Maintenance For Life! Community Group
This group is for people who are looking to maintain their weight loss, and anyone who wants to maintain a healthy weight long term. This group is here to help provide support for people who are looking to transition out of weight loss and continue their life changes in their day to day life.
Hello everyone! I am new here, I usually use fatsecret for logging and support, but there are no active maintainers there! I really want to know how I can get over this petrifying fear I have of reaching my goal, then gaining it ALL BACK. I have gained back in the past, as many others here.
I actually have been having nightmares and trouble sleeping worrying about keeping it off. I desperately want to stay at my happy weight this time.
The last time, I was using intuitive eating to maintain, which worked for a few months, then I started slipping up and slowly gained 20 pounds back. Not all the way to my top weight, but enough to be very depressing. So, although I admire intuitive eating, unfortunately, despite several tries, I can't do it long term. It also makes me anxious sometimes, not knowing for sure whether I am hungry enough to eat, or full enough to stop.
SO..that method is out. I have lost the weight as most do, counting calories. I allow treats within a certain amount of calorie range, i make sure it stays under 300 calories for any junk, and the rest must be nutritious. A big part of my problems with maintaining have been including too much junk and excluding too much fruit and veggies. So I know that is one thing that I definitely need to continue doing. The thing that has me worried is that the thought of counting calories for all eternity forever and ever AMEN is scary and daunting. I will do whatever it takes, but I want it to be fairly easy to accomplish or I may mess up.
How can I stop these fears?! I actually started stress eating worrying about maintaining so this has got to end! Can anyone help me?
Thanks so much in advance.
I actually have been having nightmares and trouble sleeping worrying about keeping it off. I desperately want to stay at my happy weight this time.
The last time, I was using intuitive eating to maintain, which worked for a few months, then I started slipping up and slowly gained 20 pounds back. Not all the way to my top weight, but enough to be very depressing. So, although I admire intuitive eating, unfortunately, despite several tries, I can't do it long term. It also makes me anxious sometimes, not knowing for sure whether I am hungry enough to eat, or full enough to stop.
SO..that method is out. I have lost the weight as most do, counting calories. I allow treats within a certain amount of calorie range, i make sure it stays under 300 calories for any junk, and the rest must be nutritious. A big part of my problems with maintaining have been including too much junk and excluding too much fruit and veggies. So I know that is one thing that I definitely need to continue doing. The thing that has me worried is that the thought of counting calories for all eternity forever and ever AMEN is scary and daunting. I will do whatever it takes, but I want it to be fairly easy to accomplish or I may mess up.
How can I stop these fears?! I actually started stress eating worrying about maintaining so this has got to end! Can anyone help me?
Thanks so much in advance.
Come September I will reach my 2nd year of maintaining. I felt the same way about the dread on having to count calories forever. I struggled to find the balance for a year and never felt comfortable without the counting calorie thing. Then I really worked at knowing portions. I would guess what I thought a cup was by eye and then weighed it to check myself. After a while I got pretty accurate and I think that gave me confidence that I could give up the counting. I try not to take second helpings and limit deserts to 2x a week and then I try to make sensible choices. Things like cheesecake are once in a blue moon treats for me. I also work at getting my 5 fruits and veggies a day.
BUT the biggest thing that has helped me is that I still come here and connect with my friends.
It IS scary thinking about calorie counting forever, and I don't have an answer for you if that is what is required. I was religious with it, and when I stopped I started bingeing again. For me, food logging is a love/hate relationship. I recently started seeing a registered dietician who specializes in eating disorders (for me it was about bingeing) and she has been amazing with giving me good info and tools to work with so I find balance in my maintenance. I found out that if I avoid certain foods (my triggers) I don't crave them as much, and the healthier I am eating, the more healthy foods I WANT to eat. The goal for all of us is to find a way to have intuitive eating and like Joyce says, stopping after one portion, etc. I am not there yet, but it is important to look at this is a constantly changing, evolving process with a learning curve. No one expects you to be perfect and maintain perfectly. Holding onto your healthy habits and lifestyle is the goal. Have a weight rance you want to maintain, and don't obsess over one number.
You can do this! Keep on posting and reach out if you need help! Hugs!