Question about switching from gaining to maintaining?

coffee_fiend
coffee_fiend Posts: 49 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I still have some ways to go before I reach the healthy weight I have targeted for myself. I'm just curious and in need of a little clarifying!

To gain: I need 1,930 calories.
Once I get to my goal weight, MFP and other websites I've played around with have calculated that I will need 1,680.
But the low weight I am at right now, according to said calculators, put my maintenance at 1,640. Only 40 calories less.

I probably shouldn't be getting myself worked up about it right now, but once I hit my goal weight, wouldn't I just lose all the weight I gained if I ate in the 1,600's again..?

Replies

  • RebeccaHite
    RebeccaHite Posts: 187 Member
    I still have some ways to go before I reach the healthy weight I have targeted for myself. I'm just curious and in need of a little clarifying!

    To gain: I need 1,930 calories.
    Once I get to my goal weight, MFP and other websites I've played around with have calculated that I will need 1,680.
    But the low weight I am at right now, according to said calculators, put my maintenance at 1,640. Only 40 calories less.

    I probably shouldn't be getting myself worked up about it right now, but once I hit my goal weight, wouldn't I just lose all the weight I gained if I ate in the 1,600's again..?

    Just remember it takes 3600 unneeded calories to gain 1lb and can add up over time.So just stay active eat what you normally eat...and same calories to lose of course would be to burn 3600 calories
  • fitnessvicky
    fitnessvicky Posts: 5
    Hi,
    I joined the TOPS support group to figure that out.
    Good luck.
    Vicky
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I really don't think you need online calculators to work out your maintenance calories - they are only an average estimate after all.

    You can either simply add calories week by week until you find your personal maintenance settings or back calculate from the rate you have been losing weight.

    Whatever you do you will probably need a bit of trial and error.
  • lucyprunner
    lucyprunner Posts: 55
    ^^^^ agreed
  • coffee_fiend
    coffee_fiend Posts: 49 Member
    Trial and error - great way to put it! Thanks for all the insight! :)
  • takumaku
    takumaku Posts: 352 Member
    I used's Scooby's calculator as a good starting point for calories. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I listen to my body. Some days I'm over. Some days I'm under. I still weigh myself once a week to track my progress. As long as it averages out and I notice no drastic weight change, I could care less.

    Maintaining is like a marathon. Some people are natural at it. Most of us, have to work towards it.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    ^^^^ agreed
    Thirded. It took me about 6 months of tracking my long term weight trends to figure out I needed 2200 net to maintain versus the 2150 MFP suggested.

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