I don't think so. Or at least I don't think I'm going to be able to. I've been at the same weight (actually playing with the same 2 pounds) since March. I'm going into my 4th month now of being stuck right where I'm at.
(yes, I've tried the "shaking things up" with food/calories and exercise)
I only eat about 1200-1300 calories a day. And if I'm maintaining at that level, then I guess I'll be STUCK at this level for the rest of my natural born life.
I was kinda looking forward to upping my calories a bit, too
Are there any others here who have discovered you weren't able to up your calories to maintain without gaining some back? I'm terrified of putting back on any weight. So if I'm already maintaining at 1200 calories (even though for my weight/height/etc. my maintenance calorie level is 1700) I guess this is where I'll have to stay?
What a terribly fine tightrope we walk! I think I'm in the same boat, and now have resorted, while keeping my calorie intake the same, to changing the foods. I'm reading the Super Foods Rx book and trying to eat mostly those foods. It's basically fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins but it explains what each is good for, and what they prevent. My sister died from cancer a few years ago (at age 47). She was diabetic, too. My mom also has diabetes as do all of her brothers and sisters and some of my cousins; and she has fibromyalgia, super high cholesterol, and is overweight. My dad had his first heart attack at age 45 and had bypass surgery at age 49, has had both knees replaced, suffers from depression (heck, I would too!) and has heart and lung problems. Both grandfathers died from heart attacks and both grandmothers died from cancer. Great family history, huh? I decided I had better do something PDQ if I'm going to stay healthy.
So have you thought about changing the foods you eat, but keeping the calories the same?
I stayed right at 140 for months eating 1400-1500 calories a day (February - July 2005). I started to "maintain" and upped calories to 1700-2000 a day and ended up losing 13 more lbs. I now eat anywhere from 1600-2000 a day and my weight has been steady at 126-130 since January. After my decadent, week-long trip to Singapore, the scale did say 131 (danger zone!!) but 2 weeks back at 1400-1500 put me right back where I wanted to be (under 130).
I did increase calories per day, but I was careful not to make up the difference with junk. I eat extremely clean every day and limit treats to 1 meal a week.
I was just coming back to add "A big thanks to Glory87." I see you beat me here!
Thanks very much for all your help and guidance in what I feel is the right direction for me. I appreciate your patience thru all my questions (some now seem a little silly!) and for giving me feedback.
I stayed right at 140 for months eating 1400-1500 calories a day (February - July 2005). I started to "maintain" and upped calories to 1700-2000 a day and ended up losing 13 more lbs.
You know what? I've heard of other people doing the same thing and wanted to try it myself, but I'm soooooooo terrified of putting weight back on! It's very hard for me to up my calories. It's almost like a phobia or something, lol. I'm afraid to eat more.
I think if it was the right kinds of foods at that calorie level, it would be possible. I'm having trouble even getting up to 1,200 so I can't imagine eating much more. However, I'm trying. I'm also scared of gaining it back if I go up that high.
That's a good question. It was so slow, really. I started plateauing in February. I still have my excel spreadsheet where I tracked the weight loss and I can definitely see where I started seeing 141 140 140 140 140. I tracked for 9 weeks without any weight loss. In May, I decided to maintain. I think I was 138 in July or so. Then, I stuck like glue at 138 for months. I didn't see 135 until this fall, after my 4 week trip to Asia.
I was also completely terrified to increase calories. I did it very slowly, with a lot of backsliding back to 1600 calorie days, over a period of months. I went to 1500 first, then 1600, then 1700, then over 1800. I stayed over between 1800-2000 all last summer (although I was exercising every day and I'm not right now).
The scale never went higher than 142 (and that was after a 5 day visit from my parents that included wine, cheese and pizza).
I don't know... I lost weight at 1000-1200 calories a day and then maintained at 2000. I lost reeeaaaaallly slowly the last couple of months (like 2 lbs a month), and then slowly increased to 2000 and didn't gain any weight at all. I guess it depends on how overweight you were to begin with, right? At least that's what I think I've heard around here. I did gain 10 lbs 5 years after I reached goal, but that was because I ate like a cow for a couple of months.
