Switching to maintenance early, good idea or easy way out?

Hey CCers, just after some advice about maintaining! Any thoughts or experiences wil be helpful and appreciated!

I am close to my goal weight of 130, and have been for over a month now. I fluctuate between 135 and 138 which I'm finding extremely frustrating but I know why it happens I think, lately I've been having terrible binges once or twice a week. I KNOW that doesn't seem that bad but it means at least a 2 day food/alcohol hangover and sometimes an entire week of elevated "water" weight. I hate doing it to myself but I'm trying to stay really positive and just get right back on it the next day. I work out 6 days a week consuming between 1500 and 1600 cals a day (sometimes more, on binge days I can eat up to 3000+.) I have been a consistent logger and weigh-er so I feel like I have most things right. 

An aside: I have a few small personal things happening in my life and I wonder in my binges are related to them: husband has been away for 3 weeks and will be away for another 4 at least so I do miss him, also my dad is suffering from Leukemia in another country which is very hard, moving back to be with him next year. That doesn't seem to cause me daily stress as much as it seems to leave a worry-pit in my body and I think I might try to be using food to fill it. These are not excuses just trying to brainstorm why I keep doing these things. 

SO....I was wondering if, even though I haven't reached my goal weight, if it might be a good idea to experiment with eating at maintenance. I am planning on continuing to log (probably for the rest of my life, haha) and weigh myself but maybe eating at maintenance will help me stabilize my eating patterns. I was thinking about 1950 on days I am active, that is technically still a weight loss actually but probably quite slow. Then on Sundays I can eat 1600 again for my inactive day (or any inactive day.) 

I worry a little that I will fill the excess calories with crap (i.e. wine, crackers, peanut butter in copious amounts) but I would go in with the intent to pack more fruits and vegetables and nuts throughout the day. I cook myself insanely healthy lunches and breakfasts through the week so it's just a matter of finding some healthy snacks I can use as well. I don't want to set myself up for an excuse to eat more (which I feel like I might be doing) but it seems like this might be a way for me to stabilize myself a bit and focus on other things. Thoughts?

abi6883:

Based on what you wrote, I would suggest that you try maintenance for awhile.  For many of us, the last 2-5 pounds seem to come off much more slowly and difficult.  I think that makes sense, because we have a much smaller percentage of fat to lose as we near our goal weight or weight-window.

At some point in time, after you feel less stressed, you can lose those last couple of obstinate pounds.

Your philosophy of eating seems similar to mine: I eat a lot of fruits, veggies, whole wheat, legumes, etc; but I, also, allow myself beer, wine, and sweet things, too.

Good luck!

Thanks Shane! I think I am also secretly worried that 1950 will cause me to gain all my weight back, isn't that silly??? Us girls are weird, I just need to get over it and try it if that's what i decide to do. Maybe I'll try an extra 100 cals a week until I hit 1950. It's funny how paranoid I get but I was never planning on eating 1600 for the rest of my life, AND actually 350 more cals is practically nothing anyway. Thanks!

Original Post by abi6883:

 but I was never planning on eating 1600 for the rest of my life, AND actually 350 more cals is practically nothing anyway. Thanks!

I agree 100%.  When I first started losing my 40-45 pounds, I was eating sometimes below 1800 calories a day.  I never planned to continue doing that indefinitely.  Now, I try to eat at 2200 - 2400 on days I don't exercise, and 2800+  on days that I do a full exercise.

You are at a point where you need to eat healthy and be good to your body.  You accomplished the most difficult part -- losing the majority of your weight goal.  Now, it is time to get mentally happy and not undo all your hard work.

I think that is a great idea.  Our bodies need a break after months of cal restriction anyway.  I lost 80 lbs in 2010 then found myself eating a lot more and having trouble keeping to weight loss cals.  I did keep up my exercise and tried not to stress over it too much.  Finally after 14 months of relative maintaining, I think I gained about 3-5 lbs of holiday weight) I was ready in Jan to tackle a few more lbs and have lost an additional 10 since then.  I do keep a higher intake now and lose slower but it's more "doable"  :)  Good luck and congrats on your weight loss!

Hey Tina, that's awesome about your loss! I just keep hearing stories about losing weight and then "gaining it all back plus more" and I really don't want to be that statistic. I am super happy with my body now, I feel much healthier and happier overall, and I love staying fit and working out. I'd love to get to my goal weight eventually but maybe I can maintain on 1950 for a while, give myself a bit of an upper. I'm already thinking of healthy snacks to have! Thanks for your thoughts, keep em coming!

I have done the lose/gain thing several times since I was a teenager.  I am determined NOT to go there again.  I have to say this is the longest I have kept up a healthy lifestyle and maintained my weight so I hope I have a handle on it now.   My advice, keep one eye on the scale, take action if you get above a certain "panic" weight and keep health and fitness in the forefront of your thoughts every day when you make your food/exercise choices.  And keep coming to sites like these for support :)

Hey Tina, that's what I'm worried about mostly. But this morning I weighed INBETWEEN my original weight goal of 130 and my new maintenance goal of 135 which is really great. I have a party this weekend, bit of a big deal but I going to take some juice and some of my own snacks and go that route. I will be arriving late anyway and I have SO MUCH going on school-wise that I don't want to waste a day feeling like crap and it takes me a bloody WEEK to adjust my digestion (not pretty) and weight back to stability. It's just so not worth it, I think I might make exceptions for nice dinner with my husband or maybe other stuff, but the random 'parties' I just don't think it's worth it. I'm not even eating at my maintenance goal yet (1950) but I am eating more fruit as snacks during the day and still logging everything (I'll do that forever.) My crisis weight is 140 I think so I hope I never get there, hahah! Thanks! 

Good luck, I know you can do it :)  I ask myself a lot if it's worth it, will it get me to my goal and will just one be enough.  If the answer is no, I can usually talk myself out of it! LOL