As I've just reached my goal weight, and am about to start out on my maintenance-for-life journey, I thought that it would be a great idea to throw out a few questions to those who are already successfully maintaining; I think it would be very beneficial to both myself and others in the same position.

Therefore, for those of you already maintaining, what strategies do you use to continue successfully maintaining your weight? What keeps you motivated?

How has your food intake and general attitude to food changed after going from weight loss mode to maintenance mode?

What other advice would you give to a newbie maintainer?

Thanks

Welcome to maintenance!
I can only tell you what I do.
I think that maintenance is an individual thing. You must find "your own" way to maintain in a way you can live with, just like actively losing. It's Atkins and You.
That said, I can tell you what I do.
I weigh and journal daily.
I keep a mind count of carbs. I can, on most days have between 30 - 40 carbs, some days more, other days I might have less.
I have a weight I don't want to go over, if I get close, I start cutting back.
If I want something "off plan" I have it on occasion. As long as it doesn't cause cravings. I never have any problems getting right back on track.
What keeps me motivated is the fact that I refuse to gain my weight back. It took me a long time to lose it, I will not gain it back. I am so happy where I am now.
I don't think my attitude has changed as far as food is concerned. I know what got me at an unhealthy weight and I usually steer clear of those foods.
Learning to use the tools for a healthier lifestyle is the greatest thing I have done for myself in a long time.
You can look through this maintenance thread too. I did and there are simular posts. That might help.
I hope some of these tips will help you.
Good luck on your new journey.

Congratulations on reaching your goal!!!

I weigh daily (first thing in the morning)
I have a set weight in my mind of 114 (2 lbs. either side of 114 is the yellow zone for me) ie: 112-eat more carbs, 116-cut back on carbs.
Exercise at least 4 days a week (I try to do it daily)
I journal every day (everything that was put in my mouth and the amount of exercise I did)
I go off plan and splurge but never more than once in a week.
(if the splurge causes cravings for days after, I make a note of it in my journal)
I actually find maintenance mode a bit harder than weight loss mode mainly because I have had a problem balancing just how much carbs my body needs. It still thinks it's in weight loss mode. But I'm learning.

Welcome to maintenance Demi!!

Once again....congrats on a well earned effort!

As you've already explained in detail, your plan gives you a way to eat for a while so any food ideas from me are not applicable to you.

As far as other strategies, I do use the 3 things that the NWCR say are the things most in common with successful maintainers:
1- weigh daily
2- eat breakfast daily
3- exercise daily

I keep index cards next to my scale and have been since I started 4 yrs ago. Its quite a pile now. I weighed in the other day and looked back to last year and was happy to see that last year, same date, my weight was the same.

I make rules for myself and actually follow them! This is a first for me as before I'd say things to myself and then find myself face down in a plate of pasta. No more but I do have a little pasta once in a while.

I walk for my work so this is my formal exercise...I do need to do better at getting my lazy butt into the gym...but thats a whole other topic.

I do not bring certain trigger foods into my home. IE: cashews, bread, ice cream....these are foods that I have trouble exerting portion control. Knowing which foods is key to this for me. I can eat a snack bag of cashews out of my home but if I buy and bring home a jar...its gone in 24 hours!!

Being that I wrote down my food every day for almost 2 yrs, got me into the habit of counting my starches and fruits each day. Thats the way we do it on SB...we don't count carb grams but we do track our starches, which makes a lot of sense to me. So thats all I count, my 2-3 fruits a day and my 2-3 starches a day.

I rarely eat processed carbs...I do allow myself to have a treat of a bagel once every few weeks. When I do eat grain, I steer clear of wheat most of the time as it triggers my appetite. I do eat rye in the Wasas. When I go out to eat, the bread basket is taken off the table.....period!!

I too, have a cutoff weight where I will reign myself in and cut back on my starches until it comes back down. I find that my eating is actually floating between the phases...not always in phase III. Depending on what the scale tells me on a given day, will determine what I will eat that day. Many days are no grain days....some are no cheese or nuts days.

I make sure that when I go food shopping, that I am not hungry...thats been torture for me, when I went in hungry!!

Hope some of this helps!!

Good luck Demi!! I wish you a lifetime of successful maintenance.

Congratulations Demi.

Please join in Judy's Monday wiegh-in above. It's been very helpful for myself and many others.

Bo

For me, the key seems to be maintaining an exercise program. It's not heavy-duty - I do an at-home walking program with a video (Leslie Sansone), some upper-body weights, and squats, step-ups, etc. for lower body. I try to work out most days a week. When the weather permits, I walk outdoors.

I don't know if it's the exercise per se that helps me maintain, or the thought patterns it sets up. If I go without exercise for too many days in a row, I start thinking, "well, I'm not exercising anyway, so I may as well REALLY indulge myself and have some (insert bad food choice here)."

Rachel

Congrats, Demi!


In a word, vigilance. I weigh often. I keep "contraband" out of the house. I shop well ahead and keep a good variety of groceries handy.


Cute clothes, being fit, improved health, freedom from constant hunger, all while eating fabulous food.


It's changed very little, but note that I have a low CCL and I followed Protein Power, which starts you out at 30-40 g/carb per day.

The best advice I have is to just keep doing what you've been doing. You've been LCing for a long time and you probably already know what foods work for you and which ones don't. IMO, this doesn't change much in maintenance.

All the best!

hi Demi-
congrats!
I sound like an echo...
weigh daily, exercise, know this is a LIVE- IT, not a DIE-IT. You have to stay OP - that is just how it is. I also keep lots of protein and veggies in the house so I always have food to eat and no excuses.
Motivation- how great I feel and the absolute knowledge that I will be sick and fat if I go off plan.
E

Thanks so much for all your great answers, suggestions and advice. I do appreciate it.

I'm ashamed to say that I did get to goal once before, back in 2002. However, at that time I didn't have a clue, and ended up putting in all back, plus more, and it's taken me quite a while to finally get all the weight off again. But this time around, I do know so much more and I'm determined never to put on any of that weight again.

However, I do want to make sure I have everything covered, so what you have all had to say, has been very helpful

Kind of an old thread with lots of good answers. My advice to anyone new reading this would be to simply don't think you've "arrived" or that you've "won". Just keep going and be ever vigilant. Maintenance is just a new set of challenges and learning moments on your continuing journey. Keep dancing with whoever you took to the dance! Whatever plan you used to get you this far, you've proved to yourself that it "works", so don't abandon it now!