The Maintenance Thread

[Screwballski 540]

On 6/4/2019 at 11:22 AM, ms.sss said:

How long have you been below your desired weight?

I apologize for missing responses on this thread. I have been recovering from gallbladder/hernia/intestinal repair surgery.

Now I'm even healthier! And, I’m able to eat without pain.

To answer your question, I’ve been under 120 for 3-4 months. I slipped to below 115 after surgery but have managed to climb back to 117. I’ve been hovering here for a week...building. I think it will just take time and effort to eat healthy foods to gain the right kind of weight back.

Now that I’m out of pain, I’m more inclined to be able to dedicate my efforts to this in the same manner I did to losing the weight.

I’m very happy at 120. I don’t care who thinks that is too thin or too fat. It’s my happy spot. 😁

[LynnV1964 134]

On 07/16/2019 at 09:45, Cheeseburgh said:

I’m doing fine with eating, I don’t snack at all during the day. I do have a small snack before bed. My calories are still 700-800 a day, so I guess I’ll add 100 calories once I hit my goal weight of 132?

I’m one pound away from my goal and one day this week I’ll probably wake up and be there. I’m a slow loser so I have no idea when really. I work out 6-7 days a week. I have dialed it back from 1.5 hours a day to 30-45 minutes a day the past month to avoid burnout. I’m glad WW is working for you, I don’t do well with it.

Mentally changing gears is going to be hard for me.

Maintenance is a total head game! We are so good at the weight loss and watching that # go down is so motivating! I had a tough time switching from Bariatric Eating mode to something I could live with long term. At first as u add in some carbs and calories u may feel guilty or terrified of piling on pounds. Guess what? You won’t. I kept losing for awhile as I tried to find that sweet spot where I could maintain.
I had to get to an average of 1500-1600 calories to maintain. Amazingly that’s what the charts said I’d need for my age, weight and height. Now I had thought I’d need to put on 10lbs or so and just couldn’t imagine my body would like hanging out at 121lbs but it seems to like that # for now! 3weeks in a row!

Don’t stress too much and add in 100-200 extra calories a day each week till u find what works. Stick with healthy, lower carb foods but let those carb levels go up some...u won’t magically regain all your weight doing so. I still track my food because left to my own devices I would be perfectly content eating 800 cal a day which would be unhealthy. It actually feels like I eat all day long and that’s weird but I sure don’t feel deprived.

[Cheeseburgh 3,084]

Thank you, it’s really nice hearing from someone who has had success. Did you have surgery in 1969?

I’m pretty sure I’ll have to be relatively strict the rest of my life. My BMR numbers are about 1250 for my age (almost 59) and numbers. I have a feeling that I’m going to eventually end up around 1100 calories a day. I do track everything I eat and will continue to do so.

I’ve been following @ms.sss maintenance journey which is helpful, however we have very different metabolisms!

I never thought I would dread this stage.

[LynnV1964 134]

1964 is my birth year. I had surgery 9/25/18. I’m actually going to play around with maintenance calories and up to 1700. Trying to see the highest amount where I still maintain.

[Cheeseburgh 3,084]

24 minutes ago, LynnV1964 said:

1964 is my birth year. I had surgery 9/25/18. I’m actually going to play around with maintenance calories and up to 1700. Trying to see the highest amount where I still maintain.

Ok, got it, you had surgery a month after I did. I got the year 1969 from your profile, you list 12/30/1969 as your surgery date.

[LynnV1964 134]

Lol! Weird... I’ll have to fix that!

[ms.sss 15,834]

23 hours ago, Cheeseburgh said:

I’m afraid I’m about to have an identity crisis. Who am I if I’m not losing weight? It has been such a big part of my life over the past 17 months or so.

How did you cope or switch gears?

For me, I guess I am still doing alot of the aspects of the weight loss phase (tracking macros, Portion Control, healthier/mindful eating, water/protein goals, meal prep/cooking, exercise/activity quotas), but just not for the goal of losing weight anymore. So all that still is a large part of my everyday life.

I would think it is a good thing to continue with the habits formed during weight loss phase, just loosen the reigns a little.

Though I know this is easy to say. I had a bit of a minor crisis when I first got into maintenance mode. I think it was based mostly on fear of regain/failure. It's so cliche, but true: time makes everything better. It's been almost 2 months now since I decided to stop losing weight, and during that time, I've learned to trust myself more and relax. I'm still pretty vigilant though, but the stress/anxiety first associated with it is almost non-existent (almost).

