Eating under maintenance

katerinabowler

I guess this has been discussed a gazillion times... Sorry! I'm about 6 pounds away from maintaining, and I've never been very good at it. I've been pregnant or losing pregnancy weight for the last 5 years, so maintenance seems like forever ago! Anyway, my plan is to keep logging for a while, maybe a few months. Then stop, but keep a close eye on my weight and measurements. I'm planning to eat a little under maintenance, maybe 150 a day, to allow wriggle room for a takeaway or some beers. I guess this is how it works if you eat intuitively.... Any thoughts?

arditarose

This is what I do, but I'm still logging and don't really plan on stopping as I have body composition goals and there is not really an end in sight for me at the moment.

I basically shave off 100 calories a few days a week and it allows me to eat about 2500 calories on Saturday. Which is ridiculously easy to do, unfortunately.

SideSteel

I'm a bit confused.

If you are eating intuitively and not logging, how are you going to eat 150 below maintenance?

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you.

arditarose

SideSteel wrote: »

I'm a bit confused.

If you are eating intuitively and not logging, how are you going to eat 150 below maintenance?

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you.

I was wondering that too. I think OP plans on logging for a few months in maintenance/slightly under, then switching to eating intuitively?

pkw58

This summer I will start year 4 on maintenance, and I will continue to log.

arditarose

pkw58 wrote: »

This summer I will start year 4 on maintenance, and I will continue to log.

Nice!

katerinabowler

Yes sorry, eat under while logging for the next few months. I'm very nervous about not logging, so I'm tempted to continue

arditarose

katerinabowler wrote: »

Yes sorry, eat under while logging for the next few months. I'm very nervous about not logging, so I'm tempted to continue

Then just continue. Up your calories by 100 every week until you find maintenance and log until you see fit

Jesusjohnjames

I will always log. Y not? Y gain back those pounds not worth it. It takes 3 seconds

nxd10

I do the same thing, but I just keep logging because it helps me. And it usually gives me a good excuse to eat extra because otherwise I'd worry I would go over and be too cautious. Knowledge is power.

gothchiq

I feel that always logging is the safest way to proceed.

TimothyFish

I think some people are well suited for "always logging." Some of us are not. I intend to log until I get into a good habit for maintenance and then I intend for the bathroom scale to be my log. I don't have to know ever food item I ate, only whether my net is negative or positive. The bathroom scale will tell me that.

robw235

I am starting to struggle with this concept. I'm three lbs. below my goal weight and psychologically finding it more difficult than I would have thought to actually increase my calories.