Transitioning to maintenance?

Eve1972 · April 2012

I am about 5 lbs from my new goal weight of 125, and I need to start thinking about what I will do when I get there. After almost 2 years of being in the "losing" phase, I have to admit I am a bit scared and nervous to transition. I would love any tips and tricks anyone has to offer. Did you cut down on exercise?, how did you approach adding more calories?, etc.

Mathteacher35 · April 2012

I'm curious too! I am scared of relaxing too much in the maintenance phase. I am still wanting to lose a bit more though.

hollyknouse · April 2012

Congrats on the loss!! I don't have any words of wisdom because every time I get to my goal weight I gain about 30 lbs back. I have not learned how to maintain. I try. Its the worst struggle in weight loss

I am sure you will do great and please give me pointers when you get it figured out

danigirl1011 · April 2012

I think about this every day too and wonder how it will be. I'm assuming i'll still work out as much, but will just eat a little more calories so i don't lose anymore. I think it would be really hard to stop logging food though. Good luck and job well done!

bzmom · April 2012

Im with hollyknouse I gained 10lbs back:ohwell:
However it didnt help that I reached my goal during the holidays that really was a challenge that I lost ....
I wanna know too!!

Abells · April 2012

Don't every stop exercising!

You may be at goal weight but you can still change your body "look" if you want to

You will just be at maintaining calories but dont go into the i look great i can eat anything mode. Exercise is a lifelong activity that will constantly make you feel great. You won't just lose weight but improve your mood and make you feel healthier and more energized.

TheLongRunner · April 2012

I posted the same question to my friends yesterday and got only a few responses so I am looking forward to more input! I am about 10 pounds away from my goal and starting to get nervous....here is what I had specifically asked yesterday:
When you get to maintenance, how do you plan to proceed? Are you going to slowly increase your calories until you find the right calorie range or are you going to increase up to MFP's recommended amount right away? Are you going to continue to log? Are you at all "scared" of maintenance like me???

smurfette75 · April 2012

Just figured out the maintenance thing for myself....Went from 1200 calories to 1600. Hit my goal weight and was still losing, so had to up calories to keep exercising like I wanted.

UpEarly · April 2012

I've been on maintenance since January, but have technically lost another five pounds beyond my goal. It's been tricky figuring out how much to eat. I am set to sedentary, and MFP has me on 1730 calories a day to maintain. Once I add in my exercise, I am usually aiming for 2200-2300 calories. I've found that I'm still losing a bit at that level, so I've been slowly edging up my calorie total.

I also got a BodyMedia fit to get a better idea about how much I was actually burning a day. My average TDEE, after about a month of recording, is around 2650. So, I'm guessing my true maintenance is somewhere between 2300 and 2650.

I only weigh-in once a month, so in a couple weeks time I should have a better idea if maintenance is finally working. In my experience, MFP's maintenance estimate was on the low side for me.

Jami22 · April 2012

I have cut down on exercise... I don't think that is a good thing, per say though. I just don't have to work out every day to stay under my calories now. It was really hard for me to go from 1200 calories per day (been on that goal the entire MFP time, 1 year) to 1640. You think it would be easy and you would love the extra calories but after keeping a very strict diet for a year it was hard to adjust and allow the extra calories without eating something like junk food. I have lost another 5lbs since going into maintanence but I like the idea of having a little cushion room in case I have a gain. I don't want to get above 135 EVER!

themommie · April 2012

I too am almost at maintenance and also find it scary. it seems for me maintenance is the hardest part. I have heard that you should continually make goals, after reaching your goal weight make another goal, like running a 5k, just something to always be working towards

TheLongRunner · April 2012

I have cut down on exercise... I don't think that is a good thing, per say though. I just don't have to work out every day to stay under my calories now. It was really hard for me to go from 1200 calories per day (been on that goal the entire MFP time, 1 year) to 1640. You think it would be easy and you would love the extra calories but after keeping a very strict diet for a year it was hard to adjust and allow the extra calories without eating something like junk food. I have lost another 5lbs since going into maintanence but I like the idea of having a little cushion room in case I have a gain. I don't want to get above 135 EVER!

Did you slowly go up to 1640? Or did you start eating that the day you hit your goal weight?

Great job by the way!!!

