May Challenge: Maintainers Back on Track Thread

sofchak · May 2019

This challenge is specific to Maintainers who may have lost a little enthusiasm along the journey to better health or simply need to refocus efforts - let’s use this space as a discussion / accountability thread to get back on track and ultimately back in goal range. Check in as often as you like (weekly or bi-weekly preferred).

I just ask that you focus on up to three things:

1. Your current goal - can be big (like run a 10k or lose 10 lbs by Memorial Day) or small (like eat at a deficit 2 days a week or lose 1/2 lb a week)
2. Recent success - this can be tied to your goal (lost 3 lbs!) or a completely separate NSV (lost a pant size or ran a mile without stopping)
3. (NEW OPTIONAL) Strategy - how are you planning to meet your goal?

Here goes...

Name:
How long in maintenance:
Goal maintenance range:
Current weight:
Current goal:
Recent success:
Strategy for your goal:

jan110144 · May 2019

So happy this thread is continuing. Wishing everyone a successful May, back on track!

zeejane4 · May 2019

Thanks OP for continuing with this thread!

jrwms714 · May 2019

Thanks, OP, for keeping us on track!
Name:jrwms714
How long in maintenance: 4.5 years
Goal maintenance range: 136.5-238.5
Current weight: 139
Current goal: Back to range above.
Recent success: Went shopping at Trader Joe's, which is my snack nemesis, and came home without any of the usual snacking items I purchase and eat! That's major.
Strategy for your goal: Doing this by cutting out snacks after dinner, exercising 5 days per week, cardio and strengthening.

jan110144 · May 2019

1. Current goal - figure out how to do "maintenance" . Have lost the bit of weight I regained after starting maintenance. Am adding about 200 calories a day. Will eat at a small deficit during the week to allow for a bit more flexibility on the weekend.

2. Recent success - did not panic when maintenance did not go smoothly. Spent some time figuring out what was going on and took steps to address it.

3. (NEW OPTIONAL) Strategy - really make sure that I eat enough on a daily basis. I have problem of undereating by too much for a few days and then binging. Also I am paying attention to getting adequate sleep ... being overly tired is another trigger.

Fatgonegirl · May 2019

Name: Fatgonegirl
How long in maintenance: 10 months since declared goal (130lbs) but put on 11lbs between December and April
Goal maintenance range: 128-132lbs
Current weight:133lbs
Current goal: Get to the bottom of the range by the end of the month
Recent success: Lost 8lbs of winter weight in April
Strategy for your goal: Log, eat in deficit, keep activity level up.

Brendalea69 · May 2019

Name...Brenda

How long in maintenance...23 months

Goal maintenance range...125-135

Current weight...134

Current goal...To get to lower end of maintenance range.

Recent success...Down 1 pound from last week.

Strategy for your goal...Have more OMAD's, less splurge days and do more walking!!!

baconslave · May 2019

Sorry I haven't posted yet this month. I have that...y'know...evil water retaining issue that strikes women on a monthly basis. The scale is being a turd as a result. So I don't have any real numbers, just bloat.

I've been staying on plan faithfully. Exercising on schedule. Though my workouts are suffering a bit, especially strength, but I'm not sure if it's the calorie restriction or it's the aforementioned issue that's wiping me out. Me doing push-up Thursday was a sad joke. :noway: Another strength day today, and we'll see if I'm still as wimpy this afternoon.

I was 171.8 this morning, but my belly looks like it's trying to imitate a life preserver, so...y'know.

mom23mangos · May 2019

How long in maintenance: 3yrs
Goal maintenance range: 101-110
Current weight: 110.5
Current goal: 105
Recent success: Last week I had a downward swing to 108.7, but didn't look any different so figured it was a water weight woosh. Confirmed by this weeks weight being 110.5, but looking much leaner. I've been able to stick to eating healthier snacks at work and limiting junk food.
Strategy for your goal: Continue limiting junk food and substituting low calorie fruits and vegetables as snacks.

nowine4me · May 2019

How long in maintenance: 3 years
Goal maintenance range: 125-135, 5-7”
Current weight: 145
Current goal: for my shorts to fit
Recent success: hit weekly deficit goal last week
Strategy for your goal: stop eating crap processed vegan food

spiriteagle99 · May 2019

My attempt at losing last month was a bust. I'm up another pound. Still within my 5 pound window, but barely (124.4). I know why. Most days were over goal by 200-600 calories. I am still trying to eat as I normally do but with 10 miles a week less running, it's not possible to keep the weight from creeping up. That 900 calories makes a big difference.

