5 replies to this topic

[AnnLouise]

On my weigh in today, I finally reached my goal weight of 128 pounds.
I have lost 50 pounds. Don't want to get back into my old habits.

Please post your maintenance tips for success.

Losing weight was a journey; maintaining (for me) will be
a huge challenge.

HELP!!!

[Blessed4Life2]

First of all CONGRATS on reaching your goal!!!! FANTABULOUS dawlin'

Well, I dont really have the right to be giving advice since I recently just reached my goal, but the #1 thing I have found is staying active!!!!

Just b/c we reached goal doesnt mean we can slack now, ya know? Preaching to myself here. lol. It is so easy to get lazy, but the fact of the matter is we need to stay even more active now than ever. Lets face it, maintenance is hard.....maintaining ain't no fun

I look forward to reading the tips you get from our more seasoned & successful maintainers.

[I Called Jenny]

Whoo-Hooo, Ann Louise on reaching goal!!!! You rock!!! Welcome to the Maintenance Club!

I did maintain my weight for more than three years the first time I was on maintenance until I did something stupid like eating waaaaayyyy too many almonds for my digestion and suddenly saw the scale skyrocket to 10 lbs. over my goal weight.

But when I was doing well on maintenance there were some things I did do that was helpful.

I did watch my scale very closely. I'd weigh myself the first thing in the morning naked just to keep tabs on my weight. And, yes, I saw the scale fluctuate 1-3 lbs. but that was fine because even on the JC plan my scale would do that as well.

But if I saw the scale start to creep past that 3 lbs. OR if the scale didn't drop the weight after a day or two, I'd return to the JC plan of DOMOs until it did come off.

JC suggests doing two MOMOs and using JC for a meal and a snack. I didn't do that the first time but I might start doing it this time simply because I LOVE many of the JC dishes. On the other hand, I often substituted one of the low calorie entrees from the supermarket (Healthy Choice, WW, etc.) because it was convenient and affordable as one or more of my maintenance meals and I stuck to low-calorie snacks.

The most difficult thing to keep in check was the water issue. So I still drank at least a half gallon of Crystal Light a day (I have to be INCREDIBLY thirsty to just drink water.). That helped.

I basically stuck to the MOMO guide but allowed myself a little more protein and a little more carbs. I also, and this was just me, reduced the amount of veggies. But again, this time, I've developed a better taste for them so I might incorporate more of them in my diet this time (actually I already am).

Yes, I allowed myself the occasional splurge but then I was super diligent the following days to make up for it until whatever weight I gained came off again.

My BIGGEST mistake was when I was eating the nuts and the scale was climbing in that I waited until the scale hit the 10 lb. mark before I went back to JC because I couldn't figure out what was causing the weight gain since, to me, I was doing everything correct except for the nuts! Duh! It actually took me a few weeks back on plan to figure that one out. So dumb!

Anyway, I SHOULD have returned as soon as that scale crept past the 5 lb. mark. It would have been so much better and easier for me. So if you see that scale start to climb, go back for a couple of weeks - whatever it takes to lose it. Don't wait and make it worse on yourself.

I was super serious about portion control. That was why it was so helpful to me to get used to taking my meals out of the JC container when I was losing and put it on a plate. I could use those visual cues I learned during the dieting phase to help me see what the portions should look like when I was eating "regular" food.

I also watched how I cooked for my husband so I didn't have an excess of leftovers "calling my name" in the fridge. I would make enough for dinner and enough for him to bring to work one day for his dinner (he works nights) but not so much that there would be anything left over beyond that UNLESS is was something that I could eat (baked skinless chicken, broiled fish, etc.) so that I could incorporate it into a "healthy meal" for myself the next day. But portions I cooked of pasta or anything else that was fattening was greatly reduced so that there weren't extra leftovers OR I threw them out (which was a money-waster) so I had to re-train myself to cook smaller portions.

I know you're nervous and in a way that's good. It will keep you on your toes. Too many people look at JC as a diet with an end rather than a way of eating for life so they stand a more likely chance of regaining than you will because you're determined to keep it off.

I, too, am looking forward to other tips from successful maintenance people.

Again, congrats! You're going to do great on maintenance.

Phyllis

[whnp]

Phyllis,
Great tips!!! I am 3.2lbs from my goal and I am also getting nervous about it!!
You always have the best insight.

Thanks

[I Called Jenny]

whnp, on 12 November 2011 - 03:05 PM, said:

Phyllis,
Great tips!!! I am 3.2lbs from my goal and I am also getting nervous about it!!
You always have the best insight.

Thanks

JoAnn, that's great! Can't wait to "officially" welcome you to "the club."

Phyllis

[dijarm]

Congrats on reaching goal!! I've been maintaining now for 4 1/2 months and I have developed a food "routine" that works for me. I eat at the same times every day and tend to lean toward certain food selections with each of my meals. I also make sure there aren't leftovers to tempt me into the "I should eat it to get rid of it" mentality. When my husband or daughter have foods in the house that tempt me, like potato chips--I remove them from the cupboards I go into everyday and stick them someplace out of sight (out of sight out of mind)You just have to loose the fat-a-tude and keep telling yourself you don't want to be fat again and look at your temptaions and ask yourself if it worth it.

Good luck!