Just reached my goal weight! Want to start a group for people like me who have reached their goal this week!

Hey I have just reached my goal weight. I am 5'2 and weighed 123lbs back in July. My goal was to reach 110lbs by my Bday (sept 22). Didn't quite make it, but I hit 108.5 today when I weighed. So I'm done. Now I need to maintain and learn how to stop counting calories and not gain the weight back. I think it would really help to start a group for people like me who have just reached their goal and need some accountability to help them maintain. Just to share ideas and tell each other what's working and what's not. If you're in just reply with your stats and anything else you want to add.

Here's mine

sarahgdyck - age 30, 5'2 - 108.5lb (goal 110lb)

HEY!!  I've been thinking along the same lines this week.  I am almost at my goal (about 6 more pounds to go).  I have been debating this week as to when to start adding calories etc.  I want to add about 100 per week I guess, which will still have me losing weight, so its possible that I could start doing this before I hit my ultimate goal.  Anywho, it would be great to have this group to figure out how to do this and to see what works for other people.  What are you doing now?

katethegreat - age 25, 5'3 - 128lbs (goal 122).

  Hi Kate! I'm experimenting this week... and a little apprehensive.  I'm going to try not counting calories for a few days and only weigh myself every 3 days... probably Friday and Tuesday.  It's challenging cuz I'm used to counting now.  But I think I've learned what I can and cannot eat.  It's just a matter of finding the number of calories I can eat without gaining.  I was eating 1200 / day to lose weight so I'm going to try increasing to 1300 for a couple of weeks and see how that goes.  If I'm able to maintain great!  If I lose weight I will increase to 1400.  Just take it easy for a little while. I'm also planning to start doing some more weight training just to increase my muscle tone so I don't just look scrawny!

Yeah, I'm thinking of doing like you.  I am afraid of maintaining at like 1400 b/c I want to eat more!!!! LOL.  I don't want to stop counting as I am a math person and I need to know the numbers.  Once I establish what my maintenance number is, I can do more intuitive eating.  The key for me is going to be no snacking in between meals and no eating out of boxes or containers.  Thats what got me in trouble in the past.

Hi Sarah we're quite similar - I'm 27, 5'2" and weigh b/w 49 to 49.5 kilos - I guess that's about 108 to about 110, depending on the week.  I started in May trying to loose winter weight I gained last year while doing my Masters.  I reached my goal in late August and  I've maintained since then, but am always worried that it will come back, especially that now I'm back to studying.  I'm a runner and run b/w 4 to 6 miles a day, and I walk everywhere, so I eat about 1500 cals/day.  Still this past week I moved to a new city to start school - it was a crazy week and I didn't work out once, but I lost about 1.5 lbs during the week anyway, even though I think I still ate 1500 cals/day, weird.  Anyway, as soon as I get my routine back I feel that the weight will come back, just paranoia I guess of being stuck in the library for too many hours and not active all day!

Just dropped in to offer congratulations, everybody!!! Great Work!!!

I'll be there next year, so I'm not eligible, lol! It is nice to see the 5'2" and 108-110 goals, though, as, (with a small frame), that's only a little more than where I'm headed, too

I'll be REALLY encouraged to see your group when I get there- after a year of sucessfully maintaining!!! Wooo Hooo! You'll be a Great example to follow!

What an awesome help you'll  be to us 'long journey folks!' Sooo...Rooting for ya'll, for sure!

Hey... just checking in.  I haven't been counting calories for the last 2 days and I dropped another 1/2 pound, so I'm going to give it another week and if I'm still losing I will have to up my calories a bit I guess.  Can't wait to hear how others are doing.

well done sarahgdyck!!

would you share some tips to get me down to 108 too?? ;)

Would love to help out halloskinny.  I need a few more details about you first.  Height?  Weight? Age? What do you eat?  How many calories / day? What do you do for exercise?  Those sorts of things.

 Here's what I did.  I cut my calories to 1200 / day (healthy calories... be sure that you're getting the most bang for your buck.  Don't fill up on empty calories) I work out (circuit training) 3 times a week for 30 minutes.  I do a Pilates class 2 times / week for 30 min.  And walk for at least 30 minutes every day.

I reached my goal over a month ago, and have lost a few more pounds since. I've been eating about 1,600 calories a day but bump it up a bit more if I do lots of biking.

figurethefat - age 50, 5'2.5" - 111.5 (goal 112)

sarahgdyck! sorry i'm answerying late.

I'm 5'3''/123lbs
I eat 1200-1300 cals a day (slightly more when i work out)
I work out 3 times a week [40mins cardio and 25min weight training]
Daily deficit 300-400

dunno why but it's not working. It seems healthy and reasonable enough for me, but i'm just gaining weight or mantaining.. I start thinking i'll never go down to 105lbs in my entire life.

somebody has a clue?

I want to reach goal! I have 9 more pounds to go. How did you guys push to lose your last 10? I'm so curious. This 1 pound a week thing is getting on my nerves :)

Hi guys, Nice work everyone!

I guess I can sort of finally join a maintenance group. Yay!

I am now at roughly 105lbs and am 5'1.5". Lost 25 lbs so far. In the truth of truths I wouldn't mind losing another 2-5 lbs but truthfully I am not going to try to actively diet it off but instead I just want to tone up by increasing exercise - thereby getting overall body fat percentage down and hopefully I lose the flabby appearance etc. I was thinking to treat myself to a workout series or something at one of the fancy gyms here in NYC .... my birthday is coming up too so I have an excuse to splurge!!

