When you started maintenance, did you have a hard time deciding how to spend your extra calories?

sijomial

oceangirl99 wrote: »

I'm not in maintenance but I've done the math and my maintenance calories will be basically the same as they are now, and I'm set to lose 0.5/week. That's the sucky part about getting smaller and burning fewer calories just existing. I also go to thinking that I will also burn less exercising.... so I will actually have slightly fewer calories than I do now..... wow. Things I shouldn't think about!

@oceangirl99
Why do you think you will burn less exercising?

If you do exactly the same exercise when lighter and that exercise is a weight bearing exercise that would be true.
e.g. run 3 miles now, run 3 miles in the future when lighter.

But what normally happens when people exercise is they get fitter and stronger, they can run further, they lift heavier weight, they do a higher duration or intensity of exercise.

Think you are being needlessly pessimistic.

WeighandPray

Agree with @sijomial . You'll weigh less, but that doesn't mean you need less. If you're losing weight now, you're operating at a deficit. Extra fat doesn't require maintenance, it just is energy you didn't use being stored until you do. Once you hit a goal weight, the only way you'll be able to maintain is by eating more.

riffraff2112

I got lucky and kind of reached my goal weight at the same time approx. that I seemed to stop losing!
I messed around with calories a bit after that as I fell in love with weight training and wanted to add some muscle size so I upped the calories a bit.

oceangirl99

I did mean that I will burn fewer exercises doing the same exercises that I am doing now because I will be lighter. I'm training for a marathon. Today I ran 24 km. If I were lighter I would have burned fewer calories doing the same run. Sure if I were lighter I'd probably be faster though! Also, my daily calorie allowance will decrease as I get closer to my goal. My maintenance calories will be the same as they are NOW (but more than the allowance I will need to get the last couple lbs off). So I understand my calorie allowance will go up, right back to where it is now. Not trying to be pessimistic, I kind of thought it was funny/ironic.

DeterminedFee201426

I had no problem, I was excited, that I got an extra 300 calories. I just added some more of my favorite snacks or food in.