Maintainance

Hi all,

I have been maintaining a 107 pound weight loss for the past 10 months or so.  Well, I gained 5 I can't seem to shake.  I am doing well with excersise but my eating has been very inconsistent.  I have either a really good day, or a really bad day. 
I am wondering how people maintaining there weight handle foods not on there typical eating plan.  I find once I have something "bad" I say well I blew it and eat everything I've been craving.  I then cut back severly for a few days, sometimes just doing protien shakes.  I know this isn't the healthiest way to be but I can seem to get out of this pattern of eating.
Any thoughts/suggestions are welcome.  Thanks!

So, your "good" days consist of a reasonable number of calories spent on "good", healthy food chocies, and your "bad" days consist of excessive calories spent on "bad" food choices? I agree that an all or nothing approach like that isn't the healthiest way to eat. And as long as you go on denying yourself certain foods, the more likely you are to crave them and go beserk when you finally have them.

I lost 90 lbs in my first year post-op, gained back 25 in the 2nd year, and now I'm back at my goal weight and have been maintaining that for 6 months without much conscious effort. I exercise a lot, so I'm eating a lot more calories and a higher proportion of carbs, than I did in the weight loss phase. I don't deny myself anything, but I don't keep problem foods in the house. In other words, if we're having a birthday party at work, I'll have a piece of cake, but I don't keep cake in the house where I'm more likely to keep nibbling at it.

I find that as long as I'm eating enough calories (1600-1800) each day, in the form of healthy foods (lean protein, complex carbs, healthy fats), I'm less likely to have cravings and less likely to binge. I plan my meals in advance so I don't have to make food choices when I'm too hungry or rushed or stressed, and I log my food using the OH health tracker feature. My daily calories are approx. 30% protein, 30% fat, 40% carbs.

I'm wondering if you could try planning a treat into every day's eating so that you won't feel so deprived. I don't know what a treat would be for you, but for me it might be a portion-controlled food like a SF pudding cup, a 100-calorie bag of crackers/cookies, or a WW or Skinny Cow ice cream bar.

Jean

I'm in a similar place as you, maintaining but not losing the last bit that I want to lose.  Jean M. gives great advice, the only thing I'll add is that the behavior of giving up when we have one bad meal or food choice is one of the things that made us obese.  We must change our thinking and NOT give up the day just because of one poor food choice or meal.  I know it's hard, I tend to do the same thing but have been working on not punishing myself for one choice I made that particular day.  Next time, try accepting your "cheat" or whatever you want to call it, forgive yourself and get right back on program.  Waiting until tomorrow, or Monday, or what ever day in the future to start the diet never works.  Carpe Diem, seize the day, NO!  Seize the moment!

Best~
Lisa O.

 Try not beating yourself up over the 5 lbs. Sometimes feeling bad creates more bad behaviors. I say plan for a variety of foods, so you don't feel deprived. And I love "seize the moment" thinking. Move on, and plan a healthy rest of the day, so you don't continue in this yo-yo form of binging/depriving.

Thank you all for your responses, they have been very helpfull. For the moment I am going to stop worrying about the 5 pounds. My goal is to maintain where I am. Hopefully I can get myself out of this deprivation/bingeing mode I've been in. Thanks again!

You are doing wonderfully!!!!  Perhaps 5 lbs above your lowest weight is where your body LIKES to be.  You have to find a comfortable weight which is easy to sustain long-term and maintain on your own eating plan....otherwise you will feel like you are dieting your whole life and that is no way to live!  I think you are an inspiration to the people on this forum. :)