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janejellyroll wrote: »What was hard for me: transitioning to feeling "success" without seeing the scale move down. I learned to let maintaining be its own reward, but it was a big mental adjustment.
Giving yourself time to adjust to maintaining is a great idea. I wish I'd been as intentional with it, but it all worked out.
I have seen several people make similar comments about adjusting to a new meaning of success. That is one of the reasons I wanted to give myself new and easy ways to "win" each day and let calorie management be on the same level as brushing my teeth. I have no idea if it will work.
Because of how I stopped I have some unrealized weight loss (meaning I never saw it on the scale). On Sat I was already masking about 4 pounds and since then I have upticked some more and I am a full 9ish pounds heavier than I could be on the scale. So even now I still expect to see a new low weight at some point after things regulate again. I guess that will cut into my maintenance experience some.
I think my first 4 month maintenance goals are to:
1) Learn how my weight behaves.
2) See how it feels to not expect losses
3) Adjust to balancing my calories closer to zero
3 will probably be one of the harder things for me to do. My logging habits tend to be high. I also eat a variable amount of daily calories and while losing as long as I didn't create more than an extra 875ish calories worth of deficit in a week I didn't bother with eating them back if I didn't want them.1 -
psychod787 wrote: »psychod787 wrote: »Sunday started my 4 month maintenance/recomp period. This is part of my overall plan to be over-prepared for full-time maintenance... assuming that is possible.
For several months now I have been working on habits, NEAT improvement, and trying to consider my strategy. It helped me to stop thinking of this as preparing for maintenance and start thinking of it as self-improvement and not just with regards to weight management and fitness. I have been building other good habits because I believe good habits breed the same. If I am going to fit more exercise into my day I need a stronger habit base to improve time management. If I am going to maintain my accountability and make mindful decisions I need to understand how to establish better habits and environment to reduce temptation.
I have increased both my NEAT and my exercise calories. I have overshot my goal there but I suspect that will scale back down some over time.
As it stands my plan is to do 4 months of maint/recomp, return to a deficit for a couple of months, and then do another 4 months. After that I am sure I will be ready to finish my weight loss phase.
I know it won't feel exactly the same because I will always know this is ending and real maintenance is forever but I want to simulate it as much as possible. I want to feel like I will have a good handle on this because going back to my morbid obese life just can't be an option.
Right now I think I will continue with my practice of banking some calories for the weekend. That seems ridiculous at this calorie level but I really have no need for so many during the work week. I don't want to start drinking weekly or even monthly but I never intended to push alcohol so far out of my system so banking gives me an opportunity there too.
I appreciate any wisdom offered.
Bro, why in the *kitten* do you think you will have problems on maintenance? You seem to be smart and fairly resilient. You got this.
I was in a prison of my own fat. It created disabilities from which I am now free. I am allowed to be afraid of regaining. More importantly this is not a new thought. When I thought I might do this months ago it immediately felt right. I may not listen to my body that much but I do trust my instincts.
I am also very aware that for the foreseeable future the thought of bulking will not sit well with me. I also know that if I lost all my weight right this minute I still won't be happy with my aesthetics because my fitness level is still too low. I have spare fat so I might as well try to convert some of it to muscle.
I have roughly 25 pounds left to lose. I am in a good place and in no hurry. Unless I get news from a doctor that puts a priority back on losing weight I see no harm in this approach.
We are more alike than we are different. I have been through all of that and am continuing to fight my fears slowly. Anytime you need to chat, send me a message. Us "big" boys who have lost insane amounts of weight need to stick together.
'Preciate that.
I think my fears are appropriate at the moment. I shouldn't feel comfortable. I should channel that into something productive which is part of what this plan is about.
There is nothing insane about this plan except some people would probably be very uncomfortable doing it. I can be extremely patient which is irritating in a way because I was never patient with my weight loss before recently. It is funny (not humorous) how we can have such major blind spots in our lives.5 -
Sounds like a great way to take the long view! Good luck my friend!1
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Getting ahead of it mentally is a good call. Like for many, my transition into maintenance was rocky and I still question many things. I drift in and out of logging like continuing education, I find it helpful and reassuring when all the other markers and numbers could be saying any number of things. Also remembering that the long view is even more important to get a handle on - telling people trying to lose to look out 4-6 weeks is a decent time frame for those in that phase, whereas it's months and longer for maintenance. Course corrections also needn't be dramatic for this reason.
