Maintenance Advice

wolfi622
wolfi622 Posts: 206
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I am approaching my goal weight. While I still think I'd like to continue to work on body composition, I don't really want to lose more weight. For those being successful in maintenance mode, what advice can you offer?

Replies

  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    I am not really successful since I continue to lose but for me it's still about learning to eat. Now you get to eat more so it's about being careful. This should be how you eat for the rest of your life. I have a bunch of friends who are in "maintenance mode" who are still losing because it's a balance between being active and eating healthy, not cramming your mouth with crap because you have reached a weight you are happy with. Good luck and add me if you like.
  • math1182
    math1182 Posts: 15
    I'm in the same boat! I'm just about to begin maintenance (again) as well and am not looking forward to it. I have never been successful at staying put. I am either losing or gaining.
    Most people think my weight stays constant, but actually it yo-yos, over time I have narrowed the perimeters to 7lbs either side of my ideal, so it doesn't show too much. Although I did go 10lbs above this time, hence MFP! I've been doing this for 20 years+ IS THIS NORMAL? Is this what maintenance is like, or is a dead-flat, unchanging weight achievable?
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    I'm a couple of pounds past my goal weight but I keep shifting the goal posts and losing because I am scared of trying maintenance.
    I really don't know if I can achieve a steady weight because in my experience I either know how to lose weight or gain it!
    The only time I've had a constant weight was maybe 6 years back and I ate what the hell I liked. I was 56 pounds heavier than I am know but it never went up or down no matter what I ate.
    Obviously I do not want to be that size again, therefore I will continue to lose even if it's only 1lb a week, I'll feel safer that way thank risk gaining weight.
  • wolfi622
    wolfi622 Posts: 206
    I'm a couple of pounds past my goal weight but I keep shifting the goal posts and losing because I am scared of trying maintenance.

    Yep. This is what I'm afraid of. My wife is very concerned about that as well. I really have just about reached my "ideal" weight. Losing more won't be good. Guess I'll know in a week or two. I only weigh in once a week and I'm traveling more this week so - I'm guessing I'll have a losing week - (somehow, if my choice is only lose or gain, I'll gladly lose more).
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
    I'm in the same boat -- trying to maintain but still losing. This morning I reached what I had thought was my absolute minimum weight (115 for 5'4" female). The way I approached it was to use MFP's recommendation for maintaining weight at sedentery, calculating my calories burned for a typical week, and averaging it over the course of the week to get my daily calories. That was way too low and I have been trying to bump it up. Funny how it can be so hard when "most people" seem to never think about food and maintain weight effortlessly!
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    (somehow, if my choice is only lose or gain, I'll gladly lose more).

    Same, every time, lol! :)
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    I'm in the same boat -- trying to maintain but still losing. This morning I reached what I had thought was my absolute minimum weight (115 for 5'4" female). The way I approached it was to use MFP's recommendation for maintaining weight at sedentery, calculating my calories burned for a typical week, and averaging it over the course of the week to get my daily calories. That was way too low and I have been trying to bump it up. Funny how it can be so hard when "most people" seem to never think about food and maintain weight effortlessly!

    Oh to be one of those lucky people that never give calories or weight a second thought and manage to stay the same. ;-)

    I'm at 5'4" and 115 today (was 112 yesterday). What I've been doing is being very strict during Monday - Saturday (1200 goal but generally I'm 100 or 200 under) and then Sunday I eat a family meal with my son. I still weigh/measure/count every morsel/sip but I don't care if my total is 2000 as I know it'll come off during the week and I'll still be 1 or 2lb down come Sunday morning, lol!

    Possibly not the best way to go about it but it works for me. :)
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    I've been doing this thing called "maintenance" for about 6 weeks so far. I've lost little bits of weight along the way (5 pounds under goal), still trying to find that magic number to stick with. Not interested in losing any more pounds (scale) but I'd like to improve what my body looks like (muscle mass, flexibilty, lengthening, etc).

    I'm guessing the best advice that I can give is to not think just because you are at goal you can just go back to your old ways. I treat myself to a "oh well" day every once in a while (like this past Saturday), but I'm on point and still eating well each day - I just add in more food now to balance the calorie intake. You eat too less you will slowly lose.

    I started running recently and started doing more Jillian Michaels DVD's (Yoga Meltdown and Kickboxing Fast Fix). I don't work out as much as I did while I was losing weight, but I try and stick to doing something 4 days a week. That's something I know I can stick to long term. Finding a balance is big when you get to this stage.

    Good luck!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I lost 30 pounds and have been maintaining the loss for 4 months.

    I had a very small calorie deficit for the last 10 pounds (0.5 lb/week), so I only had to add in 250 calories/day for my maintenance level- easy! I logged meticulously as I did as I was losing, though after 2 months of maintaining I stopped logging on the weekends (but still eating well, correct portions, etc.). I still keep up my exercise routine (walk daily, pilates 2x week) that I did while losing.

    Once you get your calories straightened out while maintaining, I have to say it has been pretty darn easy. I weigh myself once a week just to make sure I am not veering off in the wrong direction but so far so good. The biggest problem I see is people who think "GOAL WEIGHT!!!" and that it is time to up the number of cheat meals, treats, slack on exercise, etc.
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