Maintainers - what was the most important thing you learned this year?

nowine4me · December 2017

Mostly, that it’s actually possible to maintain!

fit4itall · December 2017

That I'm not equipped to completely stop logging.

That I should never completely give up exercise. As hard as it is to fit it, its harder to start again once you've stopped.

Rocknut53 · December 2017

vingogly wrote: »

That I need to continue to weigh myself at least once a week, and log my food. I don't have "better lifestyle" imprinted on my brain, and need to continue to be vigilant if I'm going to maintain my weight loss.

This is me as well. Maintenance has been a struggle because there are times my mind is just not on board.

LivingtheLeanDream · December 2017

@happycampr1 I was also used to eating almost as much as you and it really was an annoyance when I also had to cut back on activity because of joint issues and having to work more hours.
What I ended up finding was that its amazing how we can adjust and be content eating less if we have to. I now have to be content with 2000.
What I found was all the extra activity wasn't realty worth 300-500 more calories especially when I was inclined to eat those extra calories in chocolate!

Now the majority of calories I eat tends to be satisfying/filling.

Hope you find your workable routine, it takes a little effort and persistence but it's worth it in the long run

(speaking as a long term maintainer here

)

Ruth

SummerSkier · December 2017

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

This year, after going to physical therapy for both knees (at separate times) due to injury, the orthopedist told me I should not run any more, so I haven’t..

Has anyone EVER met an ortho who doesn't hate runners? Or a doc. I mean seriously. I injured my meniscus in the early 90's and couldn't run for almost 20 years. But apparently, sometimes TIME does heal things. I restarted my running program - bad KNEES and all - and I am happy. Sometimes I use KT tape. I don't know what is wrong with your knees but the one thing I do know is that if you CAN run and your knees feel ok, then why not?

SoleTrainer60 · December 2017

I have learned that its O.K. if I have an off day and eat things that I shouldn't, without feeling bad about it. . This doesn't mean that I am a failure. God willing , tomorrow is another day.

Orphia · December 2017

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

SummerSkier wrote: »

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

This year, after going to physical therapy for both knees (at separate times) due to injury, the orthopedist told me I should not run any more, so I haven’t..

Has anyone EVER met an ortho who doesn't hate runners? Or a doc. I mean seriously. I injured my meniscus in the early 90's and couldn't run for almost 20 years. But apparently, sometimes TIME does heal things. I restarted my running program - bad KNEES and all - and I am happy. Sometimes I use KT tape. I don't know what is wrong with your knees but the one thing I do know is that if you CAN run and your knees feel ok, then why not?

Haha...you sound just like the devil on my shoulder!

I was thinking of saying something similar!

Running is really good for you. The whole "bad for your knees" thing was debunked long ago, but I guess it depends on the injury.

Maybe you can get into cycling?

sijomial · December 2017

@HappyCampr1

As a fellow dodgy knees sufferer (after a collection of major and minor injuries one knee slops backwards and forwards, the other is unstable side-to-side....) I can heartily recommend cycling.

On the odd occasions I run I only have 3 to 5k of running in my knees per WEEK but can cycle all day with no reaction, going to hit 5,000 miles this year. It's a very varied sport and gets you out into the countryside too.

NadNight · December 2017

To learn to walk before you can run. And to learn to know your body.

I lost weight earlier this year and once I lost the weight, I immediately tried to start gaining in muscle but it didn't work (I kept losing weight instead of gaining). I think it's because I don't know my body well enough to properly fuel it to gain correctly yet.

So I've been maintaining for the last few months, taking things slow. I am underweight (105 lbs at 5 ft 6) and MFP recommended I eat 1570 calories a day to start gaining weight however I've found out that my maintenance when I'm practically sedentary (my physical activity recently has come from mostly shopping and fridge trips...) is higher than that. I don't know what it is exactly because I haven't logged but I'd estimate maintenence (let alone gain) to be around 1800-2000 for me at this weight.

Now I've learned that what I thought was going to help me gain is actually way lower than I need (you'd have to add on calories for exercise as well! So I was probably down 500-700 calories a day without meaning to) and I've found what makes me maintain then I can progress in the new year to gaining some muscle weight.

kommodevaran · December 2017

Intriguing but very difficult question. I feel I'm learning new things every week, and they are all important! If I were to pick something extraordinary (for me), it probably has to be that I'm learning to trust my appetite - because I'm understanding it better, because I'm paying more attention. I have a better idea of what it's telling me, and what it's not telling me, I'm better at anticipating how it will feel over time, and better at tolerating that I guessed wrong, and thus, ironically, becoming less dependent on appetite to guide me. I can just eat, and be cool with it. I feel more relaxed around food every month.

AudreyJDuke · December 2017

To plan for a treat every day so that I don't feel deprived.

Bry_Fitness70 · December 2017

All that matters is eating a maximum amount of calories and a minimum amount of protein.

(Caveat - within reason, don't cut out or go single digit %s on fat and/or carbs, and loosely monitor things like saturated fats, sodium, sugar, etc. so that you aren't getting excessive)

RAinWA · December 2017

That it's not the end of the world that I have gained 15-20 pounds over my maintenance range. I know how to lose it.

I threw myself a 6 month "pity party" due to medical issues - herniated a disk in my lower back that required surgery, started healing and had a small bowel obstruction that required emergency surgery, started healing, then had to have a cervical disk replaced, started healing and an idiot ran a red light and t-boned my car causing a tear in my rotator cuff. See how my year went? I guess I should be grateful I only gained as much as I did!

92019start · December 2017

As I approach two years since joining MFP, I have gradually learned that it truly is a “friend” here to help me, not to rule me. Meaning, it makes life more manageable not having to guess at calories. By putting it in the log, it’s off my mind and I can focus my energies on other things. It’s one less thing to worry about.

Francl27 · December 2017

That I really need to limit sweets and desserts unfortunately and can't really afford days off.

That it's much harder to go back to a deficit to lose the 20 lbs that you gained back because you're much hungrier than when you lost those last 20 lbs the first time.

That tastes can change after 3 years and it's much harder to eat healthy when eggs make you gag and you'd rather be hungry than eat vegetables...

middlehaitch · December 2017

This year was a weird one.

My health was fine but, between having to go stay with my sons family for 5 weeks during a medical emergency, and travelling to the UK twice (4 weeks each time) to celebrate my mum's 90th birthday, my fitness level certainly dropped - no problems maintaining weight.

What I learnt was- family is far more important than being in the gym every day to maintain the level of fitness I have enjoyed these past few years.

Both my cardio and strength training suffered. I have found my cardio picked up really fast, and my lifting will probably be back on track early next year once I get a chance to settle back into my routine.

I almost lost my son, and celebrated still having my mum. Compared to these a small setback in my personal fitness goals is a drop in the ocean.

Cheers, h.