How to make the transition to maintenance?

Mookz0r

Hi!

I'm very pleased to say I'm now off the plateau (cue manic grin!) - possibly due to the sheer prospect of having to go down the gym (haven't yet!) and/or upping my water intake. Thanks a million to all those who offered advice.

Anyhow, now I'm facing a different issue - the weight seems to be dropping off at an alarming rate (like 600g in 3 days with me on about 1450 cals/day) and so I'm actually contemplating having to slow down or change to the maintenance phase in the next few weeks.

The thing is, how does one go about it? Surely if I just switch to my maintenance calorie limit (which is approx 1900) from one day to the next, my body will think it's time to start stocking up again? Or will it?

My aim is to get to a point where I no longer need to keep a diary, having taught myself the portion sizes and quantities of food that I should aim for. I don't mind if my weight fluctuates a bit - a few pounds here and there - but just that it doesn't start creeping up again. I don't want to be "watching my weight" for the rest of my life....

erickirb

First off congrats. To transition to maintenance you should slowly add cals back to your diet. If you are currently at 1 lb/week, change it to 0.5/week once you hit your goal, stay there for a week or 2 then transition to maintenance. If you are at more than 1 lb/week, do the same thing. So from 2 lb/week go to 1.5 for a week or 2 then to 1, then 0.5 then in about a month or 2 you will be at maintenance cals without increasing all at once. Good luck

SHBoss1673

I would even go with longer, I usually tell people to give each calorie change 3 to 4 weeks. that's just preference though, you might see a pound or three come back, but it shouldn't be that much.

Mookz0r

smashing! Thanks!

I'm apparently at a calorie goal that should let me lose 1lb a week, but I seem to be losing more, so I guess I'm a bit more active than I thought I was!

I reckon I'll shortly start upping my cals by 100 or so every couple of weeks - that should take me 8 weeks to get to my maintenance cals.