Reservations about Maintenance Calorie Goal

ekaustin7

I'm so close... only half a pound to go until I am DONE losing weight. I'm scared, though, about eating my recommended maintenance calories. A little background:

I am 5'8" and started this journey on January 1st at 173.8 pounds. My original goal weight was 145 and that was achieved in early June of this year. When I hit my goal weight, I immediately came to MFP to change my goals to maintain my current weight, but was appalled by the seemingly outrageously high calorie intake it recommended for me. I was eating about 1400 calories a day until I hit 145. MFP's recommended maintenance calories was around 2300, and that just didn't seem right. I then read somewhere that my ideal weight for my body type would be 140, so I decided to move my goal to 140, eating 1720 calories per day to get me there (averaging about -0.5 lbs per week). I work out about 5x per week, an hour each time. I work in a lab and spend a large part of my day walking around from one place to the next.

Has anyone recently moved to maintenance calories and had success keeping their current weight? 2300 just seems like A LOT, especially when I can often stuff myself full and stay under 1800. However, once I get to 140 lbs, I want to make sure I don't lose any more weight at the risk of getting too skinny.

ekaustin7

bump

carrietehbear

I recommend a gradual increase of your calories. I made the mistake of making a sudden increase and it didn't really go so well for me.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

If you're consistently losing weight at 1,720, then 2,300 to maintain seems about right to me. You'll just need to include some calorie dense foods into your diet.

ETA: I am only 5'3 and maintain at 2,100

michellekicks

The other thing to consider is when you cut calories you deplete your glycogen storage - that's why usually you see a big drop the first week of any diet. Once you increase calories those maybe 3-5 lbs will come back. It's the body's way of storing energy and that glycogen is stored with water. So if you increase slowly by 100 calories/day a week at a time, you should still have a deficit and keep cutting fat until you are actually maintaining your target weight with your glycogen storage replenished. Otherwise, you'll be "maintaining" on your cut calories, because every time you try and increase, you will gain water weight. Your body needs that water weight to maintain in a healthy way.

ekaustin7

The other thing to consider is when you cut calories you deplete your glycogen storage - that's why usually you see a big drop the first week of any diet. Once you increase calories those maybe 3-5 lbs will come back. It's the body's way of storing energy and that glycogen is stored with water. So if you increase slowly by 100 calories/day a week at a time, you should still have a deficit and keep cutting fat until you are actually maintaining your target weight with your glycogen storage replenished. Otherwise, you'll be "maintaining" on your cut calories, because every time you try and increase, you will gain water weight. Your body needs that water weight to maintain in a healthy way.

I never knew this... I'm a terrible biologist. Anyway, thank you for this! That's a really great explanation. I will be sure to increase slowly

andresconejo

Im in the exact same position as you, i joined to MFP about half and a month ago lookibg for maintenance even though i have to gain.. it tells me that to maintain i have to eat around 2300 it also seems a lot to me since i usually eat 1000 calories or less... im going to gradually add 100 calories per week cause im too afraid to gain a lot of weight at once

__Di__

The other thing to consider is when you cut calories you deplete your glycogen storage - that's why usually you see a big drop the first week of any diet. Once you increase calories those maybe 3-5 lbs will come back. It's the body's way of storing energy and that glycogen is stored with water. So if you increase slowly by 100 calories/day a week at a time, you should still have a deficit and keep cutting fat until you are actually maintaining your target weight with your glycogen storage replenished. Otherwise, you'll be "maintaining" on your cut calories, because every time you try and increase, you will gain water weight. Your body needs that water weight to maintain in a healthy way.

This is an excellent post!

I remember seeing a thread regarding glycogen storage and how it replenishes when a person suddenly reaches their goal and so eats at maintenance. The OP of that thread said that if people were to get their weight to 5lb below what their original aim was, when the glycogen suddenly replaces and 5lbs goes back on, you will be at your original goal weight and should be able to stay there when eating maintenance calories.

More info should be spread on MFP regarding this, it could save a lot of people heartache and disappointment I think. I wish I could find the thread now, but cannot.

michellekicks

This one?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/993576-why-you-gain-weight-if-you-eat-more-than-your-cut

__Di__

This one?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/993576-why-you-gain-weight-if-you-eat-more-than-your-cut

That's the one!!!. Apologies didn't realize it was your thread too :laugh:

It was one of the most informative, helpful threads I have seen on MFP, really useful! :flowerforyou:

SJVZEE

I'm so close... only half a pound to go until I am DONE losing weight. I'm scared, though, about eating my recommended maintenance calories. A little background:

I am 5'8" and started this journey on January 1st at 173.8 pounds. My original goal weight was 145 and that was achieved in early June of this year. When I hit my goal weight, I immediately came to MFP to change my goals to maintain my current weight, but was appalled by the seemingly outrageously high calorie intake it recommended for me. I was eating about 1400 calories a day until I hit 145. MFP's recommended maintenance calories was around 2300, and that just didn't seem right. I then read somewhere that my ideal weight for my body type would be 140, so I decided to move my goal to 140, eating 1720 calories per day to get me there (averaging about -0.5 lbs per week). I work out about 5x per week, an hour each time. I work in a lab and spend a large part of my day walking around from one place to the next.

Has anyone recently moved to maintenance calories and had success keeping their current weight? 2300 just seems like A LOT, especially when I can often stuff myself full and stay under 1800. However, once I get to 140 lbs, I want to make sure I don't lose any more weight at the risk of getting too skinny.

Congrats on getting to goal Transitioning to maintenance is a process that can take a few months and is full of tweaking. Also, you may continue to lose weight during this time (my weight stabilized 10lbs under my goal weight). Instead of having a specific goal number many people have a maintenance window, usually between 3-5lbs. Your weight naturally fluctuates (sodium intake, time if month etc). A window will give you a more accurate picture of what's going on