How to make the transition to maintenance?
Jessicalg1981
Posts: 51 Member
Ok, so after losing 86lbs I'm 1.5lb away from my goal weight (yay me!) and I'm wondering how to go about transitioning to maintenance. How many calories should I be eating? I'm so scared I'll gain!!! This is really hard. Any advice or personal stories dealing with this are welcome. Since getting to the point where I'm genuinely happy about the way I look I have a lot of little moments of panic that I'll gain it all back!! Please help! 
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Replies
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Not sure what other did, but once I reached my goal I set it to 5lbs lower and then upped my calories to meet .5 lbs/ a week. I did this to allow for the rebound of a few lbs when I transitioned... but it never happened. I go over a few days a week and under others. I have been my gw for about 6 months now +/-2 lbs. That is what worked for me0
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So, you set your goal to 5lbs lower? then said you wanted to lose .5lbs a week? Is that what you mean? Sorry, my brain doesn't handle math too well lol.0
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I've been on maintenance since March. And basically I took my TDEE and try to eat in that range. I weigh in weekly and gave myself a five pound window to work with. As long as I'm within that five pound window, I'm doing okay.
I'm fairly inactive, so if you are doing lot of exercise you may need more food than I do. And I'm old(er)...
My stats, for comparison purposes:
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 120-125 (depends on the day)
Age: 44
Activity level: Sedentary
Calorie Intake Goal: 1600-1700
By the way I have a very small bone structure so 120 might sound low but for my body type it really isn't.0 -
Hi,
First of all congratulations on your incredible achievement
I have been successfully maintaining (+ or - 2 pounds) since April last year, start by increasing your calories by maybe 100 or so a day and try that for a few weeks, keep doing that until you find a level that works. I am 5' 6" and weigh 140 pounds, my job is sedentary so I maintain on 1900 calories then add and eat my exercise calories back.
Good luck, A 0 -
For me I just went into MFP and set it to maintenance. I have been following it for a couple weeks now and while I fluctuate 5 or so pounds during the week (I weigh daily), all in all I am maintaining. I had a foot injury so I haven't been running much lately and even with that I haven't gained, I just cut back on the calories making an educated guess.0
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I think you are supposed to up your calories a little (100 or so) for a couple weeks until you are no longer losing weight...or something like that. Check out this group, I'm certain they can offer you some good advice.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress0 -
I stopped logging and have converted to a high fat diet with intermittent fasting which I call no grains no sugar no breakfast. It has worked for me and I've never felt better.0
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I actually went 2 pounds below my goal weight before eating at maintenance level. It helped my body to readjust to the new calorie level and I'm up and down within two pounds. My goal weight was 110, and I go between 108.5 and 110.5 now. I'm pretty happy with that.0
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Maintenance is eating at your TDEE. Get your food diary and a calculator or spreadsheet if you don't know your TDEE.0
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Just switch to maintenance calories. There's no magic involved.0
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You're going to gain weight, nothing can be done about that. Slowly increase your calories. Add 100-200 a day for a week (probably two) and monitor the results. You'll more than likely spike up a few pounds the first week, simply from glycogen stores being replenished and water retention from increase consumption. Typically it will settle down after a week or two and you're probably even continue to lose. If so adjust up again until you find a level where you stay within a given range, say 5 lbs up and down, over the course of a month.
That is more than likely your maintenance level, everything else being equal or static (activity etc...)
I adjusted up, over time, from 1300 all the way up to 4100 @ 5'10" 195lbs with this method. (Currently cutting again at 3000)0 -
Ok, so after losing 86lbs I'm 1.5lb away from my goal weight (yay me!) and I'm wondering how to go about transitioning to maintenance. How many calories should I be eating? I'm so scared I'll gain!!! This is really hard. Any advice or personal stories dealing with this are welcome. Since getting to the point where I'm genuinely happy about the way I look I have a lot of little moments of panic that I'll gain it all back!! Please help!
Put your goal in MFP to maintain...just like you did to lose. It will give you maintenance calories. I'd recommend increasing slowly to those calories if you've been going balls to the wall the whole time. You're supposed to slow up gradually as you approach maintenance...kinda like a car coming to a stop light...so if you haven't, stepping on the gas balls to the wall to maintenance is going to freak your metabolism out.
When I wen to maintenance, I slowly increased my calories by 100 per day week by week until I got to maintenance. If you've been on a two pound per week goal, maybe do 200 calories per day week to week to let your metabolism adjust.0 -
Like everyone said, gradually increase your calories to what you estimate as your maintenance level, and monitor your weight and measurements closely. That is probably something you will have to do for some time, if not forever.
