I see from other posts that a few people have recently reached their goal. Many Congratulations!
Now for keeping it off. Enjoy your new size but dont be scared. There has to be more to life than obsessing about a pound or two, so just take things slowly.
Important, know your new TDEE ( maintenance needs) check an online calculator for this, use it as a guide then its trial and error.
I found it best to slowly increase daily calories, say 100 cals for the first week or two, then add another 100 and so on, until you find the level to maintain at. Then just try and eat healthily 80% the time ( less healthily 20% of the time!), continue with some exercise you enjoy and check your size or weight fortnightly.
In my case I have a little black dress that I try on every so often to see how it fits ( without the Spanx 😁). I tend to allow myself a 3-4 lbs gain before I take action .
Written by
elliebath
Maintainer
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Thank you for this post, and good to see proof in your great photo that maintenance is possible. As a new maintainer I have been looking for information on line and found very little apart from calorie calculators that give me a maintenance figure as low as 1,400 and as high as 1,900. I guess I just pick a number in the middle and then, as you say, it is down to trial and error.
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is the amount your body needs to maintain weight, depending on your activity level. People are often confused between TDEE and BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate). BMR is a lower figure , it is energy you use doing nothing at all, just lying around.
Yes it is a bit of trial and error for example, at my current size/age my TDEE is between 1400-1600 depending whether Im lazy that day or not !
Thanks for this Elliebath. I'm keen to stay at my chosen maintenance level as I've yoyo'd by around 8lbs over the past year or so. I'd like to stay within a 3lb window instead. I like your 80/20 theory. Think I was more like 50/50 for a bit, need to keep more control this time
I find that if most of the time I eat sensibly, but use 20% of my maintenance daily calories ( eg 300 cals) for a couple of G & Ts or some chocolate. OR I might choose to save them all up for a fancy meal out or party food , I can still easily maintain.
I just don't want to be counting cals anymore. But I think if I keep things like alcohol, choc etc at a modest level then the rest seems to follow. I like your black dress by the way, very glam I think my ideal measurement is to stay fitting into size 12 jeans
That's my aim too , to stay in size 12s ☺the dress btw is black velvet with a sheer top and sleeves, got it half price in m&s sale but not actually worn it out yet ...plan to nearer christmas!
You are really rocking that little black dress, fabulous! Thanks for the tips of maintaining, another few pounds to go and then that will be my next challenge!
I think I have hit my maintenance weight now and have been 10st 6lb for the last 3wks 😆
I'm really happy with the way all my clothes fit but I have really lost my way with my exercise 🏃
I aim for 10'000 steps a day (which I achieve most days) but have almost stopped everything else.
I loved doing my hiit exercise DVDs and loved the toned feeling I was getting and I have also done a few c25k runs which I really enjoyed....but I know it's just an excuse....I really struggle for time!!!!
NOTE TO MYSELF ... MUST TRY HARDER!!!!!
if I want to tone up I'm not going to achieve this by not doing anything ... it's only 30 mins after all 😉
Thanks for the post and the (20th) kick up the bum ... maybe I've kicked myself hard enough to to take action ✔
Sounds as if you're in a good place. Happy with your clothes fit and without being too dependant on the exercise you're managing to maintain .... see any extra exercise as a bonus now.
Thanks for the tips! You look amazing in that dress!
Even though I reached goal today, I don't have any calories to add back as I've been eating maintenance calories for my target weight for a few months.
I wasn't entirely sure it would work out as the deficit was reducing as I lost weight and I might never reach goal (I know there's a word for that kind of graph line .. asymptote? It's been a while since I did any math!) so I think it's mainly exercise that carried me over the line.
I will just carry on as I have been for a while and see where my weight settles. I'm planning to keep logging because I like to know I'm getting the right balance (mostly I care about getting enough fibre).
I'm worried about getting complacent and thinking I'll be fine, but I've got rid of most of the clothes that are too big for me, so I have no where to grow to!
Ouch! You must have been really determined to hit your goal! I've managed to lose without going much under 2000 calories a day on average, but the last couple of pounds took a while!
Well your achievement of 100 lbs was exceptional. Well done. I had only 30 lbs to lose iso that could only happen on lower calories. My age is 64 and my goal was to reach a BMI of 22.5 which Ive done and maintained. Not skinny at all though, mostly size 12 .
Wow elliebath you look amazing well done on your achievement I am struggling with what and how much to eat I'm just eating the same as diet as I'm worried of putting weight on again I'm still doing exercise and more now as have just got a puppy so lots of walking too! I will google calcalator to help me thank you x
I felt exactly the same as you at first... well for several months actually. And my first holiday was a real worry, I thought I'd go right downhill, but in fact only gained 2.5 lbs and lost it again a fortnight after. Im 5ft 5 and my maintenance weight hovers around 9st 9 to 9st 12. But I am 64 so my natural BMR is low. Therefore my maintenance level is still only 1500-1600 .
Its been this way for 18 months now so I do at last feel in control, and when of course I have a couple of special high calorie days over 2000 , I have to cut right back after.
PS PUPPY SOUNDS A GREAT HELP, MUST SHOW US A PIC 😊
Thank you for replying I'm 52 and yes it's harder to lose maintain weight when older I think I will weigh myself every day and if I gain I will diet the next day lol
Your post is very helpful elliebath I’m feeling a bit more confident of keeping my weight stable, I’m still at the stage of trying to find roughly how many cals I can eat to maintain (as you mentioned). A couple of weeks ago I started logging food and exercise on myfitnesspal, it is a bit time consuming and can’t see me doing it forever, but as a diary of what I’ve eaten it’s easy to see high and low calorie days, also how many cals were used with even quite moderate exercise, like walking the dog, which encourages more activity. The nutrient info is interesting too, has made me re think a few things.
Saying all that yesterday was a definitely high calorie day as went out to a ‘do’ last night, felt good in new frock - by the way you look fantastic in yours! Off for a swim now to help undo the damage and back to healthy eating today.
Sounds like you're doing great Sailsalot , I am a firm supporter of myfitnesspal . I used it every day through my weightloss journey and still do use it, although not every day. I use it to log my "heavier" and to check new food items.
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