Maintainer's Thread--anybody else interested??

[tigger813]

Hopefully I'll join you soon! I lowered my goal a few pounds so hopefully in about 3-4 weeks I can join you! I think Redwalker is going to be a maintainer!

 

[Rose&Mike]

Hi Corinna--Have a fabulous weekend! Say hello to all those cousins! Hoping that January is calmer than December was and that points plus becomes more "normal."

Tracey--did you know I've lost about 7 pounds since I went to maintain in September? I just decided that I could live with 147, but that if I lost a bit more, that would be good too. The way I look at it is, 147 is within my bmi range and I felt very good. But I was starting to have too many how low can I go thoughts and it was scaring me. So I have comitted to not wanting to go below 137 for a maintain range--which would make it 135-139. I am sitting right around 140 right now with a maintain weight of 142, so I am thinking of lowering it a pound soon.

What I have found is that everytime I go down a pound it takes me a while to adjust to the maintain--it gets a little more challenging with each pound, but has been doable so far. I think I am very close to finding a weight that will be next to impossible to maintain, and that is where I will stop. This is my weird reasoning for being a maintainer rather than a loser.

And I did not realize Redwalker was so close to goal! That's fabulous!

 

[princessbride6205]

Hi to my maintainer friends. I've been in maintenance since the spring, but late fall had my weight creeping up above my maintain range. So I've got a few extra pounds to shed - hopefully getting back to working out regularly will do the trick.

 

[Rose&Mike]

Hi Nicole! Are you running--if I remember haven't you been dealing with an injury? Here's hoping those pounds come off fast!

I ate way more for dinner than I normally do, and I feel so stuffed. I have to keep telling myself--you can't gain back 40+ pounds in one meal! I have to wonder if it was a little bit of self-sabotage. I am really close to a new decade--which I last saw in my early 20s. Or maybe I am reading too much into it and I just ate too much!

 

[princessbride6205]

Hi Rose! Yes, this has been the summer and fall of injuries for me. I've recovered from the car accident and fall on the ice, so now it's just boring hip/knee discomfort. My amazing new compression tights have kept the hip and knee in check enough that I've finally started running again. I've missed it so much. I had some toddler-like defiance about exercise this fall: "If I can't run, then I'm not doing anything!" I'm doing a walk/run training program now and trying to get back to more running than walking.

 

[Rose&Mike]

Hi Rose! Yes, this has been the summer and fall of injuries for me. I've recovered from the car accident and fall on the ice, so now it's just boring hip/knee discomfort. My amazing new compression tights have kept the hip and knee in check enough that I've finally started running again. I've missed it so much. I had some toddler-like defiance about exercise this fall: "If I can't run, then I'm not doing anything!" I'm doing a walk/run training program now and trying to get back to more running than walking.

I'm glad you are getting back to normal. I'm afraid I would be the same way--if I can't do what I want, then I'm not doing anything!

I lowered my maintain weight by 1 pound. I always get a little anxious when I do this--I don't know why, because I can just raise if up again if I have to--but anyhow, we'll see how it goes. I had it in my head that I would just "know' when I hit the right maintain weight, but really it's been a lot of trial and error. I do feel like my brain has finally caught up with the rest of me, so that's a good thing.

 

[Rose&Mike]

Still maintaining. I probably could have seen the 130s but I splurged and had fries with dinner. And they were fabulous.

I haven't talked about this much on the BL threads, but I am really struggling since the New Year. So far it's all been a mental struggle and I'm doing ok with the food and exercise, but it is starting to wear on me.

Anyhow, trying to find the mental balance that works. We've had so much sad news this year (two deaths and a traumatic brain injury) and the weather has been pretty dismal, so at this point I just want to make it through January without a gain or an injury.

Ok that's where I'm at. I probably need to think about this some more, because I keep thinking is it really that important to put this much mental energy into thinking about what I eat and what I weigh?

 

[corinnak]

Sorry Rose! I have let this thread languish - It is not intentional - my browser often freezes and I have to force quit, losing the replies. But that's not important right now.

I'm so sorry you've had such a rough time lately in the bad news department. Seems like when it rains, it pours. The fact that you've done well with food and activity so far is impressive, and a good indication that you are taking care of yourself. Hopefully it is not a source of too much more stress, but it sounds like it may be at least somewhat.

I know what you mean about putting energy into thinking about what you eat and weight. I am also trying to stop being so focused on what I weigh - I feel like if my favorite jeans fit OK, I know I'm OK. If they are starting to get snug, I need to rein it in for a while. I think I've said it before but I am not convinced of WW's ±2 window being the be-all end all. I just want my clothes to fit. I want to be able to run and get pictures taken without feeling worried that I'll look bulgy. I want my body to be strong and fit and comfortable, but at this point, the main reason the number on the scale really matters to me is because it means free WW meetings if I m in a certain range.

I mean, it is one thing to obsess and study and calculate and focus during the losing phase - it is finite, there is an end in sight. It's really hard to find the right balance for maintenance, because it's hard to obsess and focus on maintaining in the same way, especially for years. I think it's really important not to stop paying attention, stop caring what we eat or do or weigh because that (I know from personal experience) is how you gain it all back. I guess we have to find the right balance, and that can be a challenge.