If there was ONE thing about maintenance you would share with everyone...

Its_laurel · August 2019

I hit goal five years ago. Logged for 18 months afterward to get a good feel for maintenance. At the beginning, I lost weight when I stopped logging, but stabilized within my goal range for another couple years. Then life happened...injuries, rehab three times, anxiety... I knew I needed to start logging again to help adjust my intake to account for my new circumstances and diminished activity and I just couldn't bring myself to embrace the structure again. I really wanted to learn to lose weight without logging. I enjoyed the freedom too much and have regained half of the 80 pounds I lost.

When I was here regularly the first time, someone explained that they know how to lose weight, but they don't know how to make themselves care. I now understand that. And it scares the crap out of me. Even two years ago, I would have sworn on anything that I would never let myself gain this much weight back without doing something about it, especially since I know what works, but I was wrong.

So, my advice... Remember why you lost weight to begin with and don't let yourself be so stubborn in denying you need a tool to help you. Because that's all it is, a tool. And don't let yourself feel ashamed for needing to log in order to maintain.

pjwrt · August 2019

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

I hit goal five years ago. Logged for 18 months afterward to get a good feel for maintenance. At the beginning, I lost weight when I stopped logging, but stabilized within my goal range for another couple years. Then life happened...injuries, rehab three times, anxiety... I knew I needed to start logging again to help adjust my intake to account for my new circumstances and diminished activity and I just couldn't bring myself to embrace the structure again. I really wanted to learn to lose weight without logging. I enjoyed the freedom too much and have regained half of the 80 pounds I lost.

When I was here regularly the first time, someone explained that they know how to lose weight, but they don't know how to make themselves care. I now understand that. And it scares the crap out of me. Even two years ago, I would have sworn on anything that I would never let myself gain this much weight back without doing something about it, especially since I know what works, but I was wrong.

So, my advice... Remember why you lost weight to begin with and don't let yourself be so stubborn in denying you need a tool to help you. Because that's all it is, a tool. And don't let yourself feel ashamed for needing to log in order to maintain.

yikes...spot on.

Everyone, literally everyone, gains weight due to injuries or winter. Every single winter, I'll gain half the weight back, then come spring, I'll lose it. (Our 16 hour nights don't help any, either.) This winter will be different. I'll log on and won't cook all those great comfort dinners.

I've never had a particularly healthy body. I've always been strong and eaten correctly, but I've got a myriad of little things that kept me from Olympic class fitness. Such is life, as they say. I'm still alive and at 62, can deadlift 400 and curl 120. A ten mile bike ride is my lunch time activity.

ahoy_m8 · August 2019

Lost 40 pounds in college and have maintained 30 years (pregnancy notwithstanding). I'm 54.

Maintenance is an every day battle for me. I realize it's not for everyone, but for me it is. It's a battle I'm winning, but it's not effortless. Sometimes it seems like more effort than it should be (mental effort to resist urges), but the effort is always worth it. It feels great to live in a body that's comfortable and strong. The simple truth is I always would like more to eat (and drink) than maintenance. Sometimes it's easy to tell myself I've had enough and wait until tomorrow. Sometimes it's a real struggle to overcome the urge to have more. And I get what HappyCamper and pjwrt are saying about seasons where I care more and seasons where I care less. Life happens. Priorities shift. But my health, feeling good in my body, not having to buy new clothes

always rank on the priority list. I absolutely have several month stretches where I don't pay attention to my intake, and my weight always creeps up (never down). No biggie -- when I hit the top of my 5 lb range, I know how to lose 5 lb. It takes me 10 weeks. That is the definition of successful maintenance to me -- regaining and re-losing the same 5 lb over & over.

kimber0607 · August 2019

You MUST measure be aware of changes with your body...weight gain
I avoided the scale because I told myself the number didnt matter....but I need accountability..
lot easier to shed 2-3 pounds that you have regained rather than 20 pounds
I dont weigh daily...maybe every 2 weeks or even once mnth
I also have a pair of jeans I make sure to try on once a month......

beulah81 · August 2019

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

Lost 40 pounds in college and have maintained 30 years (pregnancy notwithstanding). I'm 54.

Maintenance is an every day battle for me. I realize it's not for everyone, but for me it is. It's a battle I'm winning, but it's not effortless. Sometimes it seems like more effort than it should be (mental effort to resist urges), but the effort is always worth it. It feels great to live in a body that's comfortable and strong. The simple truth is I always would like more to eat (and drink) than maintenance. Sometimes it's easy to tell myself I've had enough and wait until tomorrow. Sometimes it's a real struggle to overcome the urge to have more. And I get what HappyCamper and pjwrt are saying about seasons where I care more and seasons where I care less. Life happens. Priorities shift. But my health, feeling good in my body, not having to buy new clothes always rank on the priority list. I absolutely have several month stretches where I don't pay attention to my intake, and my weight always creeps up (never down). No biggie -- when I hit the top of my 5 lb range, I know how to lose 5 lb. It takes me 10 weeks. That is the definition of successful maintenance to me -- regaining and re-losing the same 5 lb over & over.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It is helpful to hear thoughts of those who've been there and share what has worked and what hasn't.

zebasschick · August 2019

elisa123gal wrote: »

A year into maintenance ...

I feel like I have training wheels on... I'm not bad at this..just not as good as I know I someday will be. So, I keep working on my habits and rethinking my patterns to improve.

My biggest tip is to make sure you donate all your larger sized clothes so you have nothing to grow into. I also find having my food scale out on the counter to weigh my food here and there keeps me from over and under eating.

i kept my bigger clothes, and after i put the weight back on while we were caring for our elderly cat (which was so hard but worth it), i was happy the bigger clothes were there. i'm back down to one size smaller so far, and i also kept part of the weigh down and my goal weight clothes, so hopefully i'll be into them again in the next few months.

ellie117 · August 2019

This has been a helpful thread to read, as I lost 65lbs last year but have gained 15lbs back.

I'm still better off than my starting point, but I let myself go in terms of eating junk/drinking beer too often compared to when I was losing. I was off MFP and didn't weigh myself during my gain period, so I think the key to losing that 15 and maintaining will be to continuously log on here, and weigh at least weekly if not daily.

Thanks for the tips!

If there was ONE thing about maintenance you would share with everyone...

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