Hi all - I had started typing a very long comment on another thread and then thought it might just warrant its own post.
I see a lot of folks who have been losing weight for a while and are feeling overwhelmed, or say they got close to their goal and then gave up and gained everything back, or are preemptively scared about how to maintain their weight once they're happy with it. I want to remind everybody that an extended maintenance break, or a switch to slower weight loss is ALWAYS an option, and in fact can be a very important tool.
Personal anecdote time: I got to a point a couple months ago where I had lost a good bit of weight, felt pretty happy with where I was at even though I knew I still wanted to lose more, but was also getting burnt out and overwhelmed with constant tracking of everything / trying to arrange my deficit around all the fun summer activities that were happening. So, I shifted gears - I tried to still eat mostly healthy meals at my deficit during my week while I was just working from home, but I gave myself the freedom to have pretty much whatever I wanted on the weekends (without binging). I definitely worked out less during this time just because it's been so hot out, although I did make sure to incorporate some regular movement in my weekly routine.
And honestly, it was a fantastic choice for me. It really took off a lot of that mental pressure where I was focusing on my "projected goal date" and obsessing over numbers every day. I continued to weigh myself regularly and gave myself a threshold where if I went over, I would reevaluate and be a bit stricter with myself, but that didn't happen. I felt it was fairly easy for me to apply what I knew about calorie counts and my deficit, and eat somewhat intuitively without putting on any weight - in fact, I did continue to very slowly drop some pounds. I definitely had days/weeks where I was like okay, I'm overdoing it and making too many choices I don't feel good about, in which case I would recalibrate mentally and return to what I knew aligned better with my goals.
I'm now back to actively trying to lose weight again, but with my goal loss/week rate lower so I can continue to be more laid back. (Quick aside: there is nothing magical about a DAILY vs WEEKLY deficit. I'm currently eating at a fairly big deficit during the week, and then on weekends going out for drinks, having a big Sunday breakfast, the whole thing - and I'm still losing because my calories out are still greater than my calories in). I also now feel MUCH more confident in the longevity of my healthy lifestyle, whereas previously I felt a little panicky about what maintenance would be like and whether I'd have to meticulously track every calorie for the rest of my life to remain at my desired weight range. I now have hard evidence that I can indulge a bit, not obsess over food, and still hold steady so long as I am still tracking my weight and overall being mindful of the choices I'm making.
Anyway, apologies if I'm rambling - I just see so many folks in here needlessly fretting about if they're going to derail all their progress by having cake on their birthday, or stressing about how to measure the calories in cilantro, or whatever and it sometimes really bums me out. I just want everyone to remember that the VERY BEST method for weight loss and subsequent maintenance is the one that doesn't feel like a massive struggle or chore. It's always going to take some level of work, and at times it will feel harder than others, but please be kind to yourselves and know that you don't always have to going at 100% to be successful. Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good - I really do believe that everyone can find a healthy balance.
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