How do I maintain and still have a deficit??

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morrprop
morrprop Posts: 13 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Here is my problem - I'm at my goal (Male,5'7 150lbs) I have been averaging about 1600 calories a day for the past few months and lost 14lbs in the last two months. I work out 4-5 times a week. I'm not looking to build huge muscle mass. After my regular meals and snacks I'm full and find that if I do decide to eat extra calories I'm eating unhealthy foods. So, How do I maintain my weight as I don't think I should go under 150 and I can't really increase my meals as I'm full now. I assume if I keep going with the same eating habits I'm going to continue to lose weight. I'd love to eat more of that "bad" foods but I don't think that is the smart way to go either.
Suggestions?
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Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Are you still losing weight at 1600 or what? Something is off.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    Make different food choices, and change to more calorie dense food...
  • Bizurke51
    Bizurke51 Posts: 190 Member
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    morrprop wrote: »
    Here is my problem - I'm at my goal (Male,5'7 150lbs) I have been averaging about 1600 calories a day for the past few months and lost 14lbs in the last two months. I work out 4-5 times a week. I'm not looking to build huge muscle mass. After my regular meals and snacks I'm full and find that if I do decide to eat extra calories I'm eating unhealthy foods. So, How do I maintain my weight as I don't think I should go under 150 and I can't really increase my meals as I'm full now. I assume if I keep going with the same eating habits I'm going to continue to lose weight. I'd love to eat more of that "bad" foods but I don't think that is the smart way to go either.
    Suggestions?

    I'm having this issue too, but everyone is saying it's ok to eat junk food if u stay under budget. Just get protein and other healthy food too.

    If you want to increase calories without ratting junk just eat more good food or eat higher calorie food. Start mixing peanut butter in your diet, 180 for 2 spoon fulls. Maybe go from almond milk to Fat free or 1%. Simple stuff like that.
  • morrprop
    morrprop Posts: 13 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Are you still losing weight at 1600 or what? Something is off.

    At 1600 I've lost the weight to get to 150. Now I am worried if I stay at the 1600 I will keep losing weight.
  • morrprop
    morrprop Posts: 13 Member
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    Bizurke51 wrote: »
    morrprop wrote: »
    Here is my problem - I'm at my goal (Male,5'7 150lbs) I have been averaging about 1600 calories a day for the past few months and lost 14lbs in the last two months. I work out 4-5 times a week. I'm not looking to build huge muscle mass. After my regular meals and snacks I'm full and find that if I do decide to eat extra calories I'm eating unhealthy foods. So, How do I maintain my weight as I don't think I should go under 150 and I can't really increase my meals as I'm full now. I assume if I keep going with the same eating habits I'm going to continue to lose weight. I'd love to eat more of that "bad" foods but I don't think that is the smart way to go either.
    Suggestions?

    I'm having this issue too, but everyone is saying it's ok to eat junk food if u stay under budget. Just get protein and other healthy food too.

    If you want to increase calories without ratting junk just eat more good food or eat higher calorie food. Start mixing peanut butter in your diet, 180 for 2 spoon fulls. Maybe go from almond milk to Fat free or 1%. Simple stuff like that.

    That is a good idea. as an example I use fat free milk, can go to 1% and see what happens. I'm happy to eat more of the things I really like (ice cream, Nachos) but other then a few times a month as I do now I did not think the healthy way to do it was to increase that type of stuff.
  • kellyjellybellyjelly
    kellyjellybellyjelly Posts: 9,480 Member
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    morrprop wrote: »
    Here is my problem - I'm at my goal (Male,5'7 150lbs) I have been averaging about 1600 calories a day for the past few months and lost 14lbs in the last two months. I work out 4-5 times a week. I'm not looking to build huge muscle mass. After my regular meals and snacks I'm full and find that if I do decide to eat extra calories I'm eating unhealthy foods. So, How do I maintain my weight as I don't think I should go under 150 and I can't really increase my meals as I'm full now. I assume if I keep going with the same eating habits I'm going to continue to lose weight. I'd love to eat more of that "bad" foods but I don't think that is the smart way to go either.
    Suggestions?

    How can someone maintain & still be at a deficit? When you maintain that means not being at a deficit & not going over your calories.

    Why are you labeling foods as good or bad? You should eat in a way that will be sustainable for life. If you like ice cream, peanut butter, nachos, chips, etc. then work something into your diary everyday. If you have a trigger food that will make you binge then eliminate it from your diet until you can moderate it without screwing up your progress. I recently had trouble moderating ice cream & slowly worked it back into my diet without eating the whole carton.

