Maintaining Weight - do you workout same as before

Fit_Lean_Priya

do you workout same as before after shifting to maintenance stage?
my goal was to workout 1 hour everyday, but now i want to maintain my weight and wondering to slow down workout, or shift to more of Pilates and strength training? slow down running to once or twice a week?

i have reached maintenance stage many times in past but i let my guards down and increase my weight back again, this time i want to do it right way

geekyjock76

During a cut: I add 50 to 75 calories of cardio 4 days a week and eat 200 calories less than maintenance.
During maintenance: I remove cardio and reintroduce 250+ calories above cut intake.
*I lift weights as my main exercise in both stages.

By structuring my exercise activity in a cut to closely mirror what I do during maintenance, I will be less off in recalculating dietary calories. The less variables I have to worry about, the easier it is to transition to maintenance.

hotschoollunches

bump

Fit_Lean_Priya

thank you

ChrisS30V

I have personally stuck with the same workouts, only now that I'm in maintenance I try to eat back some or all of my exercise calories. It works for me.

CyberEd312

No my exercise has remained the same only difference was I upped my caloric intake until I was out of a deficit and my weight loss stopped... Been in maintenance for the past year.. Best of Luck

The_Enginerd

I changed after maintaining, but only because I learned more. If I knew then what I know now, nope, I would still be doing the same workout.

cwolfman13

Why wouldn't you? Maintenance means you're just upping your caloric intake. Actually, when I went to maintenance is when i really started breaking fitness plateaus...lots of extra energy to crush it. IMHO, exercise is far more important in maintenance than it is for losing.

The only time my workouts change is when I'm actively training for something vs. fitness maintenance. I cycle through training and fitness maintenance a few time per year to avoid over training and Injury (like I have now). In that RE I have to be more cognizant of my intake in that I maintain on many more calories while actively training vs just maintaining my fitness...

jaycbrf4

I still try to walk for at least a half hour every day on top of my usual activity. Good for the heart and mind!

sijomial

Same type of workouts (3 x weights & 3 x cardio per week) and same intensity but results and recovery have improved.

I do change the content of each session though to keep it fresh and challenging.

iechick

I didn't start doing exercise until AFTER I transitioned into maintenance and then I started walking. Now I walk 5-6 days a week and throw some running in to keep things interesting.

jen4relient22

i work out just as much as when i was losing, because i'd rather add calories to eat and continue with the same workout schedule then cut out exercise and eat the same amount to maintain. i've really enjoyed the added energy for my workouts! i do find myself "just doing yoga" one day a week rather than trying to fit in more cardio those days, but really haven't changed my routine otherwise.

erickirb

I find out I workout harder during maintenance or a bulk due to all the extra energy from eating more calories.

simsburyjet

I workout more but I eat what I want. I went from mostly cardio to lose 22 lbs to 50-50 strength and cardio.
I do not even count calories anymore, I just put in my exercise daily.

nxd10

I work out more. All the research I've read has said that an hour a day of exercise radically increases the chances of long term weight maintenance. It also means I can eat more and have the same net calories.

I don't work hard, though. I bought a fitbit and walk more.

Ely82010

I have been on maintenance for almost 3 years, and I have changed my strength training routine a bit and I include variations every 8 to 12 weeks. I have added a little bit more cardio too.

I am also eating more of my exercise calories, but not all. I am still eating below my TDEE with 10% to 15% deficit. So far so good.

tjthegreatone

I workout a lot more but I also eat a lot more.
Losing weight I kept to a strict 1500kcal a day and ran 4 days a week burning approx 400kcal each run.
Now I average about 2500kcal a day and do more varied workouts burning maybe 3500-4000kcal a week in exercise.
It does take over your life a bit, but I love food and hate restricting, and I'd rather spend more free time in the gym (and I don't do much else outside work) than not eat that piece of cake.

Fit_Lean_Priya

thanks everyone, i won't change my workouts, but increase my calorie intake

jchadden42

I have personally stuck with the same workouts, only now that I'm in maintenance I try to eat back some or all of my exercise calories. It works for me.

Same here. My workouts were never about weight loss. I chose my workout routine based on what I enjoy doing. I'm just careful to eat my calories back. I also, if I know I'm going to run later in the day, try to have a higher calorie breakfast and lunch to pre-make up for the lost calories. (My goal was 135, I got down to 130. Now, I'm fairly steady at 133--It seems a good compromise.)

Garthamatic

I've been steadily increasing my running since going on maintenance.

My challenge has been to eat *more* as a result.

I'm regularly burning close to 1000 calories a run 4-5 days a week (my long run is more). That means I went from ~1800 calories a day when dieting to now consuming around 2800-3000+ a day. I'm "retraining" my stomach to try and handle more food.

beaches222

bump