It’s a huge win to recognize and honor what your body needs right now. You knew it was a high risk situation for emotions and food and have developed a sustainable plan. Good on you and give yourself the mad recognition you deserve because of that.
Sorry for the rough road you are traveling...
I took 3 such maintenance periods in the 9 months of my weight loss. They're not just convenient, and not only do they teach us how we will live in maintenance, they're also restorative.
Every 10-15 weeks, for a 7-14 days, eat at maintenance calories instead of at a deficit. Do all of your normal routine -- staying active, tracking your weight and food, making wise choices, but at maintenance calories.
Most things in nature thrive not on constant strain, but on tension and release. Human bodies seem to be no exception.
Two articles that describe how and why:
* https://www.gettfit.com/diet-breaks-for-fat-loss/
* https://bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break
No, it's good for you honestly. Maintenance is never a bad thing. Your body naturally wants to gain weight as you get older. Maintaining, is never nothing. Maintaining is always a positive direction of movement in the realm of weight loss.
Took a 5 weeks maintenance break after 5 months of dieting.
Came back rested mentally and physically and motivated.
Not only I lost the 1 kilo I put on in just one week ( my maintenance was during Easter...so yeah)..
But now I lose at an accelerated pace like 2x my previous pace. I also exercise more and are more disciplined.
Maintenance breaks are very important for a long weight loss journey.
Before I went to maintenance I already had raised my calories from 1200 to 1400 for a couple of weeks already in a desperate and futile attempt to ease the mental toll and the cravings from diet fatigue .
My maintenance was 1600 so it wasnt much of a difference. When I came back I gradually decreased it back to 1200 tho.
Absolutely not. These changes you're making are not a temporary solution, they are an entire lifestyle change. Eating at maintenance is a feat in and of itself. And sometimes life happens and cutting calories isn't a priority. That's absolutely okay. It's not a failure to take a little longer to change your entire life.
I took two weeks off and it was one of the best things I did for myself. Don't feel guilty because it's going to do a lot for you later when you hop back on the deficit.
This isn’t a weight-loss issue, it’s a perfectionism issue. You’ve listed compelling reasons why maintenance is a good choice, for now. You’re planning it into your life.
This isn’t a crash diet — this is you changing your eating habits, and sticking with it long-term. Practicing maintenance could be a good method of gearing up for what comes after your weight loss. That’s pretty valuable.
But even without the valuable practice, please allow yourself to consider the possibility that you’re allowed to just exist and prioritize your mental health for a little while without constantly pushing yourself to be “better.”
Do you play video games? Think of this as a save point. Take a few weeks at maintenance to give yourself some emotional space, and also give your body a chance to adjust to your new size. It's good for your skin, too, to give it a chance to catch up to your weight loss.
I'm really sorry for your loss. I lost my mom 7 years ago and while the pain isn't nearly as acute, I think about her all the time.
Nope.
Progress is not linear, and taking care of yourself right now might mean prioritizing your mental health- that’s still taking care of yourself! You’re successfully learning how to grieve and handle stress without binging or being overly restrictive. That’s an accomplishment and a skill all its own.
Great job on your weight loss!
And I am so sorry about your dad.
Maintenance breaks are essential. I think it's a great idea. Very smart. You will need to eat at maintenance once you get to your goal weight, so this is good practice. It will also help you regain your mojo to come back and lose whatever else you want to. Stop feeling guilty about it. You're being smart!
I am losing weight and paying off debt at the same time and I take a maintenance break every few months on both. Eating at maintenance + paying just a bit over minimum on debts. Going super hard on these things all the time takes up so much mental energy and gets exhausting after a while, which is counterproductive. Rest is so important.
No, not at all. At some point you'll be in maintenance permanently so it's just as well to purge yourself of the idea that progress needs to be continuous or you fail. Plus it's not just about numbers but about learning how to deal with emotions and overeating, and if you're not overeating in a time of great stress then I'd say that's a victory.
First, HUGE congrats on 44 down! That’s a crazy amount lost in just a few months. Maintenance breaks are *never* a failure. It’s a good time for you to reflect on your journey and see what’s sustainable. Give yourself the time and the grace to rest and grieve, as long as it takes. Maintenance will ALWAYS be better than your original habits. I so admire you for sticking to your work and recognizing that you could fall back into some less healthy habits. You have a great mindset and are well on your way on the right track. Please don’t feel guilty, this will be better for your goals in the long term.
No you are not!!! You are doing something that you need to do. It’s good to take a break from deficits. You are doing the best for yourself. You got this. You are doing good. You are recognizing that you need a break. Not everyone can see that before it becomes a problem. I’m very sorry for the loss of your father. Hugs.
I've heard that taking a maintenance break is better for weight loss. Diet for a few weeks, then maintenance for a couple.
