How Do You Maintain?

Ok... Share your tips, tricks and secrets!

What signs do you watch and act to change so you don't regain it all?

How long have you been a maintaining and how much have you kept off.

Did you find it hard to transition from weight loss to maintenance?

What words of advice would you share with your daughter or best friend ~ if they asked?

Have any good references, links, books, things that keep you motivated???

Let's chatter maintenance Baby!

Maintenance isn't really a big deal for me anymore.  I've been doing it for over the last 2 years. 

I'm 170lbs and 24 and my maximum weight i've ever been is 195lbs.  I lost that thru exercise and no junk food.

IT is really easy to gain back the pounds you lose because of all the tempting cakes and sweets out there and the big meal portions.  Especially when you work long hours and don't want to cook so you head over to McDonalds.

The biggest thing to do is to NOT go to fast food restaurants and develop a distaste for it.  For me, my body hates fast food now and would get rid of it as fast as possible out the other end.

I regularly work out at the gym, and I would say my activity level is intense.  I push my body very hard at the gym for my frame and I do push a lot of weight for my size. 

I mix the weight training with cardio here and there.  Solo cardio activities include swimming, running, elliptical.  Others are squash, volleyball.  The biggest part of keeping the weight off is to watch what you are eating.

If you work out for an hour and you eat a whole pizza after your workout, what has that accomplished? nothing.  Now I'm not saying I haven't eaten a whole pizza after a workout before but then again, I feel really bad the next day and work out like mad.  I sound like a chick, I know...haha anyway, just keep a routine going and if you miss a day or two, make it up next week. 

Oh ya, when the holidays come around?  Good luck maintening that weight.  I ate so much that it's near impossible to work out and attend family dinners.  SO just keep your portions small over the holidays and work it off afterwards.

CheerS

maintenance is the key to EVERYTHING! i mean, can you imagine someone putting 5 grand into their garden in the spring and decide not to mow or hedge atleast once a week and letting  your hard turn in to the amazon by the time the family comes in for the fourth of july festivities?  HECK NO!  so why should we do that to our bodies?  that is why diets fail time and time again.  we decide to go out and drop some time and energy on our bodies to get down to our old highschool playing weight, just to let it all come back on as soon as we have reached our goal.  this is insane! 

so my number one tip is to go into your new eating habits (diet is not a word in MY vocabulary) with the expectation to not quit, even if you reach your goal.  rather than quit, just change your goal.  dont necessarily figure on losing more weight, but maybe to just stay active, and to continue to expand your knowledge of what is good for your body and what isnt, and then ofcourse act on your newly found knowledge.

tip number two is to help others out and share with them your secrets.  when you become the teacher you cant help but to be re-inspired if you have started to slip a little bit.

tip number three, and maybe the most important one, is to ALLWAYS remember how far you have come from.  if keeping an old pair of jeans around, or maybe a picture that used to embarrass you out in plain view or whatever... just remember to remember!

btw, my stats since i have started my new lifestyle are as follows:

began on 2-22-05 at 420 lbs and steadilly fell to 185 lbs over a period of 20 months and currently i am maintaining my weight of 185 for two months... even through the holliday seasons!

All of this advice sounds nice, but what if you're a teenager? I am and I am trying to maintain a healthy weight in a house where my mom is overweight and my step-dad is obese and they don't really seem to care too much if everything they eat is drowned in fat. How do I continue to eat healthy if they're not?

For me losing the weight was a lifestyle change. I started in January of 2005 and had lost 42 lbs by October reaching my goal. I'm constantly aware of what I eat, always eating a carb and a protein together and continuing to be aware of my caloric intake. I'm a fluctuator, as soon as I gain a few pounds instead of saying "oh well" and giving up (I've done that in the past) I stop there and work until it's off again. My lifestyle change with working out, however...not so much. I was doing fine until my sister went through a crisis over a year ago and moved in with her two girls. They only stayed for a few weeks, but I've not worked out since. It's kinda hard when you have three small children...any suggestions out there? Good luck United! Just keep your eye on the goal.

