How do you take a maintenance break?

gorple76

I feel the need to do this (mentally). I’ve been logging and restricting (and losing steadily) for almost 20 weeks and it’s going well. Lots of good habits which feel lifelong and a positive mindset. However, I read frequently about the benefit of taking a maintenance break every now and then. I like the idea of trying to eat at maintenance for two weeks, but I’m not really sure what the benefit would really be. I’m feeling energised and my deficit is reasonably small over the week. I’d still want to log everything, and I understand that it’s better to up calories with minor healthy adjustments, rather than having cake or chocolate every day to fill the gap (I would definitely feel sad about having to give that up again at the end of two weeks). So if you’ve done this successfully, how have you gone about it? And what are the benefits?

DoctorMOHSEN

when i was on caloric deficit i used to do refeeding days where i eat for maintenance caloris for just a day then resume my cut for 3 to 4 weeks then i do another refeeding day. it kept me consistent and broke boredom of dieting all along. but eating for maintenance for couple of weeks straight i never did. i wish i could be more helpful than this ❤️️

kshama2001

Heather covers this in depth in the Kristen coaching call part of episode 499 of the Half Size Me podcast:

https://www.halfsizeme.com/hsm499/

callsitlikeiseeit

how much do you have to lose?

if you need a break, by all means take one, but 20 weeks doesn't seem like a particularly long time to be in a deficit and need one, especially if you are at a small deficit.

Everyone has to find what works for them. That is the key to success, and sometimes its trial and error.

For myself, I dont take breaks. The last time I took a break, I sat at maintenance for 2 years LOL Which was fine, I had been in 'loss' mode for ... 4 years almost and had lost somewhere around 130 pounds. Pretty sure my body (and mind) NEEDED that break. But when I am in a deficit, I don't have any 'off limits' foods. If I can fit it in my calories, it's fair game. I don't worry if I go over. it's just a day. not my first rodeo, you know? Holidays, vacations, life, bad days happen, and then its over and you get back on track.

As I said, if you feel you need a break, for whatever reason, take it. you know you. Or... just take a weekend and eat at maintenance. That, to me, makes a little bit more sense if you just want a bit of a break but not a REAL maintenance break. I think there are probably a fair amount of people who do that on a regular basis, actually. it wouldnt surprise me at all. Deficit during the week and maintenance (or pretty close to it but not over) on the weekend.

wunderkindking

I took 2 weeks eating at maintanence for every 10lbs I lost, at first, and then every 5 (because slower loss). It works for me. Not because I have any off limits foods that get included at maintenance (there's nothing off limits, either way), but because:
1-) I liked the practice of maintaining, without going 'hog wild' and realizing how few relative calories eating to maintain added (when I was obese it added quite a lot but as my deficit shrank, so did the number of calories added back in those breaks)
2-) the higher calorie allotment got my energy up and USUALLY prompts a water weight drop/whoosh when my cortisol drops.

AnnPT77

Good discussion of it in the (stickied) thread linked below, including some of the theoretical/scientific basis.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1

While I didn't take breaks myself, it seems like it could be a perfectly reasonable strategy, maybe even necessary in some cases.

NerdyScienceGrl

If mentally you feel you need it, you know yourself best. I go to maintenance for a number of reasons, one being I need a break mentally. I still continue to eat the same things, add in a few things I’ve felt I wanted, try new higher calorie recipes, etc. I generally see some water weight gain that comes off pretty quick once I’m back in a deficit. I will take the time I need.. a few days, a few weeks… I normally feel way better upon return.