Approaching Maintenance: Musings

drosebud

Over the past 18 months I have lost more weight than I ever dreamed possible, feel great, and fit comfortably into a (UK) size 12 (US 8).
Long term, I'd be happy for my weight to fluctuate a few pounds around the 144lb target.
My current TDEE based on my weight + height + exercise levels is 1824.

I've been successfully targetting just a half pound loss per at just under 1400 cals per day (net, before exercise) for a few months now, and figured I'd carry on with this for a few more months before maintaining.

On an exercise day, I don't have too many problems meeting the cals, but on a non-exercise day (like today) sometimes it feels hard, maybe because I am pretty happy with my current shape and size? I guess as long as I don't regularly exceed my TDEE then I should be ok, as long as I don't start slipping back into old habits, and am vigilant. I'm not fussed whether it takes me 3 or 6 months to shift the last few pounds.

Just looking for some reassurrance from others that this is a reasonable approach and normal state of mind to be in, given that it is a transition phase.

nxd10

To maintain, you need to average over the course of each and every week, your maintenance calories. Personally, I find it easier to do that if I'm flexible and if I'm pretty consistent. So if there's something wonderful I want, I eat it in some reasonable quantity. If there's a DAY I am really hungry and just want to kick back, I do, again, in some reasonable quantity. But most days I pretty religiously hit my calorie goals. I've only been over for a week maybe 4 times in the last 3 years.

If you consistently miss your goals you will slowly gain back your weight. That's why most people do.

MissJay75

Your plan sounds just fine, especially if you are patient.

Alternately you could take your TDEE, multiply by 7, add your average exercise calories for the week, and divide by 7 and eat the same amount every day. If you average out by the end of the week, you'll be just fine/

icrushit

I'm closing in on my goal too, and giving thought to maintenance now for quite a while. The closer I get, the harder it seems to be sometimes, and I wonder how I will maintain on my maintenance level once I reach it.

I would say to look into reverse dieting, as it may be able to bring up the level of calories you maintain on each day, and it's something I plan to do prior to maintenance and hopefully boost my maintenance calorie level by a couple of hundred to give me some breathing room and flexibility

Also, I realise the importance of regular daily exercise too, as aside from the fitness benefits, the extra calories from just a couple of miles walked every day are quite welcome

pkw58

Second the regular daily exercise. Hit my steps, life is good, start missing them, not so much. Onward!