You got this!2 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »Getting ahead of it mentally is a good call. Like for many, my transition into maintenance was rocky and I still question many things. I drift in and out of logging like continuing education, I find it helpful and reassuring when all the other markers and numbers could be saying any number of things. Also remembering that the long view is even more important to get a handle on - telling people trying to lose to look out 4-6 weeks is a decent time frame for those in that phase, whereas it's months and longer for maintenance. Course corrections also needn't be dramatic for this reason.
You got this!
My plan is for 4 months but that is just a number I chose. I will need to wait for a usable scale result which for me is even more problematic because there have been times while losing that 6 weeks was not enough time to get past the fluctuation noise. Add to that this is also for recomp so that will be a headache on the scale as well.
My scale result is pretty high today. I am also pretty sore so no surprises there. I was starting to slide back down a bit for a couple of days but then jumped 2.4 pounds again between yesterday and today. As I said one of my goals was to try to establish how my weight would normally behave in maintenance. I have a good feel for how it behaves while losing... well as much as anyone can.2 -
I've used a 16-Week reporting cycle for several years in Maintenance. You don't even want to hear about my spreadsheet. I've stopped mentioning it in polite company because even *I* can see that it is over-the-top as far as the thought that goes into maintaining my weight.
HUGE life change.
HUGE issues to overcome, for anyone losing significant weight. I posted in another thread this morning about just some of the factors I had to think about, change, question, etc. Everything from the macros puzzle, nutrition, stress, alcohol, sleep, snacking, meal timing, food choices, exercise, logging, and more. It's a complicated physiological and psychological change. I don't think that ever ends, honestly.
I'm now several years into my 16-Week reporting. I still have one massive Excel sheet, but every 16 weeks I take a look back and see if anything really got better and then I make some goals. Little things these days, like, "I will stop buying chocolate treats." Do I make it through those 16 weeks without buying chocolate treats? No, probably not, but it's on my radar as Important. I credit that 16-Week idea for quitting all kinds of bad habits that take time. Stuff doesn't just magically change, I have to work at it and 16 weeks is a lot less daunting than Forever.8 -
lol. My Larger Losers group is probably sick of hearing about my spreadsheet too. Mine is on version 6 which just started again on Jan 10th to help determine my latest TDEE. I will continue to use it through at least this first recomp/maintenance cycle.
I guess that is another goal. To determine what changes I might need to make to my spreadsheet to guide me into the forever.
I have still managed to create a little over a 1k deficit this first week. That is not too bad and I will erase some of it this weekend. It is hard to turn off the losing switch when I still have some weight that will need to be lost. My recomp is starting pretty slow so a little deficit is not going to hinder much the first couple of weeks. I really do want this to be as close to a net zero period gain/loss though as I can get. I know it will not happen and I will definitely have lost or gained some amount of weight (probably lost) but that should give me info for the next trial.
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Chiming in to wish you all the best on your quest. Anxious to hear how it goes. We all have our demons.1
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(snip)
I appreciate any wisdom offered.
Just in to wish you well, express my confidence that you're more than up to accomplishing this successfully (and will learn from it) . . . and to LOL a little at the implication that us random maintainers might have some additional wisdom that you don't.
cmriverside wrote: »
(snip)
HUGE life change.
HUGE issues to overcome, for anyone losing significant weight. I posted in another thread this morning about just some of the factors I had to think about, change, question, etc. Everything from the macros puzzle, nutrition, stress, alcohol, sleep, snacking, meal timing, food choices, exercise, logging, and more. It's a complicated physiological and psychological change. I don't think that ever ends, honestly.
(snip)
And just to make things more entertaining, some of the relevant external and internal factors change over time, too, so approach that used to work well now needs some tweaking. Fun stuff. 2 -
(snip)
I appreciate any wisdom offered.
