Maintaining current weight after loss

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NorthwindCaptain
NorthwindCaptain Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I hit my weight goal after 15 months following MyFitnessPal and have changed my goals to maintain my new weight.

Sadly the MyFitnessPal algorithm has misled me for I have 6lbs over my 2023 goal weight. Any suggestions on how to maintain and not gain any weight back after attaining your weight loss goal?

Replies

  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,023 Member
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    How many days did it take to put back on 6 lbs? That will help you determine whether that’s all fat or also water weight and food in your intestines. If you feel your maintenance is too high, you can custom lower it in your goals. It’s trial and error.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,484 Member
    edited June 2023
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    MFP didn’t “mislead” you into regain.

    I’ve lost a substantial amount and am determined not to regain.

    I check my weight at least every 3-4 days, and it’s pretty obvious from the scale and the waistband if my weight is creeping up. If snacks start appearing in the house that’s also a dead giveaway (looking at you, barrel o’pretzels).

    I doubt MFP was flawlessly accurate during your loss and it’s disingenuous to blame it for the gain.

    Be grateful you’re paying attention again, and use those great habits you learned during loss to continue in maintenance.

    As someone here said, treat maintenance like you still have ten pounds to lose.

    Now go hop to it!!!!😘
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    Most people once they hit maintenance have a range rather than a set number. It is usually something like + or - 5 lbs. once they see the scale moving to far in the up or down direction they adjust accordingly.

    Also, you don’t say how long you have been in maintenance, or what your calorie adjustment was once you moved into maintenance. Again, this is something that you have to observe and adjust over time. All MFP has given you is an estimate. Your personal needs may be more or less than that estimate.

    So what do you do now?
    Work out how many calories you have been eating to gain the 6 lbs and adjust your intake accordingly.
    It is not unusual at all to have to play with your calories in the first few months of maintenance.

    Don’t forget to adjust your calories if your daily movement or exercise increases or decreases.

    I treat maintenance as staying within my 5 lbs range and adjust as circumstances dictate.
    (This has worked for me for 13+ years)

    Cheers, h.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,971 Member
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    If you lost weight using a calorie amount, then you already have all you need.

    Myfitnesspal is just a tool to use, it's not a magic wizard!

    Use the numbers from your weight loss to adjust yourself to maintain.

    It may take a few months for you to dial it in. Post weight loss for me was a difficult time - I had trouble finding a number of calories to eat. I gained and lost (again) 10 pounds a couple times in the first couple years after losing 80 pounds.

    In my case, I eat about 300 calories MORE per day than what Myfitnesspal tells me I should eat to maintain my weight, however I've been at maintenance weight for more than 15 years and I have a good grasp on my needs, calories, nutrition and exercise. The first year post weight loss was tough.

    You can figure this out. Trust yourself, and be patient.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,646 Member
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    If your loss was very slow or it stopped when you reached your goal then those calories you’re at are now your maintenance calories or very close so you have to be careful with adding calories back in. You may not be able to add any more back in and that can’t be a real mind F to think you’ll need to stay at your “dieting” calories in order to maintain weight.

    Getting lighter lowers maintenance so it isn’t uncommon for someone that started out with a slow loss will be at their new maintenance calorie wise when getting to where they want weight wise. The exception would be if the lighter weight caused there to be more activity, through both exercise and NEAT expenditure.

    Bottom line is people get in trouble thinking “job done” when reaching their goal and going back to old eating habits.

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