Something that hasn't yet been mentioned is that psychologically, maintenance can be tough for people because there is no obvious goal apart from staying the same. So I would set some other goal--perhaps fitness-related. Now that I am at maintenance, I am focusing on increasing my strength, which requires paying attention to my intake so I am eating enough. I think I would find maintenance fairly boring if I had to only my inactivity to sustain (though YMMV).0 -
Congrats on reaching your goal!!!
I won't comment on the technical part of maintenance (how many cals, TDEE, etc).
But I'm surprised by how hard it is mentally to switch to maintenance mode. I've been at maintenance since May. Like an above poster, I also lowered my goal by 5 lbs just for kicks and giggles. I lost 2 of those 5 lbs when I experimented with 5:2 fasting for a month, and I've just sort of maintained that, but I'm not trying to lose more. I fluctuate on any given day 2-3 lbs anyway.
What's hard is the fear of gaining the weight back. It's not a rational fear at all. I stopped counting calories for a couple of months, and at first I found it liberating, but now I just find that not knowing my daily calories is adding stress. Even though I know what I'm eating, the lack of tracking is stressful in its own way. So I decided to go back to tracking... not to lose more weight, but to just let the data it gives me feel more in control.
We went on a beach vacation earlier this month, and I told my hubby to take a picture of me, because "I may never be this thin again". He thought I was nuts for saying it. It's like I don't really believe that I've lost the weight, or that I'll be able to keep it off. Even though I've completely changed my eating habits from "the old me" and I'm not going back to old behaviors, I still fear gaining.
For the past couple of weeks, I've had my house for sale and I've moved the scale out of my bathroom. I think that's created the most stress of all. Without that data point in the morning, I find that I look in the mirror and see more fat and think, "Oh my Gawd, I've gained weight back". Then I pull out the scale, and find that I haven't, and it's a case of distorted perception.
Anyway... no particular advice here, but just a "beware". I find it's harder mentally than being in loss mode.0 -
Not trying to be mean, but quite honestly, you sound like you need some psychological counseling or therapy.Congrats on reaching your goal!!!
I won't comment on the technical part of maintenance (how many cals, TDEE, etc).
But I'm surprised by how hard it is mentally to switch to maintenance mode. I've been at maintenance since May. Like an above poster, I also lowered my goal by 5 lbs just for kicks and giggles. I lost 2 of those 5 lbs when I experimented with 5:2 fasting for a month, and I've just sort of maintained that, but I'm not trying to lose more. I fluctuate on any given day 2-3 lbs anyway.
What's hard is the fear of gaining the weight back. It's not a rational fear at all. I stopped counting calories for a couple of months, and at first I found it liberating, but now I just find that not knowing my daily calories is adding stress. Even though I know what I'm eating, the lack of tracking is stressful in its own way. So I decided to go back to tracking... not to lose more weight, but to just let the data it gives me feel more in control.
We went on a beach vacation earlier this month, and I told my hubby to take a picture of me, because "I may never be this thin again". He thought I was nuts for saying it. It's like I don't really believe that I've lost the weight, or that I'll be able to keep it off. Even though I've completely changed my eating habits from "the old me" and I'm not going back to old behaviors, I still fear gaining.
For the past couple of weeks, I've had my house for sale and I've moved the scale out of my bathroom. I think that's created the most stress of all. Without that data point in the morning, I find that I look in the mirror and see more fat and think, "Oh my Gawd, I've gained weight back". Then I pull out the scale, and find that I haven't, and it's a case of distorted perception.
Anyway... no particular advice here, but just a "beware". I find it's harder mentally than being in loss mode.0 -
Not trying to be mean, but quite honestly, you sound like you need some psychological counseling or therapy.Congrats on reaching your goal!!!
I won't comment on the technical part of maintenance (how many cals, TDEE, etc).
But I'm surprised by how hard it is mentally to switch to maintenance mode. I've been at maintenance since May. Like an above poster, I also lowered my goal by 5 lbs just for kicks and giggles. I lost 2 of those 5 lbs when I experimented with 5:2 fasting for a month, and I've just sort of maintained that, but I'm not trying to lose more. I fluctuate on any given day 2-3 lbs anyway.
What's hard is the fear of gaining the weight back. It's not a rational fear at all. I stopped counting calories for a couple of months, and at first I found it liberating, but now I just find that not knowing my daily calories is adding stress. Even though I know what I'm eating, the lack of tracking is stressful in its own way. So I decided to go back to tracking... not to lose more weight, but to just let the data it gives me feel more in control.
