I've gone from 258 to 190 over two years, going from a size 24W to a size 16. I think I look good and feel much better and am really happy with what I have accomplished. I still want to get to my goal of 150.
BUT
I am so sick of going to the gym 3x a week (where I have an annual contract). I'm sick of having the salad whenever I go out. I'm sick of sticking to 1,500 calories.
I was wondering if anyone had decided to maintain for awhile and just take a vacation from a regimen that had started to seem extreme? How long a break did you take?
I am very afraid of regaining, but I'm just exhausted! Advise is welcome.
I'd suggest mixing up your food routines a bit, experiment with new recipes and maybe relax your rules a little and allow yourself treat everynow and then. If you're calorie counting you can budget these things in.
If all else fails, take a two week break and see if you can maintain. I took one while I went on holiday and it was impossible to calorie count so I had to guess which was bad form and I gained two ibs but by the time I got home I was itching to get back on plan. It also had the advantage where I had the sudden weight loss rush you get in the beginning of starting your plan when the water weight comes and it's thrown me into the 120s (and I lost at least an inch off everywhere).
Mix up your exercise routine, if it has got to the point where you can't stand the thought of doing the same exercises again and again, try something new and completely different to what you were doing before (maybe zumba or weight training?)
Good luck and remember you've got to change for life so you have to be able to live with the changes you've made.
I didn't decide to maintain, but i decide for the summer months to take it more "slowly" . For me that meant having an extra drink sometimes, dine with friends normally here n there, and generally be a lot less strict about my routine.
I chose not to loose 8lb per month, but 4 or even 2 would be ok, cause i felt i was getting tired.
The important thing is that I made the decision. I didnt blew everything up and decide to eat whatever there was in front of me.
I guess it is the same when someone decides to maintain, you just need to stay alert and expect that the next months you wont see the changes you used to. At least that how it worked for me
I know it might be inticing to "take a break", but personally, whenever I hear those words, all I can think of is DANGER!
If you were realistic about it...how long would you take a break for? A week? A month? When the pounds started creeping back on?
For me, there won't be a break until I achieve goal. Sure, I hit walls. Heck, I attend bootcamp 5 mornings a week, and do cardio 5-6 nights a week. Lol, if you do the math, you can see that most days, I work out twice, and I've been doing this for 8 months straight thus far. My eating is regimented. And I have to get creative sometimes to break stalls (my latest additions have been to start climbing mountains, and to bring my calories even lower).
For me, I don't consider ever stopping until I achieve what I set out to do. That was my intention from the beginning. I will have all the time in the world once I hit maintenance to "take a break". And trust me, I look forward to it
I've just started losing weight, so excuse my naivete, but what if you began eating the calories you'd need to maintain a weight of 150 lb? I recently started listening to fat2fit radio and they recommend doing that for long-term weight loss. I haven't done much research on it, but it sounds reasonable. Eventually you'll get to 150 lb and be used to maintaining that weight.
Is there anything that you like to do that will keep you active? You could try that instead of going to the gym.
Anyway, your progress is inspiring and I wish you luck with whatever you decide to do.
I know it might be inticing to "take a break", but personally, whenever I hear those words, all I can think of is DANGER!
If you were realistic about it...how long would you take a break for? A week? A month? When the pounds started creeping back on?
For me, there won't be a break until I achieve goal. Sure, I hit walls. Heck, I attend bootcamp 5 mornings a week, and do cardio 5-6 nights a week. Lol, if you do the math, you can see that most days, I work out twice, and I've been doing this for 8 months straight thus far. My eating is regimented. And I have to get creative sometimes to break stalls (my latest additions have been to start climbing mountains, and to bring my calories even lower).
For me, I don't consider ever stopping until I achieve what I set out to do. That was my intention from the beginning. I will have all the time in the world once I hit maintenance to "take a break". And trust me, I look forward to it
Check out the maintainance forum. It's really helpful to prepare yourself for maintainance as you're so close to hitting goal.
Check out the maintainance forum. It's really helpful to prepare yourself for maintainance as you're so close to hitting goal.
Thanks bemagick... Trust me, once I hit goal, I will be happy to participate in the Maintenance Forum. Personally, I don't feel like I belong there at the present time, because I want to achieve 105lbs, which for me, could take another year. I lose weight very slowly. And I still consider myself actively losing weight, and not maintaining my current weight.
I've just started losing weight, so excuse my naivete, but what if you began eating the calories you'd need to maintain a weight of 150 lb? I recently started listening to fat2fit radio and they recommend doing that for long-term weight loss. I haven't done much research on it, but it sounds reasonable. Eventually you'll get to 150 lb and be used to maintaining that weight.
