Thread: My questions about maintaing...with my own answers :D

Originally Posted by MadamDotty

but healthy food has cals too of course and eat too many and you'll put on weight - simple really, you think I'd have known that!

I think you've always known that, but it's easy to believe it doesn't apply to us. Okay...we know it does, but somehow, on the surface we can feel invincible, especially if you are overeating the healthy stuff. You feel like you're doing soooo much better this time not indulging in the bad stuff.

You know too much of the healthy stuff can make you gain too, but you really don't want to think about that, so tuck it away and hope that the scales will just congratulate you on the quality of your food.

I'll have one or two a day and stick to around 1200 cals, I don't think I need to go lower than that, plus I shouldn't because my of my BMI.

1200 should be fine. I cut down to 1500 and increased exercise after my holiday and Christmas. Just reduced my portion sizes of everything 40g of porridge became 30g of porridge etc.

Great thread, KD!!! Wish you'd written this 6 months ago!!!

xxxxx

Originally Posted by Karion Dieting

1200 should be fine. I cut down to 1500 and increased exercise after my holiday and Christmas. Just reduced my portion sizes of everything 40g of porridge became 30g of porridge etc.

At the moment I'm following Fitbug's guide and eating 1400 cals, although most days it ends up nearer the 1500 but I've started exercising, which will help and I'm happy to lose these last few pounds slowly. I only tend to go down to 1200 and have the shakes when it creeps up a bit more, heavy weekend or something like that.

MD, if you're anything like me, motivation tends to be a short term thing. What you've done is recognised that what was working, isn't doing it for you any more.

You've then found something new to get you going again.

I think that's the key. Adapt, change, work out new strategies before it's too late.

Hope so Karion.

As you've already pointed out, this maintenance lark is an ongoing learning curve as for most of us it's brand new territory.

What a FAB thread....

hopefully won't be toooo long before I'll be needing to make use of all the great advice....

THANX KD !!

Debz
xx

I really laughed when I saw those. It's all the stuff I'm still learning slowly.

The constant vigilance has come as a surprise to me as has the fact that although I used to hate counting calories to lose weight I'm happy to do it to maintain because I don't know what my food should look like despite everything.

I think that the bit you put about normal weight doesn't equal normal is so true. If I was normal I wouldn't be here.

But no matter what it is so worth it.

What a flipping fantastic thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DO you count the claories lost? How reliable are the gym "calorie burning counters"?

I've thought about what to do afterwards for some time...currently on cd1000 maintanence....i think the best bet is to calorie count based on tha maintanence menus...just till I get the hang of it.

Free food is something I could not cope with!! I've realised that!!

Originally Posted by Soraya

although I used to hate counting calories to lose weight I'm happy to do it to maintain because I don't know what my food should look like despite everything.

That's what I found. Really was quite a light bulb moment. Really thought I knew about healthy eating and portion sizes, but have spent so many years eating either too much or too little...found I didn't actually have a clue.

Originally Posted by g1981

What a flipping fantastic thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DO you count the claories lost? How reliable are the gym "calorie burning counters"?

I've thought about what to do afterwards for some time...currently on cd1000 maintanence....i think the best bet is to calorie count based on tha maintanence menus...just till I get the hang of it.

I used a heart rate monitor a few times, but found the machines said a similar amount. The gym machines I use take account of my personal details...guessed that helped.

I stayed on the 1500 for the two weeks recommended, then did 1500 of my own plan (worked out through WLR), then increased. I couldn't wait to get off the CD plans and try out my own menus. After all..I had been planning them since the first week I was SSing

How are you finding 1000? I hated it Preferred the steps either side.

Think I'll continue with this

So do you count calories now?

No, but I am calorie aware. Some people will say that slim people aren't aware of calories, so why should an ex-overweight person who is trying to be 'normal' want to know about them?

Well, I want to be aware of what I'm putting in my body. My aim isn't necessarily to be a slim person (though that's cool), but it's also to be a healthy person.

Not all slim people are healthy. They often eat high fat foods maybe even thinking that they are eating properly as they are slim, but we all know about internal fat.

So yes...I do look at the label. Not obsessively so, but I want to know what I'm putting into my body...and that includes calories.

So you are aware, but not counting the calories?

Being calorie aware (along with fat, salt etc to a certain extent), I can make good choices. I can chose what's suitable for that day. Again, not obsessively so, mind you. I don't count now, but I still want to have a rough idea of what I'm putting in my mouth.

So you pick low calorie things, rather than the high calorie alternatives?

Not necessarily. It depends. If it's something that I really want, then I'll go for that first, but be aware that I will probably be full on that and won't need a dessert.

If I chose the lower calorie foods, then I know I will probably need something else to follow or something extra with it.

If I don't care which one it is, I'll probably go for the lower calorie, as long as it's not full of rubbish...so that I can have more 'extras' to go with it.

But wouldn't you know..wouldn't your hunger signals tell you you've had enough, so you would only want to eat a similar amount of calories regardless. You would stop when full?

Not necessarily. Often my 'full' signals don't click in until I've finished. I can't eat until full. I would feel uncomfortable an hour later. I like to put a sensible portion size on my plate and eat that. Portion sizes can be misleading. Two things that look similar, can have a huge difference in calories. I want to know which one I'm having

So how many calories are you actually having now?

