maintaining goal?

hi, sorry if this has been asked before...

I have reached my goal, yay! after 5 months, at about 1.5lb loss a week.
now, how do I adapt my calorie intake so I do not lose more?
I still want to keep track daily on mfp, but I don't know where to set my calorie goals.

I was doing the tdd less 20% method, so, do I just not take off the 20% anymore? will I gain?

thanks for any guidance. again, sorry if this is a silly question!

Replies

  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    i was doing about 1400 and now to maintain i do 16-700 with out gaining. if i eat over 1800 for quite a few days i will gain
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    You might gain a little, temporarily ,as your body gets used eating more. And it will take some trial and error to find what your actual maintenance is. I'd suggest upping your calories by 100 calories a day for a week, then another 100 calories a day, until you reach what your TDEE is supposed to be. Then sit there for a few weeks and see what happens. Adjust as necessary.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    you can teach a man to fish....
  • Gsdmom2
    Gsdmom2 Posts: 20 Member
    can you please explain what TDD is?
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Yes. You would just eat your TDEE. Or you could just go into settings and change your goals to "Maintenance" and try that calorie goal.
  • 5pmsomewherenow
    5pmsomewherenow Posts: 163 Member
    I've been maintaining since SEP 2012, at about 1640 as my set calorie limit. Like you I was losing at 1450. I just eased it up and began eating back more or all of my exercise calories. I've maintained a pretty active lifestyle, except for my sedentary office job.

    I keep a goal in mind of a swing of about 3-5 lbs - for me it's 150-155lbs. I still log everything I eat, my exercise, and weigh in each Sunday AM. I've pretty much stayed right at 150-152. Don't get me wrong - sometimes I eat too many potato chips or such, but mostly have just slightly increased the amount of good healthy food I eat. I think getting the body used to the healthy lifestyle was key, and now I just crave the good stuff and know it's the key to feeding the body with the right fuel.

    I suggest: 1. set a maintain range of weight, and continue to weigh in once a week. 2. maintain the exercise level that served your body right. 3. slightly increase your calorie level, by increasing the amount of healthy choices you make, and keeping an eye on portions.

    Relax. Trust the lifestyle changes you've made a habit. You're not going off a diet, you're living the healthy lifestyle that you've made a habit. Continue to use MFP as the resource tool to support those habits.
  • SJVZEE
    SJVZEE Posts: 451 Member
    Congrats on reaching goal! Transitioning to maintenance is a process that can take several months and lots of trial and error. The scale can also fluctuate quite a bit during this time, as your body adjusts the the change. Also, your body shape can continue to change, so just be aware of that (I lost another jean size after my weight stabilized-go figure lol).

    Just take it slow and don't worry if the scale goes up a bit at first. Also, it's best to have a maintenance range, instead of a specific maintenance number. This is because your weight will naturally fluctuate throughout the month, but has nothing to do with actual weight (salt intake, time of month etc). Most people chose a 5lb window, though mine is 3lbs.
  • Congrats! I just hit mine today as well and was waiting for my phone App to say Congrats but it didn't. :(. It also did not change my calorie goal either. I had to do that myself. It is in edit profile and change the weight loss goal to maintain.
  • soulshine23
    soulshine23 Posts: 28 Member
    ok thanks everyone for the replies!

    woops, I meant tdee, not tdd... must be the scorching heat affecting my brain...

    so, it sounds like I can up it by about 100 cals and see what happens. I do have that window of about 3lbs that I see a fluctuation with. I guess i'd like to keep this current weight but maybe eventually lose some of this stubborn fat, while making some muscles.

    I will have to go to my settings and tinker around a little.

    I am happy to have met the goal, but its not like I have never met the goal before- I have always gained weight back, so hoping that tracking on mfp will help keep me in line.

    thanks again... just needed some direction.
  • Gsdmom2
    Gsdmom2 Posts: 20 Member
    What is TDEE, please?