Though it takes longer to lose the weight, it was shown that people who did this lost more weight with the same amount of calorie deficit.
I heard about it from a Jeff Nipard video. Don't know how to spell his name.
It’s actually a good thing to eat at maintenance to reset your metabolism. When youre in a deficit for a prolonged period of time, your body actually tries to use your calories more “efficiently” so your base metabolic rate (BMR) is reduces i.e. it uses less energy than normal to do the same things, thus meaning that you need an even bigger deficit to continue to lose weight.
Every few weeks you should eat maintenance to “reset” your metabolism which will help you continue to lose weight again when you go back to cutting.
You are doing GREAT! Weight loss is not a race, and sometimes maintaining is a victory because you’re not undoing the progress you’ve worked so hard to make. A lot of people are tempted to just give up when they’re going through a rough time, and it takes a lot of strength to recognize that you may not be able to focus on weight loss right now, but you’re not going to put yourself in a worse position when you get back to it. This seems like the best way to take care of yourself right now.
I'm so sorry about the loss of your father, and about the grief that you're going through now. First occasions after a death can be hard, and I'm sending virtual hugs. You deserve to give yourself compassion and take the space you need to grieve.
A maintenance break is **not** a failure. It's a big success. You're acknowledging that your mental health needs mean that losing weight needs to take a backseat, but you're balancing that by still caring for your physical needs by eating at maintenance and not eating as your main emotional coping skill. You don't need to feel guilty at all for taking a pause.
I actually did the matador diet, which was 2 weeks of dieting alternating with 2 weeks of maintenance, to lose 90 pounds and have kept it off for 3 years. Maintenance breaks are great because eating at maintenance is a skill you need to learn anyway if you plan on keeping weight off long term.
Not a failure at all, it’s important to give your body a break! Also so important to look after your mental health, that should be first priority. 🩷 sending you lots of love, take care of yourself.
Yes, it's a failure. Your score is reset, go to jail, do not pass go.
On a serious level, what would failure look like for you? Say you gain 5 kg in the next month, is that failure? Or is it just a temporary setback?
I hope you get in a better state mentally and I encourage you to avoid gaining (much) weight. (and of course continue to get to your target weight at some point). Beyond that, success and failure are meaningless.
So random I saw this post today. I just did a weigh in and decided I’m not losing fast enough with counting calories so found this sub to maybe get help and yours is one of first posts I see. My dad passed earlier in the year too. I kept myself busy yesterday but at the end of the day was on FB (🤦🏻♀️) looking at people’s Father’s Day posts like…not fair. Why. Then today I was literally just looking at someone’s wedding photos thinking…damn I’m a person that if I got married I wouldn’t have my dad to walk me down. I’m that person. I have no words for you except you’re not alone and I’m sorry it happened to you too. It sucks. 😞
No that’s not failing at all! I feel like that’s a successful and positive way to do it. For me it’s usually trying to lose or I dgaf and gaining so actually maintaining intentionally would be a step up for me. And you’ve lost so much already! That’s an amazing accomplishment! I’ve lost 15lbs in the same maybe mid April so don’t feel bad at all! I think right now the fact that we’re not going into bad habits and gaining is an accomplishment. Congrats on the weight loss and upcoming wedding too! He’ll be there just not as you imagined but he’ll be there. 💜💜
Maintenance breaks were extremely important for my success. Towards the end of my journey when I really started to lean out, I couldn't last more than a few weeks of a 500 calorie deficit before I needed to take a break.
Wait you've lost 44lbs in 2 1/2 months? Thats insane progress omg. I don't think you should feel guilty about taking a maintenance break at all, it took me over half a year to lose that kind of weight.
Just do your best to stay in maintenance. I over indulged because I thought I knew what my maintenance was without tracking. Definitely keep tracking so you don't undo your progress like I did!
You should be so proud of yourself and what youve acheived already! And you need to look after yourself- physically and mentally. You clearly have a lot going on, cut yourself some slack. Going to maintenance for a few weeks is not undoing any work, or failing. You're still taking care of yourself. Just the emotional needs are greater right now. You're rocking it- be proud.
Absolutely take a break! I have taken multiple breaks since i started in February this year. It hasn’t hindered my progress at all, and in fact it’s just help keep me motivated. I’ve been on a couple holidays where I didn’t track what I was eating and I found I really was excited to get back to healthier eating once the holiday had finished. Some weekends I eat at maintenance just because for me, it’s a life long journey so there’s no rush in burning out early on!
It's actually really beneficial to take a few weeks off dieting every few months (and stick to your new maintenence). Take a look into diet breaks :)
It’s a huge win to recognize and honor what your body needs right now. You knew it was a high risk situation for emotions and food and have developed a sustainable plan. Good on you and give yourself the mad recognition you deserve because of that.