Just in to wish you well, express my confidence that you're more than up to accomplishing this successfully (and will learn from it) . . . and to LOL a little at the implication that us random maintainers might have some additional wisdom that you don't.cmriverside wrote: »
(snip)
HUGE life change.
HUGE issues to overcome, for anyone losing significant weight. I posted in another thread this morning about just some of the factors I had to think about, change, question, etc. Everything from the macros puzzle, nutrition, stress, alcohol, sleep, snacking, meal timing, food choices, exercise, logging, and more. It's a complicated physiological and psychological change. I don't think that ever ends, honestly.
(snip)
And just to make things more entertaining, some of the relevant external and internal factors change over time, too, so approach that used to work well now needs some tweaking. Fun stuff.
Wisdom is generally either sought or forced upon us. It is better to seek it than to always require a trial.3 -
Add to that this is also for recomp so that will be a headache on the scale as well.
My scale result is pretty high today. I am also pretty sore so no surprises there. I was starting to slide back down a bit for a couple of days but then jumped 2.4 pounds again between yesterday and today. As I said one of my goals was to try to establish how my weight would normally behave in maintenance. I have a good feel for how it behaves while losing... well as much as anyone can.
Yesss I just had one of these 'moments' myself. I've done unstructured resistance workouts for pretty much the last several years and on a whim decided to really try a program and lift heavy. It was only an 8 week program but the scale really played with my mind during it. It's tiring to keep reminding oneself what it all means but it must sink in eventually. In some ways I'm so much freer than I have been but in other ways I still feel encumbered when it comes to watching my food. I suspect that once you've had an "it's complicated" relationship with food, it will always be so to some extent.
5 -
(snip)
I appreciate any wisdom offered.
Just in to wish you well, express my confidence that you're more than up to accomplishing this successfully (and will learn from it) . . . and to LOL a little at the implication that us random maintainers might have some additional wisdom that you don't.cmriverside wrote: »
(snip)
HUGE life change.
HUGE issues to overcome, for anyone losing significant weight. I posted in another thread this morning about just some of the factors I had to think about, change, question, etc. Everything from the macros puzzle, nutrition, stress, alcohol, sleep, snacking, meal timing, food choices, exercise, logging, and more. It's a complicated physiological and psychological change. I don't think that ever ends, honestly.
(snip)
And just to make things more entertaining, some of the relevant external and internal factors change over time, too, so approach that used to work well now needs some tweaking. Fun stuff.
Yup.
Some things still have my claw marks on them. Some things have gotten way easier though - so there's that.
I did bounce around 10 pounds up and down for the first couple years of maintenance. Then somehow it just became a steady weight and now I almost can't change it. I just stay within a three pound range.5 -
cmriverside wrote: »
(snip)
I appreciate any wisdom offered.
Just in to wish you well, express my confidence that you're more than up to accomplishing this successfully (and will learn from it) . . . and to LOL a little at the implication that us random maintainers might have some additional wisdom that you don't.cmriverside wrote: »
(snip)
HUGE life change.
HUGE issues to overcome, for anyone losing significant weight. I posted in another thread this morning about just some of the factors I had to think about, change, question, etc. Everything from the macros puzzle, nutrition, stress, alcohol, sleep, snacking, meal timing, food choices, exercise, logging, and more. It's a complicated physiological and psychological change. I don't think that ever ends, honestly.
(snip)
And just to make things more entertaining, some of the relevant external and internal factors change over time, too, so approach that used to work well now needs some tweaking. Fun stuff.
Yup.
Some things still have my claw marks on them. Some things have gotten way easier though - so there's that.
I did bounce around 10 pounds up and down for the first couple years of maintenance. Then somehow it just became a steady weight and now I almost can't change it. I just stay within a three pound range.
I hope I will eventually stabilize. My capacity for bloat is unnerving at times. I go away for vacation and come back 20 pounds heavier almost every time.4 -
I echo the slightly crazy, like a fox, bro up-thread. As long as you keep keeping that head in the game the way you have been you will be in as good a shape as anyone can be!
