One of my big goals was to reach the 170s, which I did last week at 179.5 on my digital scales. Finally! With no immediate new goal to strive for (I still had about 10-15 lbs. to go to see my abs - my Ultimate Goal) I "relaxed." I promptly gained back 4 1/2 lbs.
Now I know why it's so hard to keep weight off. It's a new discipline-set one must implement to keep it off vs. getting it off. With no big motivating factor, for me it's harder to keep it off because it's harder to motivate myself to eat less when there's no finish line, so to speak.
I'd be interested in hearing from those of you who have been at maintenance level for a while how you dealt with this new focus.
I have only been maintaining for about ten months, but I have the same problem. I lose and gain the same four pounds over and over. Someone said that this is, essentially, maintenance! The losing and gaining of a small amount, putting you within a range. I do use the "red line" technique, where I have a red line high number that once I hit, I get very serious until I go back down the the lower end of my maintenance range.
My weight has remained in this range, but my fitness is the area in which I am lacking serious motivation. Medical problems had me sidelined for months, and I just don't feel like getting back on the horse, especially since I will be sort of starting over again with endurance, etc.
It seems like some people do well to still watch every little thing and stay consistent, but I like the fact that I have settled rather comfortably into an intuitive eating pattern, combined with 90% great food choices, which allows me to be conscious of what I eat every day, but not obsessive. I do calorie count now and then to make sure I am not underestimating, or when I feel like I need some extra structure.
Yup, that's maintenance. Balancing food and energy to keep you inside a predetermined range and taking steps to correct if you go outside of it. It's not quite the same as relaxing and regaining weight when you're still trying to lose, but they're not entirely dissilimilar. Maintenance takes vigilance, just a different degree of it than weight loss.
Essentially you're pushing the limits of how much you can comfortably eat and what types of food, up to and not over a certain amount. Sneaking toward the edge of the cliff without falling off might be an analogy for it
In order to keep maintaining, I have to continually set new goals for myself and find things to keep me motivated. For example; I recently fell off the wagon pretty hard after hitting my lowest weight ever, and promptly gained back a good 5 pounds. Since that puts me at my "red line" (I employ the same technique as ChickieChicks in that regard) I had to do something to really get me to put my butt in gear. I booked a photo shoot with a pretty renowned photographer only 7 weeks from now, so that gives me enough time to cut up again and will keep me away from the Halloween and pre-Thanksgiving day goodies.
What can you use aside from weight to motivate you? I also noticed you haven't yet made it to your 'ultimate' weight goal, so that in and of itself can still be useful for you!
It's worth pointing out that you probably didn't regain 4.5 lbs of fat.
When you're dieting you're going to weigh less than when you're maintaining at the exact same body fat percentage just based on the fact that you're eating more. Eating more means your glycogen stores will be greater and you'll have more food moving through your system.
So while you may have gained a lb or two water probably accounts for much of the regained weight. Just something to keep in mind.
I have the same problem. I lose and gain the same four pounds over and over. Someone said that this is, essentially, maintenance! The losing and gaining of a small amount, putting you within a range.
This is what always happens to me. BUT, after a while of the same 3-4 lb on/off, on/off, on/off, pretty soon, scale's creeping up again, lb x lb, a lot quicker than how long it took to take it off.
I saw the scale doing that in May. (Reached 153 in April). So in May .... I essentially gained one pound. Oh, that's not so bad, right? Then in June.... another 1 lb. July, another, & August 2 lb, September, 2 lb!... now I'm at 159 and bouncing around 160, 161. I swear, I could just kick my own a$$ for my duhness!
I get so pi$$y with myself about this. My head... I mean, I KNOW what to do to LOSE WEIGHT. To do it healthily, to feel better & look better. And for a while I'm just gung-ho-go-get-m yee-haw! about it. Then, I don't know. I get TIRED? Frustrated? Cocky even? ("It's ok to have a slice, one small slice never hurt anybody & hey look at me, I've done SO VERY WELL" .... she said before she ate half the cake. Ya knowwhatImean Vern?)
Out of all my years of riding the gain/lose/gain/lose merry-go-round, this is the first time I have not met my goal before I started gaining again. SOOOOO..... this morning.... I made a pact with myself to GET OFF SUGAR. AGAIN. Yes, again. I totally see that sugar is my demon. And I need exorcism from it!!! It's really what ruins me, every.single.time.
Hey, at least I know the problem. And that's half the battle, right?
Last edited by Beach Patrol; 10-02-2012 at 09:33 AM.
In order to keep maintaining, I have to continually set new goals for myself and find things to keep me motivated. For example; I recently fell off the wagon pretty hard after hitting my lowest weight ever, and promptly gained back a good 5 pounds. Since that puts me at my "red line" (I employ the same technique as ChickieChicks in that regard) I had to do something to really get me to put my butt in gear. I booked a photo shoot with a pretty renowned photographer only 7 weeks from now, so that gives me enough time to cut up again and will keep me away from the Halloween and pre-Thanksgiving day goodies.
What can you use aside from weight to motivate you? I also noticed you haven't yet made it to your 'ultimate' weight goal, so that in and of itself can still be useful for you!
I'm actually glad that I haven't ballooned up 10 lbs. since hitting one of my big goals.
Until two weeks ago I was working out at the gym pretty regularly while dieting, and between the two and seeing good gains they were motivating me to move forward and hit goal after goal. But then I injured my knee, making me have to lay off leg exercises completely, then I injured my left shoulder, making me lay off all chest exercises along with several others. I would up doing a complete layoff due to recuperation and depression, and that's when I gained back 4.5 pounds and 1/2 inch on my waist.
My motivation has been virtually nil since then, although I'm going to do what I can at the gym tomorrow. Knowing I'd look good physique-wise when I hit my diet-goal was a big impetus for my motivation, and only being able to do half of what I could before in the gym, and feeling like I'm only going to look like an average-Joe when I hit my ultimate goal (abs) has left me de-motivated (I know it's irrational, but.....)
As an example, I would eat one of my favorite protein bars when in a rush or when I didn't have time to cook. I picked up a box of them (five) this morning on the way to work - I was running late. Instead of eating just two for breakfast (200 calories each), then two more for lunch, I ate the whole box for breakfast (1200 calories). I'm still okay as long as don't eat more than 400 calories the rest of the day (highly unlikely), but it gives you an idea where my motivation is at right now with my injuries. It's nonsensical, because when lost my first 20-25 lbs. I wasn't even working out and was doing great. It's like I've tied my weight loss to my ability to workout.
This week is a year of maintenance for me. I bounce, too, but never more than 4 or 5 pounds. I just posted on FB that my new motto - for the rest of my life - will be: Maintain or go naked. There is no money in the clothing budget for bigger clothes. You just have to keep in mind that we need to set a red-line number and be just as careful about it as we were about losing.
The danger of reaching your goal
SOOOOO..... this morning.... I made a pact with myself to GET OFF SUGAR. 
And I need exorcism from it!!! It's really what ruins me, every.single.time. 