    Maybe you're eating too many foods that are satiating but lower calorie. You could add things that pack a higher calorie punch like nuts, avocado, peanut butter, gelato, etc.
  • Docbanana2002
    Docbanana2002 Posts: 357 Member
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    Eat nutritious foods that are calorie dense, like nuts, avocado, dried fruits, olive oil, etc. Include starchy veggies like potatoes, beans, corn and some whole grains. Sounds like you need to switch your mindset because maybe you are equating "healthy" with "low in calories" and stuffing yourself full of stuff like spinach that is so low calorie that you'd need to eat a mountain of it to meet your calorie goals. Plenty of healthy/nutritious foods are high calorie... what makes them healthy is that they include nutrients (not "empty" calories) and the calories come from healthy fats, minimally processed carbs, etc.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    morrprop wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Are you still losing weight at 1600 or what? Something is off.

    At 1600 I've lost the weight to get to 150. Now I am worried if I stay at the 1600 I will keep losing weight.

    You will. Because that's a deficit. So set MFP to maintenance or find your TDEE and eat.
  • scrittrice
    scrittrice Posts: 345 Member
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    What number is MFP giving you for maintenance? I know it's not 1600, because I'm older than you are and female and the same height and it gives me more than that.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    There are plenty of healthy foods that will push your calories up. (You don't have to make a steady diet of peanut butter.) But yes, if you keep eating at 1600, you'll continue to lose weight.
  • morrprop
    morrprop Posts: 13 Member
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    scrittrice wrote: »
    What number is MFP giving you for maintenance? I know it's not 1600, because I'm older than you are and female and the same height and it gives me more than that.

    2200 for maintenance. 1600 is what I have averaged in the past 60 day's. Going to try to get to 1800 and see what happens.

    I think I'm going to have a hard time getting to 2200 without eating junky foods or feeling really full all the time.

    At least I won't feel guilty if I ever go over my calories!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited May 2015
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    You can eat more! As other's have said choose some more calorie dense foods and enjoy those cals! I'm a petite woman and I eat way more than you, enjoy those extra cals, I know I do :smiley:

    (I'm 5 ft 2/ 45 yrs/ 133lbs/ very active and TDEE 2300 / I lose eating less than 1900 cals)
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    You don't continue to eat at a deficit once you are at your goal weight. To maintain, you eat at maintenance level. You should have been tapering off your deficit as you approached your goal weight, to train yourself to adapt to maintenance eating. As long as you continue to eat in a deficit, yes, you will continue to lose weight.
    I'm 5'7", 123-124 lbs, in maintenance, and I eat 2000 calories a day to maintain. More than that with exercise. You need to eat more.
  • scrittrice
    scrittrice Posts: 345 Member
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    I may be misreading you, but it sounds as if it would be a good idea for you to speak to a therapist. You are eating a really small number of calories, and you are already worried about feeling guilty if you eat the proper amount. Additionally, you are clearly dividing food into "good" and "bad" categories. Those are all red flags.

    That said, I think you'll be surprised at how your appetite wakes up when you stop eating at a deficit. Mine did, at least.
  • tomsarno
    tomsarno Posts: 105 Member
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    Everyone is different. Change your carb to protein ratio. Eat a little more fat. You never gave your height, but 150lbs sounds very light to me
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
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    Don't try to jump right up to maintenance. Slowly up your calories a bit every week and your appetite will adjust.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    If you gradually increase your calories, you'll adapt to the new amount of food without feeling full. That has been my experience, at least.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    morrprop wrote: »
    Bizurke51 wrote: »
    morrprop wrote: »
    Here is my problem - I'm at my goal (Male,5'7 150lbs) I have been averaging about 1600 calories a day for the past few months and lost 14lbs in the last two months. I work out 4-5 times a week. I'm not looking to build huge muscle mass. After my regular meals and snacks I'm full and find that if I do decide to eat extra calories I'm eating unhealthy foods. So, How do I maintain my weight as I don't think I should go under 150 and I can't really increase my meals as I'm full now. I assume if I keep going with the same eating habits I'm going to continue to lose weight. I'd love to eat more of that "bad" foods but I don't think that is the smart way to go either.
    Suggestions?

    I'm having this issue too, but everyone is saying it's ok to eat junk food if u stay under budget. Just get protein and other healthy food too.

    If you want to increase calories without ratting junk just eat more good food or eat higher calorie food. Start mixing peanut butter in your diet, 180 for 2 spoon fulls. Maybe go from almond milk to Fat free or 1%. Simple stuff like that.

    That is a good idea. as an example I use fat free milk, can go to 1% and see what happens. I'm happy to eat more of the things I really like (ice cream, Nachos) but other then a few times a month as I do now I did not think the healthy way to do it was to increase that type of stuff.

    dietary fat IS healthy...you need dietary fat. stop drinking fat free milk and hell, go to 2%. Eat some nuts...avocados...cook with some olive oil...eat some cheese...have some peanutbutter.

    people who have difficulty reaching paltry calorie targets most often have cut out way too much fat from their diet due to not understanding how essential dietary fat really is. It's healthy...
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
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    Dude, eat some fat. Bacon.

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