Need help with maintenance

magerum
magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I've been using MFP since May 9th, 2011. Here's a quick run down, then my question.

On April 27th I went to the docotors and weighed 337 lbs at 5'10" (32 years old). Long story short I decided to change my life. On May 1st I quit smoking cigarettes (a pack a day for 18 years) and began eating better and excerising. For 7 months I ate 1200-1400 calories a day (aided by MFP to track nutrients etc) and excercising daily. All cardio, no free weights which I used to lift heavy weight (315lbs bench etc) as I didn't want the bulk anymore.

7 months later and 140lbs lighter, around Thanksgiving, I decided to try and start moving towards maintenance calories. I adjusted up to 1500 for a week, 1800 for a couple weeks (spinkled with a 3000 calorie Thanksgiving and Christmas), 2200 for the last two weeks, and this week I'm trying 2300. I do roughly 800 calories worth of excercise daily on top of a desk job.

I find that the more I eat the hungrier I am! I am seriously afraid of putting weight back on. I have spiked a few times during this adjustment up from 1200-1400 range, which I'm attributing to metabolism adjustment and water retention associated with sodium intake, but it has always come back down within a couple days. I think I may still be losing weight at 2200 calories, the MFP math says I should be.

Now that I'm done rambling here's my question (I wonder if anyone read this far? lol) I'm finding the more I eat the more I want to eat! Is this normal after such a drastic recovery? This is the most confusing time for me. I know how to over eat, I know how to eat just enough to survive and recover, but maintenance is scaring me!

I guess I'm just looking for maintenance advice. I'm down to 192lbs and a 32 inch waist. I think I wouldn't mind dropping to 185 but as long as I stay under 200 I'm happy.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • dictations
    dictations Posts: 199
    bump, I'd like to know too.
  • katiebythebay
    katiebythebay Posts: 611 Member
    Make sure you keep exercising and watching the calories.

    Healthy choices is contagious, just like negative choices are - they will build on each other.

    Also, moral support is important. Guess that's why we're all here, right?

    katie
  • amonkey9
    amonkey9 Posts: 94
    Bump.
    Sorry all I got us asking your doctor?
    I hope someone else has a better answer
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I'm only sharing personal experience with you here:

    When I transitioned from my recent cut at 2200 calories to my current bulk at 3200 calories, I found myself struggling much more with hunger. Specifically when I first hit 3k calories it was brutal. I had a much easier time at 2200, and my food choices weren't all that different.

    I've apparently adjusted to this now, it was bad for about 2 weeks.


    This info may not do you any good, but I thought I'd share it in case it does.

    Congrats on your progress.

    (315 bench is solid, you should get back under the barbell if you haven't already).
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Thanks Sidesteal! It makes me feel better that it's "not just me" and I have faith it will pass. I'm just terrified of putting on "soft" weight again. I haven't touched a free weight in a long time and I know I've lost muscle mass too during this. I'm going to get back under the barbell very soon, once I've conquered my fear of the scale. I think I'll be lucky if I can move 2 plates now, forget 3! For now at least.

    I know that sounds silly, but I always used my lifting ability as part of the justification of being so heavy/fat. I don't want it to be like that this time so I've decided to try and "bottom out" my weight on the scale first. Then I want to forget the scale, hit the bench, & use my measurements (waist, chest etc..) as the criteria instead of the scale.

    Thanks again!
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