Anyone else skating on pre-maintenance?

[GabrielleG]

Hi all, I’m actually about 5 pounds from goal thanks to some TG water gain but I'm not worried about that. I find that I have no interest in cheating and I think I am getting plenty of exercise water and food. My goal pants size was a 10 and I have reached that. I think I’ll probably end up in a smaller pants size but I’m perfectly happy where I am now. My goal weight is 145-150.

The problem is I seem to have lost some of my drive. I used the term skating because that’s what it feels like I’m doing. Just kind of gliding along with my new lifestyle( maintaining very well actually) but I’m probably not dong quite enough to get me to the point were I’m loosing these last few. I look at myself and think am I really going to look that much different if I loose 3 to 8 more pounds? You would think that after a year and a half with this woe it would be easier but this is much harder. Everyone says that the last few are the hardest. I always thought it was because the body didn't want to let go of the weight. Now I'm wondering if it has more to do with the mind.

Gabrielle

[rachelratz]

The body always wants to stop the weight loss. It wants to survive, so on occasion, it will stall. Remember, normal fat means survival to the body. It see dieting as a threat and will try and put the breaks on. Relax and don't worry about it. It will happen

[Kathy54]

Well all I can say is, if you feel really good, happy with how you look? then you are there!!
A goal is just a number, it can work both ways, my goal was 140 and withput trying I went to 135 and have stayed there since Sept/03.
Every now and then I think???? Maybe 5 more pounds............ but it does'nt happen, so I have resigned to the fact, this is where I should be, I feel good, people tell me I look great, I love how I eat, so why change anything.
It's no big deal to change a goal, go for it :)

Kathy

[Vydor]

I guess everyone is differnt.. but for me the last few pounds I do not care about... my wiegt varies with in 5 pounds... like one day might be 162... and another 164, another less, another higher... but stays between 160-165 and thats good enough for me. I see this as a way to live... and if gonna live like this then I cant be stressing over ever last little pound.

[MaryToU]

I understand you totally. After eating this way for almost two years I find it very hard to cut back to push for those last few pounds! I am now happy with my eating style, it is very naturally to me. To cut back more to lose those last few pounds feels like starting a diet! And right now my brain has no desire to start a diet :lol: . You really have to be in the right mind set for that one. So as much as I would love to see that scale drop another 5 or 10 pounds, I am just not in the right mind frame to do it.

[mb99]

I look at myself and think am I really going to look that much different if I loose 3 to 8 more pounds

No, you won't look different. I always think this when I hear people AGONISE over the last few. It's also why I support clothes-size goals! WTG on you're weight loss! If you are at the size you want, you are THERE!

My 2 cents: the best weight is the healthy weight you don't have to make too many sacrifices to maintain. As in, there is no point re-inducting etc, exercising like a mad woman, etc just for 5 pounds nobody will notice (not that you've suggested that).

Just pre-maintain, even stop weighing yourself, and you'll probably get their accidently.

find that I have no interest in cheating and I think I am getting plenty of exercise water and food.

It's great that you feel that way anyway. I was going to say the only benefit of having a few more to go, is not falling into the habit of 'regular cheats'.

[hifive]

Hey Gabrielle,

Good job! You are such a success story!

I also found that I have lost my "drive" during the last few pounds...I think it is a good thing, though. I feel like my body is "settling in" to its final range of weight. I don't think I would feel as good if I had driven straight to goal. I got within 0.6 lbs of goal and then bounced up a couple of pounds, and have been working my way down again for about ten days...not driving and striving to get there, just eating properly, exercising, and weighing myself daily.

It REALLY makes me happy to stay in a range (for me it's the "teens") for so long...so many prev diets have ended with reaching a goal which didn't last long. I feel like I am learning how to eat to keep myself in the range I want. All my clothes fit, I feel and look fine, so there is no rush to attain some number! I suspect this is true for you too...so take your "skating" as a sign of mental health. If you were as anxious to lose the last 5 pounds as you were, say, 25 lbs ago, that would mean you were somewhat unhealthily focused on the numbers instead of how you feel/look. And yes, of course a few pounds don't make a huge difference to anything about the way your clothes fit and how you feel/look.

So enjoy the "skating"...slow down and smell the prime rib! This is the rest of your life now...not a diet, just a great way to live.

And :hyper: BIG CONGRATULATIONS :hyper: to you!

Lucy

[GabrielleG]

Hey everyone. Thanks for the responses. Works been kicking my butt this week. I've been working 7 to 7 with barely enough time to get in a workout and dinner at the end of the night.

I understand what some of you are saying about scale weight. I have told newbs the very same thing. I am 5'6 and I think 150 is a very healthy weight for someone my height. In fact, it's a little on the high end. My original goal was 154. My doc said 150( I thought that was quite fair as some doctors want you to be very thin). I have what I consider to be a very healthy attitude about my body. I really love my curves so for those of you who think I'm not seeing the forrest for the trees rest assured I am seeing things clearly. 150 is my goal and my range is 145 -150. When I wrote my initial post I was struggling with the question of do I really need to lose more weight. The spare around my middle(despite many situps) says yes. But this isn't just about scale weight. It's also about self esteem. I became a quiter after I got over 200 pounds. I have no idea why that happened but I'm not 200 pounds anymore and I think I've set a reasonable goal for myself. I'll be damned if I'm going to let myself down. Anyway, thanks all for listening and understanding.

Gabrielle

[hifive]

Gabrielle, you do indeed sound healthy! and 150 lbs sounds like a good goal at your height...your gallery bears this out--you look amazing!

Have you considered posting a "success story" on the forum? Your weight loss--and transformation--are very inspiring!

Lucy

[GabrielleG]

Hi five I'm a little late replying to your post but yes I plan on posting a success story.

[asalvato]

I have been working on the last few pounds most of this year. I went down to 155 three times and bounced back up. Now I am maintaining between 160-162. I would very much like my maintaining to be between 150-155. Also I am not completely happy with my midriff and would like to see some fat gone from that area. The rest of me is OK. I have heavy legs but it is genetic and losing weight isn't going to make a huge difference there. I am a size 8 and happy with that but would like the 8s to be slightly looser.

The good news is that I eat in a way that is very satisfying and easy to maintain. My DH and I have discussed it and he thinks that I may be at the weight my body "likes."

I personally think that I got to 155 using the wrong plan and it backfired on me. I added "good carbs" and now eat fruit, legumes, brown rice, and modest amounts of whole grains. I like it. So when I "worked" to get to 155 I did it by cutting calories while maintaining the "good carbs" in my food plan. The weight came off easily but it didn't stay off like it did when I took it off LC.

My plan is to relax for a few more days. DH and I had a lot happening this year and need to relax. Then I am going to cut back on carbs and lose a few pounds doing induction. I truly believe the pounds I lose that way will stay gone. I will repeat induction for 3 to 7 days every few weeks until I get to my goal. I know my body can get comfortable at 150 instead of 160 and if it takes a while to get there, that is OK.