Leaving calories at maintenance, but leaving significant 'green' calorie amounts

svel713

I discovered MFP around my last 15lbs. I was set to maintenance but I'd make a game of leaving 150-300 remaining ('green') calories left. It took me a while, but I ended up losing those 15lbs.

My total calories did adjust as I lost, but my 150-300 remaing goal stayed the same.

Did/does anyone else lose this way? I liked it better because I knew I wouldn't gain eating at maintenance (0-50 cals left) and no angry red number would yell at me.

malibu927

If it worked for you, awesome. But I would see the number and be like "oh, I can eat that much more" most days and never see a loss.

elisa123gal

you are the model of self control and sacrifice. i hate you.

maggibailey

That might work really well for me because I have a hard time mentally allowing myself to eat all of my calories.

MegaMooseEsq

Oh, I like this. I may have to do this for my last 15 or so.

SCoil123

My base calories are set maintenance and I rarely eat all of my activity calorie adjustments. It’s working for me

heybales

It is a good way of doing it, use it too.

It also allows leaving different amounts in the green depending on the day and activity level.

Rest day I'd eat almost up to maintenance. (this generally followed a lifting day)
Lifting only day would leave 100-200.
Short cardio day 200-400.
Endurance cardio day, where that level of effort meant a big part of calorie burn was fat - easily 750-1000 could be left, sometimes more.

If coming down with cold or such, knew to eat up close to maintenance. Hasn't worked with the last 2 things the kiddo brought home though - ugh.

If I had as big walking days as many have, probably leave decent amount too.

glassyo

svel713 wrote: »

I discovered MFP around my last 15lbs. I was set to maintenance but I'd make a game of leaving 150-300 remaining ('green') calories left. It took me a while, but I ended up losing those 15lbs.

My total calories did adjust as I lost, but my 150-300 remaing goal stayed the same.

Did/does anyone else lose this way? I liked it better because I knew I wouldn't gain eating at maintenance (0-50 cals left) and no angry red number would yell at me.

I have my calories set at maintenance too. Seeing the green numbers as the deficit is a much more positive experience than the red.

Nony_Mouse

I did this my last few weeks at a deficit, but mainly because I was doing high carb refeeds at maintenance on the weekends, and got sick of changing MFP between maintenance and deficit, and then having to reset my macros as well! I also go by my Fitbit for calories anyway, so just subtracted my deficit from that.

If it works for you, that is awesome

TavistockToad

I do this, as i only aim for 1000 cal deficit per day for 3 weeks and then maintenance the 4th.

It's only been recently that I've been able to do it, before that I would have eaten every calorie available to me!

I like this more flexible method as I'm only losing vanity pounds and it makes it a lot easier to stick to.

sijomial

I did the 5:2 eating style to lose my weight so my goal was set at maintenance and I just undercut it twice a week by a large amount.

I've been maintaining my weight quite a long time but when I have a some weight to lose to get back into my acceptable weight range (in January perhaps?!) I just regard an extra 4lbs as 14,000 calories to nibble off here and there, a little some days, a lot some days, zero deficit most days.

A lot of people transitioning to maintenance do seem a bit lost having been used to seeing a small daily goal for sometimes a considerable amount of time and feel their maintenance number is a scary high amount. Maybe it would help see weight loss as temporary and maintenance as long term?

Francl27

It works but for me, it's easier to stick with a lower number... otherwise I see the big number and I think 'oh I can afford a piece of chocolate' etc and my deficit just ends up being tiny...

GottaBurnEmAll

That's how I have mine set up. I get a rather large Fitbit adjustment every day and just let that create a deficit of my choosing.

WhereIsPJSoles

Good idea, I might do that soon

anyWendy

I'm similar, but have about 50lbs left to lose. I have MFP set at 1lb/wk loss, but like to keep my deficit significantly below that, averaging between 1.5 and 2lbs/ week. Just hate seeing the red, and feel better with a higher goal that I can eat up to if I want, but usually choose not to.

I expect as I get closer to goal, I will change my setting to maintenance and continue eating under my goal, by smaller amounts, to prepare myself for maintenance. But that's a ways off!

MelanieCN77

Not while I was losing, but now I am in "maintenance" if I need to cut back for a little while, this is how I do it. I found I was doing the mental gymnastics anyway, and can also do without the red number if I'm 20 cals over a vague goal. I also should stop doing that "complete diary" thing because it annoys me.

JaydedMiss

StIgnatiousMeeaytus wrote: »

Calories habe no existence whatsoever in this universe. They are made up abstractions. Matter ks STUFF, energy and its units are NUM ERS, ABSTRACT PROPERTIES. THATNHABE NO EXISTENCE THEMSELVES

Theres the screaming i was waiting for

VintageFeline

This is what I do too. Have done for over a year I think. More green days than not and I will lose, albeit slowly for quite a while because compliance but still losing.

I never ever complete my diary. It serves no purpose to me.

cmriverside

TavistockToad wrote: »

I do this, as i only aim for 1000 cal deficit per day for 3 weeks and then maintenance the 4th.

It's only been recently that I've been able to do it, before that I would have eaten every calorie available to me!

I like this more flexible method as I'm only losing vanity pounds and it makes it a lot easier to stick to.

What? Do you mean 100 calories a day? Otherwise. . .um.

TavistockToad

cmriverside wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

I do this, as i only aim for 1000 cal deficit per day for 3 weeks and then maintenance the 4th.

It's only been recently that I've been able to do it, before that I would have eaten every calorie available to me!

I like this more flexible method as I'm only losing vanity pounds and it makes it a lot easier to stick to.

What? Do you mean 100 calories a day? Otherwise. . .um.

Per week

Unknown

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The_Enginerd

Yes, I did this once I reached my initial "maintenance", including further planned bulks and losses. It makes it easier to see how far under/over maintenance I am and what I should expect for weight loss/gains. Leaving it at maintenance and letting it go into the red for my bulk and seeing everything was okay and going as planned helped me to get over the red bar. Honestly, I'd prefer the bar only went green when you were within a certain percent of your goal, say 5-10%. Being too far under your calorie goal is worse than being a tiny bit over and some thing should be minimums that you aim to go over (protein, fiber, vitamins/minerals).