Figuring maintenance calories

pattilindley

I have decided to put myself on maintenance for the months of November and December. I still have 23 pounds to lose so I will hit it hard again in January. MFP put my WL calories at 1230. How do I figure my maintenance calories? I think if I don't gain any weight during the holiday season that will count as success.

DX2JX2

Set your weight loss goal to zero/week in MFP. It'll do the math for you.

If you know that you'll have some splurge meals along the way, I've found it helpful to consistently eat at a pretty small deficit on normal days (something on order of a couple of hundred calories a day). This way you'll put aside a stash of calories that will help to cushion you against the holiday treats you know are coming.

sijomial

pattilindley wrote: »

I have decided to put myself on maintenance for the months of November and December. I still have 23 pounds to lose so I will hit it hard again in January. MFP put my WL calories at 1230. How do I figure my maintenance calories? I think if I don't gain any weight during the holiday season that will count as success.

If your weight loss goal was 2lbs/week then maintenance would be 2230.
If 1lb/week goal then maintenance would be 1730.
Or simply reset your goal to "maintain current weight" as per suggestion above.

But of course that assumes your actual weight loss followed the projection.
Did it?
How much have you lost in the last month?

pattilindley

I started in January and have lost 47 pounds. It was faster at first, now it's about 1/2 pound per week. That's on 1230 a day. I refigured my goals on the settings and it looks like maintenance is 1530. I think I will eat at about 100-200 daily deficit on weeks I know there is an event coming up. Then I will eat reasonably, still small portions, but I will relax my "what" restrictions. Fingers crossed.

geltner1

I agree about the holidays. Not gaining weight is a win. You're smart to go on maintenance. Congratulations on your very impressive accomplishment !

CynthiasChoice

It's a great idea to do planned diet breaks to help restore hormone levels and support your metabolism, especially when you're dieting long term. Congratulations on your loss!!

I'm planning a two week diet break in December as well. Like you, I intend to eat a few hundred calories below maintenance levels on days I don't have an event, and really tighten up on weighing food and logging. I really don't want to drift and get loose with estimations. There will be times I have to estimate, and that's fine, but 14 days of "maybe I can have this candy and those cookies and that hot chocolate" would spell absolute disaster for me and undo all my hard work at forming new habits. Restricted days in between events will keep me on track I think. My fingers crossed, too! Good luck to you

CynthiasChoice

https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/10-tips-to-deal-with-holiday-weight-gain.html/

LiftHeavyThings27105

^^^^^ If y'all have not spent some time at the above link then you are doing yourself a disservice (in my humble opinion). The owner of this web site might just be one of the "more smarterer" folks out there when it comes to nutrition and 'body management". And, yes - "more smarterer"!

pattilindley

CWShultz27105 wrote: »

^^^^^ If y'all have not spent some time at the above link then you are doing yourself a disservice (in my humble opinion). The owner of this web site might just be one of the "more smarterer" folks out there when it comes to nutrition and 'body management". And, yes - "more smarterer"!

I can't get that link to work for me. I really want to read it. I need all of the help I can get. Since I posted that on Nov 6 I have lost two more pounds. Made it through the office Thanksgiving meal and some other holiday snack events. I chose to only eat something if I really wanted it. If I could take it or leave it I would leave it. I am cooking most of the Thanksgiving family meal. I will eat tiny portions and not take any dessert portions home. I don't seem to be able to relax and give myself permission to take time off. To me that seems like I'm not in a great place with my body yet. That is a concern as I get closer to my goal and will need to switch to maintenance. It's like I'm afraid of food. I don't trust myself. I wish I didn't give food so much power over me. Eating or not eating, I would like to be more relaxed about it.