We went on a beach vacation earlier this month, and I told my hubby to take a picture of me, because "I may never be this thin again". He thought I was nuts for saying it. It's like I don't really believe that I've lost the weight, or that I'll be able to keep it off. Even though I've completely changed my eating habits from "the old me" and I'm not going back to old behaviors, I still fear gaining.
For the past couple of weeks, I've had my house for sale and I've moved the scale out of my bathroom. I think that's created the most stress of all. Without that data point in the morning, I find that I look in the mirror and see more fat and think, "Oh my Gawd, I've gained weight back". Then I pull out the scale, and find that I haven't, and it's a case of distorted perception.
Anyway... no particular advice here, but just a "beware". I find it's harder mentally than being in loss mode.
Tigersword, come back when you have been at maintenance for a while and see if you feel the same way.0 -
Not trying to be mean, but quite honestly, you sound like you need some psychological counseling or therapy.
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I figured out my TDEE and ate it.
That's it. Weight has remained the same for almost two years.0 -
in my opinion, 1.5 lbs from goal weight = being at goal weight.0
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Absolutely no need to go back to calculators and all that jazz!!
As most people have said - just slowly add calories (custom set goal) week by week and be as accurate as you can with your food logging until you find the point where you stay in a range of weight you are happy with.
Very important to mentally allow yourself a range rather than one set number or you will get frustrated by the normal fluctuations you see on the scales.
Well done by the way. :flowerforyou:0 -
I'll also add that maintenance can be either very easy or very difficult. The people I know who've found it to be difficult never really learned how to eat properly. They "dieted" rather than learning portion control, moderation, etc. They go to maintenance and they eat completely different from the way they ate while losing. It shouldn't really be that way...the only difference between my cut and maintenance is the number of calories I consume; my overall diet (noun) remains the same...lots of fruit and veg, lean proteins, healthy fats, and some whole grains...with a few treats thrown in there for good measure (usually beer).
For me, it's not an issue...I spent a long time learning to eat this way...I spent a long time learning what a portion looks like, not only on my food scale, but in my hand and on my plate. I can grab a handful of nuts and come within a gram or two of a true serving.
I also live a fitness centric lifestyle...I don't really workout, I train for sport. The 2nd biggest mistake (above being the 1st) is that people drop off on their fitness...you can't do that an not expect to gain. Fitness has to be a part of your lifestyle not just while you're "dieting."
If you continue to treat your diet like a noun rather than an action verb...and you continue to get your fitness on, maintenance is easy. Be mindful that just as your weight loss wasn't linear, weight maintenance isn't static...you still have natural fluctuations up and down...you should establish a floor and a ceiling for yourself.0 -
When I hit my goal, I raised my intake 200 a day for a week, then checked if I was still losing at the end of the week. If I was I raised my calories 200 a day again, and repeated the cycle. I found a good balance following this method without having a huge one day change in how much I was eating. That was over 18 months ago, and I'm still on target. I bounce up and down in 5 lbs target range now.
I also started eating back most of my exercise calories during maintenance, which I did not do while I was losing the weight.
For the past 6 months I've been on a slow bulk. It's tough putting weight back on, even when it's mostly lean muscle, when you worked so hard to get to a goal.0 -
So, you set your goal to 5lbs lower? then said you wanted to lose .5lbs a week? Is that what you mean? Sorry, my brain doesn't handle math too well lol.
Yeah I adjusted my goal weight just for a visual goal. When I started to convert to maintenance mode I changed my weekly loss plan from 1lbs to .5lbs per week, which upped my daily calories by about 175. I found it very easy this way but like others said it won't take any magic. For me it was easier than I expected.0 -
One thing that helped me find my true maintenance was doing some math with my own numbers. I was mostly consistent with tracking and weighing over a 2 month period of time so when I got to the point that I didn't want to lose anymore weight, I did some math. So for instance, if my average intake was 1900 over 8 weeks and I lost 3 pounds in that time frame than I know by the numbers I could have eaten about 190 more calories per day and not lost weight.
3lbs. X 3500 cal per pound = 10,500 calories I could have eaten but didn't so therefore lost the weight.
