January Check In!

Bravo! Steady and healthy.

@speyerj

It gets easier.

There. I told you. It's actually not true, but there you go.

Someone in a group I'm a member of here put this out there that he gleaned from a motivational speech:

I truly believe that the biggest factor in developing a healthy eating lifestyle is a positive, determined frame of mind. Diet plans I tried in the past didn't work, but to be honest I never really expected them to work.

The difference for me came from telling myself, "This is it. You can do it. You WILL do it." I didn't focus mainly on weight loss but on empowering myself to set goals and then meet them.

It is important to think positive thoughts about yourself and your journey to a healthy lifestyle. You may face hard times during your transition. The key is to stay focused on your goals and you will always reach them. Like Ralph Marston has said, "Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality."
...

This isn't a diet so there is no ending point. It is all about living every day, making right choices for my health.

He went on to write about that concept:

Time and again I’ve seen this concept. Forget about motivation for a diet. Set goals, track calories, track weight, develop a consistent eating pattern, exercise regularly, make healthier choices for both mind and body. If you fall down, don't beat yourself up. Get back up and keep going. Don't be afraid to make changes. You simply can't fail if you never give up.

Success comes from embracing a lifelong healthy lifestyle.


I wrote this to myself a while back.

Death by a Thousand Cuts

So you've made the choice to live a healthier lifestyle... or have you?

Do you find yourself having to convince yourself over and over again to make a healthier choice? THAT is the death by a thousand cuts.

You've MADE the choice to be healthier already (or you wouldn't be here). Now LIVE by it.

There's good news, though. He also shared this:

In 2005 the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had this to say about long term weight loss maintenance.

To maintain their weight loss, members report engaging in high levels of physical activity (≈1 h/d), eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet, eating breakfast regularly, self-monitoring weight, and maintaining a consistent eating pattern across weekdays and weekends. Moreover, weight loss maintenance may get easier over time; after individuals have successfully maintained their weight loss for 2–5 y, the chance of longer-term success greatly increases.

I hope that helps. It doesn't get easier. Well, it might. But it takes a few years. Even then.... I was maintaining fairly well for about 2.5 years until October, and it's been a struggle again since then.

speyerj wrote: »

Name: Jane
Age: 55
Height: 5'9''
Total weight lost: ~125
Time it took to lose: 16 months
How long in maintenance: 6 months
Maintenance weight range: 160 -166

Average weight recorded for 2019: 247
Average weight recorded for 2020: 181

Average weight recorded for October 2020: 164.3
Average weight recorded for November 2020: 165.3
Average weight recorded for December 2020:163.8

Average weight recorded from January:
Average weight recorded from February:
Average weight recorded from March:
Average weight recorded from April:
Average weight recorded from May:
Average weight recorded for June:
Average weight recorded for July:
Average weight recorded for August:
Average weight recorded for September:
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Average weight recorded for December:


Average weight Week of...

January 2: 165
January 9: 164.5
January 16:164.3
January 23
January 30


Success/Struggles: Well, I'm keeping my average weight below 165, which is what I want, but just barely. I've struggled this week with the realization that maintenance requires the same discipline and vigilance as weight loss, but you don't get the reward of watching inches and pounds drop. Please tell me that it gets easier. Or do you just move on to where you accept that this is your new way of life and deal with it?

Hi @speyerj!
I seem to be in the minority, but I find maintenance SO much more pleasant than dieting or being obese. I get to look better in my clothes, exercise without pain, and eat more than when I was dieting.

I did find the first 6 months stressful, as Every other time I lost weight, I gained it back. It takes a while to figure out your own path in maintenance.

The turning point for me....
When I came up with the question:
How might I make maintenance easy & stressfree? How might I insure my success?

Then, I did those things.

Hang in there, and yes, #NeverGiveUp

😘Maddie

mtaratoot wrote: »

Struggle of the week: I might have to leave this group for a while if I can't continue maintaining.

Hey, if it's any help, after losing 35 kg 6 years ago I put on 10 kg about 9 months ago, and have maintained since then, and am still here.

I find being in here keeps me doing all those healthy habits that stick to maintenance.

Maybe just aim to maintain for a while, not lose.