Depending on what statistic you believe only like 10 percent of anyone who gets to a goal successfully maintains it. My logic in this regard is pretty simple. If I want to be among the 10 percent I can't behave like the 90 percent. I don't see many people being this crazy so I will take you at your word that I might actually be in good shape.
Just want to celebrate your insightfulness here. So very very true, and one of the things leering at me (~4 kg from maintenance...).2 -
I echo the slightly crazy, like a fox, bro up-thread. As long as you keep keeping that head in the game the way you have been you will be in as good a shape as anyone can be!
Depending on what statistic you believe only like 10 percent of anyone who gets to a goal successfully maintains it. My logic in this regard is pretty simple. If I want to be among the 10 percent I can't behave like the 90 percent. I don't see many people being this crazy so I will take you at your word that I might actually be in good shape.
Just want to celebrate your insightfulness here. So very very true, and one of the things leering at me (~4 kg from maintenance...).
I wouldn't know for sure but I would think that you using the word "leering" is a good sign that you respect the process enough to do well at it. I don't think of it as some huge undertaking but I can't afford to kick back and think it will all take care of itself either. I would rather be cautious to a ridiculous degree. Plus this trial is piggy-backing on recomp which is getting most of my attention.
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Sunday to Sunday I still managed to create nearly 1500 calories of deficit. My weight is still up 10 pounds over my low which is not surprising and not something I expect to change for a few weeks. I am on my second trip through my recomp routine and now I am realizing I need to adjust a few things. No surprise there either.
I would give my first 7 days a C- grade. I knew I had some banked calories to eat this weekend and I didn't feel comfortable eating them and it is probably because of my weight upticking. So even though I expected the hike a few of those irrational demons were whispering in my ear and won. I know you might be thinking that I could eat them today but I usually prefer to start a clean slate on Monday. I also think these smaller over/under numbers will probably balance themselves without being forced.4 -
So...you're not trying to lose or maintain...you're trying a bulk/cut cycle?
I mean, your posts are all over the place in this thread from losing to maintaining to bulk. I think you could pick a direction and stick with that direction for 4-6 weeks, just like when you were losing. Get off the fence.
You know your calorie needs, right? You have the spreadsheet. Trust the process a little.
How about just getting comfortable at a goal range of five pounds and then lifting some heavy stuff and putting it back down.
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cmriverside wrote: »So...you're not trying to lose or maintain...you're trying a bulk/cut cycle?
I mean, your posts are all over the place in this thread from losing to maintaining to bulk. I think you could pick a direction and stick with that direction for 4-6 weeks, just like when you were losing. Get off the fence.
You know your calorie needs, right? You have the spreadsheet. Trust the process a little.
How about just getting comfortable at a goal range of five pounds and then lifting some heavy stuff and putting it back down.
I do not feel like I am on the fence. Just trying to adjust. I am trying to recomp and practice maintenance while I do it. I don't recall saying anything remotely about trying to bulk, in fact, I thought I was quite clear that I probably would likely not be comfortable doing anything like that for several years after I reach some sort of goal.
I probably did lose a little this last week which is not my goal but, again, trying to adjust. That is why I gave my first week an unsatisfactory grade.3 -
:flowerforyou:2
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cmriverside wrote: »So...you're not trying to lose or maintain...you're trying a bulk/cut cycle?
I mean, your posts are all over the place in this thread from losing to maintaining to bulk. I think you could pick a direction and stick with that direction for 4-6 weeks, just like when you were losing. Get off the fence.
You know your calorie needs, right? You have the spreadsheet. Trust the process a little.
How about just getting comfortable at a goal range of five pounds and then lifting some heavy stuff and putting it back down.
I do not feel like I am on the fence. Just trying to adjust. I am trying to recomp and practice maintenance while I do it. I don't recall saying anything remotely about trying to bulk, in fact, I thought I was quite clear that I probably would likely not be comfortable doing anything like that for several years after I reach some sort of goal.
I probably did lose a little this last week which is not my goal but, again, trying to adjust. That is why I gave my first week an unsatisfactory grade.
I don’t think this sounds ‘unsatisfactory’. You are an analytical person and are well on top of your data. Go easy on yourself. It’s not unsatisfactory, you are still learning how to do maintenance.3
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