Maintenance

Hey guys,

Its been a long time since I posted, but I am getting really close to maintenance. I have just a little over 5 pounds to lose, hoping I can make it by my next follow-up at the beginning of April, we'll see.  So far I have had a wonderful experience, granted I had issues with losing hair, constipation, and somewhat obsessive eating habits, but I think thats a natural part of the process.  All things have been resolved!  I'm just wondering what you all did  to start the maintenance phase?  How many calories/carbs/protein do you eat now?  I figured my protein amount should be at minimum the same, just curious about calories/carbs.   

Congrats on being so close to goal! I added 100-200 calories a week and some extra fats & carbs. I did this until I stopped losing and have maintained my weight at 135 +/- a few pounds. am currently about 1500-1800 calories and 100 carbs/day. Still try to get 80-90 protein and plenty of fluids. I have to really watch sodium now...maybe it was always that way, but I was to heavy to notice?

I hit goal in December and am still easing into maintenance.  I've upped my calories to 1,000-1,200 and am still losing (down 11# more since goal - but feel/look great.  What the heck?!?) so I know I'll have to up them again.  I'm sooooo verrrrrryyyyyyy anal about logging and weighing everything that frankly, I'm a little freaked about adding stuff back in.  Every time I do, I feel like I'm cheating - even though it's supposed to be OK.  My self-talk tells me "this is not on plan". It's just another head thing I'll have to get through.  Hopefully I can up this to about 1,400 calories a day to maintain and you're right - keep that protein high - it's our fuel.  Good luck to you in maintenance and congratulations on your wonderful accomplishment!!!! 

Deb

P.S.  You may want to lurk around at the VSG Maintenance board for more tips and advice...

I hit goal last month and decided to stay on plan to allow for a maintenance range....however the reward of seeing the scale go down ..I think I am hooked on the number going lower. I'm not ready to stop the loss yet--even though hubby calls me bony now.

Congrats to you at being so close, I am getting there, and wondering the same as you. I worry about eating something and feeling like I am cheating. You've done great! So happy for you, I am sooooooo happy I did this.

 
Mine didn't change much at all at first..... It was so hard to lose the last pounds that I really didn't change anything. It's not like a light switch...... (for me anyway) It was a gradual progression.

I real didn't add more quantity...... I'm a firm believer of under eating capacity......

I approached maintenance as increasing "Freedoms"........

- Full Fat mayo, ketchup, bread pasta rice in the smallest portions, fried foods, bites of sweets when they were worth it,.......

I use 80grams carbs as the ceiling.

frisco

I'm up to 1300-1500 calories a day.  I eat more frequently, generally, but not all that differently.  I still track everything, but I'm more lenient with carbs generally getting 80 or so gross, 60 net a day.  It's still a matter or protein first, getting in fluids, etc.  I eat 120g of protein or so a day as I run and do strength training.  I'm also a lot more lenient with salt which has helped bring my BP up a bit.  Just as a note, eating more salt and keeping my BP in a more 'normal' range (115/70 rather than 100/60 or so) has helped me be less cold all the time.  One of my doctors suggested it as the harder the cardiovascular system has to work to support your BP the less it does to support your body temp and keep you warm.

I'm still losing, slowly, although the scale has not moved much I've lost inches.  In fact, I'm kind of desparing of the fact my beautiful "I'm in maintenance, and now I can really shop" size 4's are getting too big; however, at this point, tailoring is a good option as the difference between a 4 and 2 relatively small.