Moving into maintence!!! success/tips

sarahnc_

This might be a little long winded: bear with me.

So I started this weightloss about 3 months ago...My goal weight was 130 lbs, and i started at about 142. I wanted to get back into shape as well. Halfway through this, I moved out of the country and was without a scale, so I've been judging all my progress by how my pants fit etc.

Well today I got on the scale for the first time in 3 months and it read 124 lbs. which was after a much larger breakfast than I'd normally eat. I flipped a little. Long story short: I don't want/need to lose anymore. I've actually never been this light in my life... I'm a little freaked to me honest.

which leads me to my questions:
1) I'm 5'7", is 124 too light for my height? At what was previously my leanest/lightest I weighed in at 130 lbs.
2) I want to maintain now. I just started T25, but I realistically only do it 5 days a week, and skip the double day friday. Tips on calorie/ nutrition goals so can I continue to build muscle but not lose anymore fat? I'm currently eating about 1500 a day.

Also: all you maintainers? how do you stay on track now that you've reached your goal weight? do you let yourselves indulge more often now? have you cut back on your workouts?

Thanks so much!

westendcurls

Have you looked up bmi calculators to see about where they put you as far as bf% go? They're not 100% accurate but it will give you some idea.

As for the other... im back in weightloss mode because i got careless and stopped tracking too soon (i believe thats what happened anyway) so id say keep tracking for a while. Dont cut back on your wrokouts unless your fine with your current calorie intake.

The_Enginerd

Just based on BMI, no, you are not underweight. BMI can break down at the individual level though. I would go by an estimated body fat % or how you look at this point.

You can use a calculator to estimate you maintenance calorie needs, but those are only estimates. Your individual calorie needs will vary and it will take trial and error. Use the calculators as a base, then keep track of your weight and tweak the calories as necessary until you maintain long term.

When I reached goal weight, I just ate more. How you want to fit that in is up to you. I eat whatever I need to fit my macros (IIFYM).

Generally:
1g of protein per lb of lean body mass (LBM) as a minimum target

0.35g of fat per lb of total body weight as a minimum target

The rest of calories into carbs/fat/protein as you desire to meet performance, satiety and adherence

sarahnc_

Just based on BMI, no, you are not underweight. BMI can break down at the individual level though. I would go by an estimated body fat % or how you look at this point.

You can use a calculator to estimate you maintenance calorie needs, but those are only estimates. Your individual calorie needs will vary and it will take trial and error. Use the calculators as a base, then keep track of your weight and tweak the calories as necessary until you maintain long term.

When I reached goal weight, I just ate more. How you want to fit that in is up to you. I eat whatever I need to fit my macros (IIFYM).

Generally:
1g of protein per lb of lean body mass (LBM) as a minimum target

0.35g of fat per lb of total body weight as a minimum target

The rest of calories into carbs/fat/protein as you desire to meet performance, satiety and adherence

I checked with a BMI calculator, and I'm still in the normal range. However the TDEE calculator I used (Scooby) previously now says I'm underweight... I'm comfortable with where I am, but I would still like to muscle up.

Are any of you at the end of your weightlos but still trying to tone up? how did that affect your calorie goals? did you increase from your maintenance goals, or just eat at maintenance?

nxd10

My kids are both that thin - one is thinner. They are both very healthy and have a great relationship with their body and with food (one is 15, one 26).

When I went to maintenance I bought a fitbit zip to get a good sense of my exercise level and made sure I ate back all my exercise calories. I did that while I was losing too. I am not a gym person, but I made an increased conscious effort to walk every day - even in lousy weather. This workout is HARD but only takes 7 minutes. You'll see the difference:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/

I also like this one, which I do in my office:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

I've lost inches while on maintenance, but not weight.

The_Enginerd

Just based on BMI, no, you are not underweight. BMI can break down at the individual level though. I would go by an estimated body fat % or how you look at this point.

You can use a calculator to estimate you maintenance calorie needs, but those are only estimates. Your individual calorie needs will vary and it will take trial and error. Use the calculators as a base, then keep track of your weight and tweak the calories as necessary until you maintain long term.

When I reached goal weight, I just ate more. How you want to fit that in is up to you. I eat whatever I need to fit my macros (IIFYM).

Generally:
1g of protein per lb of lean body mass (LBM) as a minimum target

0.35g of fat per lb of total body weight as a minimum target

The rest of calories into carbs/fat/protein as you desire to meet performance, satiety and adherence

I checked with a BMI calculator, and I'm still in the normal range. However the TDEE calculator I used (Scooby) previously now says I'm underweight... I'm comfortable with where I am, but I would still like to muscle up.

Are any of you at the end of your weightlos but still trying to tone up? how did that affect your calorie goals? did you increase from your maintenance goals, or just eat at maintenance?

There are two general paths at this point. Eat at maintenance and lift to do body recompostion (slow) or lift while bulking and cutting (quicker as long as you are fine with gaining weight). I am taking the bulking and cutting route.

If you are new to lifting, you will get newbie gains, so you can eat at maintenance and recomp for a bit and then switch to bulking/cutting when you are no longer making good progress at maintenance.

Ideabaker

I am just moving into maintenance, and my most successful MFP maintainer friends continue to log daily. Not all of them keep their diaries open, but they want to keep a firm awareness of calories in and out. I plan on continuing to log in maintenance for quite a while (at least a year if not more). Plus, it's just nice staying in a supportive environment with MFP pals!

b0nnyd0g

I think it is all about keeping tracking

Juggernaut_D

Continue to keep track of your calories, and if add any, do it in small increments (100 calories max), and see how your body reacts over a week or two. You could reduce your workout sessions, if you feel you're hitting the gym hard, but again - increments.
Personally, I added ,ore gym workouts because, once I hit my goal, I set a new muscle building goal. I'm not doing the bulking/cutting route, so my transformation is slower, but working just fine! Good luck on you maintance!