How to maintain weight

[dmdavies1]

So I managed to lose weight using the FitBit diet plan. I logged my food daily and made sure - by the end of the day - that may caloric intake did not exceed my calories burned. I used the easiest plan so even if I only had about 15 pounds to lose, it took me several months - especially considering that I occasionally went off the plan for parties and holidays. Now that I've reached my goal weight, how can I use the FitBit diet plan to maintain my weight?

[Baltoscott]

Compared to losing weight, maintaining weight can be kind of boring.  You no longer get that little rush from seeing the scale drop a bit week over week.  And, because you've met your goal, you start to feel entitled to go off your plan a little more often and you start to lose focus.  

One thing you should do is to keep weighing in so that you can make adjustments before that 15 lbs just mysteriously reappears.  But my primary solution was to create another goal after I hit my goal weight. 

In my case, I decided that I wanted of build some muscle and and increase my lifts in the gym and to do that I needed to gain (YIKES) some weight.  So, after losing about 40 lbs last year, I started increasing my calories in order to gain about 1/2 to 1 lb / week while going through a strength training program.  That's been going on since January as I've moved from around 160 lbs to 168 lbs.  In another pound or so I will go back to losing weight to take myself back down to 160 lbs or so -- hopefully with more muscle than the last time I was there.  

The process takes a while and in my current gaining phase I can be a little more flexible around parties/holidays/weekends than I was last year, but in a few more weeks I will reverse that, go back to a weight loss approach and be a little stricter about calorie counts.  So far, the big benefit of the process is that it has kept me focused, and willing to keep getting on the scale every day to get feedback on whether I am move toward the goal.

[WavyDavey]

Congrats on your weight loss @dmdavies1!  Going for the slow weight loss is the way to go.

@Baltoscotthas some great advice on keeping your mind focused, and once the goal weight is achieved, you can always go for improving body composition.

In terms of Fitbit, all that's needed is to change your caloric deficit to zero. Or whatever calories in number that yields a stable weight for you. The hard part, as already noted, is the mindset is different in maintenance than weight loss.

[SunsetRunner]

@dmdavies1 in the "Dark Knight" the Joker said "You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it!". I always remember that quote whenever I think of the maintenance phase. What I found out is the best is not to think of it as a maintenance. The word itself puts some pressure and while there is no weight-loss goal it may be quite hard to decide which way to go. Seeing daily fluctuations in the weight one way or another may raise more panic during maintenance than during weight-loss as after all, the numbers should be steady, shouldn't they? It is not that simple though.

- I don't maintain my weight. I just do stuff. I changed my lifestyle and it seems to be working for me. Even if I stopped weighing myself ( weighing and logging became sort of habit for me ) I don't think it would be that easy to destroy all the work I've done.

- I set up new goals. Removed a mound of fat so now let's build some muscles. Of course, my weight probably will go up but this is what I expect. New goal to work on will allow you to shift your focus. You're not maintaining anymore, you're building up.

- Still, though, I do log my food, weight myself almost daily ( I skip weighing occasionally ). Not a big deal. I got used to that and I feel strange not doing it. It's like something is missing. I'm a creature of habit.

From my experience, it may help if you find a new goal for yourself as well. Frankly, I just hate the term "maintenance". It just sounds wrong. Your life cannot be based on the "maintenance". You are not a dishwasher or refrigerator 😄

[dmdavies1]

Thank you to each one of you that has responded! I will take advice from each of you! I do maintain an active lifestyle - energetic walks everyday - so that helps.

[DakineGrrl]

 "In terms of Fitbit, all that's needed is to change your caloric deficit to zero."

And how do you do this?

[Dominique]

@DakineGrrl : create a food plan (or edit the existing plan) in which your desired weight is identical to your current weight. You will have something like this:

[DakineGrrl]

Thank you so much! It seems so obvious now 😄