Posts: 327
11/19/12 10:22 P

Thanks for the warm welcome! I love all the insight that you all have here. I think I will stick with the weight lost ticker for now, I am enjoying seeing what I have accomplished! ;)

current weight: -15.0  under

20 10 0 -10

-20

Posts: 8,911
11/18/12 5:57 P

For good or ill, my preference is to have a ticker with my weight on it. The difference for me, now, is that one weight isn't the be all, end all. It's a range, the bottom of which now shows up as my "goal." And if you want to see how far you've come, you can always keep your maximum weight on there, too. Of course, I change my ticker all the time, as I change what my rock-bottom weight is.

Expect to be here for a long time, and expect that you'll be changing your ticker to suit yourself throughout that journey!

current weight: -0.8  under

5 2.5 0 -2.5

-5

SparkPoints: (38,911)
Fitness Minutes: (51,134)
Posts: 1,183
11/18/12 4:56 P

Welcome to the team!

I'm with the other two wonderful ladies here: do whatever ticker works for you. I haven't decided what I'm going to pick yet when I get to my goal weight, but that's a small bridge that I'll cross when I come to it. Every person is different in what motivates them, so it's really a personal choice.

I wish you the best in this next chapter of your healthier life!

SparkPoints: (36,839)
Fitness Minutes: (39,044)
Posts: 2,274
11/18/12 4:14 P

First of all, welcome to the team! This is a great place to learn and exchange information from lots of extremely generous and wise people.

I still use my weight loss ticker because I take pride in the amount of weight that I've lost and managed to keep off. Plus, it's a constant reminder of where I came from and don't want to go back to! I celebrate my maintenance milestones in other ways like writing blogs, continuing to take progress pictures and creating badges for myself for my anniversaries.

Like 4A-HEALTHY-BMI said, finding what works and make you feel best is the most important thing. If you find using a maintenance ticker is the most motivating for you, I say go for it!

Welcome again and congratulations on all your success!

Edited by: TINAJANE76 at: 11/18/2012 (16:15)

current weight: -1.0  under

5 2.5 0 -2.5

-5

Posts: 5,092
11/18/12 2:57 P

Welcome to the first of many choices you'll get to make, as a maintainer. :-)

There really isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to maintenance any more than there is one for weight loss. You will need to try things and figure out what works best for getting / keeping you where you want to be.

I personally still have problems staying right within a +/- 3% range around my goal weight (about +/- 4.5 lbs), so I like the ticker that shows where I am relative to my goal weight.

Just try something. See how it feels. If it works, stick with it. If after a month or so you think another choice would work better, switch over and see how it goes.

This applies to all kinds of aspects in maintenance, from whether or how to track your food and weight to what weight range you eventually settle on, and what other new goals and motivations you pick up along the way toward keeping the new, fitter you.

Although there isn't a simple script to follow, people here are always willing to offer suggestions, explain what they do and why, and help you design your own maintenance program.

current weight: 13.8  over

15 7.5 0 -7.5

-15

Posts: 327
11/18/12 2:41 P

I hit my goal a week ago but want to continue on and lose at least 7 more pounds. I do not remember a time when I weighed this little, maybe High School. In the past dieting/losing weight was something I did for an upcoming event, I never reached my goal weight or even thought about maintenance. I now know that maintenance is really the goal!

My question is, which ticker should I be using now? There are several that could apply: 'Pounds Lost' (which I have always used), 'Weight Maintenance', or 'Duration of Maintenance'. I am currently so proud of what I have achieved and how many pounds I have lost. But should I start to focus on how long I have been able to maintain that lose now or staying within five pounds of my goal weight, or what?

current weight: -15.0  under

20 10 0 -10

-20