Thinking about Maintenance

Still have pounds to go but.......
I was having a lovely beach lunch with my sister and Mom on vacation, talking about weight loss and...
--- I said, "I had hoped to be at my goal weight by my birthday but I don't think I can make it."  (Still have 40-45 pounds to go and BD is 6/16----big BD this year--yikes). 
---Mom, of course, said "Oh, honey, that's OK. You've done so well." 
---My sister said, "So what changes when you get to maintenance?"  
---My response was----Satisfaction from reaching my goal is #1; Also, I can add in about 200-400 cals per day (maybe) to maintain my weight..............Then I drew a blank.

Sister-----  Are you hungry and deprived now?   NO
                   Will you stop all this tracking?    NO
                   Will you still do your cooking in advance?  YES
                   Will you start ordering out and fast fooding it again?   NO
                   Are you still going to go to the gym?   YES
                   Gonna leave that bottle of water home?    NO
                   etc. in her rather direct manner! 
                   So what's the big deal whether you make it in June, July, August....as long as the 
                      scale keeps going down?

I thought about it---she's right. Damn, the skinny little thing (nickname was DINKY due to size). I really have kind of settled into this new lifestyle. Temptations---absolutely!  Demons to fight---every night (which is why I'm typing this and not standing in front of the fridge). But I'm really comfortable, for the most part, in this new food related lifestyle. I guess i don't consider it a diet anymore which is probably a break thru for me. I think I can do this comfortably for life.

Just my thoughts this evening!

Funny how much sense she makes. We put artificial goals on ourselves which sometimes lead to disappointment.

I want to be below 200 by my anniversary. It may be possible, but will it make much of a difference if I do it a month later? No. Either way, I am changing my lifestyle. 

Perspective is a wonderful thing. Peace is even better.

Either way, you have done an incredibly good job.

This is the reason I believe in little goals----10 pounds at a time. 
ACCOMPLISHMENT vs. DISAPPOINTMENT!

You're right---I'm feeling very good about what I've done---at peace with where I am.

Thanks

 Other than reaching a huge goal - switching into maintenance probably won't be such a dramatic change. I feel like at least for me, Ive had to make a lot of actual life style type changes that I don't see many light weights doing. i see all these posts about living on 600-800 cal for 6 months to hurry up and reach a goal, and 20 g of carbs and crazy diet mentality. Ive chosen not to do that, and so maybe i'll lose a little slower, but I don't want a rough transition from WL --> maintenance. Im hoping by the time I get there, it'll be a matter of a few extra calories, but everything else remaining the same. 


I couldn't help but smile when I saw that you're a gemini and our BDs are super close - 6/10 - further proof of our cosmic connections :)


Isn't crazy that we can even think about maintenance. I never imagined that I'd ever get there, but getting 40-50 lbs away puts things in a whole new perspective. 

Must be a cosmic thing---I was going to say "sisters from a different mister" EXCEPT----I think I'm double your age! 

Yep---I've done the extreme WL and diet thing so many times over the years. Then came "off the program" to horrible weight gain. This time---not a program. I think I've turned the corner on that finally!

Some might say--Thinking of maintenance with 40+ pounds to go? But it's in sight!!

Hi Elaine,

Loved your post. As a fatty, I have spent my whole life planning how life will change when I reach my goal weight. Only people on this sight can understand how that feels. Setting myself up for failure, disappointment and pain a hundred times. This surgery changes the odds for many. It becomes more of an even playing field.

My therapist sounds like your sister. She tells me just do it.  Your sister and my therapist are correct. Only we can't do it without the help of this surgery.  

Great post. Great people on this forum who understand so well what we are all going thru.

Blessings and Early Happy Happy Happy Birthday.

Sharon

Hey Sharon--
I agree with everything you said.

As I've been losing weight I was making plans on what I was going to do when I hit goal. Had all types of activities planned. Then asked myself  (see a pattern? I talk to myself allot. That's what happen when you've been single as long as I have)---Why are you waiting? Your life has been on hold for so many years! You used to do things when you were more mobile--fat but mobile.

So I decided JUST DO IT as opportunities presented. Life has improved so much. I feel 20 years younger and I'm finally  having some fun again.

Folks on this forum will understand it!

What a wonderful breakthrough! It truly is a lifestyle change, and you can live this way- happily- for the rest of your life!

Keep you all your hard work!