What does maintenance look like to you?

So, I've actually had 3 different goal weight ranges since I initially started using MFP over 9 years ago. When I first lost weight, I was at the higher end of the BMI and totally ok with that. I tracked for a little while after achieving my goal, but then fell off a bit. I was (and still am not) super precise with logging in that I rarely measure or weigh what I eat, but it's worked for me. After I stopped tracking I generally maintained that loss and at some points was able to lose a bit more without tracking. I was happy at that weight range for quite awhile. When my pants started getting tighter and I was reaching the upper limit of the BMI was when I knew I had to do something different.

When I decided I wanted to try for my true "goal weight" and went from a high-ish BMI to a mid-range BMI over a year ago, I logged back onto MFP and have been tracking ever since. Again, not super-precise but it worked. Since I reached that "true goal weight" I've since lost about 10 more pounds, not so much intentionally but by having to cut out certain foods for an elimination diet. I know that if I want to maintain this weight since a weight I haven't been at probably in maybe 30 years as a teenager, I will still most likely need to track. I feel comfortable at this weight and am not hungry, and in fact some days need to eat more than my hunger tells me to to hit my target. I also track to ensure I hit my protein and fiber targets as well, since I take strength training somewhat seriously. I also have a bad habit of mindless eating, which is why I used MFP in the first place--to keep me accountable.

I don't know how religious I'll be with tracking once I've maintained this weight range for awhile. I think my "scream" weight is more based on how my clothes fit...if I feel them starting to get tighter and it's not just that they shrunk (which they do actually do sometimes), then I'll need to re-evaluate things. I also know that I'll be healthy at any weight in the normal BMI range, so it's also a matter of re-evaluating my own personal goals--do I just want to be healthy, am I wanting to gain more muscle, or am I wanting to look a certain way as well?

I think I'm sloppier about maintenance than most of those who've commented so far.

Oversimplifying, I hit and overshot goal in early 2016, crept back up to goal range, hung out there for maybe 6 months, then started creeping up super slowly: Mostly down in Summer a few pounds, up in Winter a few pounds, but each next high a pound or two higher, each next low a pound or two higher, too. All of that nonsense was in a healthy weight range, so I wasn't too stressed about it. My original goal had been 120, and the highest high (trend-line) in there was upper 130s-ish.

Eventually, around Fall 2019, jeans got tight, along with other parts of my wardrobe. I hate to clothes shop with a fiery passion. That was an adequate action trigger. I started creeping weight downward super-slowly, because my heart wasn't in it for a significant deficit, and health is my main principle, not cute, so it didn't feel like an urgent crisis. (The hate to shop thing is a parallel track, obviously.) That went OK, then slowed, then the pandemic reduced social life/restaurant meals and it got easier again.

This time, I'm working on stabilizing around 125 pounds, which is where I am now.

That whole narrative doesn't seem structured, but it's kind of sloppily intentional, I think. I guess I sort of provisionally trust myself not to be super stupid, and I feel like I have the tools to accomplish that. It's 5+ years of what I'd call maintenance, at this point.

My basic routine is to keep counting (mostly), calorie bank a tiny amount most days (maybe 100-150 calories), allow some over-goal days for fun (sometimes way over goal), and keep an eye on the scale, and my jeans' fit. I weigh daily, put the numbers in Libra. The process for creeping my weight down was mainly reducing the frequency/magnitude of the over-goal days, letting the calorie bank turn into a weight loss deficit more of the time, maybe going under goal some days when I was less hungry, too.

I skip logging some days, now, mostly when it's a super unusual thing that either would be annoying to log (looking up a lot of new stuff, time consuming disproportionate to value) or that would be so wild-a** an estimate that it doesn't really feel worth the effort. (I did log those kind of things during loss, and for some months in maintenance, mainly to get a good handle on maintenance needs. I'd do that again if things seem to change, and it seems useful again.)

I hate to say it, but I think "how to do maintenance" is another one of those things that's very personal, very dependent on a particular individual's preferences, strengths, limitations, risks, etc.

wunderkindking wrote: »

I'm curious about this -

"If you're in maintenance, do you expect to stay strictly within a calorie 'budget' and maintain your weight consistently (barring scale weight fluctuations via water or whatever)? Do you expect your weight to drift up to a 'scream weight' and then gradually lower it (with or without tracking)? Track your calories and allow for some gain/loss ANYWAY and have a scream weight where you switch to a deficit or intentionally gain? Something else entirely?"

When I hit my first goal weight (around 172) I didn't do much except my weight kept going down. A couple of months later I had a heart attack and started in on cardia rehab. That combined with moving to an even healthier diet got my weight of 162 which is where I expected to stay. Gradually increased calories but also increased the exercise and within about 6 months got to the mid 140's where I've stayed since fall of 2013. I don't have a strict calorie budget although I aim to be under 2,000/day on average for actual calories. Don't really "eat back" the calories.

I expect to have some fluctuations and weigh myself on Tuesday, weds, and Thursday and if by Thursday my weight is up more than 3 lbs from my goal of 142 I will cut back slightly. I exercise every day and even if my weight is up a little, I don't over compensate. About the only thing I'll do if I see a slight uptick is to pay closer attention to snacking especially at night.

I tend to track when I think about it more-so just to know that I'm actually eating at my maintenance or thereabouts...I'm not stressed about whether I eat more really (because I don't tend to go significantly over other than something like a party, etc.)

I want to work on eating more intuitively -- listening to my body -- I was awful at that before starting to lose weight and pay closer attention to my own hunger signals. Some of that was mental (eating due to boredom or anxiety, etc....which is MUCH better now that I'm consistently physically active and outside) and some of it was that I'd not 'feel' hungry and be way under my calorie goal.

I still weigh myself ~every 2 weeks just to check...but I mostly more pay attention to how my clothes fit and haven't had any issues. Ideally I'd like to not have to track my food anymore. It's not a huge inconvenience to me I just don't want to be preoccupied with counting calories. I find that I feel more connected to my body now though which is super helpful with making sure I'm checking in and noticing..."Do I feel hungry? Do I feel full?" -- these are things I did not take the time to think about before/did not feel accurately.