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

Hi Karion

I'm getting near to goal now, so have been taking more interest in the maintenance threads. The posts here have really made me think. I always new that losing the weight would be difficult for me, but to keep it off afterwards would be the biggest challenge. Reading your pearls, I think I'm right. But the confidence I've gained from losing the weight, gives me hope that I can face that challenge.

Thanks for such an interesting and honest thread

Tracey
x

Hi K.D and all who have replied and posted.
This thread is what i need to refer to and read as i often forget that 45 years of inapporiate habits wont go away with without lots of thoughts, thinking and changing, as well as behaviours ie snatch and grab with food ,biting on healthy foods like apples complusively to help me think( i know its strange but i can complusivly eat apples) and thats a "healthy" food.
I have to plan my foods daily and try to not alter it greatly as thats means i am using food to fix me by having treats that make me pile on weight.

I am aware that i can also use food, dieting as a project to prevent me getting on with my life in between and this is a hard one.

Thank you so much k.d for still continuing to care and post after all your years of success i am sure as well that this keeps you on track and in touch with what for me is a life long issue.

So much more i could say but thats life
and as least we have the tools to alter it.

Thanks so much Maria

I was just looking again at this message some 3 years after I wrote it.

It's strange that after all this time, and after all the books and research papers, and mind stuff articles I've read, I have little to change. Having said that, I have just changed a couple of points.

One about being physically 'normal' which I now know isn't quite the case. I'm sure I knew then but perhaps it wasn't such a big deal in my head.

The other is about how much you would probably need to reduce by in terms of calories to get rid of a small gain. Since 2007 I've found that getting back on track can reduce my weight again, as long as I'm really getting back on track that is and being focused again. Or 1500kcals is enough.

Think I still agree with the rest though admit not to rereading it very carefully.

Originally Posted by KD

No…nor do I. Cutting down a little for a few days isn’t really dieting though. It’s what people do naturally. For us, it has to be a conscious effort, so it may feel like a diet. It’s not though, it’s just behaving normally.

I love that!

Originally Posted by KD

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! Normal eating can usually sort this, or else 1500kcal .

This bit has changed too then - about the CDC (at least)

Originally Posted by KD

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.

So how do you feel about that 5 year mark now?

Originally Posted by Laura Croft

So how do you feel about that 5 year mark now?

About the same, except now I'm more realistic about it and realise that there is no sudden 'youre cured' mechanism that comes during the night of the 5th anniversary.

Originally Posted by KD

About the same, except now I'm more realistic about it and realise that there is no sudden 'youre cured' mechanism that comes during the night of the 5th anniversary.

Not even a bolt of lightning? Darn..

Anyhow KD,

Hi KD and all others posted here!

Just found this thread and its just what I need at the moment. Due to the snow I havent had my 'official' WI, but have got to the weight I wanted to be.
now the panic starts!!
I want to carry on for a week or so to get under my goal, as im aware i will put on a few lb's.. my intention is to go back to WW'ers as im a gold member there to help maintain. I also intend to use the CD food packs and 'point' them in.
Im hoping that this way i will be in full control via the points, and wean myself off the CD packs gradually..
Does that sound ok??
I must admit im a bit terrified of things right now, and desperate not to be a statistic that puts the weight back on!
I love the way I look and feel now, and have the determination to stay that way.. I just need a concrete plan in place so I know where I am, at least for a few years!!
Any advice would be most welcome on this!

This is a great thread, and I've really enjoyed reading it! I recently reached my goal and surpassed it. Just before Christmas I lost a further 5lbs through the general madness and stress of it all taking me to 8st 8lbs. I jumped on the scales a few days ago though and I'm back up to 9 and not happy! I know I've eaten more than I normally do but not a huge amount and have had no 'binges' so have put it down to two things:
1. Reduction in exercise because of refurb at gym. (Now re-opened, thank god! I really missed it and felt very sluggish although I did a couple of runs.)

2. Increased intake of sugar (chocs etc.) and carbs.

I've now cut back on these once again and am hoping it falls off pretty quickly as I think these are my 'trigger foods'

I too think maintenance is a lonely place to be and I miss the challenge of weight loss! I can't believe I'm writing this - this time last year goal and maintaining was the furthest thing from my mind!

I've also find myself feeling increasingly pressurised by the magazines and papers to be thinner/smaller/weigh less. I now find myself comparing myself to celebrities who have recently also lost weight and are of a similar age and height to me but smaller! (Hannah Waterman, Jessie Wallace but to name a few) I know I'm not some silly impessionable young girl so why do I feel like this???? I'm angry with myself - why can't I just be happy?

Has anyone else gone through this after reaching goal? Maybe I'd be happier at a slightly lower weight - I was definitely more comfortable at 8st 8lbs.

Nic and Aly,

I wanted to welcome you to the maintenance section. I've only just begun to maintain myself and hope you both will stay around. Congrats to both of you on your weight loss.

Aly - I think the most important thing is that you are happy with your plan and even more importantly stick to it. It needs to work for you. Sorry I can't be of any more assistance.

Nic - I'm sure you'll find those few extra pounds come off if you stick to what you were doing before the gain as it won't solely have been fat, as you probably know.

I really understand what you mean about missing the challenge of weight loss and maintenance is lonely because it's not talked about much.

