Hi all!

I have been struggling with my weight my whole life. I reached my goal three years ago (and maintained for 2 years) but have recently put a lot back on ( I have gone back to my plan for 21 days now so YAY) anyways... when I reached my goal in the past, I started getting bored, feeling like something is missing because I was/am use to obsessing over my weightloss. My question is...wut do you do once you reach your goal? Obviously maintain it but I am talking about the mental aspect of it, wut do you think about? Occupy your thoughts with?

xx

Yasmin

I've only been maintaining for a year but I've lost and regained in the past and I can already tell that this time is different. Previously, I would lose weight and then slowly go back to my old habits and regain. This time, I've continued to hold onto my weight loss determination so my mind set has been completely different. I still count calories and weigh daily. I'm not as obsessive about my macro nutrients but I've come to the conclusion that I will forever need to be calorie aware or the weight will come back. For the first time, I'm holding myself accountable and watching my maintenance very closely. Basically hoping to keep it a lifestyle change because I really don't want to do this again.

Well i've only lost it once and am maintaining for about 7 months or so but i just feel it's a lifetime thing, and maybe focusing on HEALTH would be the way to go for you, how to get and feel healthier diet and exercise wise and improve in that way.

i never tried even once in all the years i was overweight (17) to lose it because i knew that once i tried it would have to be a LIFESTYLE adjustment that would have to be the way i lived for the rest of my life (instead of looking at it as a way to just lose weight), that's why i am hoping that i will always be a maintainer and now i'm just looking for more ways to improve my health and eating as much as possible (given too that i have a number of disease states) i hope this helps you

As for me I've been maintaining for about 6 - 7 months. I was a little nervous at first because I constantly read/heard that losing was easier than maintaining for the most part.

Basically I continue doing what I did to lose the weight, but I am a little more relaxed with my food choices (and of course I had to up my calories). Also I had to knock my workouts back just a little because I kept losing.

When I tried losing weight in the past I might have lost 20 - 30 lbs, but I slowly went back to my old ways and the weight slowly came back on. This time around I researched, tried different things and my mental process has changed. Before I was only focused on the number on the scale.

This is the first time I have successfully lost a large amount of weight and kept it off and I am working hard off to keep it off. I do keep a pair of my largest shorts in close reach and I put them on once in a while too. It comes in handy before going on vacation and on some weekends to keep me in check from over-indulging and it works for me too.

I've successfully kept off 33 lbs for 5 years, but I still am trying to get off this last 17.

When I lost, I went from 200 to 167. It wasn't that I had hit a goal (I didn't even have a goal in mind, I just changed my life to eat right and workout). I stopped because my routine changed, and I didn't make the effort.

I felt I had accomplished a LOT, so I focused on maintaining at that point. I was active, but on no regular timetable. I continued to eat well, but I wasn't quite as stringent. I started enjoying a few drinks again (although I was quite a lightweight at this point, not having had any alcohol for 6 months!).

Personally, I was relieved to be able to mentally relax a bit. I focused on other things, and kept most of my healthy habits. I went out with friends and ignored the wings, but had 2 drinks. I had a burger now and then, but without the bun. I wasn't obsessed with finding healthy options, but it felt natural...does that make sense? It has been 5 years, and I still gravitate towards lean meats, veggies, etc.

If you want something new to occupy your thoughts with, can I recommend either cooking or exercise? You could start trying out new, tasty, healthy recipes, or get into any number of activities. Weight lifting, in particular, because you need to know the proper form, best nutrient options for best results, etc. It can require a lot of research, and it can be quite addictive when you start to see strength results! And no, you will not bulk up. I've noticed an amazing change in my body, but it is toned and lean. Just a thought

you've raised an issue that has been debated [rather, RAGED] around here for years. Some people keep the same level of attention on their food/exercise as they did while losing. The level of attention they've used has appeared to on the spectrum of obsessive compulsive disorder to some, but to others, it's simply paying attention.

Here's what i decided - when i was overweight, i obsessed about where my next meal was coming from, how to control it, and so on. As i lost weight [through surgery], i obsessed about protein and water - and then managing eating and exercise. My personal goal was to LIVE, not to center my life around food. I was willing to exchange a few extra pounds for not letting food be the center of my life.

And that led me to this conclusion: i was switching one obsessive focus for another and that in order to deal with this, ii apparently had some degree of OCD, and that i should probably work on toning down those tendencies in general, because i was simply switching a focus on ingesting food for one on controlling food. ick.

i was doing great for several years, and then my life fell apart [Alzheimer's mother, i was the caregiver with little family support, mom died, everything went serioulsy downhill] and i gained 80+ pounds. I've lost about 50 of that again.

but i gotta say that i'm doing it without being 'obsessive' - i'm watching what i eat, making decent choices, moving a bit. and i tweak from time to time, for example, i've been eating way too much ice cream over the past couple of weeks. i need to dial it back, but that's ok. i know what i have to do... and it's OK

bottom line - at this point, it's a head game, and everyone has a different way of dealing with it. Knitting helped me a lot. so did doing some volunteer work with an animal rescue group. there is no single RIGHT way to maintain [check out the MAINTAINERS FORUM farther down the forum list - lots of good advice and insight there], as long as you figure out a path.

