the mental side of maintaining

Hi, all, I'm new here so I apologize if this topic has already been discussed.  I have lost almost 50 pounds in the last year, and I am finally down to a very healthy weight (5'5.5", 127 lbs).  I am technically on a maintenance plan, but I'm having a really hard time adjusting to the mental side of maintaining.  I'm still in weight-loss mode, and I can't break some of the habits I've developed (weighing myself frequently, picking only fruit and veggies whenever I need a snack, trying to increase my exercise and limit my intake).  I am very active, and lots of websites suggest that I should be eating between 1,800-2,000 calories a day, but I just can't wrap my mind around eating that much.  Any suggestions for a fellow maintainer? Thanks!

No answer unfortunately, but same boat. I eagerly await reply!

As long as you are no longer losing weight I think those habits will help you maintain.  This is a forever diet, (lifestyle).  You can slowly increase your calories and then watch what happens give it a week or so between increases to give your body time to adjust.  If you start to gain back more then 4 or 5 lbs (which could be water) then reduce your calories for a little while and again watch the scale, or how your clothes fit, or take measurements or what ever is right for you. 

Unfortunately the weight that we all lose is just wanting to jump back on our bodies and it will take all your (our) goodhabits to keep them (pounds) off.  On the same note realize a pizza or one fat laden meal won't undo your hard work. 

Congratulations on your loss.  You'll be up to a "normal calorie" diet in no time maybe even more then normal.  Remember nothing is cut in stone and with healthy eating and a exercise routine you'll be a permanent success story.

I agree with leanne21071... Maintenance is about taking the healthy habits you've learned in order to lose weight and then applying them.  It's fairly natural to be keen not to slip back into old habits but you have gradually let go of some aspects... calorie-counting, constant weighing, measuring everything minutely.... and start to trust your judgement more

Start with weighing yourself less.  Cut it back to once a week and then once every two weeks.   You'll pretty quickly see that your weight isn't changing all that much and you'll feel more confident that you're making the right choices.  If you gain a pound at any stage don't panic and start slashing calories again.  Leave it another week to allow things to settle before making any changes.

Increase your intake gradually and, at the same time, start to think more about 'portion control' rather than 'calorie counting'... It's a subtle difference but it's more relaxing to look at your dinner plate and see that it's well-balanced and a sensible amount than to be constantly totting up the calories in your head and keeping a running total.  More normal.

NB... if you don't increase your intake but stay on weight-loss calories the biggest risk is that your body gets too accustomed to less food.  This makes yo-yo-ing back to your original weight, sadly, a lot more likely.

I don't have a scale at home.  I highly recommend chucking the scale.  My scale is at the gym and I get there once a week if I'm lucky.  If I have a scale at home, I will weigh myself 3x a day at least. 

It's too late for you but I kept eating really close to maintenance at the end of my weight loss.  So, I'm not making major changes to my calorie count.  I think it erases the concept of dieting and cements the concept of "lifestyle change". 

I also look at food as fuel, so if you are still very active, you need to "gas up".  I have reincorporated so called "empty calories" like white rice and pasta into the diet to make sure I'm eating enough.  I've converted the skim milk to 2% and sometimes cream or half and half in my recipes.  Recently I bought a cheap pork shoulder and am putting that in my soups instead of the lean beef. 

Things like that are more comfortable to me than to eat large meals or start going out to Fast Food for original  recipe.