Pre-maintenance conundrum

[Rachel1]

I'm just a few pounds over my goal weight, which puts me into pre-maintenance. According to Atkins, I'm now ready to cruise serenely into maintenance, adding a few carbs in until I stop losing.

Only it doesn't work like that, for me and many others I've read posting here. In fact, the last couple of pounds are so hard to get off, that I'm really back to Induction and working harder than ever. No LC treats, no fruit, beans, or grain products - all of which I was enjoying previously - increased exercise, fewer veggies, and lower calories.

Obviously I don't want to be this austere for rest of my life! How does this translate into "preparing" for maintenance?

Since I'm not cruising serenely into maintenance, the question of when to stop losing weight having taken care of itself, I guess that means I have a decision to make. On one hand, I'm working hard to lose those last stubborn pounds, but on the other, I'm already at a healthy weight for my height and age, so I need to decide when to call a halt. I could still stand to lose 10 pounds to bring my BF down to say 25% (I'm at about 30%), and my vanity would like that, but I don't NEED to for health purposes.

So do I keep working hard for the next few months to lose that final few pounds, or relax a bit, let go of weight-loss mode, and start eating more "normally" (still totally LC, of course)? I realize no one but me can answer that question, but it's kind of a tough one, maybe because I've been LCing so long (5 years), and losing weight, or at least thinking about it, has been a big part of my life for that time.

Anyone else going or gone through this? Any feedback?

Rachel

[relliott1]

For me, the answer was to forget about the few last pounds and continue eating "normally" (but still LC of course). My body just decided to stop losing about 5 lbs above the number I had chosen for my goal weight, and the more I fought to lose that last 5, the more I saw the scale jump around and the more frustrated I became. Once I listened to my body and allowed it to settle where it wanted to settle, I found maintaining to be a breeze. I really don't even have to think about it. And I am MUCH happier than I would be constantly battling those 5 lbs.

I have only experienced one backslide... I went on vacation earlier this year and gained about 6 lbs. I struggled for several months to get it off, really restricting what I was eating and beating myself up for the gain. I couldn't take off a single pound. Interestingly enough, it was not until I relaxed and went back to my "regular" eating that I got back down to my original weight. My body just wants to be here, and seems to stay here on its own as long as I eat right and don't fight it.

Robin

[Enomarb]

I think the whole trusting your body thing is hard, but really good advice. I also think it is important to be able to LIVE with your WOE and really make it a WOL. Only you can decide how much you are willing to do- tough call.
E

[Rachel1]

OK, I've been reading and thinking, and I think Robin and Eno (and others) are right. Flogging myself for months over a couple or three pounds isn't worth it - it's too difficult physically and emotionally, and for what? I've pretty well already gotten to where I want to go. I wore a tank top and short skirt (the first I've had since I was about 14!) to a potluck the other night and received multiple compliments on my weight loss over the summer, looking healthy, etc.

Ironically, I've dropped only about three pounds since last spring - it's the exercise I've been doing, building muscle. So I'm going to focus on maintaining and continuing to exercise. That's enough of a challenge in itself over the winter, when I tend to get depressed because of the lack of light and continual rain here.

I've finally worked out (and how many times have I said this to others?) that it's the fat loss and shape I want to maintain, not the number on the scale.

Having said that, I think I'll be joining y'all in the weekly weigh-ins - just to keep myself honest!

Rachel