Transition tips

nichell88

So I'm not in maintenance yet, but I should be within the next month or two assuming everything goes according to plan. Anyway, I'm looking for some tips on how to transition from weight loss to maintenance. I obviously don't want to drastically change everything I'm doing, so I'm looking for some baby steps.

A bit of background, I began my weight loss journey in late November 2016. I've been doing 3 days of high intensity cardio a week and 3 days of strength training with low intensity cardio, with one rest day. My diet consists of about 45-50% protein daily in the form of lean meat, dairy, and whey. I generally eat fewer than 100g of carbs a day. I started out having a cheat meal every two weeks and switched to doing a cheat item weekly about a month ago. I've lost about 40 pounds to date and have about 10 to go

rsclause

I am living proof that if you stop doing what you have been doing the weight will come back. It doesn't take all that much to go from deficit to surplus so just keep an eye on things. I do okay on food but I went up on beer and scotch while decreasing my running. A truly bad combination but I am getting back into it.

need2belean

nichell88 wrote: »

So I'm not in maintenance yet, but I should be within the next month or two assuming everything goes according to plan. Anyway, I'm looking for some tips on how to transition from weight loss to maintenance. I obviously don't want to drastically change everything I'm doing, so I'm looking for some baby steps.

A bit of background, I began my weight loss journey in late November 2016. I've been doing 3 days of high intensity cardio a week and 3 days of strength training with low intensity cardio, with one rest day. My diet consists of about 45-50% protein daily in the form of lean meat, dairy, and whey. I generally eat fewer than 100g of carbs a day. I started out having a cheat meal every two weeks and switched to doing a cheat item weekly about a month ago. I've lost about 40 pounds to date and have about 10 to go

I'm a big fan of reverse dieting. Don't go up 500 calories or anything but maybe start by increasing 100 calories for a couple weeks or a month and see how your weight does. Then continue from there.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Congratulations! Very inspiring!

I'm getting close to maintenance as well, for about the 5th time in my life (arg). I haven't even decided what weight to target, but something within about 5lbs of where I am now.

Experience tells me that I will start gaining weight as soon as I stop logging my meals and exercise. I'm also convinced that alcohol (even at moderate levels) is a major contributor to weight gain, at least for me. Here is what I am thinking:

1) Keep logging while on maintenance. I'm going to try for a year. (Inspired by a friend, who has logged continuously for a year and a half!)

2) Develop a set of go-to meals. I have 3 breakfasts, a few lunches, and a wide range of dinners that I regularly eat.

3) Limit alcohol to special occasions where you still drink responsibly.

4) Have some fun once in a while! Go out to dinner and eat a great meal. (Sometimes, I skip breakfast the next morning and do "fasting exercise.") I log big restaurant/party meals as a "quick add" of 1000kcals.

Best of luck and be sure to share your planned strategies as well!

2011rocket3touring

Perhaps start by lightening up on working out and giving it a month or 2 and see how it goes...

LivingtheLeanDream

Keep doing the exercise you're doing if you enjoy it - if not, cut back on some of your workouts.
Maintenance is basically the same as what you are doing now only you get to enjoy extra calories.
It really is that simple. We still need to be aware of how much we are eating and how much we are moving to maintain our weight successfully.
You've done great, now the hard work begins - keeping it off.

cwolfman13

The only difference between maintenance and weight loss is a handful of calories...I eat the same way in maintenance as I did when losing...just a bit more...I exercise the same as when I was losing and sometimes more because I do a few events annually that I have to specifically train for and I didn't really do that kind of stuff when I was losing.

lorrpb

Don't reduce exercise and increase calorie intake at the same time because it will be too easy to overdo it and starting creeping up. Do so only if you have a VERY GOOD handle on both aspects of calories. I would favor to keep exercising for health & fitness reasons. I basically eat at home the way I did while losing. I might have a glass of wine more often than before or have dessert when eating out. If you are losing .5 lb per week at the end, which is what is recommended, you only have 250 cals per day or 1750 per week that you need to increase. That's not very much food, IMO. Congrats on your success!

nowine4me

When you off course, right the ship fast. It'll happen.

nowine4me

nowine4me wrote: »

When you off course, right the ship fast. It'll happen.

Go off course I meant to say. Set your range and stay within it. If things inch over, back to a deficit. Like many above, I have lost and gained much weight. Maintenance is not easy, but it's MUCH easier than losing 50# over and over and over.

nichell88

Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »

Congratulations! Very inspiring!

I'm getting close to maintenance as well, for about the 5th time in my life (arg). I haven't even decided what weight to target, but something within about 5lbs of where I am now.

Experience tells me that I will start gaining weight as soon as I stop logging my meals and exercise. I'm also convinced that alcohol (even at moderate levels) is a major contributor to weight gain, at least for me. Here is what I am thinking:

1) Keep logging while on maintenance. I'm going to try for a year. (Inspired by a friend, who has logged continuously for a year and a half!)

2) Develop a set of go-to meals. I have 3 breakfasts, a few lunches, and a wide range of dinners that I regularly eat.

3) Limit alcohol to special occasions where you still drink responsibly.

4) Have some fun once in a while! Go out to dinner and eat a great meal. (Sometimes, I skip breakfast the next morning and do "fasting exercise.") I log big restaurant/party meals as a "quick add" of 1000kcals.

Best of luck and be sure to share your planned strategies as well!

This was super helpful, thank you so much! Great tips. I'm lucky that I'm not a drinker, so staying away from the alcohol won't be difficult. I've also unintentionally limited my meal choices to a few per meal while in the weight loss phase, so I guess I'll maintain that in maintenance. Great tip on the big meals, the social situations are going to be the toughest moving forward I think. Thanks again

STEVE142142

Maintenance is a learning process. You're going to have to figure it out yourself and it takes a little while to do it period give you a little background as myself. January first 2016 my starting weight was 288 pounds my current weight is 208 and I maintain that that level for the last eight months. I decided to go in to maintenance at 220 pounds but totally screwed up and my weight drop to as low as 204 at one point.

I followed the maintenance calories as suggested by mfp for my activity level which is sedentary. To throw in another factor I worked out 4 to 5 times a week but I don't eat back my calories but I am a desk jockey at work.

Currently I eat an additional 200 to 400 calories per day and I seem to be maintaining my weight.
As far as my diet I basically eat whatever I want. I put no restrictions on myself. The only thing I do is I go extra protein in my diet I follow the .8 to 1 gram per pound of body weight.

As far as calorie counting I realize that I'm going to have to do it for the rest of my life it's the only guide I have to keep and myself in check. Different post I've read some people say they can't do that for the rest of their life but for me it's a small price to pay for where I am now versus where I been in the past

BeeerRunner

Just keep doing everything you're doing. I only get to eat a little over 150 net calories per day more than I was eating during weight loss. So....I'm a tiny bit less hungry than I was before maintenance.

AnnPT77

Personally, I prefer to eat a little under maintenance most days to allow for a higher day now and then. That's harder to balance - I struggle with it sometimes - but I think it's more realistic for me.

I've also stuck with the NEAT method, mostly - usually eating back exercise on the day I do it. Some other people find it easier or pleasanter to use TDEE and eat the same number of calories daily, but my preferred activities are weather-dependent thus unpredictable, so it works better for me to continue with NEAT.

Not everyone needs to keep logging, but I do - for the foreseeable future, anyway.

MelanieCN77

First week I added 50 cals on to my allowance and started eating back more of my exercise cals. Same second week. I'm feeling out the balance there now. I should add a few more cals again and ease back on the exercise ones. This is like week 4.