Has anyone tried maintaining in the middle of weight loss?

I was thinking about it today. I may decide to try and maintain for 6 months after my first 100lbs. Just so my body and mind can have a break and get adjusted I guess. I'm also thinking it'll help me make this a permanent change. Then after the 6 months jump back on it and loose the last 40-50lbs but do it super slowly until I figure out what weight I want to stay at. Does this make sense? Has anyone done this?

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That is exactly my intentions. I have three goals and three phases planned. Phase two is maintaining for four months.

I'm currently going to try and maintain for a month and then keep going.

i've done it but not on purpose. vacations, holidays and other special occasions come up an end up kind of like maintenance. also I've recently had a hard time staying on target. For me it is important to still log on everyday and enter my food diary good or bad.

I'm a 61 year old male. Iwas 280 in September of 2014. November 24, 2014 I was 277. That's the day I got serious about getting healthy. Today I am 198. My doc would like me to get to 180 but first he told me to get under 200 and maintain that for awhile. I've been maintaining for about 3 weeks now. It's tough knowing how much I should eat. I exercise 6 days a week doing cardio. But I'm slowly increasing my calories. I hope it works.

Yep. I actually go into maintenance whenever I feel like it. I find that after a few months, a break for a week or two does my mind and body good.

So glad I found you ladies. This is exactly what I am doing. I lost 48 and want to keep it off until September (6 mos) and then I will go back and lose another 10-15...

I take breaks at maintenance too. I think when you have a lot of weight to lose that it really helps you keep the stamina that you need. I've lost ~160lbs in the past three years and still have ~20lbs to go. I think it's good practice for when you get to your goal weight.

I went into maintenance mode for the last two months. I gained 5 pounds, back at it strong now and wanting to lose 10.

Yes. I'm unintentionally doing it now.

arditarose wrote: »

Yep. I actually go into maintenance whenever I feel like it. I find that after a few months, a break for a week or two does my mind and body good.

I'm trying that this week, and maybe next.

The hardest part for me has been keeping in mind that there's really no time constraints or restrictions. Allowing myself to eat at maintenance isn't going to spoil my hard work from the past 6 months. My thoughts anyways...

Absolutely. They aren't always intentional or mindful -- I realized recently that instead of putting on weight at the start a relationship (back last autumn), I'd unintentionally gone into maintenance, lol.

But sometimes they are. Especially when there are other life stressors going on, such as job drama or mental health issues. Not having to deal with internal pressure to lose on top of the external stress does me wonders once in a while.

Also, I think it's important to learn a) how to maintain and b) that maintenance is possible, especially when you've either always been fat (yo) or never really learned how to do it before.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »

I didn't plan it that way but I took two pretty long maintenance breaks in the process of losing weight. It seemed to work well for me.

Me too. Wasn't planned necessarily, but I've had several periods of lose then maintain. I really think it has helped me, in the long run.

At the current rate I am going I should hit my first goal of losing 25 pounds (out of 120) in about a month. I plan on taking a two week maintenance break and jump starting my weight lifting routine. Right now I am at a 1000 calorie deficit and I can only weight lift twice a week due to long recovery times.

arditarose wrote: »

Yep. I actually go into maintenance whenever I feel like it. I find that after a few months, a break for a week or two does my mind and body good.

It wasn't planned but I went into maintenance during the Dark Cold Dog days of winter. With only 8 hrs of daylight we end up going to work in the dark, coming home in the dark etc. Actually had about a 3 month period of flat line stability and has worked out for me so far. Also I am in the push for the last twenty pounds and that is always a slower process so its nice to come into it refreshed by a break and the increased energy/attitude from spring and summer weather.

I did that during the winter. I partially counted calories and partially just tried to do it naturally. Between December and February, I put on about a pound (after subtracting the water weight that dropped off my first week) so I do think I'll have to count to maintain long term. However, it was a major boost to my motivation when I started back in February. It's nice to take a break for a while but make sure you set a firm date to start back and watch your weight closely so you don't regress. I think it's a great idea to do from time to time if you have a lot to lose.

I normally switch to maintenance in winter as it is very difficult to get a whole lot of activity in around here during the coldest days. I'm in Canada and it isn't out of the ordinary for it to be so cold around here that hey will caution you NOT to go outside. I do what I can but it's nothing like the activity I get in the warmer months.

amazon35 wrote: »

I was thinking about it today. I may decide to try and maintain for 6 months after my first 100lbs. Just so my body and mind can have a break and get adjusted I guess. I'm also thinking it'll help me make this a permanent change. Then after the 6 months jump back on it and loose the last 40-50lbs but do it super slowly until I figure out what weight I want to stay at. Does this make sense? Has anyone done this?

From the research that I have read that is the only way real way to prevent a 100%+ regain.

The source I was reading stated to lose 10% of starting weight and maintain it for 6 months then lose another 10%.

The point seems to be if you can not maintain a new lower weight for 6 months you are not going to do it for 6 years. We know today a person who is 150 pounds (any amount) should NOT lose a pound if they are just going to regain it because they may shorten their life. Yo Yoing weight is a killer.

Over the last 18 months I have lost 40 pounds. The first 20 was the old CICO method that has always equalled 100%+ regain over the last 40 years. The last 20 pounds has been by LCHF. I have not lost/gained a net pound in 3 months. Now I want to lose 10 more pounds to get me to 199.

Over the last 3 months I have been eating like 3000 a day with carbs <50 grams daily and about 70-80% fats. I lost one inch in the waist which is the only measurement I have tracked. I will soon be buying my second new belt.

In my case if I regain one more time it will be a premature death for me without question. Thankfully I have proven if I leave off the carbs my body will drift towards its ideal weight eating at 2500 calories daily and I can maintain at 3000 calories.

GaleHawkins wrote: »

amazon35 wrote: »

I was thinking about it today. I may decide to try and maintain for 6 months after my first 100lbs. Just so my body and mind can have a break and get adjusted I guess. I'm also thinking it'll help me make this a permanent change. Then after the 6 months jump back on it and loose the last 40-50lbs but do it super slowly until I figure out what weight I want to stay at. Does this make sense? Has anyone done this?

From the research that I have read that is the only way real way to prevent a 100%+ regain.

The source I was reading stated to lose 10% of starting weight and maintain it for 6 months then lose another 10%.

The point seems to be if you can not maintain a new lower weight for 6 months you are not going to do it for 6 years. We know today a person who is 150 pounds (any amount) should NOT lose a pound if they are just going to regain it because they may shorten their life. Yo Yoing weight is a killer.

Over the last 18 months I have lost 40 pounds. The first 20 was the old CICO method that has always equalled 100%+ regain over the last 40 years. The last 20 pounds has been by LCHF. I have not lost/gained a net pound in 3 months. Now I want to lose 10 more pounds to get me to 199.

Over the last 3 months I have been eating like 3000 a day with carbs <50 grams daily and about 70-80% fats. I lost one inch in the waist which is the only measurement I have tracked. I will soon be buying my second new belt.

In my case if I regain one more time it will be a premature death for me without question. Thankfully I have proven if I leave off the carbs my body will drift towards its ideal weight eating at 2500 calories daily and I can maintain at 3000 calories.

What's your source on "yo-yoing weight being a killer"?

That is the exact question I wanted to ask? Can you please share that source about yo-yoing weight being a killer? Thanks in advance.

Umm, isn't yo-yoing weight exactly what cutting and bulking is?

I seirously doubt there's anything "killer" about yo-yoing weight.

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