Maintenance for weight loss?

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hobbitses333
hobbitses333 Posts: 524 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had the thought criss my mind... What if I were to set up so that my target is maintenance calories for my goal weight? I have 133 lbs to lose so don't think its a good idea just now...What do you think for later in my journey, would it work?

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  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Opposite. I think it's a good idea now, but that you'll find the process very slow when you have lost some weight.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,070 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Opposite. I think it's a good idea now, but that you'll find the process very slow when you have lost some weight.

    Agree with that. I tried it for a while, and found it OK when I had more to lose (only 50ish pounds in my case), but it got tedious (so I got impatient) when closer to goal. I was entirely willing to go to 0.5 pound/week close to goal, but eating at GW maintenance was slower than that, surprisingly early.

    Run the numbers with a TDEE calculator (or MFP's NEAT calculator) to see whether it seems doable for you or not. It will work, but how satisfactory it is will be very individual.
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,593 Member
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    I am a fan of knowing maintenance calories but eating at a planned deficit. Using that maintenance target for days with special events or periodic maintenance breaks helps keep me in track.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    I was way too impatient; it's not the best way if you won't stick to it. Some people can, but there is no way I would have. So it's up to you to decide whether slow and steady will work for you.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I have been thinking more, and I think the optimal amount of calories in, changes during weightloss. Depending on your starting weight, you can lose easily on an intake that is higher than your "maintenance at goal weight" calories, then as you lose, this number drops, and goes below your "maintenance at goal weight". And that means that at some point, your optimal calorie intake is "maintenance at goal weight". All this is highly theoretical, of course. You will have to find an intake you can stick to, and you have to log correctly in order to actually be eating it, and your "maintenance at goal weight" is a broad range because your goal weight is in itself a range, and your preferred activity level when you hit goal weight can surprise you.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    It's the philosophy behind a very interesting and insightful book by Alan Aragon and Lou Schuler (The Lean Muscle Diet), well worth reading for both the diet and fitness advice.

    It would give you the fastest weight loss when your body can sustain the large deficit and taper down to slow weight loss as you get lighter and leaner which is very desirable. In theory the transition to eventual maintenance at goal weight should feel natural and easy.

    Do agree with others that it's likely to work best early on when accuracy of logging and your estimate of your goal weight maintenance really don't matter as long as you have a deficit and a calorie allowance the you can adhere to.

    What it can't take into account so easily is that with a lot to lose and the extended period of time that will take you your routine may well change - higher activity level, more exercise for example.
  • MoveitlikeManda
    MoveitlikeManda Posts: 846 Member
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    I lost 56lbs (June 27th - December 12th 2016) by eating at my goal weights maintanence
  • Wendyanneroberts
    Wendyanneroberts Posts: 270 Member
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    I lost my last 15lb to 20lb this way, as a gradual transition from weight loss at 0.5lb a week to maintenance. Currently continuing at this target for 2 months, so fat, to estimate if I'm now at maintenance. This gradual transition meant a slower weight loss but I feel it was well it for me. As I built new daily habits and got used to my new routine.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    One thing to keep in mind is that even your weight is very stable at the top and you track while at that weight to determine the calories to maintain it, the estimate of maintenance calories at your goal weight can easily be off by 200+ calories. You really won't know what your maintenance calories are until a fair amount of time after you reach goal.
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 979 Member
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    Sure you can, but progress will be very slow the closer you get to it.

    I know some people will have a diet break and eat at their goal weight maintenance for like a week sometimes. I keep planning to do this, and then not doing so because I want to keep losing.
  • ashleyminnich1
    ashleyminnich1 Posts: 60 Member
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    My husband and I both lose on maintenance. It works because we don't leave just a bit everyday. It won't go as fast as setting a weekly goal, but it's easier. Especially when you get to a lower weight and have less to lose.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
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    I am just wondering how doable it is for those last 5 pounds as there is very little difference between required calories to maintain once you get that close to goal? For the most part though I see this as being a very healthy plan as you are losing slowly and learning how to eat for the rest of your life.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    I am just wondering how doable it is for those last 5 pounds as there is very little difference between required calories to maintain once you get that close to goal? For the most part though I see this as being a very healthy plan as you are losing slowly and learning how to eat for the rest of your life.

    A lot of people do this. I think it's a good idea because losing toward a goal made it easier for me to avoid my old bad habits. It's a mental thing, I know, but it's a thing. While I am maintaining, a mini binge is a little bump up I can average back out and stay within range to do it. While losing I saw it as a setback and had more discipline. It is okay to do this during maintenance, but I fear giving in to eating like that is a very slippery slope. Anyway, in a few ways I think losing is easier than maintenance at a lower weight than I have been at for a very long time.

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