Began logging again with breakfast. I went a little nuts this weekend knowing that Monday was on the horizon, so I start my decline at an artificially inflated 154. And it feels every ounce of it. I did notice that good ole TOM is also preparing to pounce midweek, hooray, yahoo. It's a setup that should give a nice boost downward for next week - IF I do what I know I need to do!

I know that this is something that each person has to determine on their own, but I was wondering if some of you would share with me how you determine your "red line".

When I went to the doctor (late last summer) and then to the nutritionist, they both told me that 120-125 was a good weight for me. I told them that I was aiming for 115-119 and they both said that this was fine.

Next month will mark 1 year since I hit my goal of 119. Since then I've done a lot of bouncing around. I have never really been able to get to 116-117 and stay there consistently. But it is fairly "easy" (not really but I think you all probably know what I mean) for me to stay around 120-122.

I think I could live with that, but I have a lot of self doubt, plus I worry about "lowering my standards" - as in, ok, so if I'm ok with 122, what's next? I become okay with 125? It's a slippery slope methinks!

Yesterday morning I weighed in at 119.5. I went on my long run and when I got back I was 116.0 (I always drop weight during a run and I always jump on the scale - I know it's fake, but I like seeing that low number). I ate really well yesterday and was 121.2 this morning.

Ok, well I'm rambling now, but any input would be appreciated!

Jen

Andrea, I have found those food/binge/carb urges don't go away. I had a medical procedure last week, I have the same thing every month, not particularly painful but it takes up my whole afternoon. It gets me out of the hospital just in time for the afternoon commute rush. It is about a half hour drive home, as I started home I began to think how good a Burger King Hamburger and fries would be. Why Burger King ? I pass one on my way home. I had pretty much convinced myself it be OK. Did I stop at Burger King ? NO, I reminded myself that it couldn't possibly be as good as I imagined and I would be disappointed.I still think about it once in awhile, though.

Jen~my red line is (or was) the point where I felt my clothes starting to get a bit tight. Basically my red line is 145--which is 5 pounds over my goal of 140. For me, it is the weight where I really need to clamp down and get back to goal so that I don't end up where I am now. That red line worked for me for a few years. Then complacency reared its ugly head and I ignored that red line and now I'm paying for it.

Jen, I don't really have a red line , I go by my goal weight , as long as I am below that I am a happy camper. If I am at goal and creeping above that number I get nervous.

Jen, I'd love to comment, but I feel totally unqualified at this point. If I were to answer, it would sound a lot like what Allison wrote. Everything I own fits well at 148 and my negative voices are silent. Beyond that, well, I guess I'll know more when I get back down there!

Hi there, new to maintenance here and trying to determine my red line weight at this point. I could technically lose more, but I want to stay where I am at right now. ( I think ) . Technically I'm still in loss mode, but I am slowing it down. I increased my cal but also my activity so I am still losing a half a pound a week. I will increase again if I am still losing by this time next month. This part of the process seems complicated. I am at a healthy BMI just barely but there is still a huge healthy weight range below me.

First off, welcome!

I hear you on being in a healthy BMI. I've pretty much always been in the healthy range for BMI, but right now I'm in the upper range and I'd prefer being in the lower range! Sometimes I think the my mindset of knowing I'm at a healthy weight makes it that much harder (mentally) to get back into the loss mode.

Welcome, dstalksalot, congratulations on your loss.

Jen, regarding choosing your weight and your redline, my advice is to choose sustainability, and not something which would require you to be "perfect 100% of the time." I think it is comparable to athletic prowess, and so there's doable, and doable with an effort, and doable with one going at one's utmost, which is, finally, not sustainable. You have to figure out what the range is for each. I'd say you're still engaged in a process of discovery, even this far out from your big loss.

I also think it's hard to come to terms with these numbers because it means accepting the limits of reality as opposed to one's dreams. It's such a journey: First, we thought we were fat and could never lose weight. Then we found we could lose weight, and got good at it, and the success maybe made us think there were absolutely no limits to how we could shape & hone our bodies. And then we came out on the other side and saw that yes, there are physical limits, at least if we want to keep doing this for the rest of our lives, and no, the possibilities are NOT infinite, and we decide what we can live with. I think it's like accepting one's mortality.

