Three Years Later

cmriverside · October 2019

So...

It takes time.

It really takes a lot more time than one would think, and it's a nuanced thing.

So my two cents would be, if you're (generic "you") super hungry you're not eating enough. I'm at year 12 now in mostly maintenance. The first few years (like maybe two) were up and down 10 pounds with the seasons. I was also 15 pounds heavier at baseline than I am now. I was *just* inside the the healthy weight range.

I didn't lose the last 15 pounds until I was three years into my Myfitnesspal membership. I tried not logging, not weighing myself, not using a food scale, intuitive eating, and every other permutation of using or not using "the tools" during the first three years after I lost my initial 60 pounds.

I was all over the place.

I finally decided to lose that last 15 pounds and that was another nine months of Hell, truly. It was HARD for me to get to 21-22 BMI, 140-145, 5'7"-5'8" but I'm so glad I did it. I struggled a lot with hunger in the process and right after I lost the last 15. It took a good year to settle. Now I feel (mostly, but not always) content with my calorie goal.

I can stick with it as long as I stay in a narrow calorie range. If I under-eat (Ha! Like that happens, ever) I get hungry. Interestingly, if I over-eat I also get hungrier in the next couple days. It's like my body or mind says, "Oh, my Precious."

Narrow calorie range. Good nutrition, enough protein and vegetables, and an hour exercise 3-5 days per week. I still have to log food. I still step on the body weight scale daily. And mostly, I also believe it has to become a habit that I don't resent in any way. It's simply a part of Life Maintenance.

swim777 · October 2019

Listening! Losing weight again after two years of maintenance. On my way back down, trying to hit that happy balance this time. Exercise is fine, calories are okay for now, but I really struggled to maintain. I don’t want to lose a large amount again. It wasn’t as bad as the first time, but it is crazy to keep having to start over. All tips are welcome!

MadisonMolly2017 · October 2019

SarahAnne3958 wrote: »

I'm over 7 years into this process now and maintenance continues to be very challenging for me, more-so the further into it I get. Like you I got so freakin' tired of the tracking, the hunger from having to stop eating because I was out of calories etc. And then this year I started transitioning into perimenopause, and that's added a layer of difficulty on top of an already frustrating experience.

I've made some drastic changes to my maintenance plan over the past few months and things are going much better now but I know that I have a long road ahead of me yet, along with the ups and downs that will continue to come as I get closer to menopause etc.

I don't have any advice but I completely understand and empathize with you. Best of luck to you as you continue to move forward ~hugs~

@SarahAnne3958
Thank you for your insights.

I’m curious what drastic changes you made to your maintenance , if you are willing to share!

jrwms714 · October 2019

I just hit my 5 year maintenance anniversary and can honestly say it hasn't been all that difficult. Maintenance to me is just more calories than when I was losing. I still weigh and log - both daily - but in the past 7 years, my view of food has totally changed and that makes it much easier than when it was unhealthy. We all come at this from different perspectives ... it is possible that things will get hard for me again ... so I am always vigilant and it's just become as much of a habit as teeth brushing! I do go over my maintenance range, and that can be frustrating when I am doing everything as I should. But I just let myself take that into account and do what I need to do (more exercise, fewer calories) to get back on track. Sometimes it takes a loooooooong time to get my head there ... but so far, I have. I think that maintenance becomes easier once you realize it's forever and that it's a path you want to be on. I know people struggle with it, and I have, in the past, but I think, as time goes on and you forge your own way, it can get to be easier. At least, I hope so for all of us!

brenn24179 · October 2019

I had so much fear of gaining the weight back but seems to be losening up. I know if I go thru difficult situations I might gain but I know how to get it off and so I can do it again!

momlongerwalk · October 2019

After many years of on and off logging (sometimes for months & months, diligently), recently I found I was terribly resentful about logging. In fact, logging was hurting my efforts, as I would beat myself up about going above my reasonable maintenance level. So I stopped, reviewed the intuitive eating precepts, and decided to act like an adult about this (my terms used to myself, not applicable to others). Now, for a few months, I've just paid attention to my eating without obsessing over it and while I'm a few pounds above where I'd be most trim and happy, it's not been taking up the bandwidth in my head & life. My weight is also seemingly fairly stable. I do still measure, as an ounce of cheese is hard to judge, for example, and I don't wish to overindulge when I'm not seeking to do so. I'm trying to ditch the fear and I might just be getting there.

elisa123gal · October 2019

maintaining is where real change has to take place..and it takes time and failures..at least for me that's how it has been.
I regain some..then get it back off.. and I go back and forth trying to learn more each time about myself, my habits and how I can do better this time. It is constant work..but worthwhile work. But now when I look back on how I used to eat and HOW much I used to eat and I have changed significantly and for good.
what that means, is I'm never going to gain it all back.. I might be fighting five pounds back and forth.. ..but I'm not going back to my old ways of eating which is true change.

bosque1234 · October 2019

I'm finally able to trust the absorption of all the facts and habits and evidence of the last couple of years and have hopefully found a version of intuitive eating that is working for me.

Your post is golden. Thank you so much.

MelanieCN77 · October 2019

I'm still hanging in here and not logging. I'm eating carefully and doing all the things I did before including planning ahead and making sure not to get too hungry, prioritizing my eating schedule on the fly. I've seen a couple of spikes but I've also seen a couple of lows. Taking what I know from the last few years and not reacting drastically, I've seen them normalize as I know they should. I've simultaneously been able to ease up on the extent of my workouts but also make progress in them which is an odd thing to get my head around. Today was a super off day - power outage and extra hungry from a light eating day yesterday plus boredom... don't think I ate a single vegetable haha I always eat tons. Eggs and toast, a garbanzo piccata stew thing with some toast, and then a bunch of chocolate. Bag of Wotsits. Ate some cottage cheese. Hanging out at Starbucks charging my junk and getting my internet fix before going home for a last snack (who knows, today is whatever) and remembering tomorrow is a whole other day and I am doing this thing and it's going to be ok.

LivingtheLeanDream · October 2019

Thanks for the update @MelanieCN77
I've not logged this week and feeling very on top of things. I've not logged before different times and for several months at a time. I go back to logging now and again if I see weight creep but I've realised I actually don't need to log to either lose/maintain. And not logging makes me happy

I like having the confidence to know I really do have this and I think you have too

MelanieCN77 · March 2020

Today is my three years mark maintaining my goal weight! I've been weighing in the 133s all week, and am very happy about it. Still 99% off log, I get some accountability if I see some creep, but mostly am managing to freestyle. I've been vegetarianish since August and I think it's helped me in many ways, and I am fulfilling that teenage (many, MANY years later lol) angst desire to not be ethically confused about eating meat.

Slept like absolute garbage, but this run ain't gonna run itself.

Three Years Later

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