hit "satisfied" on my hunger metre.
There's nothing wrong with continuing to weigh food after weight loss.
Noone said that there is anything wrong with continuing to weigh food after weight loss. She talked about the stress of daily tracking and I told her to pick a single day out of the week to not worry about it. One day of not stressing about it is not going to send you spiraling down if you keep it to one day like I recommended when we are talking about maintenance and hovering around a target weight. But one day of not worring about it can take some of that stress off of a nonstop never ending need to track every calory every meal.
I can eat when I'm bored, when I'm stressed, hell, I can even eat when I'm so full I'm about to explode. But it is still not going to pack on weight overnight, or even over a weeks time so she can safely take a day off without worry. That is what I mean by it is hard to add weight.
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My sister in law commented to me one day that two times in her life she had eaten to the point of feeling stuffed and gross. That comment was a wake up call for me. I used to do that every single day. Logging and tracking has meant that I rarely do that now - can't actually remember the last time. I sometimes wish I didn't have to do this for life, but then I remember that I am actually FAR happier living this life, one of feeling disciplined and strong and energetic. The idea that I want to stop logging and stop paying attention is a delusion that my mind likes to return to now and again.11
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paigemedlock855 wrote: »I'm a year into my weight loss and just now entering the maintenance phase (39 pounds gone) and Realizing that this is now permanent. Its a little depressing to me for some reason. I thought I would be on cloud 9 but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I love what I've turned myself into. I'm healthier, and more I shape at 34 than I have ever been! I feel like I've set a better example for my girls on healthy living. The old me would binge on cake, candy and crap daily! I knew starting this I could never go back to eating a bag of recees a day, but I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be once I was at a stopping point. I've been so strict for a year and now that I'm at my goal it's actually more difficult than "dieting" if that makes sense. I'm scared to death of putting the weight back on. I measure and count every thing I eat. It drives my family nuts but I can't imagine not doing it. I still work out daily whether it's weight training or cardio I must get my workout it! Makes a bad mood turn around instantly for me! I feel like I'm rambling now lol! Anyways, this thread has given me a boost and I'm hoping I don't sabotage myself! Just have to keep on doing what I do!
Just remember, it takes a lot of work to take off weight, but at the same time, it takes ALOT of work to put that back on. Once you reach your goal, you should allow yourself the freedom to not count calories on one or two meals during weekend.
That doesn't mean you have to eat as much horrible things as you can all day long. It means, simply put down you scale and my fitness pal app on Sunday. Eyeball what you would normally eat without fear of being a little over. Want a desert? Grab it. Let this be your stress-free day that gives you a break. One pound of body weight is equal to 3,500 calories, so eating an EXTRA 500 calories, per day, that ENTIRE week, on top of what you already eat....will only cause you to gain a single pound. That's a whole week of eating crappy only affecting you by one pound.
So one day of not stressing out is not going to have an effect on maintenance. Take that break and even eating a little bad food here and there, and then feeling the effects of that sugar or greasy food, will often make you look forward to eating healthy again the next week.
Thank you. That's a good idea. I'll definitely try that! I know I don't give myself enough credit. I just need to get the idea out of my head that I will NOT go back to my old ways. Don't get me wrong I do have cheat days and I've always been fine it's just a constant fight about if it's worth the stress or not.1 -
My sister in law commented to me one day that two times in her life she had eaten to the point of feeling stuffed and gross. That comment was a wake up call for me. I used to do that every single day. Logging and tracking has meant that I rarely do that now - can't actually remember the last time. I sometimes wish I didn't have to do this for life, but then I remember that I am actually FAR happier living this life, one of feeling disciplined and strong and energetic. The idea that I want to stop logging and stop paying attention is a delusion that my mind likes to return to now and again.
I'm with you there! I remind myself how miserable and gross I felt when I over ate..it's either one extreme or the other for me unfortunately.1 -
What an awesome thread! Exactly what I needed to read.
Still losing, but slowly as I am almost to goal. However, reading all the posts has helped me realize that reaching goal weight is not the end point. It will always be an on going process of keeping track of what I eat, how much I work out and keeping things in perspective. Enjoy an occasional treat or celebratory meal, but don't make it an everyday habit. Keep moving everyday. Whether it be cleaning the house, gardening, dancing, yoga, or working out at a gym, just move the body. But mostly to be cognizant every day of what I need to stay with MY program in order to stay the course.
