Maintaining weight loss in 2021

[zzizzer]

Just wondered if anyone fancied a maintenance thread as we head into the new year?

I lost the weight I needed to recently and am now finding it tricky to eat to maintain: it's become such a long term habit to lose weight (which I now can't afford to do), and I also don't want to let it slide again either.

I think my focus will be on staying around the same weight but building up muscle as much as possible.

Anyone have any tips, or want to join and try to encourage each other?

Yes, since weights are not my particular thing (at least currently) I got myself a 'power ball' for my arms. Have been using it for the past few weeks. I like it because it seems more like playing than exercise and also that it sounds like something from a fairytale!

It's this incase anyone is interested:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerball-280-Classic-Unisex-Adult-Exercise/dp/B072XS6KZY/ref=sr11_3?crid=TQ3DHXHZ76XX&dchild=1&keywords=powerball&qid=1609576811&s=sports&sprefix=Powerball%2Caps%2C248&sr=1-3

My 'rules' for eating are going to be sticking to my usual portions and logging but adding in more nuts, seeds and oils as well as things like avocados if I look like I'm starting to go under. If I'm over it is usually because of having a takeaway or something like that so I'll just go back to my current (deficit) way of eating. (I'll be slightly over at the mo). Because I run so much a deficit is not difficult to achieve.

Though, my weight to maintain at if I can get my muscle mass up. I will gage that by keeping an eye on my fat percentage.

I meant to say my weight to maintain at will go up if I can get my muscle mass up.

That's an amazing achievement @sadsaddersaddest!

I'm trying to move away from rigid rules and towards more flexibility and healthy attitudes around food. I lost weight because i've been good at planning and eating to the calorie number that put me in a deficit. Over Christmas i've completely thrown that out of the window. I've always been very 'all or nothing' and would like to kick that if possible but I might just have to accept that part of my personality. I want to not feel guilty if I go over. Not overcompensate afterwards.

I want to capitalise on my recent 'discovery' of indoor cycling. I've never enjoyed exercising for the sake of it so I want to focus on improving my stamina on the bike in order to potentially book a fabulous cycling holiday in Vietnam or something. DH and I started walking everyday and I want to continue that where I can.

I lost weight by being at deficit. I do a run for just over an hour and an hour's walk a day which burns about 1000 calories. Thing is there are benefits apart from creating an opportunity for calorie deficit. So I don't want to lose those benefits so I will continue to exercise like this. I'm used to my portions now, they also afford me spare meals as still cook the same amount (as when I was overweight) and just save the rest, so getting 1000 calories extra in will seem a bit weird. Hence adding in the nuts, seeds, oils and oily foods idea. I'm lazy and like saving money so have got to really like being able to get extra meals out of smaller portions!

Thanks for sharing the powerspin, I've ordered one pigeon!

Yes, I can totally see what you mean about rules marmite. I think working towards flexibility and unconscious, unthinking self-control is best in the long run. For me right now I need the rules to undo my mental "I am on a diet" mode, but one day it'd be nice to just not think about any of it at all. I never used to give food any headspace.

I never used to enjoy any exercise at all and never stuck with it as a result. My revelation was buying a rebounder - I just love it; I can jog on it for hours, bounce away to music, get really out of breath but not feel panicky about it. (Or at least, I could until I hurt my foot the other week - I'm slowly getting better and can't wait to get going again.)

Obviously you don't know me in the slightest, but if you did you'd have been astounded, I did no exercise at all really until last August and now love it so much.

PensivePigeon your plan sounds great. I also need to increase my calories with healthy foods, not tell myself that I can go back to eating "reasonable portions" of cake and chocolate, at least not for a while.

IDon'tMindMarmite I am also trying to get rid of the "all or nothing" mentality, but it is hard. I feel like a complete failure if I eat a biscuit and then tell myself "my day is ruined, might as well have the whole box".
In late summer / early autumn 2020 I was eating about 8000kcal a day (and not feeling even remotely sick). I do not want to be that woman any more.

zzizzer I had the same revelation when I discovered fitness at home. I used to think I was lazy and hated sports, tried walking, running, cycling... and got more and more bored every time.
As it turns out, I like more challenging types of exercise. I love HIIT and weight lifting!

zzizzer , hope you enjoy the Power ball, as much as me!

sadsaddersaddest, I used to work for a chocolatier so developed a taste for the good stuff, which helps because there isn't much cheap stuff that tempts me. I'm a creature of habit and have found I can capitalise on that. I have one chocolate box type chocolate after lunch and one after dinner with my coffee and recently a couple of chocolate coated almonds after my walk (it was DH that started that but it was a mini mince pie which I've since substituted). However, that's what I expect and don't really crave chocolate all day long or anything. I can break habits and go cold turkey but it's a couple of days before my expectations reset. I try to tell myself I would have eaten whatever by now if I keep thinking about something.

I've always thought a lot about food. I like cooking and eating. For me I don't mind that. I think a lot about a lot other things too. I don't find diets that difficult but can get bored with them if I plateau. What's more difficult is I live with my DH and DS who can eat so much more than me! So my perceptions of the right portion for can get warped by their appetites!

That powerball thing looks really interesting. I’ll look forward to your review @zzizzer.