I'll tell you what's slow is this site, jeez! It's taking forever to make any posts.
Anyway, yeah, I figured it would be a slow process. I was perfectly prepared to take another year for the last 10. But this playing with the same two pounds (137 to 139) for almost 4 months is getting a little ridiculous. And I really think I need to do something different.
My maintenance calories are about 1700, but I'm only going to take it to 1600. And I'm scared poopless to do this. But I've also come to the realization that my body wants to settle where it's at, so I think I should just give up the fight now to lose these last pounds and try and maintain.
I'm going to give it a week at 1600 calories. That's 400 more calories per day than I'm used to eating. I really doubt I'll make that much, so I'm going to be realistic and say an even 1500. And even that's going to be hard. Then I'll weigh myself in a week. If it's the same, I'll keep going. If I've gone up, I know I'm gonna freak and start dropping my cals again.
I don't know... I lost weight at 1000-1200 calories a day and then maintained at 2000. I lost reeeaaaaallly slowly the last couple of months (like 2 lbs a month), and then slowly increased to 2000 and didn't gain any weight at all. I guess it depends on how overweight you were to begin with, right? At least that's what I think I've heard around here. I did gain 10 lbs 5 years after I reached goal, but that was because I ate like a cow for a couple of months.
You know what? I've heard of other people doing the same thing and wanted to try it myself, but I'm soooooooo terrified of putting weight back on! It's very hard for me to up my calories. It's almost like a phobia or something, lol. I'm afraid to eat more.
I fell off the wagon and ate whatever I wanted. Because I had gotten used to a lower portion of food I guess I didn't up my calories too much but I did up them. I did gain 4lbs and stayed there. I thought that was pretty good. I was eating junk food though. I mean fast food, candy bars (I was grieving and rebelling) and so forth. Now that I'm back, I'm not as low as what I started last time. I'm hoping that works for me. I really think with good food you can eat many times a day and your body will absorb higher amounts of calories. Also you are terrified of gaining that I doubt you will allow yourself to gain more than a pound or two without saying "eh..not working for me" and go back. That's the worst that could happen.
Linda, I think your plan is a good one. Even though it's scary (I know!), there's only one way that you're going to be able to find out what YOUR upper limit on maintenance calories is ... and that's by you biting the bullet and experimenting. In the end, it doesn't really matter how much the rest of us can eat. Sure, I can talk about my experiences and tell you that the average maintenance calories of members of the National Weight Control Registry are 1400/day, but I don't think your body is going to be paying much attention to peer group pressure.
One question .... I recall that you have a free meal once a week, right? Do you count those calories in with your daily totals? In other words, when you say you aren't losing on 1200/day, does that include the free meal? Or is that separate? If you don't count it now, maybe think about including it when you go higher, just for the sake of accuracy? (since your body will be counting it, even if you aren't )
And don't pay any attention to what the calculators say about your maintenance calories! They're notorious inaccurate, especially in the case of people who have lost a lot of weight (they're based on studies of the metabolisms of normal weight people, not the 'reduced obese').
One last thought - there IS a way to increase your metabolism and allow you to eat more and still maintain. Build muscle! When we diet and don't lift weights to maintain muscle mass, studies show that up to 40% of the weight we lose is muscle. The result is a slower metabolism since muscle is metabolically active and is the calorie burner in our bodies. But if you work out to build muscle back, every additional pound of muscle that you add will burn an additional 20 - 25 calories per day, 24/7, awake and asleep. So if you added ten pounds of muscle this year, you could eat another 200 - 250 calories every day and still maintain. Good stuff!
Can you REALLY up your calories to maintain?
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When we diet and don't lift weights to maintain muscle mass, studies show that up to 40% of the weight we lose is muscle. The result is a slower metabolism since muscle is metabolically active and is the calorie burner in our bodies. But if you work out to build muscle back, every additional pound of muscle that you add will burn an additional 20 - 25 calories per day, 24/7, awake and asleep. So if you added ten pounds of muscle this year, you could eat another 200 - 250 calories every day and still maintain. Good stuff! 
