maintaining your weight

[oval]

Ok i know how to lose and how to gain weight. But how do I maintain it? I have come to make myself belive that the only way to maintain my weight was to keep eating like I wanted to starve myself. Well that's obviously not working out and I keep getting skinnier and its starting to not look good. I can only lose and gain weight, I really don't know how to maintain it. And if I eat a little more so I won't lose more, I feel terrible, thinking I will get fat in an instant and that there was no way of stopping it, after eating like an ice cream bar or choicolate. I don't want to gain or lose an ouce anymore. It may sound silly but I don't know how to do it.

 

[TheGift]

have you tried checking some online, calorie calculators? they ask for your current weight, height, age, gender, and how much you exercise (if it's low, high, medium/moderately, etc.) and then, they'll give you much calories you need to maintain your weight. in order to follow that, you have no choice but to check the calorie content of every food you eat and not go over your calorie limit everyday. it takes 3, 500 calories over your calorie limit to gain a pound, and 3, 500 calories less than your calorie limit to lose a pound. however, this 3, 500 calorie excess or loss stays in your body even the next day. so, if you went over your calorie limit by 500 yesterday, that 500 calorie excess is still in your body overnight even until after three days--unless you burn it off by eating 500 calories less than your calorie limit the next day. so, basically, it's easy to gain a pound because all you need to do is binge to 3, 500 calories, which is about 3-4 burger king burgers alone. on the other hand, it's difficult to lose a pound by just shrugging off 3, 500 calories, because hard, tiring hours of jogging is only an equivalent of 500-600 calories. however, calorie calculators are not so accurate. they only estimate the averages from the amount of calories needed to a kind of person like you should take. it's all averages and may not be correct with everyone, because everyone has different rates of metabolism. however, these calorie calculators are accurate more or less. it's also correct and can be followed regardless. also, speaking of metabolism, your metabolism slows down as you get older (about 200 calories less than your current calories limit). so, if i were you, always watch what your body's nutrition. you can still eat your favorite foods as long as you don't go over your calorie limit. if it's necessary, don't finish the whole pack of your favorite chips if it means going over your calorie limit. you may not always be able to know the calorie content of every food you eat. so, be practical, think smart, and take always take the safer path

 

[VALIS]

I agree with TheGift. I'll add that after awhile (a long while, possibly) of calculating your calories everyday (livestrong.com is what I've used for about 2 years now, off and on) you have learned the calories of most foods so you can estimate without looking it up. Just get your BMR (basal metabolic rate, I think?) from somewhere on the internet and start counting... it will eventually be in your head so you won't have to be so obsessive about using sites or lists of foods. It pays off though because you feel more in control of your weight.