LIl' Help - Transitioning from Weight Loss to Maintenance

[LewWagner]

All,

I'm rapidly approaching my initial target weight of 170 lbs (from 300+ in Nov 2013 to 182 today), but wanted to pick your collective brains and experiences for those who have successfully made the transition.  Especially those who have gone through large weight loss campaigns, like I have.

Did you keep up the same exercise and just up your dietary intake to match the caloric burn or did you reduce your exercise and your diet at the same time?

I just want to make sure I don't "binge" upon achieving my weight goal and wake up three months later 300 lbs, again.

Thanks all for your guidance or lesson's learned on this.

Lew Wagner

[Lightsinger]

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@LewWagner wrote:

All,

I'm rapidly approaching my initial target weight of 170 lbs (from 300+ in Nov 2013 to 182 today), but wanted to pick your collective brains and experiences for those who have successfully made the transition.  Especially those who have gone through large weight loss campaigns, like I have.

Did you keep up the same exercise and just up your dietary intake to match the caloric burn or did you reduce your exercise and your diet at the same time?

I just want to make sure I don't "binge" upon achieving my weight goal and wake up three months later 300 lbs, again.

Thanks all for your guidance or lesson's learned on this.

Lew Wagner

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I guess it depends some on how intrusive exercise is in your life.  For me, finding time to exercise is a challenge because of my job, but there's a happy medium, and I have found that exercising 30-45 minutes a day keeps my metabolism higher and I can eat a little more.  The key for me is to never let myself feel deprived of something.  Makes the temptation to binge a lot easier to handle.  I lost 70 pounds total, but then I'm kind of little....70 pounds was a lot for me.

[Elansc]

If you have an aria scale, I would suggest linking up to Trendweight.com. -- great way to monitor your weight as it adjusts to the normal ups and downs I too will start maintaining soon -- 15 pounds to go -- and I have had the same thoughts. I do not want to wake up fat ever again -- for one thing I won't be able to leave the house as I got rid of all my fat clothes.

[LZeeW]

@LewWagner   I'm not the one who lost the weight -- it is one of my best friends.  He kept it off for over 25 years, longer than I have known him.  I was shocked to learn that he was heavy once.

For him, keeping the weight off is a continuation of his lifestyle change.  He still runs or bikes daily and eats to maintain.

Congratulations on making your goal!

[Malpeg]

My weight has been up and down my whole life. I realized that if I am going to keep my weight off this time that I am going to have to continue to log my food and activities.

[Hannah_L2M]

There certainly is a transition from losing to maintaining. How has it been going so fat!

[healthsidekick]

I have not lost as much weight as you, but went from 210lb most of my adult life to 172-174lb. There was not transition for me because my prime number is my maintance. I ate under my prime number during my weight loss and now I eat under it sometimes when my weight is at the higher range (174lb) and eat over or at my number when 172lb. Simple.

[Caramammal]

Well done on your weight loss, great job!

As for maintenance, one method that works is increasing calories gradually each week. So for example, increase calorie intake by 100 a day for a week, and see where that takes you, then up it by 200 a day for the next week and so on. At some point you will see your weight loss coming to an end as you maintain.

Good luck!