Queen of Dieting, Joker of Maintaining

 This will be the third time this year that I have hit goal... but haven't been able to stay there!  I don't want to go up again so I need to find a new strategy!!!!!  What strategies have people found to maintain? 

There was an actress on Regis and Kelly, and she has a strategy that if she gets on the scale and her weight has gone up that she cuts back on sodium and carbs for the day.  If it goes down she treats herself to a little something.  And that this has worked for her and she helps her maintain a constant weight.  I thought I would try something like this.  Any thoughts?  It just seems better to fix the problem 1 or 2 pounds at a time instead of yo-yoing 5-7 pounds at a time.

I'm also trying to learn how to maintain. I hit my goal a month ago and have been up and down 3 lbs since. But I weigh every day and worry about regaining. I've also been logging my weight on CC daily. I don't log what I eat. I figured I'd do that if I went over my original weight loss goal.

How about becoming maintaining buddies? I keep reading about weight loss buddies, whatever that is.

My maintenance strategy started with my weight-loss strategy.  Being 'slim and healthy' was my objective rather than 'thinner'.   Rather than simply eating less of the same old crap, I opted to eat better and control the portions at the same time.   Wholegrains, fruit and vegetables, lean proteins, no processed foods, refined carbohydrates or artificial junk.  Home-cooking rather than pre-prepared or dining out too often. I've cut salt right out as a matter of course.  Alcohol I've reduced greatly.    Emphasis is now on getting the best nutrition and enjoyment from food.

To lose weight I have 3 moderate-size meals a day (400 - 600 cals each) - majoring on healthy foods.  To maintain my weight I eat exactly the same meals as normal but I add in another 300 - 500 cals of healthy snacks.  I try to keep up with a little light exercise whether I'm losing or maintaining.   I don't obsess about calories or count them 24/7 it's just a rough guide.   I clock my weight weekly and adjust a little accordingly.  However, by keeping to the same meal sizes and same healthy foods and just excluding or including the snacks it means I'm not suddenly getting half platefuls or feeling deprived.

Hope something there helps.

I tend to look at maintaining a healthy weight as maintaining a healthy lifestyle more than trying to obtain and stick with a goal weight. Your weight will naturally fluctuate up or down about 5 pounds based on ALOT of factors. (stress, period, season, emotion, calorie intake, salt intake). Stress can really add on the pounds so find a way to destress and do it often. Also, definitely watch the sodium. Everything is jam packed with sodium now to a horrifying extent. I cut back on my sodium and started monitoring it like crazy and I dropped 4 pounds in like 2 weeks (which is big for me because I pretty much stay at the same weight no matter what I do). Don't starve yourself on the days when you are heavy on the scale. You are just doing your body more damage than good. Whoever the actress was I think she's right about cutting back on carbs and sodium. But keep in mind it's "cutting back" not eliminating completely. Change it up to more salads and fruits and veggies. If you haven't already I'd suggest switching up your workout routine too. Dancing is a GREAT way to hit muscles that don't normally get worked when running or doing the elliptical. Find something new and different and then change the routine up every few days so you get more of an overall workout than just repitition of the same.

I used calorie counting for weight loss and that's what I use for maintenance.  Except more calories allowed of course.  I do lots of exercise so I can eat more.  I did lots of muscle building when I was losing weight and have kept the muscles without maintaining the resistance program just by eating enough protein.  It seems to have worked!

You may be keeping the muscle tone on the short term, but if it's not exercised, it goes way.  Protein is the building blocks of muscle, but eating a lot won't necessarily keep them.  You need regular resistance on muscle tissue to maintain it. 

It's like the brain - "use it or lose it".