Hi everyone. I've been lurking at this site since I started my new life on Feb.1. I have finally reached the maintenence stage and what a struggle I've had. Not with the maintaining but with the urge to eat!

I'm a stay at home Mom and my biggest problem was always eating out of boredom. I have been fine since I started my lifestyle change and haven't had the desire to eat when not hungry. But now that I'm maintaining, it's all I want to do. Could this be because I'm not eating enough?

Now I know I don't eat enough. I've been eating 1000 calories a day for the last 3 months or so. I know that is below the recommended intake, but I have this horrendous fear of gaining the weight back. I don't even know where to start as far as maintanence calories go. I have no clue what I should start with. I've been trying to hit 1200 all week but I just can't bring myself to do it. That nagging fear of regaining. But I do know I must eat more! What would be a reasonable number to start with?

I have been to all kinds of sites that all pretty much say the same thing. A person of my weight and activity level should be able to maintain on 2000 calories a day. That number both scares me and excites me! Please any advice would be most welcome! Thank you and I look forward to learning to maintain here and getting to know you.

Hi, Michelle!

First of all, congratulations on your loss!! You should be SOO proud of yourself and your hard work.

I totally understand your fear of regaining the weight. I, too, was very hesistant to increase my calorie intake. Towards the end of my weight loss, I was eating 1200 a day. During the very beginning of maintenance I upped it to 1400 and was still losing. Then I felt I was getting too thin and was cranky from being so hungry so I upped it to 1800. I am still comfortable eating at this level and am maintaining between 128-130, while working out at least 3 times a week. Remember, maintenance is a lifestyle. Day in and day out we all must work to keep the weight off. Some days we'll be on the game and others won't be as perfect. But the difference is, this time, we know exactly what to do/what to eat in order to lose. We have all the tools for a healthy lifestyle. As you can see from all the successful maintainers on here, it's definitely doable!

I don't think you want to eat at 1000 calories a day for the rest of your life. IMO that is just the formula to regaining what you've worked so hard to lose!

At what calorie levels were you eating in weight loss mode? That would be a good place to start to see how to increase to maintenance level. I would suggest increasing 100-200 calories from there for a week or 2 and see where that takes you. Or, since you've been having a hard time reaching 1200, I say make that your first goal. Have you still been losing on 1000 calories? I worry that you're not getting enough nutrients and lowering your metabolism by eating so little. Please try to eat more. And if you aren't already, try taking multivitamins. Also, have you been exercising the same amount as you were during weight loss?

Stick around, keep posting - we're all in this together!

I just want to welcome you! There are many more people...such as SWEET AMOR...that can give you better advice on your question that I can. Good luck!

Thank you for such a wonderful welcome!

Sweet Amor I was eating 1200 calories a day in weigh loss mode. But the weight was coming off slower and slower so stupidly, I went down to about 1000 calories a day about 3-4 months ago. I know I shouldn't have but it was again, that fear of not taking off the weight and then regaining once I did hit maintenance.

I will definitely do as you said and slowly increase my calories throughout the weeks. I have worked so hard to lose this weight and have learned countless amounts of information. I know this is a lifetime commitment and I refuse to do anything that could jeopardize it.

I also do plan to start taking a multi-vitamin because I know I'm not eating enough. How ironic first I had an eating to much problem and now I don't eat enough!

And yes I do still do my hour of exercise daily while I watch The Young and the Restless. I love doing it then because that hour flies by!

Thanks Sweet Amor for your suggestions.

Hello, Michelle,

Definitely you need to eat more. Don't be afraid--you'll see that you can eat more without regaining. I'd say, raise your calories to 1500 and stay there for two weeks--see how it goes. But, watch out for what kind of calories! Don't just add butter, for example--or go for the Doritos, or any of the other tempting things. Instead, increase the amount of protein first of all--try to keep your protein around 30% of your calories, when you're exercising every day. Keep fat at 30% also. That leaves 40% for carbs. Don't add sugar! Use complex carbs whenever possible. You can now eat things like... a sandwich with two pieces of bread! And you can put a little more dressing on your salads. Just go slowly, see what happens.

If you haven't been tracking percentages of nutrients, FitDay will let you do that, I believe. (I use the downloaded version--not sure what the online version does.)

Multivitamins are really essential when losing weight. Calcium/magnesium are also very important. I found that I was not getting even half of the calcium in the RDA, even though I eat a lot of dairy.

Good luck!

Jay

Welcome!

You definitely need to eat more calories each--you're going to wreck your metabolism, which will be counterproductive! The trick is increasing your calories without giving up your control over your diet.

I'm with Jay--focusing on nutrition has enabled me to transition smoothly into maintenance and keep up the good habits. I think if you add your extra calories in fruit, vegetables and lean protein, and shoot for specific nutritional percentages, you won't feel that you're giving up or losing control of your eating, or that 50 pounds of weight gain is right around the corner. Focusing on exercise goals can help too.

Hi there. Congratulations on a job very well done!!!

I understand you COMPLETELY on that fear of regaining. I feel the same way. Hopefully that fear will keep us from ever gaining back all that weight we've lost. So, I think a little ittty bit of fear is useful. But it's good to keep in mind that there is no way you're going to gain back all that weight in one full swoop. Gosh, so much of this is mental, isn't it?