psychod787 · May 2019

nowine4me wrote: »

How long in maintenance: 3 years
Goal maintenance range: 125-135, 5-7”
Current weight: 145
Current goal: for my shorts to fit
Recent success: hit weekly deficit goal last week
Strategy for your goal: stop eating crap processed vegan food

Listening to you has introduced me to Jeff Novick. I like his takes on caloric density.

jan110144 · May 2019

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

My attempt at losing last month was a bust. I'm up another pound. Still within my 5 pound window, but barely (124.4). I know why. Most days were over goal by 200-600 calories. I am still trying to eat as I normally do but with 10 miles a week less running, it's not possible to keep the weight from creeping up. That 900 calories makes a big difference.

I feel for you. Exercise is so impt, not just for allowing a few more calories but also, for me, it works as an appetite suppressor. I find it much easier to make good choices when I get the e exercise in.

sofchak · May 2019

jan110144 wrote: »

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

My attempt at losing last month was a bust. I'm up another pound. Still within my 5 pound window, but barely (124.4). I know why. Most days were over goal by 200-600 calories. I am still trying to eat as I normally do but with 10 miles a week less running, it's not possible to keep the weight from creeping up. That 900 calories makes a big difference.

I feel for you. Exercise is so impt, not just for allowing a few more calories but also, for me, it works as an appetite suppressor. I find it much easier to make good choices when I get the e exercise in.

Alllll of this I can relate to recently. Ugh.

sijomial · May 2019

Name: Simon
How long in maintenance: 5+ years
Goal maintenance range: Thinking of revising....***
Current weight: 169lbs
Current goal: 168lbs (but probably less....)
Recent success: After a traumatic week I'm just pleased to have maintained my current weight and am getting back to exercising again. Exercise is really important for my emotional wellbeing.
Strategy for your goal: I just cut calories in a sporadic and fairly unstructured way to give me a slow rate of loss, a small amount here, a bigger chunk there but most days at maintenance.

***
For a few years my maintenance range has been 168 (best cycling weight) to 175 (upper limit I tend to hit during the winter) but considering dropping my range a little lower. Last time I maintained around 164lbs I became hungry all the time despite not being very lean at that weight. But I do like to experiment and being light would help my cycling goals which now include a aiming for a 100 mile PB doing an organised event for a cancer charity.

Nijntjepleintje · May 2019

Name: Nijntje
How long in maintenance: around 9 months
Goal maintenance range: 112-118
Trendweight 27th April: 122.0
Trendweight 5th May: 119.8
Current goal: 116
Recent success: Had a great week foodwise - been much better at not snacking on sweets at work, and being a bit more mindful of why I’m snacking in the evening. Combined with a post TOM water weight drop I’m feeling pretty happy with the scale! After feeling a bit helpless it’s nice to remember that I do have the power to make good choices and see that reflected on the scale

Strategy for success: Heading to a work conference in the US this week (I live in the UK) - conferences have always been terrible for me - a license to eat, snack, drink without thought. I’m going to log everything to avoid the runaway train, and aim for maintenance this week.

nxd10 · May 2019

I'll bite.

Maintenance range was always 150-155. I'm 163 right now and have been there for maybe a year. (This is still 25 pounds lighter than when I started six years ago and a very healthy weight for me).

1. Your current goal: Lose 5 pounds by the time I pitch my business on July 9th. Go on to lose 10.

2. Recent success: I've lost 3 pounds of very recent water weight - still need that 5 pounds. I've started walking again.

3. Walking every day and sticking to a strict whole30 plan is my most effective healthy strategy. My calories are fine. However, if my carbs are too high and my protein is too low, my weight goes up anyway. I also know I need to walk every day or the weight goes on.

xbowhunter · May 2019

Name: Jeff
How long in maintenance: 2+ years
Goal maintenance range: 145-150
Current weight: 155lbs
Current goal: To loose 10lbs by July 01.
Recent success: None.
Strategy for your goal: For me weight loss is a matter of having good discipline with my intake. I need to have my head in the game to make it work. I know what I need to do but doing it and sticking to it is the challenge in itself!

