Can you lose weight by eating maintenance and working out (without eating exercise calories back)?

Relaxingmind
Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
I lost my first 30 pounds or so mainly by reducing the amount of calories I ate with daily walks. Then I added a few days of light cardio exercise and ate a little bit more calories and eventually lost the next 15 pounds. I'm aiming for 15 more to go and have switched to intense cardio and added heavy lifting. But its gotten to the point where creating a deficit by eating less is becoming too difficult. Even on days with high protein and nutritious foods like green veggies and lots of water, I still am very hungry. I have even been getting recent carb cravings despite 30-35% of my calories coming from carbs. I'm wondering if I can just switch to maintenance and lose the last of my weight through exercise?

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Technically Yes

    But literally no...because eating at maintenance implies you have factored in your exercise

    What you're doing is eating at a level you would eat if sedentary and not factoring in purposeful exercise

    The issue with exercise calories is
    Difficult to measure accurately...take bio feedback over time
    Weight training is even more tricky to measure and you can't use an HRM but it's great for composition
    You're going to get hungry on an intense workout regime because your body needs fuel
    If you don't exercise will you feel guilty?
    What about rest days?

    Try it and see if it works for you

  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Technically Yes

    But literally no...because eating at maintenance implies you have factored in your exercise

    What you're doing is eating at a level you would eat if sedentary and not factoring in purposeful exercise

    The issue with exercise calories is
    Difficult to measure accurately...take bio feedback over time
    Weight training is even more tricky to measure and you can't use an HRM but it's great for composition
    You're going to get hungry on an intense workout regime because your body needs fuel
    If you don't exercise will you feel guilty?
    What about rest days?

    Try it and see if it works for you

    Thanks! I will give it a try. I'm 5'6 and 130 by the way. My goal is 115. It gets harder as I get closer, I've noticed.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited September 2016
    This is exactly what I'm doing now. I've done it in the past but it was slow going, probably because it is difficult to get a precise calorie burn, even though i have a fitbit which overestimates IMO. Right now i am eating my maintenance calories and "trying" to leave at least 500 calories in the green every night, which in reality is probably only 250 or 300 at the most. I also only have around 4kgs left to lose, so it's going to be slow whichever way i choose.

    I'll be curious to see where I'm at in 2-3 weeks, by then I'll hopefully be able to get a better handle on how many exercise calories to leave behind..
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Technically Yes

    But literally no...because eating at maintenance implies you have factored in your exercise

    What you're doing is eating at a level you would eat if sedentary and not factoring in purposeful exercise

    The issue with exercise calories is
    Difficult to measure accurately...take bio feedback over time
    Weight training is even more tricky to measure and you can't use an HRM but it's great for composition
    You're going to get hungry on an intense workout regime because your body needs fuel
    If you don't exercise will you feel guilty?
    What about rest days?

    Try it and see if it works for you

    Thanks! I will give it a try. I'm 5'6 and 130 by the way. My goal is 115. It gets harder as I get closer, I've noticed.

    Is there a reason you are aiming so low?

    This was my first thought too..

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Technically Yes

    But literally no...because eating at maintenance implies you have factored in your exercise

    What you're doing is eating at a level you would eat if sedentary and not factoring in purposeful exercise

    The issue with exercise calories is
    Difficult to measure accurately...take bio feedback over time
    Weight training is even more tricky to measure and you can't use an HRM but it's great for composition
    You're going to get hungry on an intense workout regime because your body needs fuel
    If you don't exercise will you feel guilty?
    What about rest days?

    Try it and see if it works for you

    Thanks! I will give it a try. I'm 5'6 and 130 by the way. My goal is 115. It gets harder as I get closer, I've noticed.

    Then I'm out because 115 is not an appropriate goal for someone who is 5'6 and is already at a relatively low weight IMHO

    If you have issues with the way you look it will more probably be down to musculature, and solved through training, or body dysmorphia
  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Technically Yes

    But literally no...because eating at maintenance implies you have factored in your exercise

    What you're doing is eating at a level you would eat if sedentary and not factoring in purposeful exercise

    The issue with exercise calories is
    Difficult to measure accurately...take bio feedback over time
    Weight training is even more tricky to measure and you can't use an HRM but it's great for composition
    You're going to get hungry on an intense workout regime because your body needs fuel
    If you don't exercise will you feel guilty?
    What about rest days?

    Try it and see if it works for you

    Thanks! I will give it a try. I'm 5'6 and 130 by the way. My goal is 115. It gets harder as I get closer, I've noticed.

    Is there a reason you are aiming so low? 115 would be considered slightly underweight for your height. When you are already at a healthy weight, yep it gets super hard to eat at a deficit because you get to a point where you aren't giving your body enough fuel for the basics.

    So IMHO I think eating maintenance level and letting any deficit come from exercise is your best bet. And on days when your exercise makes you really hungry, eat more. Expect it to be really slow, and consider that you might want to reconsider your goal weight if you don't lose anything in 4-6 weeks. Doing recomp where you aim to maintain your weight but lower your body fat % might end up being a better plan. It's amazing how different your body can look at the same weight but lower BF%, so if you're not really aiming for a weight but more a look that might work better. Good luck!