Name: Maddie
Height: 174 cm
Total weight lost: ~75
Time it took to lose: 2-2/3 years
How long in maintenance: 2-1/3 years
Maintenance weight range: 153-155

Average weight recorded for 2016: 228.3
Average weight recorded for 2017: 197
Average weight recorded for 2018: 172
Average weight recorded for 2019: 155
Average weight recorded for 2020: 156.8

Avg 2021 wt recorded for Jan (so far): 154.66


Average weight Week of...
January 3………154.36 Trend: 154.3
January 10…..... 154.6 Trend: 155 (top end) so Took Action!
January 17……….154.7 Trend 155.0 (top end/take action number)
January 24……….
January 31………..

Success/Struggles:
Week ending:
Jan 3 88 min
Cutting back to help bursitis
Jan 10 68 min HRV vastly higher???
Jan 17 60min

Cutting back daily calories because I am not burning as many calories & decreasing sugary foods for health & to reduce “mouth hunger.” Stopped purchasing “treat foods” Next will be stopping the purchase of white flour foods that also have more salt than I though - that should decrease “fake hunger” too!

Take Care,
Maddie

Name: Charlotte
Age: 56
Height: 5'11" (180cm)
Maintenance range: 75kg (+/- 2.5 kg)

Weight lost: 86kg to 80 kg (January-August 2012); 85 kg to 69 kg (October 2014 - March 2016); 88kg to present weight (May 2020 - now)
maintained (i.e. was below 77.5 kg, and mostly below 75 kg) from February 2015-July 2017; was then put on a medication and gained 2 kg in a month; went on sabbatical (away from scales; lots of conference meals); hit (peri-)menopause and lost track of things except to note that I was steadily gaining and back to 85/86 kg.
Lost to 81 kg at Easter 2020 (top of normal bmi for me), but then gained back to 88 kg in April/May (Easter egg binge; lock down closed the pool...).
Average weight October 2014 - September 2015: 75.72 kg
Average weight October 2015 - September 2016: 72.33 kg
Average weight October 2016 - September 2017: 76.82 kg - monthly average within maintenance range (74.82 - 77.86 kg) for the first 10 months, then >79 kg in August and September
Average weight October 2017 - March 2018: 80.90 kg
April 2018-April 2020: no data
Average weight 22 May - 31 December 2020: 80.83 kg

Average weight recorded for May 2020 (22.-31.5.2020): 87.15 kg
Average weight recorded for June: 85.31 kg
Average weight recorded for July: 83.12 kg
Average weight recorded for August: 81.07 kg
Average weight recorded for September: 79.59 kg
Average weight recorded for October: 77.81 kg
Average weight recorded for November: 76.67 kg
Average weight recorded for December: 75.93 kg

Weight / seven day rolling average:
5 January: 75.7 kg (167 lb) / rolling 7-day average 76.04 kg
12 January: 75.3 kg (166 lb) / rolling 7-day average 75.41 kg
19 January: 76.9 kg (170 lb) / rolling 7-day average 76.14 kg
26 January:

Average weight recorded for January 2021 currently: 75.83 kg

I have been in my maintenance range since late October, and hit my goal weight of 75kg just after Christmas, rather to my surprise. I plan to maintain for a while at 75 kg, and then perhaps adjust my maintenance weight down to 72 kg (+/- 2.5 kg). However, given how long it took me to lose from 77.5 kg, I am wondering if this range is too large. Ideally I would like my rolling averages to be coming out as 75 kg +/- 0.5 kg, and I about 1kg off this at the moment.

Successes/struggles: Up quite a lot this week, though still in my maintenance range. I have been eating too much of the chocolate left over from Christmas, and I need to start logging my food again. I have started exercising again, so hope it will be down again tomorrow/next week.

Name: Ben
Age: 51
Height: 6'
Total weight lost: ~65 lbs
Time it took to lose: 8 months
How long in maintenance: Since ~ August 2018
Maintenance weight range: 160-168

Average weight recorded for 2019: 162.8
Average weight recorded for 2020: 162.1

Week of:
January 3rd: 162.1 (trend 161.8)
January 10th: 159 (trend 161.4)
January 17th: 158.8 (trend 159.9)

Challenges: The weight trend is a bit lower than I'd like, though mostly due to a GI bug. The same lingering bug has cut into my exercise, though I'm still managing 20+K/day steps. There's a temptation to use high-calorie treats to bridge the calorie gap, but for the most part I've resisted.

Successes: One new year's resolution has been to eat lower on the food chain and reduce my carbon footprint (with a splash of health/ethical concerns.) I've been doing mostly fruits and vegetables with some fish and shellfish and haven't felt particularly deprived. So far, so good.

