Where weight loss stops, it stops. Or?

Options
birgitkwood
birgitkwood Posts: 486 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Question to all you wonderful Maintainers: I'm a 62yr old woman, and 6ft tall. In the past year I lost 104lbs, from 305 to 201. When I started out, I arbitrarily set my "goal" at 195, which - incredibly - is now a mere 6lbs away and will probably be met within a month or two. I really love my current lifestyle! I eat roughly 1600 cals/day, and I exercise roughly about an hour 5 days/wk. I really am not interested in eating less, or exercising more. It is my "plan" to keep living my life in this fashion, maybe continuing to lose weight, or maybe not. Where it stops, it stops - and be satisfied with that. Is this a reasonable plan? Have any of you done this? How did it work for you? Thanks for your help and input!
«1

Replies

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,867 Member
    Options
    Sure, it sounds reasonable. There are people who do their whole weight loss at the estimated maintenance calories for their goal weight, giving them fairly rapid weight loss early and slower as progress goes on. What you're suggesting is pretty much equivalent to that. (Not what I did, though.)
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    Options
    Have you tested the idea by looking at what weight 1600 cals is maintenance for?

    I'm 5'10", 206lbs. Started at 248. I was considering getting to 185, then shifting to calories appropriate for maintenance at 175, and just coasting in.
  • solieco1
    solieco1 Posts: 1,559 Member
    Options
    Sounds brilliant honestly ( she says while computing goal maintenance calories :))
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    Options
    Be happy! If you've got control and you're healthy, do what you want! :smile:
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
    Options
    I inadvertently lost to my maintenance goal and had the same calories throughout and then for maintenance.

    I started at 130 with a goal of 100-105 lbs. I was given 1200 cals to lose 1lbs a week. I always ate back exercise cals on top of that 1200.

    The 1 lbs a week gradually dropped and dropped until it was 1 lbs a month when lucky. Eventually weight loss ground to a halt at about 104 lbs.

    I have been maintaining over 7 years and my sedentary goal has slowly gone up to 1350- ish. I haven't tracked calories for a long time.

    My work out routine is varied but is consistently between 7-9 hr a week. That gives me roughly 1600 cals a day.

    Well done on your loss so far. Your plan sound workable to me. You can always adjust it over time.

    Cheers, h.
  • AEC50
    AEC50 Posts: 124 Member
    Options
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    Have you tested the idea by looking at what weight 1600 cals is maintenance for?

    I'm 5'10", 206lbs. Started at 248. I was considering getting to 185, then shifting to calories appropriate for maintenance at 175, and just coasting in.

    How do you calculate this?
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    Options
    I personally would not be happy until I thought my body looked really great. I tend to push it, in either direction. I lose and gain weight depending on physique and fitness goals.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    Options
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I personally would not be happy until I thought my body looked really great. I tend to push it, in either direction. I lose and gain weight depending on physique and fitness goals.

    Oh to be young again! I have lost 60 pounds and am at a weight I haven't seen since my husband & I married 37 years ago. That said, my 63 year old body doesn't look really great. Too much saggy extra skin even though I'm more fit than I ever was in my 20's.
    Great job, OP, if you are happy where you are that's all that matters. I am very happy with my current weight and am working on some recomp so I can meet a couple mountaineering goals this summer.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    edited March 2017
    Options
    Alexson50 wrote: »
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    Have you tested the idea by looking at what weight 1600 cals is maintenance for?

    I'm 5'10", 206lbs. Started at 248. I was considering getting to 185, then shifting to calories appropriate for maintenance at 175, and just coasting in.

    How do you calculate this?

    It's not an elegant solution, but I play with the MFP goal settings. Set your goal to maintenance, then lower/raise your current and goal weight until you hone in on the 1,600 calories (or whatever level you're curious about).

    Edit: For example, at 5'10" and sedentary, 1890 calories should have me settle at 175 lbs, assuming no confounding factors. I wonder if that 1600 cals is bit too low for a 6' person at maintenance, which is why I suggested the numbers check.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Options
    At 1,600 calories per day and moderate exercise, your weight loss won't stop at a healthy BMI. 1,600 calories per day is the maintenance for an 80 lb woman who exercises. At some point you will need to increase your calorie intake.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    Options
    I was curious so I checked. 1600 calories would settle you at 116 lbs.
  • Kristi26
    Kristi26 Posts: 184 Member
    Options
    I'm only 5'3" and I eat about 2000 calories a day (eating my exercise calories included in there) at maintenance. I'm thinking maybe 1600 at 6 feet tall is too low for you for maintenance.
  • allyphoe
    allyphoe Posts: 618 Member
    Options
    I'm 5'4 and sedentary maintenance for me at 155 pounds (determined by food logging and weight change over ~3 years, not by MFP assumptions) is about 2,100 calories. 1600 would have me losing a pound a week.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Options
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    I was curious so I checked. 1600 calories would settle you at 116 lbs.

    Did you take into account the five hours per week of exercise?
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    Options
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    I was curious so I checked. 1600 calories would settle you at 116 lbs.

    Did you take into account the five hours per week of exercise?

    Nope, skipped right over that part. Thanks for the catch.

    116lbs if all exercise calories are also eaten, in addition to the 1600.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    I was curious so I checked. 1600 calories would settle you at 116 lbs.

    Right?!? I'm 5'9" and eating at my goal weight maintenance (165 lbs). I currently eat 2055 calories per day. I lift heavy 4 days a week. OP will need to eat more to maintain for sure!
  • 5stringjeff
    5stringjeff Posts: 790 Member
    Options
    Alexson50 wrote: »
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    Have you tested the idea by looking at what weight 1600 cals is maintenance for?

    I'm 5'10", 206lbs. Started at 248. I was considering getting to 185, then shifting to calories appropriate for maintenance at 175, and just coasting in.

    How do you calculate this?

    @Alexson50 MFP will calculate it for you, or you could use any number of online calculators. Try this one if you don't know any others: http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/

Categories