Maintenance is NOT the same thing as losing foreve
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MJREIMERS
Posts: 1,967 8/15/11 10:39 P
Awesome article. for the information. This should help those of us that are presently under our goal weight. Now, I can set a new range and hopefully be able to stay in it!!
~Mako~
current weight: -2.9 under
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4A-HEALTHY-BMI
Posts: 5,091 8/15/11 1:15 A
Thank YOU for being here to tell us about it!!!
It is encouraging to know that there are ways of handling these urges to eat that do not go away. And to see that someone can successfully use them.
Never, ever, EVER give up!
From BMI 52+ (335+ lbs) to BMI under 30. Now aiming for less than 19% body fat.
SparkPoints: (127,586)
Fitness Minutes: (95,650) Posts: 26,252 8/14/11 8:16 P
I'm glad my idea is helpful. I find that the list of the food I eat stays about the same length, but the food I wanted to eat but didn't can get awfully long some days. It always makes me smile. And grateful that the food I didn't eat stays in that column!
When I first started this journey many years ago, I actually thought that the process would make me magically not want the foods I couldn't eat. I had always eaten whatever I wanted, and thought that people who didn't eat like I did just didn't want it. Instead I got the tools to just not eat it. Now people must be thinking that about me. I don't talk about my lists and journals. I just walk on by, or smile and say No Thank You. They have no idea. Thank God I have people I can talk to about it now.
Nell
No one ever got up in the morning wishing she'd eaten more the night before.
Original Goal: 114. Current old lady goal: 106.
current weight: -0.8 under
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STARLIGHT22146
SparkPoints: (2,073)
Fitness Minutes: (170) Posts: 132 8/14/11 7:27 P
Great article! Also, Nell, I LOVE your idea of writing down the food you eat, vs. that you WANTED to eat. I sort of did that over the holidays or for special occasions, to see that, ok, I wanted 3 slices of pizza, but look, I only had 2, Or, I wanted to try all 3 desserts, but I was good and only had one. Great idea! Thanks
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SKIRNIR
Posts: 4,809 7/26/11 10:19 P
I still track calories every day, but allow a few bites without counting, as long is it is only a little. IE I am trying to relax it a tiny bit only. I know if I completely eat what I want, I will eat too much and gain it back.
Wisconsin CST
current weight: 4.0 over
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4A-HEALTHY-BMI
Posts: 5,091 7/26/11 2:31 P
"because they're free I want them"
LOL
Isn't psychology crazy? There is absolutely nothing rational about these things I WANT.
I need to figure out how to do two lists on my iPod. Maybe I'll use "LoseIt" for the "want" foods and continue using "Lean Me" for the things I actually eat.
I need to do something here, because I've been slipping on the food side of things - feeling self indulgent, whiny, etc. Sometimes I give in just to make the inner three-year-old SHUT UP. (This strategy doesn't seem to work any better on the inner 3-yr-old than it would on an external one, in case you're wondering.)
:-/
Never, ever, EVER give up!
From BMI 52+ (335+ lbs) to BMI under 30. Now aiming for less than 19% body fat.
SparkPoints: (103,545)
Fitness Minutes: (83,083) Posts: 17,748 7/26/11 11:50 A
I still track my food and get on the scale every day. I am in training for a 1/2 marathon so working on getting the right balance of carbs and protein and doing strength training too.
This is key for me
"Thinking about how much progress you’ve made"
current weight: 107.0
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CARTER4414
SparkPoints: (10,572)
Fitness Minutes: (5,767) Posts: 403 7/26/11 12:10 A
I'm a lot like SKIRNIR. I have fitness goals now that I wanted to achieve. I want to be able to run at my pace for a few minutes more and cover a few more miles. That keeps me seeing progress even when I'm at a good weight.
I'm tracking my food less but trying to keep calories within range by keeping up the good habits that I established.
And I keep coming to Sparkpeople too so that I always keep a little bit of attention on my health and weight.
current weight: 146.0
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SKIRNIR
Posts: 4,809 7/24/11 10:52 P
When I hit maintenance, my progress wasn't weight related, or clothing related anymore. It was and still is can I bike a little further, can I walk a little further or a little faster. Do I need my asthma emergency inhaler less, etc. Yes, I want it to be progressing to heavier weights with my strength training, but I can't seem to make that a regular thing yet. Actually on another team, I track my miles and my cardio minutes, etc. just for fun. To see how regular, I am, I guess. I like seeing the progress and in maintenance, I do need ways to see it and recognize it. (Never did find rewards I liked that weren't food, though.)
