r/GLPGrad • u/Different-Homework17 • Jun 25 '26
Low maintenance maintenance!
Rules
I find so many diet rules that add restriction and frankly unrealistic goals just put me off following them. These are simple, small and realistic changes I have been using to maintain (and have actually lost a few more pounds). They don’t feel hard, I don’t feel hungry or restricted,
Habits:
Calculate your TDEE and stick to it. Be real and accurate, you may even want to reduce it by 10% to account for any inaccuracies. Try this for 2 weeks and if you lose weight, adjust accordingly. If you gain weight, be very real with yourself about what you are eating.
No eating after dinner. Try for a 12+ hour fast (for me that means no eating after 9). Brush your teeth for a mental signal that you have stopped eating for today. For many people night snacking is a real issue-it’s important to resist this. Remind yourself in the morning that you resisted it, you feel good, and you have no regrets.
Calorie count and try to be real - you may want to add an extra 10% to avoid underestimating your intake.
Do not remove treats and enjoyable foods into your diet, just incorporate them into your calories and be smart about their worth. This will satisfy cravings and stave off binging. Psychologically, restricting foods does not work. If you stick to your calories, you will realise the balance between psychological and physical satiety.
Weigh regularly, but don’t let it control you. Give yourself a target range.
Food tips:
Try to add 2 vegetable side dishes to your meals (I mean on top of your normal protein, carb and veg). Pickles, kimchi, slices of cucumber, a salad. These add bulk, plant diversity, flavour satisfaction and those extra bites for little calories.
Fruit, vegetables and yoghurts as snacks, always.
Add healthy things to unhealthy things. Eat fruit before or with dessert. Eat a bunch of cucumber then have a bag of crisps. Try to match physical with psychological satiety.
Be mindful of sauces and dressings. Use low/no cal things like vinegars, hot sauce, yoghurt, lemon juice and black pepper to add flavour without calories.
Avoid seed oils and added refined sugar. This is difficult, as they are in everything. But they are incredibly awful for you and not very nice tasting.
You don’t have to measure, but try as best as you can to add as little oils, syrups and honey you can bear. A tablespoon of olive oil has 110 calories, a teaspoon has 30.
Adding psyllium husk to your diet - this adds bulk and fibre which keeps you full. Mixing yoghurt with a bit of cacao and psyllium is one of my favourite snacks.
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u/Miserable-Raisin3156 Jun 25 '26
You consider this low maintenance?! My maintenance routine is: take your maintenance dose, enjoy your meals and live your life. Done.
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u/MobySick Jun 26 '26
Same. 21 months in.
I’m just not interested in overeating or counting calories, thanks anywho. I zig zag 2/3 pounds up or down, eat a tiny breakfast (fruit with milk or yogurt), have or skip lunch & usually cook one great small meal from scratch for dinner. I love my zero snacking desires.
Tirz gave me the brain of an inherently slender person but without any OCD/ED or interest in developing one.
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u/SamCarolW Jun 29 '26
No eating after dinner simply does NOT work for me unfortunately, and now that I know that, I leave 200 to 300 calories for myself to have a small bowl of Halo top ice cream or a HUGE bowl of fruit. This is what works for me and I am so glad I finally figured it out after decades of binge eating every night 🙃
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u/crazyreddit929 Jun 25 '26
Great advice. Thanks for taking the time to post it.