    Would I be able to reach my desired pant size with recomp without losing weight? Most of my remaining unwanted weight is on my lower half.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited September 2016
    I lost my first 30 pounds or so mainly by reducing the amount of calories I ate with daily walks. Then I added a few days of light cardio exercise and ate a little bit more calories and eventually lost the next 15 pounds. I'm aiming for 15 more to go and have switched to intense cardio and added heavy lifting. But its gotten to the point where creating a deficit by eating less is becoming too difficult. Even on days with high protein and nutritious foods like green veggies and lots of water, I still am very hungry. I have even been getting recent carb cravings despite 30-35% of my calories coming from carbs. I'm wondering if I can just switch to maintenance and lose the last of my weight through exercise?

    Yes, because you've created a calorie deficit through exercise. However, no matter what you do, those last pounds are going to come off slowly.

    Also, when you actually want to maintain, you will either need to eat your exercise calories back or you will need to stop exercising. I suggest the former and not the latter.

    ETA: I just saw your posting where you are 5 ft 6 at 130 and aiming for 115. This is five pounds underweight.. I also suggest you look into body comp and not lose any weight, as this would be unhealthy. You may weigh the same or more, but you will get smaller.

    By the way, numbers on the scale and pant size are irrelevant in the face of making sure you stay healthy while trying to manage your weight.

    As for weight being on your lower half, that could be the way you are built due to genetics. I suspect that "weight on your lower half" is more your perception than anything because you are already in a healthy weight range for your height.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,026 Member
    If you eat at maintenance (equal your calorie burn), you neither lose nor gain weight. If you less than you burn, then you lose weight. Adding exercise increases your burn, so you're technically eating at a deficit. Math doesn't change when it comes to CICO.
    Eating at maintenance while you exercise would result in no weight loss.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
    edited September 2016
    It's how I lost the first 15 pounds, along with utilizing IF to keep my appetite in check. (I used my goal weight maintenance). Now that I have 19 left to go, I set my goal here to 1/2 pound a week. The two numbers are within 50 calories of each other.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Technically Yes

    But literally no...because eating at maintenance implies you have factored in your exercise

    What you're doing is eating at a level you would eat if sedentary and not factoring in purposeful exercise

    The issue with exercise calories is
    Difficult to measure accurately...take bio feedback over time
    Weight training is even more tricky to measure and you can't use an HRM but it's great for composition
    You're going to get hungry on an intense workout regime because your body needs fuel
    If you don't exercise will you feel guilty?
    What about rest days?

    Try it and see if it works for you

    Thanks! I will give it a try. I'm 5'6 and 130 by the way. My goal is 115. It gets harder as I get closer, I've noticed.

    Is there a reason you are aiming so low? 115 would be considered slightly underweight for your height. When you are already at a healthy weight, yep it gets super hard to eat at a deficit because you get to a point where you aren't giving your body enough fuel for the basics.

    So IMHO I think eating maintenance level and letting any deficit come from exercise is your best bet. And on days when your exercise makes you really hungry, eat more. Expect it to be really slow, and consider that you might want to reconsider your goal weight if you don't lose anything in 4-6 weeks. Doing recomp where you aim to maintain your weight but lower your body fat % might end up being a better plan. It's amazing how different your body can look at the same weight but lower BF%, so if you're not really aiming for a weight but more a look that might work better. Good luck!

    Would I be able to reach my desired pant size with recomp without losing weight? Most of my remaining unwanted weight is on my lower half.

    Depends on your frame, genetic predisposition and musculature

    Also brand and store...clothes sizes are incredibly variable

    Who knows?

    Muscles pull you in, lift and sculpt your body irrespective of weight

    In fact with a decent musculature you will probably weigh more not less

    Weight is irrelevant

    What is your size goal at 5'6?

    I'm 5'8 ..weigh considerably more than you (my BMI is around 24..at 160lbs) and my skinny jeans are a US 4

  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    If you eat at maintenance (equal your calorie burn), you neither lose nor gain weight. If you less than you burn, then you lose weight. Adding exercise increases your burn, so you're technically eating at a deficit. Math doesn't change when it comes to CICO.
    Eating at maintenance while you exercise would result in no weight loss.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    What I meant is eating equal to sedentary calories while exercising. An earlier commenter above mentioned that, too. You should know what I was implying. No need to correct me.
  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Technically Yes

    But literally no...because eating at maintenance implies you have factored in your exercise

    What you're doing is eating at a level you would eat if sedentary and not factoring in purposeful exercise

    The issue with exercise calories is
    Difficult to measure accurately...take bio feedback over time
    Weight training is even more tricky to measure and you can't use an HRM but it's great for composition
    You're going to get hungry on an intense workout regime because your body needs fuel
    If you don't exercise will you feel guilty?
    What about rest days?

    Try it and see if it works for you

    Thanks! I will give it a try. I'm 5'6 and 130 by the way. My goal is 115. It gets harder as I get closer, I've noticed.