I can also understand what you mean about wondering if you could lose more weight. It's quite addictive in some ways isn't it and in some ways it seems an easier challenge at times than maintaining.

If you are anything like me, maybe you've realised the happiness from losing weight can only get you so far and there's a few other issues you need to work on (self-esteem, not just confidence, etc)

That said, I'm happy where I am in terms of my weight (133/134 lbs) and it works for me. I am just working on exercising and toning up now. I've put my body through a heck of a lot so just want to stabilise for now.

Anyhow, there's a few fabulous maintainers on here so hopefully they'll pop in over the next few days and share with you their experiences.

Hi Laura, thanks for the welcome! It's good to be around others in the same boat as yourself in this next challenge of maintaining! How long have you been at goal? Have you had any slip ups? Any tips?
I'm hoping exercise will play a big part in maintaining my weight as I work out 3 to 4 times a week for an average of 3 hours a go at the mo and really push myself. Will hopefully be putting in another session too if I can find the time!! This funnily really means that I appreciate my food more as I feel I've earned it!
As you mention self esteem doesn't suddenly reappear with weight loss and it's something I'm going to have to work on. This is the trouble with being a perfectionist!

Hello Laura and Nic,
Thanks for the welcome!
I wont be a stranger over here thats for sure! think I will need all the help I can get!!
Just waiting for 'official' WI, snowed in at the mo, then want to get a few lb's under goal as im aware i'll put on initially...
Nic, i think i need to do some exercise, but not really sure where to start! any tips?

Hi Aly! Nice to meet you! Tips on exercise ummmm......... This is quite a difficult one really as it's such a personal thing isn't it. What one person likes the other doesn't! This is what I do anyway:

Monday - 1 hr badminton, 1hr swimming after work then go to pub lol as its my day off on a Tuesday!

Tuesday - 2/3 hour 10-12 mile hill walk with dogs and sis.

Wednesday - 1hr aerobics, 1hr body pump (cardio with weights)

This I do every week and sometimes go for a 3 mile run or do spinning class too - it's all time dependant as I work 3 nights as well as a full time 5 day a week job!

I worked up to this though Aly as 6 months ago I did NO exercise at all although when I was slim I was very fit and underneath all the fat my muscle tone was still pretty good! Luckily my fitness levels increased pretty quickly.

OMG!!!
how do you ever get the time for all that!!!

im still at uni, and had considered the gym there, but i joined once before and only went a few times! I have a dog, and have been trying to walk her more, but need some toning i think.. im not really into running, although ive never tried it without a massive wobbly bum! so it might be ok!!

maybe i'll just try and get more active and get a toning DVD or something... I have a wii, and heard wii fit is good??? any ideas there???

thanks for your help!! are you going to do a diary on maintainers board?? i will soon, but not just yet...

Aly - DVDs are good. I have a few by The Firm which are pretty full on. If there is a PT at the gym, ask them for a workout with free weights then you can do the work outs at home too.

Nic - I've only been at goal for a few months. I had a bit of a slip before Christmas but it wasn't massive and though I did hit the panic button at the time, I got myself back on track pretty quickly. It is only early days for me too but what is working:

1. Understanding just because I want to eat doesn't mean I have to.
2. Aiming to feel neutral and not full
3. Using the scales as a guide but not the be all and end all. I know they'll fluctuate
4. Continuing to count calories just to monitor, not as a means of diet. Even though I'm pretty good with my estimates, there's been a few days where I was wildly out (sometimes over sometimes under) so this is good for me.
5. Exercise - I like a cross between weights and cardio.
6. When I was above goal, I didn't go back on packs to lose the weight. I've never done any diets like this before and felt I could easily start wanting to go back on packs just to lose some weight. I needed to learn to maintain my weight on my own and in the end, I dropped my calories by about 100 a day for a few weeks and hit target. I needed to remember what weight loss was like on a normal diet - hard when I'm not the most patient person in the world anyhow.
7. Putting a value on what I'd done - made it less likely I'd throw all the work away

Btw, what was 'the dress?' You are one hard working lady. Do you ever sleep? Actually now that I mention it, having a good night's sleep helps too

Perfection - hmm don't aim for it myself, honestly. I like excellence but after a lot of banging my head against brick walls, I've realised that the words 'good enough' do actually exist. I still have high standards for myself but I'm much more chilled out than I used to be and I have to say my life is much more relaxed as a result. Trying to achieve perfection and have a healthy self-esteem (not just self-confidence) did not go well for me.

Hi Nic and Alys, welcome on board great to have you and well done with your weight loss!

Nic - in answer to your question, yes I still feel overweight. I still look at my body and feel there's bits here and there that could be got rid of. But I am also conscious that being the slimmest we can be isn't always the best option both in terms of maintaining but also in terms of how we look and feel. It is all about finding a place where we feel good, look healthy and more importantly are able to find a balance with food that means we can enjoy life. It sounds so simple!!

Alys - I think in the early days of maintenance you should go with whatever works best for you! Coming off the packs gradually is a sensible option and if it make you feel more in control that can only be a positive thing. From a personal point of view I would urge caution about using WW long term to maintain. I only say this because you can run the risk of feeling like you are on a continual diet which can be counter productive. The key for me was feeling able to enjoy all foods, some healthy, some not so much but no restrictions like, low fat, high fibre, GI etc etc just the old cliche of everything in moderation.

xx