MizSaz · April 2012

I'm nowhere near maintenance yet- congrats to you! I do, however, already have a feeling that it could be tough for me, because a lot of my life has started to revolve around being a healthier person. I've gotten the impression that some people seem to feel like they're losing part of their identity when they get to their goals, kind of like they just think, 'well now what do I do? I'm not fat anymore, and I'm not trying to not be fat anymore...' For people that have dealt with weight and weight loss for extended periods of time, it's hard to wrap your head around "just being normal".

I've decided that when I get there, I am still going to use MFP, to make sure I'm actually staying within my goals for successful maintenance, and I'm still going to do yoga, and I'm still going to get as much sunshine as I can. I think it'll help me stay focused, mentally, while I learn how to be a "normal" person.

tlhorsley · April 2012

Don't every stop exercising! You may be at goal weight but you can still change your body "look" if you want to

You will just be at maintaining calories but dont go into the i look great i can eat anything mode. Exercise is a lifelong activity that will constantly make you feel great. You won't just lose weight but improve your mood and make you feel healthier and more energized.

I second this. Don't ever stop exercising!

From my own personal experience it will be a good idea to continue to log. Each time I have lost I go back to eatin how and when I want and end up gaining again. For me it is only about 5-7 pounds but it is still going back up and those pounds are always so hard to get off.

mrsdizzyd84 · April 2012

With 8 pounds to go, this is something I'm thinking about quite a bit.

Eve1972 · April 2012

Congrats to every being close to your goals! I don't plan of stopping exercise, right now I workout an hour 6 days a week. I was wondering if say I wanted to do Jillian Michael's Body Revolution that is 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week, if that would be OK. So maybe just scaling it back a bit?? I enjoy working out though, so I don't see myself ever giving it up. I think I will also keep logging my foods, just to keep me on track.

It really is a bit scary to think about! *lol*

Eve1972 · April 2012

I too am almost at maintenance and also find it scary. it seems for me maintenance is the hardest part. I have heard that you should continually make goals, after reaching your goal weight make another goal, like running a 5k, just something to always be working towards

This is a great idea, thanks!!

scott091501 · April 2012

Calorically just add a hundred cals on a bi-weekly basis until you see negative results and then pull it back to the break even point. Exercise wise I wouldn't ever stop, but that's me. If you do decide to stop make sure you figure that into your caloric needs. I'm to the point that hitting my caloric goal has become routine so I'm not logging food anymore. If I see a negative turn on the scale or in the mirror the tools are always there to go back to what worked previously.

shaycat · April 2012

When I first hot my goal weight last year I kept losing till I was about 5lbs under the lowest weight I wanted to be. I stopped logging and eat a bunch of holiday cookies and treats. I shot up 10lbs. In January I started logging again and working out hard. I am happy with my weight and just trying to get more fit now. I am still tying to figure out the maintenance thing. I am doing really well at maintaining while eating what MFP gives me to lose .5lbs a week. This seems low to me, but every time I try to up my calories just by 100, I start to gain. You just have to keep logging and find the right amount of calories for you to maintain. I am hoping once I find what works for me, I might be able to not have to log everyday. For now though I will keep logging.

shaycat · April 2012

I too am almost at maintenance and also find it scary. it seems for me maintenance is the hardest part. I have heard that you should continually make goals, after reaching your goal weight make another goal, like running a 5k, just something to always be working towards

This is great advice. Just because I am at my goal weight, I haven't stopped trying to better myself.

bcsrule · April 2012

Bump, I'm 15lbs away from GW!

Dan112358 · April 2012

I'm at my "goal weight" but now my focus is less on the scale number and more on the image in the mirror. I'm about 166 lbs now but I'd rather look strong at 175 then too thin at 165. I'm lifting heavier & reducing my cardio as well as upping my calories. I'm actually finding it a challenge to eat 2500-3000 cals in a day because I've eaten 1500-2000 for the past year and a half! I'd like to "bulk" for the next 6-8 weeks and then go back into a "cut" afterward. This will allow me to build muscle with excess calories and then lose body fat afterward by eating in a deficit.

melsinct · April 2012

I am at maintenance and increased calories slowly as I was losing weight. The last 10-15 pounds I had MFP set for a 0.5 lb/week loss, which is only a 250 calorie a day deficit. Maintenance only gives you that extra 250 calories so there was no big shock to the system. I also have to eat my exercise calories or I start losing weight again.

