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What to do when you get to your goal?
katy2090
Posts: 5 Member
Hiya I'm katy and I was wondering what do you do when you reach your goal? Like how do you go back to normal after all your dieting without gaining the weight back? I know you should probably up your exercise but I'm confused on how you would begin to eat more because any time I eat over a certain amount of calories I feel guilty! So I don't know how in the future I would be able to eat normally also this is very urgent because I'm getting very close to my overall goal and I'm worried on what I should do. Any advice would be much appreciated!
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Replies
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You never really do go back to normal. THIS is your new normal. You just carry on as is, only with a few more calories to stabilize your weight.17
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Oh right.. this is a lot harder that I thought it would have been. I don't know how I would continue with this amount of calories a day but I suppose I better get used to it!0
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You won't gain all your weight back unless you start eating at a calorie surplus again.
When you reach your goal weight, set Myfitnesspal to calculate your maintenance calories and this is the amount you need to maintain your new weight.
You don't need to exercise more unless you want to. Doing so will earn you extra calories to eat for that day.2 -
New normal? Unless you literally sit about doing nothing i highly doubt your calorie intake to lose weight is your "new normal"? The new normal is learning to eat properly and portion control.5
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You can eat more, but in a controlled way. When you're within a couple of pounds of your goal, add a 100 cals a day for two weeks. If you're still losing, add another 100 for another two weeks. Eventually, your weight will stay the same. That's your maintenenance calories. Your weight will still fluctuate by a few pounds so you'll want to establish a range of 3-5 lbs that you're comfortable in. If you lose or gain out of that range, you'll make an adjustment as needed. Congratulations for getting so close!3
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If you consume calories as before, the weight will come back. You should take advantage of this new phase to re-educate yourself.3
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You don't go back to your old ways (if those included eating at a calorie surplus). You also don't continue eating at a calorie deficit either. You need to determine an appropriate amount of calories to maintain your goal weight, and it helps to understand that maintenance is a range, not a single point. My maintenance range is 118-122. I fluctuate within that pretty regularly over the course of a month.
Some questions to help figure out how to approach this:
You are losing weight today, yes?
How much weight have you lost?
Over what period of time?
What rate of loss have you selected in MFP? 1 lb/week? 0.5 lb/week?
Are you losing at that rate?
What calorie target are you set at?
How accurate is your logging, do you use a food scale?
Do you eat back exercise calories?
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Thanks everyone for replying! So when I reach my goal weight I just adjust the app to the maintenance setting and keeping doing exercise and just regularly check there isn't a huge amount in weight gain?7
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Are you highly restrictive now? Cutting out foods you've deemed as 'bad'?
I ask because your worry about going back to normal has me thinking you're dreading eating salad for the rest of your life. If I'm wrong, I apologize.
When you reach goal, you eat maintenance calories and that may allow for more 'treats', but you should generally be eating in a way that allows you to eat that way for life. Maintenance will be much easier that way.7 -
When you reach one goal make new goals.2
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The transition from the weight loss phase to the maintenance phase can take several months, as you experiment with calorie intake and figure out what new goals you'll want to start working on. Keep your regular weigh-in schedule and keep focused, and you'll be fine
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sammyliftsandeats wrote: »Are you highly restrictive now? Cutting out foods you've deemed as 'bad'?
I ask because your worry about going back to normal has me thinking you're dreading eating salad for the rest of your life. If I'm wrong, I apologize.
When you reach goal, you eat maintenance calories and that may allow for more 'treats', but you should generally be eating in a way that allows you to eat that way for life. Maintenance will be much easier that way.
I was thinking this as well. Generally when people ask about going back to normal it's because they've made such drastic changes to diet in order to lose that they are scared that adding back in the foods they cut out will mean automatic weight gain.
While losing I didn't cut anything other than calories. I added lots of healthy things, but calories were the only restriction. It made the transition to maintenance pretty seamless.6 -
We manage what we measure. Just keep measuring and continue to be mindful of what you are doing. When you take your mind off it, the excess calories will slip back in. If a goal helps, set a goal of maintaining yourself for one full year. Be specific, measure, and assign a time to it. You could set a loftier goal if you like, such as running a specific marathon and then apply "SMART" to it. (google the term) I lost 40 pounds in '99 and have kept it off the years since by doing just this. Hope it helps.2
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n1cholee93 wrote: »New normal? Unless you literally sit about doing nothing i highly doubt your calorie intake to lose weight is your "new normal"? The new normal is learning to eat properly and portion control.
I understand what she means by "new normal" at least for me I will never be able to go back to what was eating "normal" for me. Because it wasn't..it was too many calories for my body. If I went back to "normal" I would gain all my weight back. I will have a new "normal" and that will be setting up my goal to maintain and eating and logging within my calories.3 -
I am very restrictive on my diet my calorie goal is 800 and I usually eat under than cause I feel guilty if I eat anything above about 200. It's sounds really bad when you say it but I've saw no bad changes in myself and I've been doing it for 5 months but this is why I'm scared about reaching my goal! I was confused on how to stay at the weight I'm gonna reach
Um, what? That is scary.. ridiculously low and unhealthy. Please please please see a doctor or professional about your disordered views and eating before you really do some damage to yourself.6 -
I didn't think that it was that bad lots of people I know do it and I see it online all the time..0
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I didn't think that it was that bad lots of people I know do it and I see it online all the time..
Um yeah, that's very bad. Please see a doctor specializing in eating disorders if you feel guilty eating over 200 calories.