I was vigorously counting calories since May 1st but I haven't counted any calories since Sept 15th at all and not seriously since middle of August.

Calorie counting has literally changed my life. When I started dieting in January-February of this year I never ever thought I would be here today.

However, the bad news is that since mid-August, when I started to think about entering maintenance I have been struggling a bit leading to some frustration as my weight is bouncing up and down 5lbs+ and I don't know what to make of it. It has been difficult for me not to be counting as my eating is also all over the place, but I think finally I am getting the hang of life without counting - I can still eat healthy without counting everything. It's been odd, it's like I need to count and plug my calories into CC to remain healthy or I go haywire eating chinese food every five minutes. I still struggle with self-control which was the number one reason I was overweight to begin with.

Maintenance is almost harder than dieting!!!!!

Thanks for listening and I look forward to entering maintenance in a healthy manner with all of {{{{{{{{{you}}}}}}}

Hey... Halloskinny! Try circuit training.  It's the only thing that made a huge difference for me. 

I wouldn't worry too much about getting down to 105lb.  That's actually a bit too small for you.  I'm at 110lb and I'm shorter than you.  I was going to push it to 105lb but decided I was starting to look too thin. 

Take baby steps!!! Set smaller goals. Like 3-5lb / month.  That's a healthy weight loss.  Plus if you do it more slowly you are more likely to keep it off.

I agree nycgirl. I plug my stuff in everyday. I tell myself it's so I can see the nutrients: how much protein, fat, sodium, but really I don't know how I would go not counting. You have my admiration for letting go of the everyday counting.

x17star17x--the last 10 lbs was easier for me than the first 10. I think it's because I got my metabolism revved up drinking lots of water, eating 6 small meals instead of 3 bigger ones, and exercising consistently. In my case adding some physical activity made the difference. I ride the bike everyday, walk the dog, and try to keep the average activity burn to about 400 a day. You'll be at goal before you know it!

halloskinny--I'm kind of a believer in setpoint when it comes to weight. If you google it you'll see some theories. Basically I think your body gets comfortable at a certain weight, particularly if it's what would be considered a healthy weight. Then if you want to lose you have to push hard to get through the setpoint and set up a new one at a lower weight. Pushing hard would mean increasing exercise, and also maybe increasing calories too slightly. Just something to consider.

thank you all for your great advices. I'm trying to learn more about setpoints and circuit training and see where it will leads me.
thank you heaps ;)

edit: post deleted.

Stats:

38 years old, 5'1", two children.  Starting weight 160+.  Joining CC 152 pounds. Ending weight 120 pounds at CC. Lost weight by calorie reduction, increasing healthy and nutritous food, and exercise.  Maintaining a bit over a month. 

Maintaing strategies:  Increase calories by 100 calories per week, per month, to max at 1500.  So far so good.  Still losing some at nearly 1400 calories.  Cannot begin to stop counting yet as I am not sure of how my body and new weight adjusts to more nutrition and different nutrious foods. *Also have daily exercise routine.  I absolutely love free weights (dumbells).

edit*

Hello all!

56 y/o (I'll be the group mother!) 5'3, started at 177.5 on 1.2.07....Goal of 133 hit 10/3/07...now down to 131.2....

don't know where I'll go from here...would like to not have to spend everynight in the gym... but as one ages, the metabolism slows down...

Sedentary burn is only 1490 cals!  Doesn't allow for much eating...

I'd kinda like to shed a few more lbs since the holidays are right around the corner, bringing with them so many delish foods!  I've worked really hard to lose 47 lbs in 9 months but I'd like to enjoy the holidays too...

So I figure I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing as far as food and exercise goes and see what happens...But I will take off an occasional night from the gym and have an occasional treat....and I really do mean occasional!

Anyway, congrats to everyone who has met their goal....For me it's been worth every morsel left uneaten!

playergirl, how many calories were you eating while losing.  100 cals per week per month doesn't seem like a lot to me.  You would still be losing quiet a bit the first few months.

Well, katethegreat, seems so.  I need to perhaps clarify.

This is the first diet I have ever been on - and the last one I ever want to do.  120 lbs. is the lowest weight I have seen in at least 18 - 20 years.  I was also 18 -20 years younger, had a speedy metabolism and alot more energy. At that point my children were infants.

I started this last month (Sep) at about 128, (my intial goal 130)with my adjusted goal being 125.  I was consuming on average in Sep. 1300 calories.  Some days I simply wasn't hungry.  If I wasn't counting calories, I wouldn't have known.  Good or bad, I don't know.

So now at 120, I like it and want to maintin between 120 - 123.  Much like jem, I have the holiday season on my mind and would like to have a bit of breathing room for a margin of error.  Honestly, during Thanskgiving I can't see myself staying away from gravy, stuffing and loading up on vegatables.  I know I  can limit my portion, but trying to be real. 

Moving right along, in Oct now I am increasing to 1400 - 1500 by mid month.  I know there will be days that may be less simply because of where my appetite may be.  The only way I know is by setting the limit to 1400 and 1500 calories per day.  Now if by the end of the month I am stilll losing, I will need to analyze by how much and make some decisions.  Excercise longer and increase calories or exercise less and do not adjust calories. It's just something I am going to have to ride out and see how it goes. 

My body is different from yours, the person above you,  as is yours, so what works for one may not work for me or you.  Trial and error.  While it would be nice if it was calculated just for me, it isn't.   Calculations are guides.  The rest is up to me and the choices I make.

With that I say have a great eve and Congratulations on making whatever goal you have.  Time to move foward, remember where I came from and take it from there.