My favorite pants are not fitting me well today. That is a wake-up call for me!

jan110144 · May 2019

Getting easier (at least for now). I ha e really focused on making sure that I eat enough and have not had any issues with bingeing since.

Went out to dinner with friends yesterday. "Banked" some calories so I could indulge. Chosecsalmon for dinner and actually ended under for the day. Had a yummy, favorite evening snack later to make sure I met daily calorie intake. Felt really good about choices and how things are going in general.

MadisonMolly2017 · May 2019

jan110144 wrote: »

Getting easier (at least for now). I ha e really focused on making sure that I eat enough and have not had any issues with bingeing since.

Went out to dinner with friends yesterday. "Banked" some calories so I could indulge. Chosecsalmon for dinner and actually ended under for the day. Had a yummy, favorite evening snack later to make sure I met daily calorie intake. Felt really good about choices and how things are going in general.

@jan110144 I’m so happy for you! (And I’m taking notes as I’m right behind you!)

LastTen2Win · May 2019

Name: Rae
How long in maintenance: About 7.5 years.
Goal maintenance range: 145-150
Current weight: 162
Current goal: 154 by June 6th.
Recent success: I worked out yesterday until fail. Proud I lasted 40 mins.
Strategy for your goal: Count calories. Watch fat and carbs mostly. I am carb sensitive. Workout daily at 70%. DAILY! Stay focus but don't obsess. Drink my proper water intake. Stretch. Keep busy. Meditate. Be honest with myself.

jrwms714 · May 2019

Name:jrwms714
How long in maintenance: 4.5 years
Goal maintenance range: 136.5-138.5
Current weight: 140
Current goal: Back to range above.
Recent success: Have cut out all snacks after dinner and that is working well
Strategy for your goal: Recently had dental surgery which is taking longer than thought and will require a month or more of work, rather than the 2 weeks expected. Due to this, exercise has been at a minimum. I hope to get back regularly, but right now just doing the bare minimum. Have missed about 10 days, which is a lot for me.

jrwms714 · May 2019

Question for long-time maintainers: I am working hard at losing just 2 - 4 lbs. I am only 5'0" and older (72) so it will take longer than for most. I have been at maintenance for 4.5 years. See my post (just above). Exercise has been very regular but has been been stalled for the past month due to ongoing oral surgery work. I have always allowed myself a snack/treat of about 300-400 calories on days that I have earned gym calories. Working at losing the lbs. mentioned, and many days I am below my maintenance of 1500-1800. I would like to keep those snack/treats on my gym days, and have cut out all other snacks after dinner, etc. Your advice? Do I need to cut these out, too, in order to lose this weight? I wonder about feeling deprived and that working against me, or if I just need to white knuckle it to get those few lbs. off?

zeejane4 · May 2019

Name: zeejane
How long in maintenance: 6 years
Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
Current weight: 129.6lbs
Current goal: getting weight to stabilize/stop losing

Well, I'm in an odd situation. I've continued to lose weight and I'm now under my maintenance range. The combination of adding in almost daily walks, now that the weather is nicer, and then the lower carb intake I'm now doing that's significantly reduced my appetite, has caused things to be a bit of a mess, lol.

Ran my numbers through a few TDEE calculators, as well as got some input from other members, and I'm going to start tracking my calories again and try and get in around 1,900 a day. I'm trying to wrap my mind around that number right now, as well as what that looks like on a lower carb/higher fat macros ratio.

psychod787 · May 2019

zeejane4 wrote: »

Name: zeejane
How long in maintenance: 6 years
Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
Current weight: 129.6lbs
Current goal: getting weight to stabilize/stop losing

Well, I'm in an odd situation. I've continued to lose weight and I'm now under my maintenance range. The combination of adding in almost daily walks, now that the weather is nicer, and then the lower carb intake I'm now doing that's significantly reduced my appetite, has caused things to be a bit of a mess, lol.

Ran my numbers through a few TDEE calculators, as well as got some input from other members, and I'm going to start tracking my calories again and try and get in around 1,900 a day. I'm trying to wrap my mind around that number right now, as well as what that looks like on a lower carb/higher fat macros ratio.