honestly, i don't think there are any tricks or secrets! by the time most of us hit maintenance we absolutely KNOW what a proper portion size looks like, and what is enough for our body to sustain itself.

i don't count my calories as closely as i was when i was losing, but i still eat well, AND, nothing about my exercise routine has changed! i think that might be the key... i think once we hit our goal weight, we think we can slack off a bit, and we can't. i think the reason i have always lost and gained before is i slacked... what made this time different for me? this time around i really paid attention to the "science" of calorie counting and learned what proper portions for me look like. and, just as i knew i had to burn more than i consumed to lose, i know that i can't consume more than i burn now, or i will gain! so i still have to pay a bit of attention, but i feel like i have control of it now, it doesn't have control of me. THAT feels really good!

so, when you get to maintenance, just use what you've learned along the way to get there... it's still about moderation (i don't think you should deny yourself anything if you can eat in an appropriate portion), you HAVE to keep eating well and exercising... hitting your goal does not mean you get to go eat a pizza and a carton of ice cream, just a slice or two and a scoop!

:)

As meljo says, by the time we reach our goal we know, I agree, as I don't log my meals anymore because you know what a portion is and how to read the labels on the foods you buy to make sure of the portion size.

The one thing I do though is weigh myself everyday, at the same time and the same way.  Then if my trend is changing I know I've been a bad boy and I wil either cut the food back a little or bump up the excersise just a bit to get things back where I want them.

Another thing to keep in mind too, don't settle on one weigth, ie. 145 pound, but pick a range, say 140-145.  I have noticed that I will see daily fluctuations of 1-3 pounds.  This will keep the panic in check.

United2gether - Yeah, I've asked them to buy healthy things like whole grain bread, but they don't want to because no one else will eat them except for me. I have gotten them to buy more fresh fruits and vegetables though, so it's a step in the right direction.

lol ~ so hitting maintenance does NOT = ice cream & pizza????

dang!  that is where i've been going wrong!!!

I hear you meljo on the slacking.  Actually in the past, I've finished and went back to eating with glee.  and then dieted. then ate.

that's the cycle i'm going to break and make this a lifestyle...

guidelines i've read for moving to maintenance would be to increase complex carbs of the grains and legumes (starchy beans, black & kidney beans, lentils etc), lean meats... a little dairy, a little more of the healthy fats.

i'm in weight loss mode, so the recommendation is to increase complex carbs of the plant variety... er aka fruits & veggies!

but, I think a major hurdle for me this year will be to overcome my mental allergies to exercise.  I can see the many health benefits and it helps to keep metabolism revved up, strengthen muscles and bones, improve heart health... and lets us eat a tad more!  and I guess I'm still all about that...

so I wonder?  As you lost and became smaller, your daily calorie needs are less than before.  Did you appetite decrease to match?

lava ~ how about asking them to stock in some not quite so perishable items for you.  like the light variety of string cheese, eggs so you can have egg white scrambles with veggies and salsa.  maybe some of the light smoothies like the yoplait smoothie for 90 cals about = to a cup of skim milk?

maybe you could get them to get you 1 bread item per week or so... like a whole grain bread for your morning toast and lunchtime sandwhiches?

or an alternative ~ a package of flavored rice cakes to have with peanut butter, or wheat or whole grain english muffins, whole grain pita pockets or even some of the mini-wheat bagles that are 120 cals each instead of almost 300 for a large bagel that you could use for breakfast, lunch or snacks...  

Maybe they could get you some of the fat free cream cheese... or the light versions of Laughing Cow cheese.  I love the garlic and herb althought the light swiss is good too :)

Then I use the fat free cream cheese with some left over dinner meat or lunch meat... or have the bagel with the laughing cow cheese?

anyway... sounds like they are willing to do some and if you ask for some specifics and then you are sure to eat them over a week or so and don't let them go to waste... maybe they will begin to be more comfortable about getting you a few more items :)

United, HI!  How's everything with you?