Is there anything that you like to do that will keep you active? You could try that instead of going to the gym.
^^THIS!!^^ I was just going to write the same advice. I just got back from vacation, and I allowed myself to eat up to my maintenance calories for my goal weight (1700).
Also, to the OP, I hear ya on the "bored with gym" thing. Years ago when I lost lots of weight, I was going to the gym and/or doing exercise videos regularly. After two years, I got so bored to tears with that. I eventually gave up that and along with it my good eating habits. Fast forward 5 years, and I regained all that weight. HOWEVER, this time around, I refuse to go to the gym because I know it didn't work for me longterm the last time. Instead, I'm committing to one hour of some kind activity per day---bike riding, housekeeping, walking, etc. If I feel like doing nothing one day, that's fine to.
So, change up your routine. Sometimes, even changing your diet plan temporarily does the trick.
Perhaps when we talk about "lifestyle change" we should add the word "permanent."
This is a "permanent lifestyle change." It means you don't do the same things you used to do.
Sure, you can decide not to count calories for awhile, once you get a solid foundation in how to eat on a daily basis. But that doesn't mean you get to eat anything you want, anytime you want it, without consequence.
Sure, you can decide not to go to the gym 3 times a week. But that doesn't mean you can give up being physically active without consequence.
I am someone who got "program fatigue" and just couldn't make myself do it anymore. I regained a lot of what I had lost! The thing is, if the "old way" had been working, we wouldn't be here on this forum, would we?
So if you need a change, consider how you can change what you're doing without going backwards. You've done great--and I hope you can maintain your lower weight.
I was wondering if anyone had decided to maintain for awhile and just take a vacation from a regimen that had started to seem extreme? How long a break did you take?
Yes, I went from around 300 pounds and got down to 296. I was tired, so I thought that I would maintain for awhile. The end result is that I gained and am struggling to get back in the weight loss groove again. I have never been able to purposely maintain in my life. I have maintained when trying to lose weight but failing.
I am concerned about being able to maintain if I ever get to goal but, for now, I need to start losing again.
I know it might be inticing to "take a break", but personally, whenever I hear those words, all I can think of is DANGER!
If you were realistic about it...how long would you take a break for? A week? A month? When the pounds started creeping back on?
For me, there won't be a break until I achieve goal. Sure, I hit walls. Heck, I attend bootcamp 5 mornings a week, and do cardio 5-6 nights a week. Lol, if you do the math, you can see that most days, I work out twice, and I've been doing this for 8 months straight thus far. My eating is regimented. And I have to get creative sometimes to break stalls (my latest additions have been to start climbing mountains, and to bring my calories even lower).
For me, I don't consider ever stopping until I achieve what I set out to do. That was my intention from the beginning. I will have all the time in the world once I hit maintenance to "take a break". And trust me, I look forward to it
I agree. It sounds like you need a change in food and exercise routine that won't bore you. It gets tiring to eat and do the same things all the time. Try switching it up before you decide to "take a break" from something that is a lifelong change.
I was reading in the maintainers forum I cant remember which thread about maintenance being just as hard as losing weight. I think for a while I had this mindset that once I got to goal I could ease up. But now I know for me, because I'm positive I have a problem, I will need to make maintaining just as important as losing. I believe if I don't make it as important I will fail and go back to old habits.
Have you considered that maybe you have just lost motivation? I think it's important to do what is best for you and only you know what you need, but maybe it might be helpful to really analyze your situation, try to project where you think you will be in 3 months if you decide to take the break, if that's something you can be happy about then go for it, but if it's not maybe you should reconsider.
I lost over 200 pounds and never took a break. And let me give you the bad news now...3 days a week at the gym isn't enough and it has to be at least an hour a day 6 days a week to affect weight loss. Also, the only way to maintain and still be able to eat is to exercise. Taking a break could be a huge mistake and you may end up gaining everything back and more. Healthy lifestyle means just what it says...there are no breaks from it.
I'm a big proponent of taking occasional diet breaks.
Just understand that you're going to gain weight when you increase calories. This doesn't mean you've regained fat but when you eat more your glycogen levels will increase as well as your waste matter. Both add lbs to the scale without you adding an extra ounce of fat.
Think of it as a practice run for when you're maintaining.
Can you eat a little more without eating a lot more.
Also the notion that you have to go to the gym 6x a week for an hour or more is rediculous.
I have "new lifestyle" Fatigue