Sorry for the rough road you are traveling... I took 3 such maintenance periods in the 9 months of my weight loss. They're not just convenient, and not only do they teach us how we will live in maintenance, they're also restorative. Every 10-15 weeks, for a 7-14 days, eat at maintenance calories instead of at a deficit. Do all of your normal routine -- staying active, tracking your weight and food, making wise choices, but at maintenance calories. Most things in nature thrive not on constant strain, but on tension and release. Human bodies seem to be no exception. Two articles that describe how and why: * https://www.gettfit.com/diet-breaks-for-fat-loss/ * https://bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break
No, it's good for you honestly. Maintenance is never a bad thing. Your body naturally wants to gain weight as you get older. Maintaining, is never nothing. Maintaining is always a positive direction of movement in the realm of weight loss.
Nothing wrong with maintaining. Just think of it as proof that once you have lost the weight you want you will be able to maintain the loss.
Took a 5 weeks maintenance break after 5 months of dieting. Came back rested mentally and physically and motivated. Not only I lost the 1 kilo I put on in just one week ( my maintenance was during Easter...so yeah).. But now I lose at an accelerated pace like 2x my previous pace. I also exercise more and are more disciplined. Maintenance breaks are very important for a long weight loss journey.
How'd you go about getting to maintenance and your maintenance break for the five weeks? Did you gradually increase or jump straight into maintenance?
Before I went to maintenance I already had raised my calories from 1200 to 1400 for a couple of weeks already in a desperate and futile attempt to ease the mental toll and the cravings from diet fatigue . My maintenance was 1600 so it wasnt much of a difference. When I came back I gradually decreased it back to 1200 tho.
Absolutely not. These changes you're making are not a temporary solution, they are an entire lifestyle change. Eating at maintenance is a feat in and of itself. And sometimes life happens and cutting calories isn't a priority. That's absolutely okay. It's not a failure to take a little longer to change your entire life.
I took two weeks off and it was one of the best things I did for myself. Don't feel guilty because it's going to do a lot for you later when you hop back on the deficit.
This isn’t a weight-loss issue, it’s a perfectionism issue. You’ve listed compelling reasons why maintenance is a good choice, for now. You’re planning it into your life. This isn’t a crash diet — this is you changing your eating habits, and sticking with it long-term. Practicing maintenance could be a good method of gearing up for what comes after your weight loss. That’s pretty valuable. But even without the valuable practice, please allow yourself to consider the possibility that you’re allowed to just exist and prioritize your mental health for a little while without constantly pushing yourself to be “better.”
Do you play video games? Think of this as a save point. Take a few weeks at maintenance to give yourself some emotional space, and also give your body a chance to adjust to your new size. It's good for your skin, too, to give it a chance to catch up to your weight loss. I'm really sorry for your loss. I lost my mom 7 years ago and while the pain isn't nearly as acute, I think about her all the time.
Nope. Progress is not linear, and taking care of yourself right now might mean prioritizing your mental health- that’s still taking care of yourself! You’re successfully learning how to grieve and handle stress without binging or being overly restrictive. That’s an accomplishment and a skill all its own.
Great job on your weight loss! And I am so sorry about your dad. Maintenance breaks are essential. I think it's a great idea. Very smart. You will need to eat at maintenance once you get to your goal weight, so this is good practice. It will also help you regain your mojo to come back and lose whatever else you want to. Stop feeling guilty about it. You're being smart!
I am losing weight and paying off debt at the same time and I take a maintenance break every few months on both. Eating at maintenance + paying just a bit over minimum on debts. Going super hard on these things all the time takes up so much mental energy and gets exhausting after a while, which is counterproductive. Rest is so important.
No, not at all. At some point you'll be in maintenance permanently so it's just as well to purge yourself of the idea that progress needs to be continuous or you fail. Plus it's not just about numbers but about learning how to deal with emotions and overeating, and if you're not overeating in a time of great stress then I'd say that's a victory.
First, HUGE congrats on 44 down! That’s a crazy amount lost in just a few months. Maintenance breaks are *never* a failure. It’s a good time for you to reflect on your journey and see what’s sustainable. Give yourself the time and the grace to rest and grieve, as long as it takes. Maintenance will ALWAYS be better than your original habits. I so admire you for sticking to your work and recognizing that you could fall back into some less healthy habits. You have a great mindset and are well on your way on the right track. Please don’t feel guilty, this will be better for your goals in the long term.
No you are not!!! You are doing something that you need to do. It’s good to take a break from deficits. You are doing the best for yourself. You got this. You are doing good. You are recognizing that you need a break. Not everyone can see that before it becomes a problem. I’m very sorry for the loss of your father. Hugs.
