Reached my goal weight... but now feeling stressed about how to maintain it!!

Hi everyone,

I have been using this site since about May, and before that time I had already lost some weight on my own.  However, I have found the site to be really helpful in keeping track of my daily calorie intake and checking on how many calories I am burning a day.  It has been quite an eye-opening experience and I have found Calorie Count a useful tool along the weight-loss journey.  I have had some hiccups, ups and downs (emotionally) and plateaus, but last Saturday - 26th September - I stepped on the scales and was delighted that I had not only reached my goal weight, but actually gone slightly below it!!  My starting weight was 65.4 kg (I am 169 cm tall) and my weight now is 57.6 kg, which gives me a BMI of 20.2 :-)  I was initially really happy and I have had lots of positive comments from friends and some family members on my appearance and how I am looking good and have lost lots of weight.  All of which has made me feel very good about myself and has emphasised how far I have come on this journey.

But...  For some reason I am feeling really on-edge and more stressed now that I am at my target weight, because I am very scared about putting weight back on again and very nervous about going over even my deficit calories (1350), let alone risking going up to my so-called maintenance calories (1850).  I also got very excited when I reached my target weight and probably over-indulged a little bit in the days afterwards (which resulted in a slight gain of about 100g/0.2 lb - which I know is tiny but it has caused me to stress out again now!!). 

If anyone has some advice that would be very welcome.  I know in my mind that my weight is healthy now and I have slimmed down a lot (although I was never actually "overweight" by health standards, I was not happy with my body shape and how I looked).  Now that I have been doing a lot of exercise I can see my body shaping up and looking more toned and firm than it did before, and that is very motivating.

I just want to be able to relax a bit about food without risking going "overboard", but still be able to maintain the achievement I have reached so far...

Enough ramblings - any advice or comments would be very welcome.

Thanks so much,

Karen

Current weight - 57.7 kg (127 lb)

Height - 169 cm (5 ft 6.54 inches)

(Starting weight was 65.5 kg)

7.8 kg lost - 17 lb lost

Well maintenance is not easy. Its about balance and moderation. You also need to remain active. You can't expect your weight to stay the same every day. So you should choose a healthy window instead. So maybe promise yourself not to freak if you see anywhere from 125 to 129 on the scale. That's a healthy range and fluctuations can occur for any reason. Your .e lb gain might not be a gain at all for example and isn't something to even worry about.

Hi Kvhodgson! My story sounds similar to yours. I've been here for a few months, but lost about 10kg prior. Now my overall loss is from 84kg to 62-63kg. Getting into 'maintainence mode' is a lot harder than it would have seemed a month ago, but just like the weight loss journey I feel baby steps are needed.

Like Chrissy said, keeping a window is ideal because your scale reading is always going to vary, despite your actual BMI. I'm personally aiming to turn my daily weighing to a weekly one. I still keep a mental tab of my calories, but don't really 'log' them as I used to. Adjusting will probably take time for both of us, but don't get too scared about upping your intake to maintanence! Your body will adjust it's metabolism to compensate wonderfully.

Besides, 300 calories or 100 grams here and there never hurt anyone... Like me you've probably learnt a lot about diet and choices, and as long as you keep those things up as well as an active lifestyle you should do wonderfully. : )

I hear you. I've been at or around my goal weight since June(ish) and it has been just as hard, or harder, to maintain. I stopped counting for a month and put back on 10 lbs.

Anyhow, I am not too depressed about it. Think about all we've accomplished. We've counted calories, suffered hunger, worked out like mad, and arrived at what real life is going to be like.

I am trying to find the knack of living within the "window" which elrepo speaks of, but I am still too tied to the number.

Anyhow, I like my chances this time of staying this way...