As for me, I'm low in spirits, due to last night's encounter with a buffet in a restaurant at a Poconos casino & resort. I ate so much my stomach hurt. Why? Because I'd been restrictive for the last two weeks, I'm sure. Huge shrimp, steamed salmon, marinated bay scallops, chickpeas, lots of vegetables, some drenched in butter. You'd think I'd learn.

Yes! My long term goal has been accomplished. ( I got my Tiffany bracelet as a reward!) now what?

Actually I am making some more goals. Weight lifting etc.

I think what Saef says rings true. Sustainability is the key. What that is for me at this point. I dont know. ??? I know this Summer I can lift some and swim some. So that is what I will do.

I still fear gaining back those 80 pounds plus more. I fear that fear will cause it to come true. I need to believe in my self more I guess.

Saef - I think that you are right! Does it make sense to constantly battle to be 117 if I can comfortably be 121? Probably not, but it is like admitting a HUGE defeat by making a goal and not being able to sustain it! And of course in this perfectionist's mind, defeat=failure=I am a total failure.

You may have eaten too much, but most of what you ate (with the exception of the butter) is extremely healthy and good for you! After the restricting you have been doing, you might even be rewarded with a whoosh downward! Fingers crossed!!!

Jen

I have never gotten down to my goal weight honestly . I upped the goal by 5 lbs. and made it down once by being super dehydrated when I weighed. I knew that but it was still a thrill to see that 129 on the scale.

But at what cost?

My body, since I was a teenager, has always been comfortable @ around 134-137 lbs. I was not at all muscular until my 20's (when I got a big dog and had to start working out to exercise her) and did not eat healthily until my late 30's.

I can get down to 130 lbs. but I have to engage in some unhealthy things to do it and I have to constantly fight with my body and be slightly hungry all the time to stay there.

I have finally opted to stop struggling and stay at the weight my body wants me to be. That is from 133-137 lbs. Right now I'm at the upper limit as it's still not in any way salad and fruit eating weather here. As warmer weather comes I will probably drop down to the lower limit. I can maintain this weight range without all the weighing and calculating and portioning etc. (all stuff that drives me nuts and is not worth all the energy it takes) that anything lower would take

My red line is dead center, more for convenience than anything else.

Dagmar

I haven't read Ditching Diets, but I have read Brain Over Binge. My understanding is that she is referring to the "binge" voice, not the "hunger" voice. In all fairness to you, 1250 calories would probably make most people hungry, so I'll bet that your hunger is legitimate and not based on the need to eat for eating's sake, as was the case with the author of Brain Over Binge (and many other bingers).

FIrst of all, Jen, I picked my red line weight based on my ideal weight + 4 pounds, which is the most I can ever imagine shooting up due to water retention alone. Anything more than 4 pounds would, almost by definition, be a true fat gain and thus an indication that I needed to go back into weight loss mode. Unfortunately for me, my ideal weight (118 pounds) is not one I've ever seen, and even the upper end of my maintenance range (122) is not a place I seem to be able to stay any longer.

Which leads me to number two. After a "perfect" OP day -again- yesterday, I woke up this morning at 127. This makes essentially a month of 1200-1300 calories without cheating, exercise 5 days a week, and no fat loss. Seeing that number on the scale again literally made me cry, and I'm throwing in the towel. I can't do it. My metabolism is clearly "ruined" (whatever the **** that means) and anything more than starvation is not going to result in my getting back to even the high goal weight I set. I made a deliberate choice today to "refeed" myself, and ate about 2200 calories (including a 200 calorie oatmeal raisin cookie and a 300 calorie apple muffin). Binge? maybe partly, but a "planned" binge.

So, I guess I'm leaving this thread, and resetting my goal weight to "whatever weight I land at when I eat a steady 1500 calories a day," which is the minimum I consider to be sustainable for the long haul. Sorry everyone. I'll see you in the weekly chat thread, and some of the exercise threads.

Time to go out and buy new and bigger clothes. Cause I sure as **** won't be staying in the 120s for long. :>(

Andrea