Well to answer your question, My appetite hasn't changed much, I eat less, but I always want more, so I have to watch myself.  I think that is in part because of the high level of excersise I get each day, and my personality is the kind that won't let me sit still.  I sometimes get in the " I can eat anything mode" because of that.

lava - you can store bread in your fridge and it will last for a while! I know stores have deals like Buy one get one Free, and I either get both Whole wheat or 1 enriched white (for my hubby). Anyway, So, yeah, I am the only one (in a household of 2) that eat Wheat bread & Oatmeal. Trust me it's manageable. If you want, have your mom contact me :)

I like what achievements I am seeing now. But I still want to improve.

Maybe I am affraid to get into the 'maintenance' set of mind? Is there ever be a time when one's mind say: "This is it. You have now secured your goal."

I didn't start as being overweight - actually I gained weight ^_^; hehe... um.. muscles... I want to be fit and the only way for me to maintain it is to continue and keep up with the exercise. This lifestyle I am living now is great. Love it. Yet I know that I am not living it to the fullest. I know what is the next step for me. So does that mean I am not there yet in maintenance? :)
Well, I don't mind. It spurs me through knowing that there is more that I need & want & intend to accomplish.

Thanks for all the tips by the way! I think they all great pointers. I know for me, just talking about what works and what not and being among people here helps keeping me in-line.

Daniel - do you increase your cal intake even though you don't want to loose anymore, but since you are exercising more?

...so I wonder?  As you lost and became smaller, your daily calorie needs are less than before.  Did you appetite decrease to match?

The reason I ask is because I exercise, build muscle, gain weight (some 2-3lbs no biggie) and I do get hungrier. I don't think I reduce my calories. If anything perhaps I should increase??

HI everyone!  Well I was reading all your posts.  Such great inspiration here.  I wanted to share my thoughts.  I had gone on a trip and got the pictures back and boy did I realize I hadn't been taking care of myself.  So I wanted to loose 20 pounds.  I found this site and used it to the letter.  I got into exercising regularly.  I lost the weight.  You do learn how to each without charting it anymore like Dan said.  It becomes a habit.  I stopped trying to loose anymore. I have maintained the weight for a year now.  What a surprise that wow I kept it off.  So now I got to thinking why not start again and loose 10 more.  Cause I know I can do it because I already have.  Also I agree with what Dan said about the weight range of a couple pounds.  You weight is different all times of day and with different seasons and the weather.  I have found that so many factors atribute to a couple pounds differrence in weight.  But it doesn't mean you have fallen off the wagon.  So keep your weight in a range.  It does make your mind feel better and you worry less about it.  Great advice I read here.  Keep up the awesome work.  Good luck!

Georgieann

I've maintained for quite some time now...my secret, snack on fruits and veggies, stay away from processed food as much as you can, meats, dairy, and sweets sparingly.

Hi!

I've maintained my weight loss for about 25 years. I lost 30 pounds when I was 14 and have kept the weight off ever since. Actually, I weight about 3 pounds less than I did when I was in high school.

Basically, I try to watch myself every day. I count my calories every day. I exercise 6-7 days a week (1/2 hour on the treadmill) and a little weight training 3 times a week. I allow myself to eat anything I want - sometimes even overeating one day and then dieting the next few days.

I hate it all - the calorie counting, the exercise, the self control. I hate the obsessing. But, I like the results. I remember how unhappy I was when I was heavier. I tell my husband, I'd be a lot more unhappy if I was fat.

You can't always eat everything you'd like. When I get to the end of my calories, I actually feel sad some days, but I remind myself that I can do it all over again tomorrow and somehow that makes me feel better. I can eat again as soon as I wake up from a night's sleep - how cool!

I don't know if that will help, but perhaps it will.

When I get to the end of my calories, I actually feel sad some days, but I remind myself that I can do it all over again tomorrow and somehow that makes me feel better. I can eat again as soon as I wake up from a night's sleep - how cool!


How cool is that?  Right on!

I try to remember that I have so many calories to spend, but then I start paniking mid-day that i'll run out and I want to save them for the evening.  grrr... 

It really has a lot to do with debunking our irrational thoughts...

I'm really inspired rhettsgirl!  Congrats on keeping it off 25 years!!!  You should celebrate a silver anniversary :)

wow... 25 years! *whistle*~