I post on featherweights and here too - I have hit goal and maintained, but then put a few back on so I'm sort of both. TBH I didn't stay at goal very long, it was always a gradual creep back up. But I really want to get back under 140 and then see what happens. I haven't been under 140 since last July.
I've never lingered in the Featherweights forum for very long. Only when some thread title ended up in the Recently Updated page & I found it intriguing & so went there to follow that particular thread. The Featherweights have a nice, comfortable home, with nice people, and I feel fine there, but I just prefer to roost with the Maintainers, the 100-Pound Group, or sometimes the Chicks in Control. I still don't see myself as a normal weight person trying to become slightly lighter. It's maybe body dysmorphia. But I just don't feel like a true Featherweight.
Hey uber! Speaking for myself, yes, it did become tiring. Maybe not immediately, but eventually. If one is running on will power, there is a limit. We see some exceptions here--3FC has some long-term successful maintainers--but it's clear they are exceptions. Whatever approach they have found is working for them, but it seems like it's not one size fits all.
When I was losing I wasn't thinking about how I wanted to live in maintenance. My focus was on doing what it took to lose. And even though we know it's supposed to be a "lifestyle change," I think unconsciously there is always going to seem to be an "end" if one sets a goal weight. And that goal weight can become a tremendous burden, especially if it is arbitrary.
But, I think that's getting ahead of the story for people who are still actively trying to lose.
I stuck to my plan for the Super Bowl and am happy that I did. Alinnell, good for you on doing the same! And getting down to that lower weight.
My back is so painful today that I had to skip the gym. I'll use some hand weights later, while seated, just to get some muscle activity, but that's the most I can do.
Megan1982, I don't often eat out of boredom, but I do eat out of tension and stress. So, busy is not my friend. I have two different businesses--one is a seasonal sideline--but both are driven by deadlines. Last fall I was seriously overloaded due to some miscalculation plus some bad luck. I did not take a day off in months--literally, I was working every day. It was no way to live!
I also found that without regular exercise, I am toast as far as being healthy and reducing stress, let alone weight management!
Whatever approach I take now has to be sustainable. And that applies to my work life as well as my eating and exercise. And, I have to keep reminding myself that yes, I do care.
I feel like there's a fine line between busy and stress. It's true that when I
"keep myself busy" on a weeknight or a weekend afternoon that I eat less, which is a good thing.
But when I'm really busy, too busy? I eat like crazy.
Whether that busy-ness causes stress does seem to be the key factor, but not always... at least I think...
Interesting, Heather. I suppose on the one hand, being idle leads to grazing? But being overloaded leads to stress eating?
I need to add something to what I said earlier. The major part of my weight loss occurred from right after Thanksgiving to right after the next July 4th. That is the busiest time of year for me, so I can't say that it's "impossible" for me to make weight loss a priority because of being busy--because I did it. Something else is going on.
I think I'm more like Jay-- busy is NOT my friend. I do best when I have time to relax and recharge my batteries. I LIVE best when I have time to do same. My life is just the opposite. I have SO many people depending on me, and the worse the stress gets the more likely I am to want to cope by popping a little of this and a little of that into my mouth.
Why is it that I feel the need to put cheese on everything? Sure it was just a little fresh grated Parmesan on my salad, but it wasn't necessary...Oh, I love cheese. I'd choose cheese over a candy bar any day. I should revert to my childhood--a time when I HATED cheese! But then, I loved candy back then. It's a vicious circle!
I agree, JayEll, there is no one size fits all in this world of ours. One must find the thing that fits for us and stick with that despite the need to change it up from time to time.
I am not a maintainer. I haven't reach goal yet, but I have had issues with losing a bit and regaining it back gradually. The past year I battled the same 20lbs up and down. I just wanted to say I think it is awesome everyone is so open to discussing this topic, and it is actually giving me some insight into my own behavior. I won't post anymore, but I just wanted to say that I appreciate the thread and find it very insightful. I will definitely keep reading it from time to time. It is nice to know I am not the only one struggling with this.
I really am trying to make this "work" this time. Good luck, you guys.
Clearly the topic has resonated with a lot of folks - have you noticed the Views count? Support for weight loss is kind of a fleeting, need-it-now thing, but support for maintenance is FO' EVAH! Please, keep the discussion flowing. This is much cheaper than therapy.
Asherdoodles87, thanks for posting! And please post more if you want!
ICUwishing! Yeah, lots of folks seem to be peeking in!
I went to the gym today--my back was feeling better. I didn't push it at all.
alinnell, I like cheese too, but I can do without it. And I don't understand why it is these days that everything in restaurants has to have cheese on it! Steaks? Chicken?? Eeeeuuuw! :P Why, just leaving off the cheese saves 100-200 calories.
I'm interested in hearing more of folks' experiences... So far it seems that several people have reached goal, and then successfully maintained their weight--for a year or even two--and then something happens. Maybe it's pregnancy, maybe it's a stressful time, maybe it's being tired. But something happens.
Now I'm wondering about that "something" that happened. What did it look like? Was it a favorite food that you hadn't had in a long time that acted like a "trigger"? Was it a party or a trip where all bets were off, and you didn't get it back again? Or, do you just not know what it was--did you simply begin gaining slowly and find yourself unable to reverse the trend?
In my case, I already talked about the third trip in a single autumn, where I ate just about anything and didn't get any exercise. Something changed then. But in thinking about it today, what changed after that was not that I gave up and stopped trying. What changed was that it felt like I was fighting uphill.
Part of "what happened" for me was when I realized that I COULD eat a cookie on a whim and the world wouldn't end. I was very consistent when I was losing. I did have treats, but always planned and accounted for. I wouldn't eat something just "because it's there" but only if I really wanted it. I felt somehow that off plan eating would cause me to gain 100 pounds back.
And then I learned, over time, that I could splurge here and there (even spontaneously just because it was there!) and I wouldn't gain 100 pounds back.
But in 3 years I regained 50...
I know there were other things that happened, but I guess I'd call this one a "mental change".
Speaking for myself, yes, it did become tiring. Maybe not immediately, but eventually. If one is running on will power, there is a limit. We see some exceptions here--3FC has some long-term successful maintainers--but it's clear they are exceptions. Whatever approach they have found is working for them, but it seems like it's not one size fits all.
I'll use some hand weights later, while seated, just to get some muscle activity, but that's the most I can do.