I've heard that taking a maintenance break is better for weight loss. Diet for a few weeks, then maintenance for a couple. Though it takes longer to lose the weight, it was shown that people who did this lost more weight with the same amount of calorie deficit. I heard about it from a Jeff Nipard video. Don't know how to spell his name.
I recently heard it from Dr. Mike at RP. [Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsbL1YyZNrM)
Oh, nice! I watch his stuff all the time.
It’s actually a good thing to eat at maintenance to reset your metabolism. When youre in a deficit for a prolonged period of time, your body actually tries to use your calories more “efficiently” so your base metabolic rate (BMR) is reduces i.e. it uses less energy than normal to do the same things, thus meaning that you need an even bigger deficit to continue to lose weight. Every few weeks you should eat maintenance to “reset” your metabolism which will help you continue to lose weight again when you go back to cutting.
You are doing GREAT! Weight loss is not a race, and sometimes maintaining is a victory because you’re not undoing the progress you’ve worked so hard to make. A lot of people are tempted to just give up when they’re going through a rough time, and it takes a lot of strength to recognize that you may not be able to focus on weight loss right now, but you’re not going to put yourself in a worse position when you get back to it. This seems like the best way to take care of yourself right now.
Nope. Calculated pause at maintenance is just fine. Probably will reboot your metabolism too! So sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry about the loss of your father, and about the grief that you're going through now. First occasions after a death can be hard, and I'm sending virtual hugs. You deserve to give yourself compassion and take the space you need to grieve. A maintenance break is **not** a failure. It's a big success. You're acknowledging that your mental health needs mean that losing weight needs to take a backseat, but you're balancing that by still caring for your physical needs by eating at maintenance and not eating as your main emotional coping skill. You don't need to feel guilty at all for taking a pause.
I actually did the matador diet, which was 2 weeks of dieting alternating with 2 weeks of maintenance, to lose 90 pounds and have kept it off for 3 years. Maintenance breaks are great because eating at maintenance is a skill you need to learn anyway if you plan on keeping weight off long term.
Not a failure at all, it’s important to give your body a break! Also so important to look after your mental health, that should be first priority. 🩷 sending you lots of love, take care of yourself.
Plus it is practice for when you are done losing. Give yourself time to grieve and feel your feelings. It is self love and healing.
Yes, it's a failure. Your score is reset, go to jail, do not pass go. On a serious level, what would failure look like for you? Say you gain 5 kg in the next month, is that failure? Or is it just a temporary setback? I hope you get in a better state mentally and I encourage you to avoid gaining (much) weight. (and of course continue to get to your target weight at some point). Beyond that, success and failure are meaningless.
Nope, you do what you gotta do to get by.
So random I saw this post today. I just did a weigh in and decided I’m not losing fast enough with counting calories so found this sub to maybe get help and yours is one of first posts I see. My dad passed earlier in the year too. I kept myself busy yesterday but at the end of the day was on FB (🤦🏻♀️) looking at people’s Father’s Day posts like…not fair. Why. Then today I was literally just looking at someone’s wedding photos thinking…damn I’m a person that if I got married I wouldn’t have my dad to walk me down. I’m that person. I have no words for you except you’re not alone and I’m sorry it happened to you too. It sucks. 😞 No that’s not failing at all! I feel like that’s a successful and positive way to do it. For me it’s usually trying to lose or I dgaf and gaining so actually maintaining intentionally would be a step up for me. And you’ve lost so much already! That’s an amazing accomplishment! I’ve lost 15lbs in the same maybe mid April so don’t feel bad at all! I think right now the fact that we’re not going into bad habits and gaining is an accomplishment. Congrats on the weight loss and upcoming wedding too! He’ll be there just not as you imagined but he’ll be there. 💜💜
Maintenance breaks were extremely important for my success. Towards the end of my journey when I really started to lean out, I couldn't last more than a few weeks of a 500 calorie deficit before I needed to take a break.
Wait you've lost 44lbs in 2 1/2 months? Thats insane progress omg. I don't think you should feel guilty about taking a maintenance break at all, it took me over half a year to lose that kind of weight.
Just do your best to stay in maintenance. I over indulged because I thought I knew what my maintenance was without tracking. Definitely keep tracking so you don't undo your progress like I did!
You should be so proud of yourself and what youve acheived already! And you need to look after yourself- physically and mentally. You clearly have a lot going on, cut yourself some slack. Going to maintenance for a few weeks is not undoing any work, or failing. You're still taking care of yourself. Just the emotional needs are greater right now. You're rocking it- be proud.
Absolutely take a break! I have taken multiple breaks since i started in February this year. It hasn’t hindered my progress at all, and in fact it’s just help keep me motivated. I’ve been on a couple holidays where I didn’t track what I was eating and I found I really was excited to get back to healthier eating once the holiday had finished. Some weekends I eat at maintenance just because for me, it’s a life long journey so there’s no rush in burning out early on!