10,500 cal / 8 wks = 1312 calories per week
1312 cal / 7 days = 187 / day
That's of course using the standard 3500 calories = 1 lb. I will say though that it did pretty much hold true for me. I've raised my calories and have been maintaining for months. If you were consistent for a good period of time, than you can get a better idea of what your true TDEE is instead of what a calculator says.0 -
There is a lot of good info in here too:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/152-maintenance
I have been maintaining since November 2011. When I was within 5 lbs of my goals, I switches from 1 lb/week of weight loss to 1/2 lb/week, then to maintain. Some people up by 100 calories/day every week until they hit maintenance when they hit their goal weight.
Like the others, it is a bit of a mental challenge not having a loss to look forward to anymore. I have been working on fitness and strength goals since meeting my weight goal. I found the eating part of it easy because I never was on a "diet". I just got to enjoy a bit more of the foods I enjoyed.0 -
You're going to gain weight, nothing can be done about that. Slowly increase your calories. Add 100-200 a day for a week (probably two) and monitor the results. You'll more than likely spike up a few pounds the first week, simply from glycogen stores being replenished and water retention from increase consumption. Typically it will settle down after a week or two and you're probably even continue to lose. If so adjust up again until you find a level where you stay within a given range, say 5 lbs up and down, over the course of a month.
That is more than likely your maintenance level, everything else being equal or static (activity etc...)
I adjusted up, over time, from 1300 all the way up to 4100 @ 5'10" 195lbs with this method. (Currently cutting again at 3000)
Pretty much this.... I have been at maintenance for the past 9 months and am currently maintaining at 4000 calories a day... While I was losing I ate around 2800-3000 calories a day. I don't get on the scale very much anymore but my weight is +/- 5 lbs. whenever I check it and holding there.. I am 6' 1" and 248 lbs. currently.... On August 1st I am going to make a push for 235 lbs. and am planning on cutting calories to 3200 at that time..... Best of Luck0 -
Not trying to be mean, but quite honestly, you sound like you need some psychological counseling or therapy.Congrats on reaching your goal!!!
I won't comment on the technical part of maintenance (how many cals, TDEE, etc).
But I'm surprised by how hard it is mentally to switch to maintenance mode. I've been at maintenance since May. Like an above poster, I also lowered my goal by 5 lbs just for kicks and giggles. I lost 2 of those 5 lbs when I experimented with 5:2 fasting for a month, and I've just sort of maintained that, but I'm not trying to lose more. I fluctuate on any given day 2-3 lbs anyway.
What's hard is the fear of gaining the weight back. It's not a rational fear at all. I stopped counting calories for a couple of months, and at first I found it liberating, but now I just find that not knowing my daily calories is adding stress. Even though I know what I'm eating, the lack of tracking is stressful in its own way. So I decided to go back to tracking... not to lose more weight, but to just let the data it gives me feel more in control.
We went on a beach vacation earlier this month, and I told my hubby to take a picture of me, because "I may never be this thin again". He thought I was nuts for saying it. It's like I don't really believe that I've lost the weight, or that I'll be able to keep it off. Even though I've completely changed my eating habits from "the old me" and I'm not going back to old behaviors, I still fear gaining.
For the past couple of weeks, I've had my house for sale and I've moved the scale out of my bathroom. I think that's created the most stress of all. Without that data point in the morning, I find that I look in the mirror and see more fat and think, "Oh my Gawd, I've gained weight back". Then I pull out the scale, and find that I haven't, and it's a case of distorted perception.
Anyway... no particular advice here, but just a "beware". I find it's harder mentally than being in loss mode.
Tigersword, come back when you have been at maintenance for a while and see if you feel the same way.
LOL. I may need psychological counseling or therapy, but probably not for my diet/eating. I don't think my experience is uncommon. I think many (most?) women have body distortion issues. We look in the mirror and only see our flaws, no matter what we weigh. Objectively, I know I've lost weight. I spent a year changing my eating habits and losing very slowly and in a healthy way. I can see how my clothes fit on me.
It doesn't change the fact that I perceive maintenance to be a harder "mental game", in some ways, than losing.
And, I don't think it's uncommon for many of us on MFP to get so tied into logging and tracking every calorie that we find it hard to adjust to letting go of that control. MFP was an important tool in my weight loss because it kept me accountable and informed. It's sort of scary to let go of that tool.
And, sadly, like many others, I'm totally addicted to my scale. Even though it doesn't tell the whole story, and blah blah blah my self-worth should be determined by the number on the scale, I still get a sense of satisfaction when I see 118 on that thing instead of 145. Without it, I'm left wondering... "Am I creeping up?" It's easier just to step on it and feel relief than avoid it and wonder.0 -
I've been in maintenance since 2011. Then I spent the last 6 months in a bulking cycle, now I'm in a cutting cycle. And yes, I do feel the same way. Thanks for presuming to have a clue about what you are talking about.