I cannt wait until I only have to maintain. I am sure it is easier then losing!!
I cant wait to be able to go out with my friends to drinks and nachos and not feel super guilty..because then I can afford the treats every now and then. right now i just cant afford to have those beer and nachos!!

Thank you all for your responses. They have been insightful!

Jiffipop - I am sorry to hear about your struggles but well done for shedding most of the weight off! I do have an obsessive compulsive disorder but I think my obsession with food is more of a habbit. Since I was a kid, food was my life. Cuz of my weight, I had no friends and family members around my age would just make fun of how big my a** was... jerks! Anyways, I seeked comfort in food, celebrated with food, sulked with food...etc.

Now that I have to lose weight again, I spend most of my day thinking about food. When it's time for my next meal, wut I'm going to have...etc. Wutever I am doing (working, shopping, chilling) in the back of my head, I'm thinking about food.

When I lost the weight over two years ago, I also was thinking about food. When the next "free meal" was going to be, and when will I have it and where. You'd find me googling for restaurants and reading their menus/reviews. CRAZY!!

Once I lose the weight this time (hopefully for the last time!) I am looking to do something I haven't done before. Knitting might be fun, or youga/palaties (I tried yoga once..YAAWN)... More ideas please!! =D

Good luck to all and I look forward to reading more posts!!

xx

heads up - making some of those changes NOW will help you in the long run. I PROMISE. so if you're interested in knitting [or crocheting or anything else that'll keep your hands and mind busy] go for it NOW. don't wait until that scale hits the magic number. In fact, there's no reason to wait for that magic number to start living the life you want. ... honest!

Wow, I am so the opposite. I am TERRIFIED of maintaining. Right now, everything is black or white, good or bad, right or wrong. I feel good when I make good decisions, guilty when I make poor ones.

I worry that "nachos with friends" will turn into "nachos with 3 beers" then "nachos with 3 beers then we go out for fondue for dessert." Then friends crash at my place because they can't drive and we wake up and go to Denny's the next morning! I feel like, for me, it can be a slippery slope!

I just really kept doing what I did when I was losing (calorie counting) but simply ate more calories. At this point (over 2 years of this with maintenance + losing) it's second nature to me.

I have to admit it's also a lot easier than when I was starting out...I don't have to look up every little thing! I've also learned not to stress when I've gone overboard on occasion. I just hop back on my plan the very next day and all is well

Mentally I think of this as "treatment," the way others might have to watch their food intake for illnesses or conditions they have. Just as I have family who much watch their sodium intake, I must watch my calories to ensure I maintain a healthy weight.

Good question! I struggled with that when I lost weight 4 years ago. However, I think I was struggling to maintain too low of a weight, and I still had food obsessions and binging problems to deal with =/

What I'm doing now is eating and exercising at a level I feel comfortable at. I've lost some weight, but I've resolved not to lower my calorie intake to the level it was 4 years ago, even if it means I don't reach my goal weight. I have a normal BMI and a pretty good body fat %, and the meds I'm on have gotten rid of the cravings, and am resolved NOT to screw that up by trying for a goal that isn't manageable.

Looking at your situation, I'd want to know: Are you comfortable and satisfied with your current level of caloric intake? If not, and you're still struggling, the weight will probably come back at some point. You might have to adjust your goal weight up a bit, or find an exercise routine that will allow you to keep your goal weight as it is but eat in a fashion you can maintain.

Good luck!! You've come so far!!

I feel like always striving to get a better bf%, better times on your runs, lifting more, feeling stronger, etc. is the way to go.

Reaching a number on a scale and saying that's it I'm done doesn't really sound right to me. Weight is only one of many things that are important as far as I'm concerned. There is always something you can work on to improve your quality of life, appearance, diet, etc.

Jiffypop – I would like to start now but I unfortunately have no extra money to spend. My current position might become permanent in September but until then I get paid very little >_< but I will think about it once I am financially stable. Thanks for your input! I really appreciate it =)

Bridget A/Underwater – I think maintaining is waaay harder than losing the weight cuz as Underwater said, it sometime snowballs. One piece of cake here, I’ll have a little chocolate… mm maybe some more…ect. Basically cuz I’ve lost the weight, I test how much I can get away with but it then spirals out of control. The key is to convince yourself wut you are doing is a lifestyle change and you need to make good choices even after reaching your goal just with more breathing room. That’s why I think those commercial diets don’t work, they are impossible for people to stick to forever!

Sontaikle – You make a very good point. I never saw it that way. I have to admit, losing the weight is the easier and fun part! Ok I would love to slip into my tiny skinny jeans but every day I feel smaller (while losing) and I look forward to weigh ins…etc. Once I get to the weight I start getting bored… mmm maybe that’s why I binge and put all the weight back on?! LOL! Nah! I am planning to get it off for good this time!

JoJoP – I am happy with my health plan, it has worked wonders for me without having the side effects of “starve yourself” diets. I work out regularly and eat healthy foods, that’s pretty much it! My issue is the boredom that comes once I’ve reached the goal, I do the same thing I always do but intake a little more calories but there’s no longer the excitement… I dono how to describe it LOL!!! Anyways! So I am looking for other things to preoccupy my mind with.

Thank you all for the replies!! =D I look forward for more!

Good luck to everyone!!

xx