Transitioning to maintenance

SCoil123
SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello - I’m glad to have made it to maintenance and be here. I’m just wondering, I know it’s normal to gain a few lbs when first transitioning to maintenance and eating more but how long did it take for your weight to stabilize?

I’m still working out my maintenance calories but I don’t want to decrease them yet if the 2lb I gained are just water while my body adjusts to increased intake.

Replies

  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    yea normal.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Are you reverse dieting or adding your maintenance calories all at once? Many people prefer to gradually add 50 or 100 calories to their goal until their weight stabilizes. That can help prevent the big jump on the scale.

    At any rate, it's normal. Your body has more undigested food moving through your system, and may be replenishing glycogen stores. Give it a few weeks.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    Are you reverse dieting or adding your maintenance calories all at once? Many people prefer to gradually add 50 or 100 calories to their goal until their weight stabilizes. That can help prevent the big jump on the scale.

    At any rate, it's normal. Your body has more undigested food moving through your system, and may be replenishing glycogen stores. Give it a few weeks.

    I was only running a deficit of 200-250 cals at the end so I added it all. I hit goal a little faster than expected due to health issues so I was also starving when I started being able to eat regular again so I felt like I needed it all.

    I expected to gain a few lbs initially. I’m just not sure how long I wait before evaluating if these are the correct calories long term. 2 weeks, 4 weeks? Maybe a little longer?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Common but not universal - I don't cut carbs or have a big deficit so personally I don't get any noticeable bump in weight.

    I think a month to evaluate would be sensible, some people also have slightly suppressed NEAT after a prolonged deficit so your initial maintenance calories may need to be tweaked.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    Are you reverse dieting or adding your maintenance calories all at once? Many people prefer to gradually add 50 or 100 calories to their goal until their weight stabilizes. That can help prevent the big jump on the scale.

    At any rate, it's normal. Your body has more undigested food moving through your system, and may be replenishing glycogen stores. Give it a few weeks.

    I was only running a deficit of 200-250 cals at the end so I added it all. I hit goal a little faster than expected due to health issues so I was also starving when I started being able to eat regular again so I felt like I needed it all.

    I expected to gain a few lbs initially. I’m just not sure how long I wait before evaluating if these are the correct calories long term. 2 weeks, 4 weeks? Maybe a little longer?

    If your health is improving, then my guess is that you're seeing the effects of recovery from your health issues as well as a little bump from eating more. I lost down to the bottom of my maintenance range recently when I had the flu, and gained it all back as I recovered, even though I was eating at maintenance the whole time. The body burns energy to heal.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    I really appreciate all of the great feedback you guys gave me. I am up 6.5lb putting me 2lb outside my maintenance range. I checked my FitBit weekly average though and I’m not worried. I had a -454 deficit for the week so I didn’t gain fat.

    I think a combo of more food, recovery from illness, returning to lifting after 3 weeks down, and hormones combined are all the reasons.

    I’m staying the course for another 2-3 weeks and of the water weight doesn’t disappear and level out I’ll drop a few calories

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