Anxiety over reaching target weight?

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  • All_The_Bacon
    All_The_Bacon Posts: 26 Member
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    This has always been the struggle for me. I can buckle down for 6-8 months and lose the weight to get to my goal, but I inevitably fall down on maintaining and end up back where I started. I have gone through this cycle 4 times in my adult life. This time, I decided try treating the maintenance phase like the weight loss phase.

    One tool I have found to be helpful is the 'Maintainer' DietBet. I used DietBet successfully during weight loss, and having the maintainer version of that does a few things that are working so far: 1) It puts a financial motivation on top of a health motivation making me more likely to stay committed, 2) it breaks down the huge goal (keep this weight for life) into more manageable goals (keep within this reasonable weight range for 1 month), and 3) it keeps me publicly accountable because I have to weigh in and interact with the community of maintainers in the game.

    It might not work for everyone, but I am keeping at it and have hope that this could help keep me steady while I learn how to maintain.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
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    From what I am reading, it seems that one thing is clear: not setting goals for after you reach your initial goal. This is soooo simple. But, it ain't easy! It is not easy at all.

    Set multiple "big" goals. For each "big" goal, have several "mini" goals that - when all is said and done - take you to that specific "big" goal. Constantly have at least two goals in focus (yes, agreed - you can have only ONE goal at any given time......but have the next goal in sight while you work on the current goal so that you are never 'floating').
  • pkweier
    pkweier Posts: 349 Member
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    This may be a dumb question gonna ask it anyways when you talk about setting goals is this food or health/fitness related? Could it be like something else like taking up a hobby, reconnecting with lost friends etc
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
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    My anxiety is more knowing what my target should be. I went down too far, now I feel I've rebounded too high. I wish a goal weight was more simple..... maybe I'm too focused on a number that is impossible to maintain?
  • mrsjen1310
    mrsjen1310 Posts: 6 Member
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    Hi I'm new to posting although been on MFP for a year now! I am loving the Maintaining threads, many wise words that are helping me get my head around it all! Does anyone else fins that after so long feeling good for hitting calorie deficit and seeing those scales.go down that its mighty hard to eat to maintenance and see the scales the same or fluctuate a little as it feels so "bad"? I've lost nearly 3 more pounds from my goal weight because I just can't seem to relax and eat more (if you told me this situation would have ever been a possibility in my life I would have laughed hysterically as I've been up and down weight wise for as long as I can remember. I would always loose and put 1-2 stone back on immediately)
  • Piperx222
    Piperx222 Posts: 68 Member
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    mrsjen1310 wrote: »
    Hi I'm new to posting although been on MFP for a year now! I am loving the Maintaining threads, many wise words that are helping me get my head around it all! Does anyone else fins that after so long feeling good for hitting calorie deficit and seeing those scales.go down that its mighty hard to eat to maintenance and see the scales the same or fluctuate a little as it feels so "bad"? I've lost nearly 3 more pounds from my goal weight because I just can't seem to relax and eat more (if you told me this situation would have ever been a possibility in my life I would have laughed hysterically as I've been up and down weight wise for as long as I can remember. I would always loose and put 1-2 stone back on immediately)

    Totally understand what you're feeling. I've been so focused and trained to not go over that 'magical' number with my daily eating that now that it's higher I start to panic. Plus my weight seems to fluctuate dramatically so I'm doing what was suggested and figuring out my 'range'. I'm also forcing myself to not look at the scale more than once a week - same day, same time. Still so crazy that I had an easier time mentally losing weight than maintaining LOL

    We'll figure it out though :)
  • aemsley05
    aemsley05 Posts: 151 Member
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    mrsjen1310 wrote: »
    Hi I'm new to posting although been on MFP for a year now! I am loving the Maintaining threads, many wise words that are helping me get my head around it all! Does anyone else fins that after so long feeling good for hitting calorie deficit and seeing those scales.go down that its mighty hard to eat to maintenance and see the scales the same or fluctuate a little as it feels so "bad"? I've lost nearly 3 more pounds from my goal weight because I just can't seem to relax and eat more (if you told me this situation would have ever been a possibility in my life I would have laughed hysterically as I've been up and down weight wise for as long as I can remember. I would always loose and put 1-2 stone back on immediately)

    September has been my first month of maintenance and I have been feeling exactly as you are! You'd think being "allowed" to eat more would be easy, but the deficit mind set is hard to shake - I'm just so used to seeing those green leftover calories in my diary! I've considered manually increasing my daily allowance to build in a set amount to leave unused to make it easier on myself mentally, but that feels a bit like cheating! So I am currently working hard to make myself eat the leftover calories. I do a lot of meal planning (for week days at least) and plan out snacks and things as well so that I can have my entire daily allowance planned to be used. I pre-log and eat what I've logged which helps, even if I can't help feeling anxious when the "calories left" number goes into single/double figures! Over the month it's definitely getting easier so I expect with time we'll get use to this being the new normal and it will be ok mentally. We've spent months building weight loss habits, it will take time to build new habits.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,712 Member
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    pkweier wrote: »
    This may be a dumb question gonna ask it anyways when you talk about setting goals is this food or health/fitness related? Could it be like something else like taking up a hobby, reconnecting with lost friends etc

    Not a dumb question at all. The goals everyone is referring to are personal and varied. Some are nutritional goals, some are fitness goals and some are ones such as you mentioned, which I think are great ideas! Maintenance means living a happy, healthy, full life and that definitely includes hobbies and friendships.

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