Anyone here for the long term & not looking for a quick fix?

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  • wmweeza
    wmweeza Posts: 319 Member
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    I'm looking at the rest of my life as far as staying in shape, not just the next year. I've been at this a little over 2 years now, my only plan is when I reach my goal weight I'll add in 200 more calories. I still plan on tracking my food and staying on track. Losing the weight has been one of the harder things I have done, and I don't want to ever do it again, and I'm still not done!
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 1,992 Member
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    As much as I wish I could just melt the weight away and stay that way, that just doesn't happen for me. It's a very slow process (I'm down to about 15-20 pounds left to lose) and averaging about 1 pound a MONTH seems to be the most sustainable way for me to go. My trends aren't nice and steady, of course, but I find I'm able to maintain an average of that rate.

    No, it's not fast, but I know what it's going to take to stay where I'm at and not put the weight back on, maintenance isn't going to be much of a change from my current routine, and I find that far more sustainable in the long run.
  • UmThatsMyCookie
    UmThatsMyCookie Posts: 19 Member
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    *raises hand* slow and steady wins the race!
  • Kupla71
    Kupla71 Posts: 1,177 Member
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    I lost almost 20 pounds and then my weight loss slowed down to a snails pace which is where I am now. I’ve been frustrated for a long time but now am ok with it. I’ve learned how to eat proper portions and what to eat to keep me feeling satisfied without going over my calorie goal. I would rather have slow weight loss than lose it quickly and then gain it back. I’ve started strength training and am more focused now on building a healthy body rather than focusing only on weight loss. I have a renewed optimism about this journey and my vision is for the long term. Good luck everyone on your journey!
  • AutumLeaf
    AutumLeaf Posts: 126 Member
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    Danp wrote: »
    This is why I implemented what I call my Forever Rule.

    It's simple really. I needed to make changes in order to better manage my weight. I realised that temporary solutions yield temporary results because as soon as I stopped doing what I was doing I'd go back to where I was.

    So now when I decide to make a change to my life I ask myself "Forever?" and if I can't answer yes then I don't make that change.

    For example:
    Me: I'm going to stop eating chocolate!
    Also Me: Really? Forever? You're never going to eat chocolate again?
    Me: We'll no, I suppose not.


    Or
    Me: I'm gonna just eat food I like and keep track of how many calories I'm eating
    Also Me: So you're prepared to do this forever?
    Me: Yeah, I reckon I can do that. It's not that difficult

    That's a really good way of looking at it :)
  • 13ecca4
    13ecca4 Posts: 201 Member
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    I’m just starting to realise this too.
    After years of fad diets and yo-yoing, I just want something that works. And It’s just clicked that’s it’s a lifestyle change…
    I’m trying to start off with little things like log all my food, drink more water. And once this hopefully becomes a habit then I can move onto cleaner eating and more exercise and so on.
    I’m trying not to change everything so drastically that It becomes something I don’t enjoy and can’t sustain.
    The time is going to pass regardless, I didn’t gain all this weight in one day and I won’t lose it in one day either. Patience 
  • jayne7470
    jayne7470 Posts: 87 Member
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    I’m here for the long haul I think in the past I’ve expected to lose quickly and haven’t so gave up ... I seem to be chugging along a half pound loss a week which is slow, but I’ve changed my mindset a loss is a loss whatever the number I’m going to keep going 💪🏼
  • vollkornbloedchen
    vollkornbloedchen Posts: 2,243 Member
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    My method is:
    Monitoring and adjusting in combination with @Danp 's approach (Forever-Rule! I love this expression), which for me boiled down to 2 basic rules:
    If your favourite food doesn't suit your plan, adjust the plan, not your favourite food.
    AND
    If it doesn't fit into your normal daily life it is doomed to fail.

    Find YOUR way, look for inspirational input, adopt what suits your plan, abandon what doesn't ...

    This brought me a weight-loss of 52 kg (~ 114 lbs).
    Maintaining within a 4kg goalweight-zone for 2 and a half year now.
    Supposedly the worst will be over in another three years.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited February 2019
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    Also a long time maintainer here, been around MFP since 2012 and maintaining a 30lb loss since 2013 - like others before me have said, it was realising to lose weight and keep it off a long term strategy was needed. For me that was no cutting out food groups or denial but moderation and moving a bit more.

    Although I hardly ever log my meals now if I started to see the scale start to consistently move upwards I would go back to logging in a heartbeat.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
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    Working on year 4 and plan to continue until I can't type anymore, lol.
  • etherealanwar
    etherealanwar Posts: 465 Member
    edited February 2019
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    I originally planned to reach my goal in one year but it looks like it is going to take me a year and a half with a rate of loss of 1lb/week average throughout the entire journey. I've come to terms with this, I've learned healthy eating habits along the way I plan on using to maintain my loss.I also plan on logging my food into maintenance as well. 75 lbs in a year and a half isn't too bad!
  • fergusonjamillah
    fergusonjamillah Posts: 83 Member
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    Thats why im succeeding in my journey this time around to lose weight and become healthier because i stopped thinking in diet terms and started to realize i wanted a lifestyle change and this is the longest i ever worked out and stayed on track. I have some bad days but since it's for a lifetime i dont worry about it.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    I've been here for nearly 7 years. It's always been about finding a good balance and leading a healthy lifestyle
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    I'm in year four of monitoring what I eat and faithfully exercising with no plans on stopping any time soon.

    I've struggled with weight issues since I was a pre-teen and I'm now 56. I never could find the right combination of timing, knowledge, resources, and tools to effect lasting change that gelled well with my particular personality/quirks until now.

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