Maintain or main 'taint?

Jthanmyfitnesspal
Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,653 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello, fellow maintainers!

I'm at that old goal weight once again.

It brings such a mix of feelings: Wanting to stop worrying about my weight all the time and but also wanting to lose just a little bit more.

Always an interesting moment. (I've been here many times!)
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Replies

  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,653 Member
    @summerskier : First, thanks for the response!

    I am totally in the same situation since forever. What's a party without beer and nachos?

    2022 was a particularly hard year for me and I gained more like 20 pounds which are finally off since January. I usually do well until about October when it gets cold and dark. It's depressing, and I put on a few pounds. If it's <5lbs, I can usually drop it in January. This year it took from January to May!

    Best of luck to you and all the other maintainers out there!
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,653 Member
    The answer is: Main t'aint. (I spelled it wrong in the original post!)

    I've gained 10lbs in the past two months! 😱 (Lots of reasons. Details posted elsewhere.)
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,660 Member
    But the good news is you haven't just walked away from the whole process and you know the damage and how to fix it!
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,653 Member

    This is the worst thread I ever created! I totally whiffed it and gained all the weight back and more! 🤬

    In June 2023 I had cut down to a level that is about 6lbs less than where I am now. I've been cutting again since 1/1 and it's been hard to get where I am. I wish I could drop for 6 more pounds, but I think that 6 months of cutting is enough and I should go back on maintenance on June 1, whatever my weight on that day. I'm planning to do strict maintenance and keep logging for as long as I can.

    So, the question again will be: Maintain or main-t'aint? (I think this catchy phrase is going to catch on, amiright?)

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 36,748 Member

    Maintain.

    I'm saying that with the context of your other recent thread in mind, too.

    If you decide you want to lose another 6, you can do that later.

    Diet breaks are good, physically and psychologically. Maintenance practice is good logistically and practically. Multi-win!

    Maintain . . . if we're voting here. 😉

  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,653 Member

    I'm below my goal weight today (175lbs)!

    That's 6 months of losing -1lb per week on average. I'm continuing my cut to end of month (4 more days).

    I created this thread two years ago when I had cut down to 170lbs, but I gained it all back and more (main-t'aint!). As posted in my other whiny thread about being stuck in March, I think this is because I over-relied on daily exercise to balance my calories. I got injured (more than once), which made it much harder to maintain. I'm switching to doing vigorous exercise every other day, which will be a challenge as I like so many exercise activities and I don't like to go so long without getting to them!

    Thanks to everyone who has replied in this thread. You are very generous and I hope to return the favor!

  • Interbeing
    Interbeing Posts: 159 Member

    @Jthanmyfitnesspal Good to hear! My cross-country coach in college used to say that, "You can't outrun a bad diet". It is always difficult to tweak caloric intake when limited in activity. I am going through the same thing right now, dealing with a shoulder rotator cuff. I am in Physical Therapy, and limited with my workouts. I adjusted my diet, but have over compensated and ended up losing about 5 lbs over the last few weeks.

  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,653 Member

    I just ordered a Garmin smart scale. My reasoning is that I get lax on recording my weight once I go into maintenance. Also, I don't want yet another app monitoring my bodyweight, so I'm willing to pay the premium to get the Garmin, which connects to the Garmin app I already have.

    I was at 174 this morning. A bit below goal, so that's good! Going into maintenance, planning to keep logging my food as much as possible!

  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,653 Member

    I'm now officially in maintenance.🎉😊

    I celebrated by not logging all weekend! And, we had a lovely dinner party Saturday night where I allowed myself to have some beer 🍻(I've had very little for 6 months, of course).

    I also was very active working on the house on Saturday plus taking a run with the dog 🏃‍♂️🐕. I took a fantastic bike ride on Sunday 🚵‍♂️. My performance has been improving on both the bike and in running, which is motivating. So, lots of calories eaten, lots of calories burned. Overall, no harm done!

    I'll restart logging today. I also have the Garmin scale up and running so I can weigh daily without any fuss ⚖️. My plan is to keep logging ✍️, keep the carbs under control (I passed on the layer cake offered this weekend— X🍰X— even though I hadn't eaten yet that day), keep the beer to special occasions (X🍺X there are really good AF beers these days), and have fun exercising outdoors all summer😎!

  • Interbeing
    Interbeing Posts: 159 Member

    I skipped my weekend 36hr fast this weekend as I am having challenges maintaining my weight. I was able to maintained a balanced diet, and kept somewhat active with the limitations of my shoulder. My physical therapy is coming along well and hopefully I will be back on the bike this week. I am still running a little under my goal weight, but I didn't lose any weight over the past week, and I am still within a healthy range. Have a great week everyone!

    Goal Weight: 185

    Average weight for this week, May 27- Jun 2: 179.0 BMI: 23.0

    Average weight for past month, May 6- Jun 2: 181.4 BMI: 23.3

    Average weight for past year, Jun 4, 2024- Jun 2, 2025: 193.4 BMI: 24.8

  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,660 Member

    I think the one thing we have to figure out in maintenance is how to have the things we really love (like i guess beer for Jimmy) without losing sight of the calorie balance. For me I had to learn how to have my favorite 300 cal donuts without tearing into a binge. If we have to restrict ourselves forever from those things life would not be enjoyable.

  • Interbeing
    Interbeing Posts: 159 Member

    @SummerSkier Yes, moderation is the key. another option is substitution, I'm fortunately not so much a sweet tooth person, but I do like salty food, and loved potato chips. I started with moderation, putting a single serving (about 15 chips) into a bowl, and eating them individually, as slowly as I could, savoring each chip. Without the whole bag in front of me, I was less inclined to consume the whole bag. I then switched to more healthy options (I.e. Organic Veggie Chips), then eventually reduced my eating of chips to occasional use during special events and family get togethers, and I don't normally keep them in the house to further avoid temptation. Today it's really not an issue, and if I do eat potato chips at some point, I don't beat myself up about it, enjoy them for what they are, and move on. For me, it is all about mindset, and if I remind myself how hard it was to get to where I am with my nutrition and health goals, it is easier to look beyond the temporary moment, and look at the big picture. And yes, because of my efforts, I am able to enjoy things in life that I could never could some 40 lbs ago, and at 66, I especially appreciate the good health and fitness that I enjoy today.

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