I've always thought a lot about food. I like cooking and eating.
Me too. I love food and I think it’s a real plus when it comes to staying a healthy weight if you like cooking.

My legs are aching today from a barre class (thanks Les Online) yesterday. Torn between a walk in the cold or maybe some yoga to sort them out. At the moment I’m watching Dinner Date with a massive cup of coffee. At least dh scoffed the last of the biscuits yesterday!

We have a fake away so tonight it’s going to be samosas, this kale curry stew (which I couldn’t be bothered to cook last night!) and rice or naan. That’s been a good change since lockdown one when no take aways were open locally.

Happy weekend everyone!
www.veganricha.com/chickpea-lentil-quinoa-spinach-stew/

Hmm we are having a takeaway tonight, PurpleDaisies But we won't then have another one for a while. I enjoy getting back on track with the end of Christmas hols. All of us are pretty keen cooks in this household so we always have lovely food. DS will be making a mushroom soup for lunch and DH some spelt bread which I'm looking forward too.

I am envious @pensivepigeon! We do occasionally have take aways but because it’s an effort to get them, it’s not quite such a treat.
Spelt bread sounds fantastic. I love bread, especially home made.

pensivepigeon the trouble is, even when I am in a binge-eating phase, I only eat things I really love. But then I cannot stop. I only eat good chocolate - but I can have a pound of it without feeling the need to stop. I live in France where there is an abundance of good, cheap bread. I can eat two whole baguettes (again, that's over a pound of bread) thickly covered in excellent butter.

I also think about food a lot. I am a good cook and as a SAHM I make all meals from scratch.
noteating is beginning to feel like a full-time activity. I noteat all day long. I am trying to change my mindset, keep myself busy with housework outside the kitchen, but it is hard. Because of COVID there is nothing to do for half a day outside the house apart from the food shopping, which I do enjoy, but does not keep my mind off food.

I know what you mean about noteating. I find it easier the busier I am, but if i'm bored, god do I feel snacky! Having mini Reese's peanut butter cups (16 cals each) around helps me have a guilt free snack.

@zzizzer, this rebounder - i don't mean to ask a stupid question, but how do you use it for exercise?

@sadsaddersaddest, that sounds hard!

I stopped wanting to binge big time years ago after doing a low carb diet. It took away that ravenous feeling. Bread is frozen because it would go off otherwise. Now if I feel I'm getting a bit binge prone I go cold turkey on the sugar and that seems to sort me out. I really enjoy my coffee and I think that helps. My runs and walks take up a lot of time and with a bath and body brushing after my run in the morning I don't have a lot of time to crave food before lunch. Similarly my walk after lunch takes up a good hour and when I come there won't be any cooking before a good sit down. I read if I've got time on my hands. Pistachios are good (6 are only 24 cals) and quite satiating.

As I said I had started to have a problem with overdoing my portions for my needs. It took me to put a few stone on to realise unfortunately!

Come in!

sadsaddersaddest , oh and I'd challenge anyone to eat more than a roll of DH's bread! It's quite dense! We like it like that, though. Even my lanky teen DS is full up after 1 roll of it!

Hi! How is everyone doing?

I did a very mild, low impact, bodyweight lower body workout for the first time in months. It felt strange because all the moves were different with a lower weight to carry. It also made me realise that I have lost LOTS of muscle mass that I need to build up again.

Oh, and today was supposed to be the day I started increasing my calories... and I cannot. I am afraid if I have one extra mouthful I will not be able to stop. But I am going to need the extra energy if I resume my daily workouts. Any advice would be really welcome.

I know that fear feeling sad! Have you read about reverse dieting? It's helped me increase my calories. I started by increasing my target by 200 for a week or two, then by 100 until I reached my estimated maintenance goal. I actually continued to lose weight this way which helped me to see that eating more wasn't going to backfire on me.

At the same time, exercising to increase your muscle mass so you can build your metabolism back up from dieting and to increase your maintenance calories as well.

Yep, that was what I had planned to do - I was not going to go back to maintenane calories straightaway. But a part of my brain is telling me that I should not be eating above the absolute minimum I can survive on, even though I am cold all the time and my energy levels are low ATM.

I will try again tomorrow, perhaps planning a harder workout so that I have to eat more if I want to have a chance to finish it.

Oh, I think about that sometimes sadsaddersaddest, what it'll be like when I don't want my weight to go any lower. I'm used to my usual (deficit) portions now. Could you pick days to give yourself a holiday from logging? I've managed that over this Xmas hols. And then have a couple of days off weighing yourself. You might also be better off with scales that analyse fat and lean mass etc. So you could see muscle mass increasing without it scaring you.

Yeah maybe don't weigh yourself so often too.

@sadsaddersaddest how low are your calories that you don’t have enough energy to do a workout?

A lot of what you’re saying is really ringing alarm bells. I’d be talking to your GP about your eating.

PurpleDaisies I am currently on about 500kcal a day. Mostly protein, veg and sometimes a little cheese. I take a multivitamin and calcium. That's why I was supposed to increase my calories today - it marks my 12th week and Vlcds are not recommended for any longer than that.

I did go and see my GP about my energy levels. He congratulated me about the weight loss and advised me to lose more to give myself a "safe margin". I cannot be heading towards an eating disorder because my Bmi is "so high" (currently 22.5). This is France after all...