And stop visiting any website that is promoting this sort of behavior.8 -
Regardless of whether it's unhealthy (it is), a major reason not to do it is the exact problem you're having right now. You haven't built the habit of moderation that will help you keep it off. Better late than never. Let MFP set your calorie target, starting today.4
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Your posts show you probably have an eating disorder. You should see a doctor and a therapist that can help you with that. Food shouldn't be a source of guilt, and eating 800 calories a day is not healthy.
Good luck. Get healthy and take care of yourself.3 -
I would also recommend some sort of weight trend app. I use TrendWeight. It uses math (so you don't have to) to show your weight trend over time. Because weight fluctuates day to day it can be hard to tell if you're gaining/losing once you hit maintenance. Some sort of trending app can help you make sure your weight stays where you want it. You can also lose it for loss too!1
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I am very restrictive on my diet my calorie goal is 800 and I usually eat under than cause I feel guilty if I eat anything above about 200. It's sounds really bad when you say it but I've saw no bad changes in myself and I've been doing it for 5 months but this is why I'm scared about reaching my goal! I was confused on how to stay at the weight I'm gonna reach
This is disordered eating and you need to talk to someone to help you find a healthy relationship with food.
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I am very restrictive on my diet my calorie goal is 800 and I usually eat under than cause I feel guilty if I eat anything above about 200. It's sounds really bad when you say it but I've saw no bad changes in myself and I've been doing it for 5 months but this is why I'm scared about reaching my goal! I was confused on how to stay at the weight I'm gonna reach
this makes me sooo sad for you.
you need to get help.1 -
My suggestion would be to stop viewing food as something that makes you fat. Instead, look at food as fuel for your activities. If you aren't providing your body with enough fuel for the thing you want to do then you are depriving yourself. But also, if you are providing your body with too much fuel then you are being a glutton.0
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I understand what she means by "new normal" at least for me I will never be able to go back to what was eating "normal" for me. Because it wasn't..it was too many calories for my body. If I went back to "normal" I would gain all my weight back. I will have a new "normal" and that will be setting up my goal to maintain and eating and logging within my calories.
Thank you.I am very restrictive on my diet my calorie goal is 800 and I usually eat under than cause I feel guilty if I eat anything above about 200. It's sounds really bad when you say it but I've saw no bad changes in myself and I've been doing it for 5 months but this is why I'm scared about reaching my goal! I was confused on how to stay at the weight I'm gonna reach
But yeah...this isn't what I was talking about.
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TimothyFish wrote: »My suggestion would be to stop viewing food as something that makes you fat. Instead, look at food as fuel for your activities. If you aren't providing your body with enough fuel for the thing you want to do then you are depriving yourself. But also, if you are providing your body with too much fuel then you are being a glutton.
So if someone is underweight and trying to gain, or bulking and trying to gain muscle, they are a glutton?5 -
You try to work with your new life. I have the appetite of my 180lb self, but I can only eat 1800 calories per day. It sucks.
BUT...I also don't have a "goal" that will ever be met. The desire for my physique to be ever changing, the need to lift as heavy as I possibly can..it's all constant. So I gained a nice 3 inches on my butt? Great, gotta lose an inch off the waist now. So I hit a 290 deadlift? Big deal. Where's 300?
Having fitness/physique goals to consistently strive for MAY be beneficial for some, though they can become a little obsessive.1 -
TimothyFish wrote: »My suggestion would be to stop viewing food as something that makes you fat. Instead, look at food as fuel for your activities. If you aren't providing your body with enough fuel for the thing you want to do then you are depriving yourself. But also, if you are providing your body with too much fuel then you are being a glutton.
You really think mentioning the word "glutton" around someone with manifestations of an eating disorder is helpful here? Really?
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You really think mentioning the word "glutton" around someone with manifestations of an eating disorder is helpful here? Really?
Spot on. The use of that word, particularly in this thread, is irresponsible and counter productive.
OP, your very low calorie diet is one that should only be done under medical supervision. The other sites/forums you've been reading are leading you down the path of developing an eating disorder. That you apprear to have an unhealthy relationship with food is quite concerning. Please speak to your doctor about this. Soon.4 -
You can eat more, but in a controlled way. When you're within a couple of pounds of your goal, add a 100 cals a day for two weeks. If you're still losing, add another 100 for another two weeks. Eventually, your weight will stay the same. That's your maintenenance calories. Your weight will still fluctuate by a few pounds so you'll want to establish a range of 3-5 lbs that you're comfortable in. If you lose or gain out of that range, you'll make an adjustment as needed. Congratulations for getting so close!
This is good advice for anyone who's approaching goal weight.
OP, I agree with others who are concerned for you . . . I'd add my encouragement that you look for someone (skilled professional counselor) you can speak with, to evaluate whether you're experiencing disordered thinking about food. Just want you to be strong, healthy, happy!
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You really think mentioning the word "glutton" around someone with manifestations of an eating disorder is helpful here? Really?
Really? You are going to judge me for the use of one word rather than the point of what I said. Can you not see that I am suggesting that one should create beneficial bounds on both sides of ones goal weight? I chose the words "deprive" and "glutton" purposefully because the OP used the word "guilt." Since guilt is what the OP responds to then it makes sense to place guilt on both sides. Feel guilty for eating too much, but also feel guilty for eating too little. The end result is that the person who doesn't want to feel guilty will eat the proper amount.0
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