Not sure to be honest. After spending almost 2 years with WLR, I have a pretty good idea of what I need to eat to maintain, but I seem to have found some 'normality'. I find that a big meal out leads me to not want much the following day or two. This was my dream. This is how my family manage to stay slim without thinking. It's now something I'm doing automatically, without feeling deprived. In fact...without thinking! It just happens.

Hmmm--food or thought as they say.

Just read the thoughts of chairman karion & want to say wow what a lot of learning,thinking & generally rearranging of food related stuff you've done.
time & energy well invested.

I may be becoming v sad but as I went through I made a little list of quotes from here that seemed to resonate particularly for me.

this is my way of saying a big thankyou,& a big well done of course.

Originally Posted by Karion Dieting

So when can I relax for more than a moment?

Not until you’ve really changed your way of eating. Until it’s a habit that comes naturally without thinking. We are talking about years here. I counted calories and weighed food for about a year. Now I only calorie count and weigh occasionally to check I’m still doing it right, but I still can’t really relax.

What about the GI diet, SW, WW to maintain?

Great. When you are just trying to maintain, you’re not dieting but learning a new way of eating. All these plans are fine, as long as your calorie amounts add up. Anything that allows free foods can be a problem. If you can cope with free food, that’s fine.



Most people who have had a weight problem for a while, might find this difficult. At the end of the day, it’s the calories that matter when it comes to maintaining.

What if I put on a few pounds?

That’s okay too. That’s normal. Even the skinniest person does that at times. For us though, we have to be aware, not panic, but cut down consciously for a while to remedy the situation. You have to refocus….and quickly!

But I just want to be normal. Please let me be normal Karion!

Hey! Don’t we all. Some people are more normal that others But for the most of us…dream on….being a normal weight does not mean you are normal. Physically yes…possibly. Psychologically, probably not. Not yet anyway.

Does this mean I can’t have any ‘bad’ foods at all…..EVER!!

I’m a great believer in having trigger food sometimes. I need to know how to control them. They are too nice to give up forever. Knowing your trigger foods is helpful. You can plan for them, and work out how you will deal with the demon. Bread was always my trigger food. Now I seem to be able to eat it without a problem. It’s taken time though, but I’m so glad I didn’t strike it off forever.

Since SSing, I have learnt so much. I know how to control my eating!! Can’t wait until I get to goal!

Huh. Dream on again buddy You may think you’ve learnt it all, but you’ve just scratched the surface. Sorry.

Whoops, I’ve put on a stone since I got to goal, should I SS again?

In my opinion nope (but I can say that cos I’m not a counsellor ) Apart from the fact that you shouldn’t do a VLCD under a certain weight, just think about having to do those plans again! That doesn’t mean that having a pack or two to help with a calorie controlled type of diet, or even doing CD1000 is fine though, but it’s still advisable to work up to maintenance gradually..

I’m scared to get to goal now! Is it really worth it, and isn’t it going to be too hard?

Nothing to be scared about. It’s certainly worth it. Like a dream come true really. Keep your expectations realistic though. I decided that when I got up to the 1500 CD plan, I would continue to focus (be on a diet so to speak) for another year. At the end of that year, I realised that I needed at least another 4 years.

If I manage to maintain for 5 years, I think I’ll feel pretty confident that I’ve cracked it, but then I’ve had much longer than that with weight issues. 5 years of learning to do it right is nothing in comparison to all those years lost.

I hate you Karion!! I just want to get to goal and get on with my life!

Okay. You have the right to hate me Go to the back of the queue

Brilliiant post. Just found it.

I'll be holding on to this for the end of next the year when i'm at goal.

Tah xx

Karion,

This is a brilliant thread. I have only just found it and it has really made me think about think.

I go into week 11 on Thursday (LL) and am now really nervous as I dont think I am going to get to the lower part of my target weight in time to go straight into management.

Would you recommend going into management if you still want to lose another 5-7pounds?

I am starting to think about food plans and I would like to create a healthy food plan now, how much does wlr cost and is it really worth it, are there lots of veggie meals that don't contain fish either?

Thank you for the thread.

xx

Originally Posted by Betty Boo

Would you recommend going into management if you still want to lose another 5-7pounds?

I did Cambridge and you lose weight going through those 'refeeding' plans. Don't know about LL, but I think Amanda continued to lose throught it.

I am starting to think about food plans and I would like to create a healthy food plan now, how much does wlr cost and is it really worth it,

I paid £45 for 6 months and it was £45 very well spent. I wanted the freedom to make my own choices, and live like anyone else. As I was planning on maintaining, I didn't want to 'diet' in the traditional sense with a slimming club, nor follow low carb, low fat or anything else low...just roughly aim for government guidelines for fat/carb/protein so that I could get it as close to 'normal' as possible.

are there lots of veggie meals that don't contain fish either?

Though there are hundreds of recipes for all sorts of meals, the main idea is that you chose your own foods. This was the next step for me. My chance to go it alone...but with the info at hand as to what I was putting in my mouth

I'm not sure that I could have maintained without WLR for that first year and yet still feel I wasn't dieting, but as for all ways of eating, you've still got to do it...whether you chose WLR, SW, WW etc. Nobody can give you the control you need. It's got to come from yourself. These are just tools to guide you in the right direction

Thanks Karion,

I have been looking on wlr for ages but have neve signed up. It seems like a lot of money but I guess it is worth it as you have something to follow and you can choose what you want.

As I have not even finished foundation, I think I am getting a bit to far ahead of myself!!

Will ask Amanda about continued weight loss in Management.

Have a good evening x