Thank you everyone for being so generous with your tips, thoughts, and encouragement. Great post!6 -
people I eat out with or guests at my home (even my fav bartender) assume I'm still dieting. It's hard for them to understand that these are my new eating habits, the new normal. Gone are the days of chicken and waffles, now its salad and fruit. One glass of wine, not 5. It's just the way it's going to be. Forever. It takes a while to sink in.11
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youdoyou2016 wrote: »I've been wondering about something I as read people's posts:
Does anyone know someone who has always been thin / never had a weight problem whom they can ask what they do? Do people who have always been thin even think about these things? Do they weigh themselves (and, if so, how often)? Do they plan ahead for birthdays or dinners out?
It would be interesting to see responses from people in their 30s, 40s, etc -- both men and women.
I can't think who to ask ... But I wonder about people who just seem to naturally maintain -- though they probably do not think of it that way at all. Anyone up for a research project? Anyone know?
I know a lot of people who are naturally thin .
My cousin was always slim and I always wondered 'how?' As we always ate the same together ! However I used to empty my plate in 3 minutes AND ask for more and she used to take 15 minutes and only eat half her plate
Also , she does not eat main course AND dessert.
Its either one or the other.
Also , everytime we go to a fast food restaurant , she used to just eat that meal for the day and thats it ( sort of like unconscious fasting?
She is not very active but she does workout a bit everyday.2 -
youdoyou2016 wrote: »I've been wondering about something I as read people's posts:
Does anyone know someone who has always been thin / never had a weight problem whom they can ask what they do? Do people who have always been thin even think about these things? Do they weigh themselves (and, if so, how often)? Do they plan ahead for birthdays or dinners out?
It would be interesting to see responses from people in their 30s, 40s, etc -- both men and women.
I can't think who to ask ... But I wonder about people who just seem to naturally maintain -- though they probably do not think of it that way at all. Anyone up for a research project? Anyone know?
I know a lot of people who are naturally thin .
My cousin was always slim and I always wondered 'how?' As we always ate the same together ! However I used to empty my plate in 3 minutes AND ask for more and she used to take 15 minutes and only eat half her plate
Also , she does not eat main course AND dessert.
Its either one or the other.
Also , everytime we go to a fast food restaurant , she used to just eat that meal for the day and thats it ( sort of like unconscious fasting?
She is not very active but she does workout a bit everyday.
Does your cousin consciously choose to eat that way? Like, I had a big dinner so I'll skip dessert, or I'll have that yummy dessert so I'll skip dinner? Or does she stop when she's full. My adult son does that. He stops when he's had enough. I wish I had his genes!!! Oh wait, I do!6 -
fiddletime wrote: »
Does your cousin consciously choose to eat that way? Like, I had a big dinner so I'll skip dessert, or I'll have that yummy dessert so I'll skip dinner? Or does she stop when she's full. My adult son does that. He stops when he's had enough. I wish I had his genes!!! Oh wait, I do!
I do wonder this about naturally thin ppl - I have a friend who is 60 now and just starting to gain a few pounds that she wants to lose, like for the first time in her life she has to pay attention. I have not known her all that long, but she tells me that for all her life up to now she has eaten "as she wants" and stayed at 8st 4lb and 5ft 6in tall .. that's pretty skinny!
I think either she is very blessed genetically or she has always moderated herself in ways that she might not have been conscious of. Ways that I am not capable of. It has got to be very conscious for me, and it requires constant vigilance which does, frankly, get me down and is certainly part of what goes wrong for me.
re the genes - your son has 1/2 of someone else's genes and they might be the vital ones!
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findingone wrote: »... Get to your goal weight and join the rest of the healthy world. Enjoy food. Eat whatever you want but keep track of calories. When you get to the end of normal range, tighten it up a bit with exercise. Freak that eating greens and healthy all day long, eat pizza, cheezits, soda. Just fit it in healthier and within your calories. Oh and then God forbid to actually move a bit ...
Ah, this is so perfect!
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