Wisconsin CST
current weight: 4.0 over
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NELLJONES
SparkPoints: (127,586)
Fitness Minutes: (95,650) Posts: 26,252 7/24/11 10:39 P
I'm the one who has been doing two lists, but not all the time. I just track the things I didn't eat when I start to feel sorry for myself, or otherwise feel my oomph fading.
One of the things that I lost when I hit goal was the concrete vision of numbers on a scale going down, dfifferent clothes sizes, different ways that my family saw me. When I hit goal, I knew I had to just keep on doing what I'd been doing (plus that tad bit more over a week). But where was the visual of progress? Progress is.....staying the same?? Sounds awful. But my occasional few weeks of writing down everything I wanted to eat but didn't gave me that visual I had been missing. And something to pat myself on the back for. And, of course, that list is pretty funny sometimes. I don't even LIKE some of the freebies at Costco, but because they're free I want them. And I don't eat them. And when I am doing the second list, I can see it later and wonder what on earth I was thinking. And be grateful that I had just walked on by.
It's just a visual, a reminder to me that I am not cured, but still doing fine.
Nell
No one ever got up in the morning wishing she'd eaten more the night before.
Original Goal: 114. Current old lady goal: 106.
current weight: -0.8 under
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MIRAGE727
SparkPoints: (108,230)
Fitness Minutes: (34,948) Posts: 6,503 7/24/11 10:21 P
I'm just focusing on what I have to do right here, right now. I'll hurt myself if I start tracking two lists! I'm constantly playing with my working out and my daily calorie count. Tomorrow I'm going to our Community Center and join so I can use and abuse their workout facility. That's going to mean I might have adjust numbers again. What ever, I'm determined to maintain.
Monty, Team Leader *SP Class of June 3-9, 2012 *Spark Florida - The Official Team *Spark Florida - Clearwater & Dunedin *SparkPeople's Official 5K Your Way Running Program
Upcoming Runs: ARC Father's Day 5K 061613 Dunedin Midnight Run 070313 Sea Dog Brewery 5K 081813 Courage to Tri 092413 Hooters to Hooters 5K 091513 Pretty in Pink 5K 101313 Blue Moon 5K 110313 Space Coast Half Marathon 120113
104 Maintenance Weeks
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WATERMELLEN
Posts: 3,479 7/24/11 1:29 P
Picked up on this discussion from 4AHEALTHYBMI's blog
And my take away is -- gotta be more conscientious in keeping up the protein!!
Love the idea of two lists -- the list of the food I wanted to eat and didn't would be a very long list indeed . . . and love the idea that I'm pretty unlikely to "forget" the items on that list!!
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SLENDERELLA61
SparkPoints: (115,674)
Fitness Minutes: (89,685) Posts: 6,798 7/16/11 2:49 P
Nell, I love that idea of tracking the things you wanted and didn't eat! I used to keep a list of what I wanted the most. At the end of the week I'd look at the list and choose one thing to enjoy. So if on Tuesday I wanted Lemon Meringe Pie, I'd only have it on Sunday if it hadn't been replaced with something I wanted more. Now days I honestly rarely want a dessert. I usually would rather have more fruit.
Central Florida, Eastern Standard Time Zone
Marsha's Keys to Success = Tracking! Super Foods! Step Up Cardio! And most important: Quit Quitting!!
current weight: 1.6 over
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4A-HEALTHY-BMI
Posts: 5,091 7/16/11 12:12 A
" if I don't eat them I NEVER forget to add them to special tracker. "
LOL!
Never, ever, EVER give up!
From BMI 52+ (335+ lbs) to BMI under 30. Now aiming for less than 19% body fat.
SparkPoints: (127,586)
Fitness Minutes: (95,650) Posts: 26,252 7/15/11 1:44 P
Yes, the "I wanted it but didn't eat it" list is very long indeed. What's funny is that I have been known to forget to put something, a sample at Costco or a handfull of M&Ms, on my real tracker, but if I don't eat them I NEVER forget to add them to special tracker.
I don't keep 2 all the time, of course. But it's a great exercise to see that I am never "cured", always need to be vigiliant, and I can see my work right there in blue and white. It's a great reward.
Nell
No one ever got up in the morning wishing she'd eaten more the night before.
