Weight maintenance

[MaryPlain]

I'm nearly at my target weight - expect to reach it in about 3 weeks. I've been losing since the beginning of July, and I feel I'm into the habit of eating what I need to to lose about 1.5 lbs a week, so I don't need to think about it too much.

I'm concerned that adjusting to maintenance will prove more difficult. How do people successfully adjust to maintaining? I don't want to obsess about eating, counting calories etc because from past experience that leads to binging at some point.

Any tips from people who've done this successfully?

 

[Mark T]

I'm not sure if I quite fit in to "successfully" - but I tend to just weight myself once a week.

If I'm at my target weight or below, then I'm allowed to have a few extra treats. If I'm over then I can't.

My meals are mostly sized so that if I don't have any treats then I'll tend to go down a little bit or hold (~0.1 kg) but not hugely less calories then I need. We tend to eat a fairly regular and predictable menu so it's fairly easy to have a rough idea of where I am.

Although, If we have a family meal out at the Carvery or the Steakhouse then I've got a tendency to put on a bit!

 

[MaryPlain]

I'm not sure if I quite fit in to "successfully" - but I tend to just weight myself once a week.

If I'm at my target weight or below, then I'm allowed to have a few extra treats. If I'm over then I can't.

My meals are mostly sized so that if I don't have any treats then I'll tend to go down a little bit or hold (~0.1 kg) but not hugely less calories then I need. We tend to eat a fairly regular and predictable menu so it's fairly easy to have a rough idea of where I am.

Although, If we have a family meal out at the Carvery or the Steakhouse then I've got a tendency to put on a bit!

I think it's a good idea to keep weighing myself. That way if the weight starts to creep up again I will know about it and be able to do something about it.

I'm wondering what extra to eat to maintain. I haven't been counting calories but as I've been losing 1.5 lbs a week, I reckon that about 750 calories a day extra is what I need. I don't want to make that all carbs as that won't be good for my blood sugar levels, but that seems to be the most obvious thing to increase as it's what I've cut back on the most, if you see what I mean!

Saying that, I haven't been eating much fruit, and I do miss it. I do find that the sort of fruit I really like seems to spike me though.

 

[Mark T]

I've been tending to use nuts to try balance my calories. They are very calorific so it doesn't take many plus they are low carb, generally unsaturated oils and often have lots of minerals in them.

However, I find it difficult to only eat a handful, so I quickly find myself gaining more then I expected (and it takes longer to take it back off then it does to put it on).

 

[MaryPlain]

I've been tending to use nuts to try balance my calories. They are very calorific so it doesn't take many plus they are low carb, generally unsaturated oils and often have lots of minerals in them.

However, I find it difficult to only eat a handful, so I quickly find myself gaining more then I expected (and it takes longer to take it back off then it does to put it on).

Nuts are great - but I already eat a lot of them so I don't think it would be a good idea to eat 750 extra calories worth - in the past if I have eaten too many nuts it sets off my IBS! I'm vegetarian so nuts are a vital part of my diet - I certainly haven't cut back on those.

 

[Mark T]

750 cals would seem to suggest about 100g of something that is mostly fat assuming 9cal/g for fat. But in reality you don't find 100% fat that often unless you are eating pure oil/butter (which doesn't appeal).

I would wonder about Avocado's. Based on Sainsbury's, one of those is perhaps 300 cals a go.

What about Ice Cream? Of course that depends if you do milk/eggs. Some ice-creams do claim to be for vegetarians (Franks claims this) and vegans so perhaps there is one that might suit.

The other thing that was low in carbs, but high in unsaturated fats was seeds. Although I find those messy and expensive in any quantity.

I managed to put back on 0.7 kg this week - opps! Guinness and Beer Peanuts/Cashews!

 

[MaryPlain]

Hi Mark

I wish I liked avocados, but I can't stand the things. I already eat quite a lot of seeds - ground flaxseeds on my breakfast, a hemp and seed bar for lunch, and often there are seeds in my Graze box. Ice cream sounds good, I like ice cream!