Expert Advice

unnichaacko

First of, I am asking this question on behalf of my sister-in-law who does not want to create an account here. Secondly, I never was concerned about my weight, I don't have much knowledge about it, hence this discussion thread.

Question : Can you lose weight eating maintenance calories and working out? Here are some of her information which might be helpful while answering.

1 - She started working out from about mid July and started eating cleaner since August 9th (there was one vacation week where she ate whatever she wanted but kept on working out and she gained about 1.3lbs and she is perfectly fine with it)

2 - She lost about 6/7lbs so far and is pretty happy with her progress since she is only 5 (or may be a little less) and started at 128 and now at 122/121-ish. She has also lost couple of inches from many of her problem areas. She isn't concerned about weight as long as the inches are coming of.

3 - She has always been a yo-yo dieter, whenever she felt she is gaining some, she tries strict diet and then gives up. Until this mid July, when she started to eat healthy, and exercising. But she wants to eat at her maintenance calories and work out as she thinks this is much more easier than the previous times she did yo-yo dieting. PS: Her maintenance calories is somewhat 1400/1450 calories considering she is a sedentary women who works out six times a week, (3days a week HIIT, 3days a week strength training. She occasionally trains with me sometimes also). And her workout calories are not added to her TDEE calories. Its the calories according to her height, weight and activity level which is desk job. And yes, as of now, she eats about 1200/1300 calories.

Has anyone seen progress like this, eating at maintenance and working out regularly?

middlehaitch

One can chose to lose weight this way. It is still CICO.
Same as with losing with a calorie deficit, make sure the weekly weight loss goal is appropriate.

Cheers, h.
Edit. The 1200-1300 is a little low. At 5'1 and when I weighed 120-128 I was losing about .75 a week and that was when I was eating back 150-200 cals for exercise. She may want to eat at her true maintenance, or split it to 50% deficit 50% exercise. h.