I do the exact same exercise I did as I was losing (brisk walking and pilates) at the same intensity as before. You no longer have that carrot you are chasing after, so setting non-weight related goals is always a good idea. I am currently working on greater flexibility.

Jami22 · April 2012

I have cut down on exercise... I don't think that is a good thing, per say though. I just don't have to work out every day to stay under my calories now. It was really hard for me to go from 1200 calories per day (been on that goal the entire MFP time, 1 year) to 1640. You think it would be easy and you would love the extra calories but after keeping a very strict diet for a year it was hard to adjust and allow the extra calories without eating something like junk food. I have lost another 5lbs since going into maintanence but I like the idea of having a little cushion room in case I have a gain. I don't want to get above 135 EVER!

Did you slowly go up to 1640? Or did you start eating that the day you hit your goal weight?

Great job by the way!!!

No, once I hit my goal I switched to maintanence and MFP put me at 1640. I guess over time I have slowly adjusted to it because at first I was getting grief from my friends for not eating all my calories. The last few weeks have been better and I have started eating around 1500-1600 (it also didn't help that I gave up meat for Lent so that really cut back on calorie intake). I haven't seen a loss in the last few weeks so maybe I'm finally adjusted to it????

seaKind · August 2012

great thread! I have a terrible time at maintenance! and I am tired of calorie counting! is there any hope of ever being done wfood tracking and just able to eat like normal?

melsinct · August 2012

I have been maintaining since February. It really wasn't a hard transition for me, but I think the reasons for that are:

1. I had MFP set at a 0.5 lb/week loss for the last 10 pounds. Transitioning to maintenance was an increase in 250 calories per day- not really a big deal. If you are going from a 500+ calorie deficit straight to maintenance, it will be harder for you to suddenly fill in all of these calories with healthy foods.

2. This may be the most important thing...I kept logging. I didn't hit my goal and then slack because I made it. That seems to be a downfall of many people. Maintenance isn't party time- the same rules still apply. I still eat within my calories on most days and splurge here or there from time to time, just as I did while losing weight.

3. Don't stop whatever exercise routine you established. Keep moving as much as you always were. If you weren't doing much exercise, maybe try taking a class or doing something new.

I don't want to track for life, so I have been slowly backing off MFP. I no longer log weekends or anytime I travel away from home. I still keep active and make healthy choices but I don't feel the need to log every morsel. I still log weekdays as long as I am not traveling, but may back off on that soon too. Baby steps!

Also, once you stop losing, stop fixating on "the number." I weigh myself once a week, if that. Now if my pants start to get tight, I'll be right back on MFP tracking EVERYTHING. I will not undo all of my hard work!

Good luck to everyone who is in the home stretch. Maintenance is great but remember the work is always ongoing!

m1311 · August 2012

I have been maintaining since February. It really wasn't a hard transition for me, but I think the reasons for that are:

2. This may be the most important thing...I kept logging. I didn't hit my goal and then slack because I made it. That seems to be a downfall of many people. Maintenance isn't party time- the same rules still apply. I still eat within my calories on most days and splurge here or there from time to time, just as I did while losing weight.

3. Don't stop whatever exercise routine you established. Keep moving as much as you always were. If you weren't doing much exercise, maybe try taking a class or doing something new.

I don't want to track for life, so I have been slowly backing off MFP. I no longer log weekends or anytime I travel away from home. I still keep active and make healthy choices but I don't feel the need to log every morsel.

This is very helpful...I have just hit the point where I don't need to lose more, and I'd like to stay here. I'm really busy right now, too busy to do the daily log because of family stuff, but I think I'll get back to it when things settle down. I'm concerned because my exercise can't possibly stay up with what helped me lose the weight this summer (I'm a teacher, so even though I was working a lot, I still had a lot more time than when I need to plan and grade five classes a day).

So any advice would be great...I plan to keep biking to school daily, even in Alaska's winter (yes, I do have studded tires!) and follow my daughter's body-shaping routine. I'll try to do high-intensity rowing a couple of times a week, and will do weights with one friend twice a week and walk with another friend a couple times a week. It won't be the twice-daily bike-to-the-lake and then row for an hour that I've been blessed with this summer.

Anyone else in this situation?

I can't say I'm really scared of maintenance. I just don't want to puff out again. It's a pleasure moving around in this body.

Transitioning to maintenance?

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