Not trying to be mean, but quite honestly, you sound like you need some psychological counseling or therapy.Congrats on reaching your goal!!!
I won't comment on the technical part of maintenance (how many cals, TDEE, etc).
But I'm surprised by how hard it is mentally to switch to maintenance mode. I've been at maintenance since May. Like an above poster, I also lowered my goal by 5 lbs just for kicks and giggles. I lost 2 of those 5 lbs when I experimented with 5:2 fasting for a month, and I've just sort of maintained that, but I'm not trying to lose more. I fluctuate on any given day 2-3 lbs anyway.
What's hard is the fear of gaining the weight back. It's not a rational fear at all. I stopped counting calories for a couple of months, and at first I found it liberating, but now I just find that not knowing my daily calories is adding stress. Even though I know what I'm eating, the lack of tracking is stressful in its own way. So I decided to go back to tracking... not to lose more weight, but to just let the data it gives me feel more in control.
We went on a beach vacation earlier this month, and I told my hubby to take a picture of me, because "I may never be this thin again". He thought I was nuts for saying it. It's like I don't really believe that I've lost the weight, or that I'll be able to keep it off. Even though I've completely changed my eating habits from "the old me" and I'm not going back to old behaviors, I still fear gaining.
For the past couple of weeks, I've had my house for sale and I've moved the scale out of my bathroom. I think that's created the most stress of all. Without that data point in the morning, I find that I look in the mirror and see more fat and think, "Oh my Gawd, I've gained weight back". Then I pull out the scale, and find that I haven't, and it's a case of distorted perception.
Anyway... no particular advice here, but just a "beware". I find it's harder mentally than being in loss mode.
Tigersword, come back when you have been at maintenance for a while and see if you feel the same way.0 -
I've been in maintenance since 2011. Then I spent the last 6 months in a bulking cycle, now I'm in a cutting cycle. And yes, I do feel the same way. Thanks for presuming to have a clue about what you are talking about.
Not trying to be mean, but quite honestly, you sound like you need some psychological counseling or therapy.Congrats on reaching your goal!!!
I won't comment on the technical part of maintenance (how many cals, TDEE, etc).
But I'm surprised by how hard it is mentally to switch to maintenance mode. I've been at maintenance since May. Like an above poster, I also lowered my goal by 5 lbs just for kicks and giggles. I lost 2 of those 5 lbs when I experimented with 5:2 fasting for a month, and I've just sort of maintained that, but I'm not trying to lose more. I fluctuate on any given day 2-3 lbs anyway.
What's hard is the fear of gaining the weight back. It's not a rational fear at all. I stopped counting calories for a couple of months, and at first I found it liberating, but now I just find that not knowing my daily calories is adding stress. Even though I know what I'm eating, the lack of tracking is stressful in its own way. So I decided to go back to tracking... not to lose more weight, but to just let the data it gives me feel more in control.
We went on a beach vacation earlier this month, and I told my hubby to take a picture of me, because "I may never be this thin again". He thought I was nuts for saying it. It's like I don't really believe that I've lost the weight, or that I'll be able to keep it off. Even though I've completely changed my eating habits from "the old me" and I'm not going back to old behaviors, I still fear gaining.
For the past couple of weeks, I've had my house for sale and I've moved the scale out of my bathroom. I think that's created the most stress of all. Without that data point in the morning, I find that I look in the mirror and see more fat and think, "Oh my Gawd, I've gained weight back". Then I pull out the scale, and find that I haven't, and it's a case of distorted perception.
Anyway... no particular advice here, but just a "beware". I find it's harder mentally than being in loss mode.
Tigersword, come back when you have been at maintenance for a while and see if you feel the same way.
No need to get defensive, I was only going by your ticker (which is prominently displayed at the end of every post you make). You diagnosed a poster with psychological problems for which she might need therapy based on a single post, so I am not the only one making assumptions here. I am glad you are not familiar with the emotional aspects of maintenance that many people in this thread have commented on, but that does not mean they are pathological. Good luck with your bulking and cutting.0 -
Im maintaining now and have been for a few months. I do the same as others have said basically, I added about 100 cals a day, sometimes I eat more others less, I still dont eat more than 1/2 of exercise cals most of the time...alot of times I dont eat any exercise cals depending how much I burn..and I give myself a 4lbs window to work with...Im up 4 lbs after the weekend, and down 4 come Friday...been working out great this way.0
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