[LynnV1964 134]

ms.sss- Yes! This is my experience too. Each week I maintain, I realize I’m not going to pack on the pounds eating the way I do. Very empowering!💪🏼🎉

[FluffyChix 17,418]

8 hours ago, ms.sss said:

For me, I guess I am still doing alot of the aspects of the weight loss phase (tracking macros, Portion Control, healthier/mindful eating, water/protein goals, meal prep/cooking, exercise/activity quotas), but just not for the goal of losing weight anymore. So all that still is a large part of my everyday life.

I would think it is a good thing to continue with the habits formed during weight loss phase, just loosen the reigns a little.

Though I know this is easy to say. I had a bit of a minor crisis when I first got into maintenance mode. I think it was based mostly on fear of regain/failure. It's so cliche, but true: time makes everything better. It's been almost 2 months now since I decided to stop losing weight, and during that time, I've learned to trust myself more and relax. I'm still pretty vigilant though, but the stress/anxiety first associated with it is almost non-existent (almost).

I'm so so so so glad to read this update! Congrats to you hon on graduating into maintenance!!!! You're a freakin' rockstar!!!!

[Cheeseburgh 3,084]

I’ve slept on it and I don’t think I’m ready quite yet. I think I’ll change my goal by a few pounds while I figure this out. I’ll talk to the team at my 1 year follow up.

If I know myself well enough, one of the main reasons I’m struggling with this is because I have my appointment next month. In my mind I’m not done until I finish 1 year. I never claimed I wasn’t crazy.

The number 132 was arbitrary and I’m in no danger of slipping into an unhealthy BMI.

[FluffyChix 17,418]

50 minutes ago, Cheeseburgh said:

I’ve slept on it and I don’t think I’m ready quite yet. I think I’ll change my goal by a few pounds while I figure this out. I’ll talk to the team at my 1 year follow up.

If I know myself well enough, one of the main reasons I’m struggling with this is because I have my appointment next month. In my mind I’m not done until I finish 1 year. I never claimed I wasn’t crazy.

The number 132 was arbitrary and I’m in no danger of slipping into an unhealthy BMI.

We're same height but don't know about your build. I'm just average. I plan to get to Goal#3 of 130lbs then maybe continue to my Barbie DreamGirl Goal of 125#. Then see how I feel. I may decide to go for my Insurance Company "Ideal Weight" target...but that's so far off.

[ms.sss 15,834]

48 minutes ago, Cheeseburgh said:

I’ve slept on it and I don’t think I’m ready quite yet. I think I’ll change my goal by a few pounds while I figure this out. I’ll talk to the team at my 1 year follow up.

If I know myself well enough, one of the main reasons I’m struggling with this is because I have my appointment next month. In my mind I’m not done until I finish 1 year. I never claimed I wasn’t crazy.

The number 132 was arbitrary and I’m in no danger of slipping into an unhealthy BMI.

You’ll know when you are ready.

I had an initial (also arbitrary) goal of 120. When I reached 127, I decided that was enough. My body, however, seemed to want to stick to that initial goal...these days I bounce around between 118-120 (though this AM I dipped to 117-ish, but I’m chalking that up to a very satisfying poop, lol)

❤️

[Cheeseburgh 3,084]

22 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

We're same height but don't know about your build. I'm just average. I plan to get to Goal#3 of 130lbs then maybe continue to my Barbie DreamGirl Goal of 125#. Then see how I feel. I may decide to go for my Insurance Company "Ideal Weight" target...but that's so far off.

I’m actually 5.3 1/2. I always round up because I thought I was 5’4” my entire life! I have an athletic build and tend to look less than I weigh, at least that was the case before I gained weight over the past 10 years. I’m not really stuck on a number, I’m just getting my head in the right place.

[FluffyChix 17,418]

1 minute ago, Cheeseburgh said:

I’m actually 5.3 1/2. I always round up because I thought I was 5’4” my entire life! I have an athletic build and tend to look less than I weigh, at least that was the case before I gained weight over the past 10 years. I’m not really stuck on a number, I’m just getting my head in the right place.

Can't wait till you are ready to call goal and post pics girl. You're rockin' it!

[Cheeseburgh 3,084]

I posted pics in another thread, here is 138