Could the lower carb intake cause water weight loss? Just a thought.

jonnymopar · May 2019

Name: Jon J.
How long in maintenance: 3.5 years
Goal maintenance range: 225-230lbs.
Current weight: 237lbs

It was a rough, but bittersweet winter. I welcomed my daughter into the world in January, which was followed by a severe lack of sleep and rapidly going back and forth between stress eating and skipping meals. I wasn't tracking, but I wouldn't be surprised if some days were 1000 calories over my goal while others were 1000 under. Plus, my belt loops don't lie. They've been dropping hints lately. I can actually feel the extra weight, but I also just feel crappy. I'm sure sleep is the main reason, but it just puts emphasis on keeping everything else in check to get me through.

Recent success: started walking at lunch time again! This alone was 90% of the exercise that got me down to my goal weight. It's easy, it's free, and unlike anything else lately, I actually have a regular time slot to do it. In the last couple of weeks, I can already feel the difference, even if no weight has gone away yet. Here's to a productive spring and summer!

zeejane4 · May 2019

psychod787 wrote: »

zeejane4 wrote: »

Name: zeejane
How long in maintenance: 6 years
Goal maintenance range: 130lbs-135lbs
Current weight: 129.6lbs
Current goal: getting weight to stabilize/stop losing

Well, I'm in an odd situation. I've continued to lose weight and I'm now under my maintenance range. The combination of adding in almost daily walks, now that the weather is nicer, and then the lower carb intake I'm now doing that's significantly reduced my appetite, has caused things to be a bit of a mess, lol.

Ran my numbers through a few TDEE calculators, as well as got some input from other members, and I'm going to start tracking my calories again and try and get in around 1,900 a day. I'm trying to wrap my mind around that number right now, as well as what that looks like on a lower carb/higher fat macros ratio.

Could the lower carb intake cause water weight loss? Just a thought.

I lost around 7lbs within a couple weeks of starting, but I'd think that's tapered off now that I'm about a month in?

I'm not fond of tracking but am going to start back up for a while-have today's food inputed and realized that even with adding extra stuff today, I'm at around 1,500 calories. So if my TDEE is 1,800-1,900 then I've definitely been eating at a deficit. I feel so good/full on the lower carb macros ratios though, kind of frustrated right now!

middlehaitch · May 2019

jrwms714 wrote: »

Question for long-time maintainers: I am working hard at losing just 2 - 4 lbs. I am only 5'0" and older (72) so it will take longer than for most. I have been at maintenance for 4.5 years. See my post (just above). Exercise has been very regular but has been been stalled for the past month due to ongoing oral surgery work. I have always allowed myself a snack/treat of about 300-400 calories on days that I have earned gym calories. Working at losing the lbs. mentioned, and many days I am below my maintenance of 1500-1800. I would like to keep those snack/treats on my gym days, and have cut out all other snacks after dinner, etc. Your advice? Do I need to cut these out, too, in order to lose this weight? I wonder about feeling deprived and that working against me, or if I just need to white knuckle it to get those few lbs. off?

Stick to what you are doing. You probably have a few lbs of water retention due to your oral surgeries.

Also, dropping cals while in recovery could hinder, not help.

An extra 15-30 min walk at a strolling pace,if possible, may do a little to off set and burn cals, but in all honesty, I’d just address those pesky pounds once fully recovered.

10yr maintaining, 65, so identify.

PS, I participated in the initial April thread, but have decided not to participate in May. Group accountability makes me rebel. I do worse at meeting my fitness goals than when quietly self directed.

Cheers, h.

fh1951 · May 2019

Name: Frantz
How long in maintenance: 8 years
Goal maintenance range: 180-190
Current weight: 190, down from 212 January 28
Current goal: 185 by Memorial Day
Recent success: 13.1% body fat May 8
Strategy for your goal: Eat right, exercise, and log everything on MFP

jrwms714 · May 2019

@middlehaitch : Thanks! Your reply made total sense. I think I knew it but just needed to hear it. Also, I totally relate to your p.s.!

nxd10 · May 2019

I love all you long-term-maintainers! It also makes me feel like I'm not the only one who has drifted up a bit but is still basically in the successful category. BUT 5 pounds by July.

May Challenge: Maintainers Back on Track Thread

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