I would personally try increasing my calories to 1200 for 2 weeks. See how that goes and then I would go to 1300 calories. See how that goes. I would keep on adding in 100 calorie increments for 2 weeks at a time til you get the results that you want - no gain and are satisfied with what you are eating. I wouldn't be surprised though if you don't end up at that 2000 calorie level. I find those sites always over estimate *sigh*. Chances are for someone your height, it's just not going to happen. Though, you never know. And wouldn't it be lovely?!?!?!?

I'll third it, by saying to make those extra calories nice and nutritious. A little avocado or slivered almonds in the salad. An extra fruit. A piece of string cheese. Just take it nice and s l o w

You've worked too hard to let things go by the wasteside. I'm sure you'll do just fine figuring this all out. Good luck and welcome to maintainers.

I knew I made the right decision by joining this site! You are all so helpful and supportive. Thank you so much for all the great advice. I'll work on it and let you know how it goes.

Here's to eating a little more!! Hopefully without the guilt.

One quick question.

If I start eating servings of these...

Pasta
Macaroni
Spaghetti
Brown rice
Potatoes
Other root vegetables
Wholemeal breads
Granary bread
Brown bread
Pita bread
Bagel
Wholegrain cereals
High fiber breakfast cereals
Porridge oats
All bran
Wheetabix
Shredded wheat
Ryvita crispbread
Muesli
Corn
Peas
Beans
Lentils

Plus add proteins such as egg whites, chicken breast and cottage cheese. As well as fruits will this sound like a good start?

I have avoided pasta's like the plague. Only had the odd baked potato. Never bagels, although I love them especially with cream cheese LOL! . Only rice and corn once in a blue moon. The calories in them have been what has scared me off so I really am afraid of eating them now. This is a list I found of complex carbs though so input would be appreciated.

I feel like I did when i first started my weight loss journey. So much to learn and I felt so lost. Here I go again!

Thank you and I hope I'm not being a pain.

Wow, that list looks like that of my untouchables. But many, many successful people DO eat them. The problem for ME is, is that I'm not satisfied with a 1/2 cup serving. So, I stay the heck away from them totally in order to avoid overeating them. The only thing from that list that I do eat daily is high fiber cereal. Which I think is a great addition to ones diet.

There's no reason why you can't add those foods in. In moderation of course. You have to know yourself. Or at least figure yourself out. If this is going to satisfy and work for you - go for it. If you do try them and find you are having portion control issues, then you can always do away with them.

And you are certainly NOT being a pain - ask away. We are all here to help and support one another maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Robin I could have said exactly what you did! When I looked up complex carbs and saw that list, my first thought was how can I eat those when I've been avoiding those things? And like you I can't be satisfied with the little servings!

I'm still going to avoid most of those things and try to do this using more high fiber sources. I just know that 1/2 cup of pasta is not going to fill me up and then I'll be looking for snacks all evening!

Thanks Robin!

I can be satisfied with a portion of WW pasta (measuring it out by weight and cooking separtely) IF it isn't the main part of the meal - I eat it as a side dish with say a chicken breast and lots of veggies, or if I'm having a sauce, I add lots of veggies. Zucchini chopped very fine is good for this as it doesn't change the flavor much. I always have a large salad with this too. I really like the Barilla Plus pasta, which not 100% WW, has 8.5 g of protein per serving (the package says 17 g/100g serving, but the NI lists 50g as 1 serving)

I rarely eat bagels anymore They just are not worth the calories. I will have 1/3-1/2 of one if they're at a meeting. Usually they're the "best" choice in that case - the other options usually pastries/donuts.

As for root vegetables, lentils, corn or peas, I eat these regularly, and have no problem with portion control. Same with the cereal, though I don't like All Bran, Weetabix or shredded wheat. I eat oats several mornings a week, and taking a cue from Quaker's New Harvest cereals, I'm trying a mix of rolled oats, rolled barley and wheat - haven't got the proportions right yet, though it's still edible.

I second (third? fourth?) the advice to add calories slowly, and keep at a level long enought to see if you're gaining. It took me awhile to realize that a week is not long enough. I've always lost or gained in "chunks" - which makes you think you "got away" with something, or conversely depressed you at the scale when you'd been spot on for a week or two and didn't drop any. Usually the 3rd week, a "chunk" would be gone.

I've been making my own bread since earlier this summer, and as long as I resist when it's hot out of the oven, I have no problem sticking to one slice, and not even that every day. At least I know what's in it - and what's NOT. I usually make a WW for me and white for DH who has trouble digesting whole grains. I got started doing this when I figured out how much less expensive it was than buying "good" bread, which is over $4/loaf here.

You've done a great job losing, and really you can't gain it back overnight (even though your mind thinks it might ) Eat a little more, it'll be okay!

I think the thing with pasta is like Pat says...it is a SIDE dish, not the main dish. A nice 1 oz portion of spaghetti under a chicken breast ...yum. 1/2 c. rice with a HUGE veggie stir fry.


But I only use the whole grain and small portions.

My mantra is "never eat carbs alone"

One thing I have to get over is the guilt I feel for so many calories. I figure if I'm going to eat that many calories, it should be something I'm going to be satisfied having!

I really haven't missed pasta's that much anyway.