Down but not out... quite!: Some of you... - Weight Loss Support

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Down but not out... quite!

Tiggerr profile image
32 Replies

Some of you may have guessed that I have been struggling to maintain.

I’ve been ‘maintaining’ since around the beginning of June and it hasn’t been a walk in the park… more like parachuting into the middle of the Borneo jungle. I didn’t expect it to be easy but it’s been harder than I expected.

I guess I’d become weary of calorie counting and was hoping I could lose that side of things. So, ‘yes’, I made it hard(er) for myself :O

The thing is, I’m pretty aware of what and how much I should eat (without having to calorie count) but I think that as I don’t have a constantly visible daily reminder/target to ‘keep it real’ that I’m going more and more off the rail.

So this is me, giving myself the proverbial kick up the rear and stating that come this Monday I will be reverting to calorie counting. I’ve dug out my calorie counting and 12 week plan spreadsheets and they’re ready to rock n roll. I just hope that I’m as ready, as this is feeling a little bit ‘last chance saloon’.

Monday’s weigh-in should be that extra wake-up call that I need to start my new DAY ONE.

I'm going to have a guiltless w/e and then start over. Have a good w/e everyone.

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Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr
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32 Replies
IndigoBlue61 profile image
IndigoBlue61

Good evening Tiggerr and welcome back 😊 You know what to do, you've done it before and will do it again 😊

Did you see the new Newbie Club? If you wish, as a returnee, you are welcome to join 😊

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Best wishes

Anna

IndigoBlue61 profile image
IndigoBlue61 in reply to IndigoBlue61

Ps I'm also struggling with maintenance. It's really hard 😕

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to IndigoBlue61

Thanks Anna... misery loves company ;)

Ceals profile image
Ceals

Go for it Tiggerr you can do it and we will all support you.

Make sure you plan, wishing you all the best.

Zest profile image
ZestHealthy BMI

You can do this, Tiggerr , and we are all behind you, and alongside you, cheering you on. Hope you have a really good weekend. :-)

RG07 profile image
RG07Maintainer

when I have lost weight before it took me 6 months before I started to put the weight back because I stopped counting the calories and the bad habits crept back in. I don't think I will ever manage without counting calories I'm not sure I would have the confidence to not go over my allowance!

Fortunately don't find counting calories a bind

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to RG07

You're right, counting isn't such a bind, just thought it could be one thing less to have to concern myself with... not for the first time in my life, I find that I thought wrong :)

RG07 profile image
RG07Maintainer in reply to Tiggerr

this happened to me twice before I made the decision that I need to stick with what works

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to RG07

Thanks for feedback. Invaluable!

IndigoBlue61 profile image
IndigoBlue61 in reply to RG07

I'm coming to the same conclusion RG07 . . . I'm trying not to count, to eat intuitively, but I still add them up in my head!! Lol😂

lucigret profile image
lucigret

Come on Tiger, put some bounce in that step again. You know what to do, you can do this. We are all here cheering you on :)

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to lucigret

Cheers lucigret. My springs have got a bit rusty :( Hopefully, they'll be oiled up by the end of next week :)

lucigret profile image
lucigret in reply to Tiggerr

I have every faith in you Tiger - don't you dare prove me wrong 😜

rossie1942 profile image
rossie1942

I find keeping it off much harder than loosing. Think will have to go back to the beginning. Nice to find that I am not alone. Mystery why we do it after all the joy of new clothes and lets be honest pride in getting rid of the weight and then few weeks later back to the chocolate. Good luck

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to rossie1942

Very good question. I wake up each morning feel really determined and then I will just go mad and eat anything/everything.

Good luck to you too.

rossie1942 profile image
rossie1942 in reply to Tiggerr

Thank you

I still haven't got to goal yet, so I'm not a maintainer, but after some recent exciting life events, I was having a bit of a break from counting calories. However even though I do have good habits now and mostly don't have sweet cravings, when I stop counting calories, the weight just creeps back on. I think I shall be counting calories for Life!

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to

That does appear to be the road I may have to go down. It doesn't seem 'right' and I wish I could explain. I'll probably give 'not counting' another go, sometime in the future. I haven't given up yet.

Good luck!! You're doing great!!

