I posted earlier about my BMI finally being within normal range. It's *just barely* there, and may not stay there, but now I'm thinking: what next? I would like to lose a few more pounds, but I'm not prepared to make a huge effort. Maybe maintain.
So... what is maintenance about? The number on the scales? Any tips?
****************** “The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.”
Originally posted by Sandy: I could add in about 150 calories per day. HA!
My sister hit maint when I was doing eDiets and I was all excited and asked, "So how did the plan change???" and she said, "I got another piece of bread. I was sort of hoping for a package of m&m's".
I was able to add in about 500 calories a day or 3500 a we4k... which actually IS a HUGE amount (and I was WAY happy!), but I was losing a pound a week and needed to add in that much to stop losing.
How much your food changes depends on how fast/slowly you've been losing.
1 lb a week, add about 500 calories a day or 3500 a week. 1/2 lb a week, add about 250 calories a day or 1750 a week. 1/4 lb a week, add about 125 calories a day or 875 a week.
Denise
Posts: 9221 | Location: Silicon Valley, CA | Registered: March 17, 2004
I remember when my dietician told me that maintenance was MUCH easier than being in loss mode. I did not quite believe her. It just never made sense to me- even when I was still 20 pounds overweight.
Turns out that what she meant by MUCH easier was that I could add in about 150 calories per day. HA! I was thinking that MUCH easier would include far more than an extra half cup of pasta per day and maybe a few bites of decadent sweet each week. Turns out that I still needed to be super disciplined day in and day out. She and I had different ideas about what much easier meant.
One of biggest mistakes was that I stopped weighing myself shortly after my initial loss. In the back of my mind I knew that I was creeping up. I did not want to know it, so I stopped weighing. A few pounds turned into nearly 15 pounds. UUGH! (For me- the scale is the ultimate accountability.) Getting on the scale once per day is key for me.
I still log food. I still use fitday. My maintenance looks a lot like my loss mode.
I still exercise. Actually, I exercise far more now than I did early in maint. Part of that is due to my heart health concerns. Part of it is the fact that I like to be able to eat extras here and there.
My maintenance tools consist of the scale combined with how my clothes feel. Unfortunately I found that maintenance for me doesn't look too different from loss mode in terms of food and exercise. I still have to keep mindful about what I'm putting in my mouth and staying active. Setting a danger scale number is helpful for me too. I usually start cutting calories when I see that number.
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
It is in "Weight Watchers Speak", but not hard for a non WW'er to figure out... since points are sort of kind of like calories, sort of... Calories/fat/fiber all morphed together into a "point".
And some of the links don't work unless you are paying WW'ers... or they might be old... I need to fix it. But my favorite links work.
Congrats again!
Denise
Posts: 9221 | Location: Silicon Valley, CA | Registered: March 17, 2004
