Life after dieting......

elias1609

So I have 20 more pounds until I hit my goal weight. I’ve been eating between 1200 and 1400 calories a day. What happens when I hit maintenance? I no that I can up my calories, but I won’t gain the weight back will I? Since my calories will be increased

Sharon_C

You'll have to play around with your maintenance calories until you find that sweet spot. And you'll have to be super diligent. I still weigh and log all of my food and I weigh myself everyday. I allow a range of weight but I also have an-absolutely-will-not-go-over weight. I get close occasionally and will dial back my calories for a bit.

Maintenance is a lot harder than losing weight.

cmriverside

If you go into that last 10-15 pounds with a small deficit, that won't happen. That's one of the many reasons we continually suggest a small deficit at the end.

Are you now set at, "Lose 1 pound per week"? Sometime soon, set your Goals to, "Lose 1/2 pound per week," and the site will give you a 250 calorie-per-day deficit to lose. When you get to Maintenance, that 250 calories per day are added back in and that (theoretically) stops weight loss. Many people continue to lose though they don't mean to. In that case, more calories would be needed.

I agree that it's a bit of a juggling act in the beginning of Maintenance. Just keep stepping on the scale and keep adjusting. I've been in Maintenance for 11 years, and I still have to do that.

kgirlhart

elias1609 wrote: »

So I have 20 more pounds until I hit my goal weight. I’ve been eating between 1200 and 1400 calories a day. What happens when I hit maintenance? I no that I can up my calories, but I won’t gain the weight back will I? Since my calories will be increased

You are losing weight because you are eating less calories than your body needs. When you increase your calories you will stop losing weight because you will be eating just the right amount. But like the other posters have said there is an adjustment to finding the right balance of CI to CO. And you will need to set a maintenance range because your weight will not just be one number but will fluctuate.

jrwms714

I would just say that there is no life after dieting ... because you are not dieting ... for those of us who have been in maintenance a long while, we know that it's not dieting ... it's retraining your relationship to food and your overall lifestyle. If you are able to do that ... and it will take time, and patience, and growth ... then when you are in maintenance, you should be able to figure out what works for you to maintain the range you have chosen.

brenn24179

you change your lifestyle, I really cant see much difference in losing weight and maintenance. For me I eat 1400-1600 calories to lose and still eat the same,if I go over 1600 I gain. That is just me. I think your height and age has alot to do with it, have to play around with it.

apullum

There isn’t life after dieting. There is simply continuing the habits you built during weight loss, only now you get to eat a little more. You probably don’t get to eat so much more that you can have anything you want.

I got an extra 200 calories per day when I started maintenance. All that means is I get a bigger breakfast, so I made it really count. I eat a lot of protein and fiber in my breakfast to help me stay satiated and hit my macros.

cheryldumais

apullum wrote: »

There isn’t life after dieting. There is simply continuing the habits you built during weight loss, only now you get to eat a little more. You probably don’t get to eat so much more that you can have anything you want.

I got an extra 200 calories per day when I started maintenance. All that means is I get a bigger breakfast, so I made it really count. I eat a lot of protein and fiber in my breakfast to help me stay satiated and hit my macros.

This has been exactly my experience too. In fact truthfully I never got to my original goal weight. I just stopped losing. In the end my goal range is 10 lbs higher than what I expected. Of course my original goal was what I weighed briefly at the age of 16 and I'm now in my 60's so it wasn't realistic anyway.