WildlyPrecious profile image
WildlyPrecious

Hey Tiggerr,

Don't give up!! You're Tiggerr!! : )

Maybe if you are fed up of counting the calories you could you focus on 'counting' the nutrients rather than the calories. Whole, mainly plant based, (unprocessed) foods, hold the most nutrients that our bodies need and will regulate your hunger hormones, calm your cravings and help you to feel more satisfied & healthier in the long run. I know you know, but most processed foods (and drinks) are full of the things that trigger our brains and give us that unbearable insatiable appetite (refined sugars, salts and fats) and create that continual fight to 'not eat'.

Try eating until you are properly satisfied of 100% whole foods (about 80% plant based), of all the types of whole foods and colours of the rainbow and get creative with yummy new ideas and combinations (I'm not talking boring lettuce and cucumber salad) for a week or two and see what differences you notice...

Letting go of the processed foods (including the 'low fat' or 'diet' versions) is easier than I thought possible. I just made a decision - if it's processed I don't eat it (except for a very limited few exceptions).

That's how I have maintained my weight loss for many years and never count calories, rarely feel cravings and avoid hunger.

I know you can do it!

Let us know how you get on!

Best of luck to you

p.s and dont feel guilty if you do enjoy a burger, some chocolate or whatever. The guilt doesn't help one bit - just pushes us around that restriction - craving - binge - guilt - restriction cycle over and over. If you do choose to eat it - just enjoy it guilt free and then choose to eat nutritious whole foods for your next meal.

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to WildlyPrecious

Thank you WildlyPrecious for taking the time to explain all that. At the moment I'm going to stick to what I know, which helped me lose 18kg in 5 months. It took this aged person long enough to learn to calorie count, so for now I'll stick with what I know I can get to work.

If I can reach a settled level then I'd be happy to try alternative methods, knowing that I can always revert back to at least one method that I can rely on.

I know what you mean about balancing out what you eat which I've been happy enough to do but I'm now spiraling from one bad food moment to another. The good food eating is waning and the reason I need to get back to basics that got me here.

I take your point on the processed foods and have probably moved back to eating more of those. I'll definitely have to put a stop to that trend.

Cheers!

Overweightrider profile image
Overweightrider in reply to WildlyPrecious

Thank you for that, I really love my own boiled fruit cake (Mary Berry recipe!) and plan to make up a batch of two or three tomorrow - one for our hols, one for our son and one to come home to in October. This more than anything has been what I have been looking forward to since beginning my 'endeavour' to lose 8 inches off my waist so that I can return to horse riding. I avoid additives wherever possible and feel that to be an aid, plus pilates of course.

Minniewinny profile image
Minniewinny5 stoneMaintainer

Wishing you great success Tiggerr

Have a great weekend and enjoy your plans for your menus for next week..

Cheering you on to maintain with smiles 🎉🎉🎉

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to Minniewinny

Cheers Minniewinny. You're right about the pre-planning of meals. Gosh, I've got so lazy, I really need to pull my finger out.

Minniewinny profile image
Minniewinny5 stoneMaintainer in reply to Tiggerr

Easier to lose pounds than stones... Planning makes a huge difference, and the results are so worth while 😉

blackbeauty99 profile image
blackbeauty99

You can do this Tiggerr , we will all support you here!!! :)

Best of luck :)

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to blackbeauty99

Thank you BB, really appreciated.

wa2un7 profile image
wa2un7Maintainer

You can do it. I'm struggling at the moment too ,sitting at the top of my maintenance range. It's harder than losing in many ways but I'll have to soldier on. Good luck with your new start. 👍

Tiggerr profile image
Tiggerr in reply to wa2un7

Intriguing as to how many of us are finding it harder to maintain than to lose. Like you I'm at the top of my maintenance range, although this week I may have gone beyond that.

Wishing you all the best.

WildlyPrecious profile image
WildlyPrecious

Ahhh, youre a star! Just do what you know works for you. As you say, you can always experiment when you feel settled again...

Lots of positive vibes to you!! 😊

13Valerie profile image
13Valerie

Well done Tiggerr ... its no harm to maintain for a while then move on again. Good for you to never give up on yourself. Best wishes💙💛💚

elliebath profile image
elliebathMaintainer

You're lucky to have quite a generous maintenance allowance Tigger,,. in fact a whole 1000 cals more than me. 😕

One idea, if you'd rather not count individual calories, could you somehow pre-calculate and memorise some "meal groups" , eg: some 500, some 1000 etc, that you can just call on without thinking . They dont all have to be saintly , include 500 cals of chocolate if you wish. Most weeks I probably only adhere to an 80/20 rule myself .

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