Hi everyone,

Just came here to see if anyone could help with a question I had. I had a really difficult last year and ended up putting on quite a lot of weight. I managed to lose it over six months through careful dieting and exercise, and I'm now at my ideal weight. The only problem is, I have no idea how to maintain it. Sometimes I eat loads in a week and feel really worried, but when I get on the scale at the end of the week, my weight hasn't changed. Does anyone know why this happens, and how to feel more reassured about the weight not jumping back on? I think the fact I didn't notice how heavy I'd become initially means I doubt my judgment about the way I look.

Thanks so much for your insights!

Elodie

Hi Elodie!
In general, people maintain their weight in a way that's pretty similar to how they lost it. That means paying attention to what you are eating and how much, and also staying active.

Paying attention is the difference--it sounds like when you were gaining, you weren't really aware.

Yes, you can "eat loads" in a week and have it not make a difference, but only short term! Eventually, overeating will catch up. You said last year was difficult--and I presume that is past. So there's no reason to slide back into habits of eating that made you gain.

Try not to become obsessed with food. Contrary to a lot of what you may read on weight loss forums, we cannot control our bodies' metabolism. Exercise care, do some planning, and stay with a good nutritional program.

Hi Elodie! As long as you keep getting on the scale regularly, you'll be able to keep track of whether you're gaining weight or not. A lot of people have referred to weight maintenance as "yo-yo dieting on a very short string." Basically you'll continue with the healthy eating habits you learned while losing weight, keep an eye on your weight, and if it starts to go up you can restrict your calories a little to keep it in the range you're happy with.

I am a calorie counter and like numbers and feedback. Look up your basal metabolic rate for your ideal weight. You need that to maintain your body as it is. If you work out and burn more calories, you need to eat a little more. If you eat substantially above that without exercise you will generally put on weight. An excess of 500 calories per day (over your needs to maintain size and have energy to exercise) would be a pound a week gained.

Hi Elodie,

Firstly, try not to stress (that alone can play havoc with hormones/weight gain) over the scales. About a year ago, I got into the habit of recording everything I eat (with the help of the CK food diary). I've lost some weight these past 4 months and I'm still trying to pinpoint my numbers/daily calories. I know it's nowhere near what the charts say I should be. I'm 66 next month so I don't need much....maybe 1200-1300??

Just keep up daily exercise, eat about the same each day as you were in weight loss mode and keep a check on your weight. Unfortunately, maintenance requires vigilance but I think it's worth it! It's become an enjoyable hobby for me.

Hi, I am a little bit like you and I start to count the calories. But i feel it so hard to keep for days as I always feel being restricted. How do you deal with this feeling ?

iamondiet, if I may respond? In my opinion one can't keep counting calories forever without feeling oppressed and restricted by it. That happened to me, anyway. An alternative would be to go by portion sizes instead. What I mean is that you probably know by now, or you can look up, how many calories are in a half cup of mashed potatoes or one chicken breast. I don't mean you have to measure portions precisely every time--it's more that you can get used to "eyeballing" your portions. And then, every couple of weeks to a month, you would get precise on measuring just to make sure your portions aren't drifting, either up or down.

Keep in mind that you have choices! In my own case, I can eat anything I want, which is very freeing--but everything counts. There is no "free dessert." And the fact is, once you have been seriously overweight, you do have to think about what you eat. There's no getting around it.

This was a great thread for me to read. I've maintained a healthy or "close to healthy" weight for a long time. I am at BMI 25. When I talk about weight with people, I've just started to say "It takes effort to look this good". I say this to be funny, but it's really true. Even though I am heavier than I would like to be, both for vanity and for joint health, the reality is it already takes effort to maintain at the top of "normal and healthy". Weight gain is my natural tendency, and I am a comfort eater, which didn't stop when I lost weight.

I really liked the "yoyo dieting on a short string" description. I never wanted this to be true for me, but I think it is. Gotta watch it. I find that 1-2 weeks of unhealthy eating doesn't mess me up, but at week 3, I see a change that is hard to reverse.