425Recess wrote: »

Name: Lorrraine
Age: 73
Height: 5'4"
Total weight lost: 50 lb.
Time it took to lose: Over years with ups/downs
How long in maintenance: at current weight ~3 years - Was on maintenance for 7 years at 125 lbs.
Maintenance weight range: 115 +/- 2 lbs.
Average weight recorded from 2018: Don't have the recorded number but stayed at goal.
Average weight recorded from 2019: 114.5
Average weight recorded from 2020: 115.0

Average weight recorded for January: 115
Average weight recorded for February: 115
Average weight recorded for March: 115.5
Average weight recorded for April:116.1
Average weight recorded for May 115.2
Average weight recorded for June:115.1
Average weight recorded for July:114.5
Average weight recorded for August:114.0
Average weight recorded for September:115.0
Average weight recorded for October:114.7
Average weight recorded for November:115.6
Average weight recorded for December 116.5

Jan 4: 116.5
Jan 11: 116.5
Jan 17: 116.0

Struggle: I did pretty good until this weekend and especially yesterday. I was on a Zoom working retreat from 8:30 to 5:00, then a Family Zoom get together, and finally another Zoom meeting. This is unusual for me and I wonder how those who do Zoom all day for their jobs do it. There was no exercise and I don't remember what I ate. Not good.

Success: I am down .5lb. Of course, not very meaningful but it feels better than the other way.

0.5 lb loss is great!!!!

Age:33
Height:4'11
Total weight lost:55lbs
Time it took to lose: 9 months
How long in maintenance: 1 month
Maintenance weight range: 119- 123

Average weight recorded for 2019: n/a
Average weight recorded for 2020: n/a

Average weight recorded from January:
Average weight recorded from February:
Average weight recorded from March:
Average weight recorded from April:
Average weight recorded from May:
Average weight recorded for June:
Average weight recorded for July:
Average weight recorded for August:
Average weight recorded for September:
Average weight recorded for October:
Average weight recorded for November:
Average weight recorded for December:


Average weight Week of...

January 3………119.5
January 10…………119.5ish I started the week at 118.5 and averaged the rest of the week from 119-120.5 🙈
January 17……….120.5 cycle week 😧
January 24………. Cycled part of the week but averaged 119.5
January 31………..


Success/Struggles:
Success:Great workouts
Struggle: Few days I could have ate better nothing major though so no biggie

LORD JESUS guide 💛

mtaratoot wrote: »

HEAVIEST weight: 175.4 in early 2013.
Total Weight lost: 30 pounds
Time it took to lose: ~6 months
How long in maintenance: Since July 2018 -- but with some fluctuation outside of goal range.
Maintenance weight range:
Ideally 142 - 148
Absolutely 140-150
(and STILL not sure those are the right answers)


Average weight recorded from 2017 (12 months): 163.8
Average weight recorded from 2018 (12 months): 150.7
Average weight recorded from 2019 (12 months): 144.8
Average weight recorded from 2020 (12 months): 147.1

Average weight recorded from December 2020: 150.9

Average weight Week of...
December 28 - Jan 3 ..... 153.5
January 4 - 10 ............... 154.4
January 11 - 17 ............. 154.6
January 18 - 24 ............. 153.8
January 25 - 31 .............

Success of the week: I have found a way to eat nuts without eating them all and homemade bread without eating almost the whole loaf or almost all the rolls the first day (or even several days).


Struggle of the week: For a pleasant change, nothing really. Write THAT one down in the calendar, because it's rare. Even still being above my maintenance range isn't bothering me because I'm coming back into it.

@mtaratoot Im thrilled for you! Very inspiring!

Hoping I will be as successful in the coming weeks!

Name: Kathryn
Age: 52
Height: 5'4"
Total Weight lost: ~80 lbs
Time it took to lose: 2 years 3 months
How long in maintenance: I called maintenance in July 2016, but I continued to slowly lose until December of 2017. I have been in maintenance since December 2017
Maintenance weight range: 113 - 118 lbs

Average weight recorded from 2018: 118.8
Average weight recorded from 2019: 115.2
Average weight recorded from 2020: 113.6


Average weight recorded from September: 113.3
Average weight recorded from October:113.4
Average weight recorded from November:  114.1
Average weight recorded from December: 114.0

Week of...


January 3: 113.2 scale/ 114.4 trend
January 10: 114.0 scale/ 114.4 trend
January 17: 113.0 scale/114.4 trend
January 24: 114.0 scale/114.6 trend
January 31:


Success/Struggles: Not much to report this week.  My weight is up and down in my range as expected.