    Is there a reason you are aiming so low? 115 would be considered slightly underweight for your height. When you are already at a healthy weight, yep it gets super hard to eat at a deficit because you get to a point where you aren't giving your body enough fuel for the basics.

    So IMHO I think eating maintenance level and letting any deficit come from exercise is your best bet. And on days when your exercise makes you really hungry, eat more. Expect it to be really slow, and consider that you might want to reconsider your goal weight if you don't lose anything in 4-6 weeks. Doing recomp where you aim to maintain your weight but lower your body fat % might end up being a better plan. It's amazing how different your body can look at the same weight but lower BF%, so if you're not really aiming for a weight but more a look that might work better. Good luck!

    Would I be able to reach my desired pant size with recomp without losing weight? Most of my remaining unwanted weight is on my lower half.

    Depends on your frame, genetic predisposition and musculature

    Also brand and store...clothes sizes are incredibly variable

    Who knows?

    Muscles pull you in, lift and sculpt your body irrespective of weight

    In fact with a decent musculature you will probably weigh more not less

    Weight is irrelevant

    What is your size goal at 5'6?

    I'm 5'8 ..weigh considerably more than you (my BMI is around 24..at 160lbs) and my skinny jeans are a US 4

    I'm actually same size as you (size 4) but my thighs, bum, lower back, etc is all soft. I never wear short shorts because even though they do fit circumference-wise, too much may be exposed due to "sag". This is driving me nuts...
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    edited September 2016
    It's all just fiddling around with the numbers. All that matters is the deficit, whether you're getting there by eating less, exercising more or a combination of both. I personally wouldn't like this method as I exercise in an inconsistent way, but if your exercise is more consistent it should work.

    All you're doing is the TDEE method, really. You're just taking the sedentary maintenance number and using that as TDEE minus a deficit. Unless your exercise is very consistent your deficit will vary from day to day but if that doesn't bother you, fire away.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    If you eat at maintenance (equal your calorie burn), you neither lose nor gain weight. If you less than you burn, then you lose weight. Adding exercise increases your burn, so you're technically eating at a deficit. Math doesn't change when it comes to CICO.
    Eating at maintenance while you exercise would result in no weight loss.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    What I meant is eating equal to sedentary calories while exercising. An earlier commenter above mentioned that, too. You should know what I was implying. No need to correct me.

    No, when people have to guess what other people mean, and whether they even understand what they're saying, that's how misunderstandings occur. There's no harm in someone asking you to clarify when what you say doesn't make any sense.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited September 2016
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Technically Yes

    But literally no...because eating at maintenance implies you have factored in your exercise

    What you're doing is eating at a level you would eat if sedentary and not factoring in purposeful exercise

    The issue with exercise calories is
    Difficult to measure accurately...take bio feedback over time
    Weight training is even more tricky to measure and you can't use an HRM but it's great for composition
    You're going to get hungry on an intense workout regime because your body needs fuel
    If you don't exercise will you feel guilty?
    What about rest days?

    Try it and see if it works for you

    Thanks! I will give it a try. I'm 5'6 and 130 by the way. My goal is 115. It gets harder as I get closer, I've noticed.

    Is there a reason you are aiming so low? 115 would be considered slightly underweight for your height. When you are already at a healthy weight, yep it gets super hard to eat at a deficit because you get to a point where you aren't giving your body enough fuel for the basics.

    So IMHO I think eating maintenance level and letting any deficit come from exercise is your best bet. And on days when your exercise makes you really hungry, eat more. Expect it to be really slow, and consider that you might want to reconsider your goal weight if you don't lose anything in 4-6 weeks. Doing recomp where you aim to maintain your weight but lower your body fat % might end up being a better plan. It's amazing how different your body can look at the same weight but lower BF%, so if you're not really aiming for a weight but more a look that might work better. Good luck!

    Would I be able to reach my desired pant size with recomp without losing weight? Most of my remaining unwanted weight is on my lower half.

    Depends on your frame, genetic predisposition and musculature

    Also brand and store...clothes sizes are incredibly variable

    Who knows?

    Muscles pull you in, lift and sculpt your body irrespective of weight

    In fact with a decent musculature you will probably weigh more not less

    Weight is irrelevant

    What is your size goal at 5'6?

    I'm 5'8 ..weigh considerably more than you (my BMI is around 24..at 160lbs) and my skinny jeans are a US 4

    I'm actually same size as you (size 4) but my thighs, bum, lower back, etc is all soft. I never wear short shorts because even though they do fit circumference-wise, too much may be exposed due to "sag". This is driving me nuts...

    Get a programme
    Books
    Strong Curves
    New Rules of Lifting for Women

    Structured online programmes
    http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
    https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
    http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/4-week-guide-starting-strength


    Why?
    this is staci from nerdfitness...she weighs 11lbs more in the pic on the right

    cxbpwn7zt158.jpeg


    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    If you can't bring yourself to do free weights yet then do a decent bodyweight programme
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    The reason you're so hungry is because your body fat is low enough that your body resists further weight loss by increasing hunger. Time to look at fitness and muscle development and stop trying to pare yourself down even more, in my opinion.
This discussion has been closed.