Original Goal: 114. Current old lady goal: 106.
current weight: -0.8 under
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MEXGAL1
SparkPoints: (155,048)
Fitness Minutes: (120,873) Posts: 9,098 7/15/11 1:16 P
love the idea of two trackers. i bet the "I want" will be a long list.
current weight: 110.0
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SKIRNIR
Posts: 4,809 7/13/11 12:24 A
What I have found... is one or two stolen french fries from my husband or son's order is plenty for me. IE I get to order healthy and have a tiny bit of the not so healthy and feel like I get what I want overall. (Desserts on the other hand, or homemade bread, sometimes I feel a bit deprived.)
Wisconsin CST
current weight: 4.0 over
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SUSIEMT
SparkPoints: (129,178)
Fitness Minutes: (84,643) Posts: 5,291 7/12/11 9:10 P
Well said Caroljean! I have always hated the expression "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." You can be thin and be really unhealthy. Anyway! Thank you for the information.
Susie “There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.” Kenneth Blanchard
Paul the SparkPeople programmer says: When you break down goals into smaller steps, it isn't even that hard. All you have to do is say "yes" to the right thing
current weight: 167.0
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MARTHAWILL
Posts: 3,129 7/12/11 9:04 P
I still occasionally frequent fast food places, mostly in the company of grandchildren but It's interesting that I too no longer even want to eat French Fries or most other fast foods. I don't feel at all deprived and will generally choose the healthiest option available in the situation I'm in - because I really genuinely do want that.
Mary 5% Spring into Summer Challenge: TEDDY BEAR TEAM!
"You can crumble or you can conquer!"
Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall. Oliver Goldsmith
Ontario, Canada EST
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CAROLJEAN64
Posts: 9,882 7/12/11 7:40 P
I just keep reminding myself that the excess or unhealthy food will never taste as good as being healthy feels.
Lost 65 lbs and maintained since 2006.
current weight: 7.0 over
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ELECTRALYTE
Posts: 10,062 7/12/11 1:53 P
yes! I think 2 trackers is an excellent idea! That would be an eye opener for sure.
“it's been up to me to inspire me.” ~ Eric Clapton ~
"Atheism is a non-prophet organization" ~George Carlin~
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” ~Jimi Hendrix~
"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality." ~John Lennon~
SparkPoints: (127,586)
Fitness Minutes: (95,650) Posts: 26,252 7/12/11 1:03 P
I lost my weight on WW over 40 years ago. In WW I learned new behaviors that led to the weight loss, and those behaviors changed my attitude. My behaviors are the same as they were while I was losing, but the attitudes I learned have become engrained, and THAT is what has kept my weight off. It's like that old saying "Mood follows action".
On this last road trip, we had to eat at a McDonald's. That's all there was, and I rarely enter any fast food restaurant. I wanted a burger, fries and chocolate shake, but I had the grilled chicken salad, putting the dressing in the lid to dip my plastic fork into. In the old days I would have found the excuse (there's always an excuse if I want one) to do what I wanted, but I did what I knew I would want to have done when looking back. I was able to do it because one of the big lessons of successful weight loss is that I'll be happier in the long run doing the wise thing, rather than taking the happy 10 minutes of giving in. I now understand and believe that to the core of my (thinner) being. If I can get past the hard 5 seconds when placing my order, I'll be much happier. Same behavior as loss, different attitude.
When I am feeling sorry for myself, I'll keep two trackers: one of the food I eat, and one of the food I wanted to eat but didn't. After a week I'll put them side by side and have a good self-congratulatory laugh. My desires haven't changed all that much, but my comfort level of accepting my limitations has grown enormously.
Nell
No one ever got up in the morning wishing she'd eaten more the night before.
Original Goal: 114. Current old lady goal: 106.
current weight: -0.8 under
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MOMMYFITNESS
Posts: 12,313 7/12/11 12:08 P
"Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food."
Romans 14:20a (NIV)
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SKIRNIR
Posts: 4,809 7/12/11 12:02 P
To me, reading over the first link/article. The maintainers verses loosers helpful habits were not all that different. So I am not sure there is much I can take away and apply.
Wisconsin CST
current weight: 4.0 over
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4A-HEALTHY-BMI
Posts: 5,091 7/12/11 11:47 A
It turns out there is a difference between behaviors associated with weight loss versus those associated with maintenance.
One thing I like very much about the primary reference is the emphasis in the discussion on problem-solving.
They say that figuring out how to maintain takes problem-solving skills. And the tools that you settle on for maintenance may be different than the tools you need for losing.
But either way it still boils down to trying things and figuring out what works for YOU.
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for the information. This should help those of us that are presently under our goal weight. Now, I can set a new range and hopefully be able to stay in it!!
