Struggling badly with this maintaining

richardheath

I don't want to lose anymore I want to start gaining more muscle.

If you want to gain muscle, you need to be eating at (for a recomp) or above your true TDEE. Get enough protein (shoot for 1 g/lb body weight) and lift heavy things. You are not going to gain muscle if you are not eating enough (and even if you are, its a very slow process, especially for a woman).

WrenEileen

Not sure this will help you but I have used dill pickles when I am craving things ..

stealthq

I do not believe I am starving because it has been happening after eating my meals. Generally my cravings are sweet things biscuits and cake which I have been eating through the year it has taken me to lose the weight but the cravings seem to have amped themselves up. If I was happy too I could probably eating a whole packet of biscuits.

This happened to me, too. I found my junk food craving went up when I first started to maintain. I think it's another mental issue that happens. It's as if your mind says "yay! Maintenance means junk food!". This feeling will go away in a couple of weeks when your mind adjusts.
Maintenance is truly a mind game.

Another point of view - this happens to me the day after I do some unexpected exercise if I don't eat enough the day of. No sooner do I finish a meal then I'm immediately thinking of what else I can eat. I do go and eat - usually peanut butter, or some other high protein/fat food - when that happens and the need to grab more food goes away.

My guess, you aren't eating nearly enough. I'm pretty sure that's the case since I'm losing weight on what you're eating, yet I'm shorter, lighter, look to be older, and WAY more sedentary than you.

cwolfman13

I really struggling I didn't think it would be this hard. Thought I had learnt over the last year how to eat properly but I don't seem to be able to say no to food cravings.

At least when I was losing I new which way I was going. I want to gain more muscle and workout quite abit. Don't no what to do about the craving for sweet things. I have set my calories to 1500 and have only fluctuated half a pound both ways. I don't generally hit that target. I don't eat my calories back.

Breakfast is general under 200
Lunch under 400
Dinner under 500
Snacks are all over the place

Exercise is running 3 times a week, traditional circuits Wednesday, boxing class Thursday and every other Sunday HIIT circuits I'm also doing a January challenge which is push up, crunches and squats every other day. The days in between are plank, wall sits and chair dips, " rest" every 4th day

Any advice is much appreciated

Claire x

Ummmm....maintenance isn't going to be weighing exactly XXX Lbs within a 1/2 Lb or whatever. Natural body weight fluctuations are a good 3-5 Lbs...maintenance is a range. I can pretty much guarantee you that you maintain on more than 1500 calories...the average female who doesn't really do much maintains around 1800 - 2000 calories...an active female who works out regularly is going to be around 2200- 2300 calories +. If you want to gain muscle, you have to fuel that...and acknowledge that when you gain muscle, you gain weight on the scale.

I only had a 500 calorie deficit...that means when I went to maintenance I only got to eat about 500 calories more...it's not much...it's a couple handfuls of nuts.

I've been maintaining for around 8 months now...I can easily fluctuate a good 3-5 Lbs day to day (it's not frackin' fat)...I'm generally anywhere between 179 and 185 with my 8 month average being 182. Your weight isn't static so you can't get all freaked out when you gain a little water or lose a little water...or take a 2 Lb dump and weigh 2 Lbs less....or you're constipated and thus have extra waste in your system.

kluvit

Claire,

What works for me is incorporating my favorites everyday, so I don't feel deprived, and I don't "waste" calories on foods I don't love, because it's not worth it. Just like I don't spend money on clothes I don't want to wear, I don't spend calories on food I don't enjoy eating. That said, I typically save my breakfast calories to enjoy a better lunch, and resist snacks, so I can enjoy dinner with my family (no "diet" foods, just smaller portions of yummy food) and have my nightly ice cream cone for dessert. While I don't log everyday unless I approach the high-end of my "acceptable" weight range, I do adjust my eating according the my activity. If I've worked out, I can splurge on an afternoon coffee drink (under 200 calories) or have chips and salsa at lunch, but if I haven't worked out, I eat a lighter lunch. I've found that I enjoy my evening meals with my family the most, so I am able to resist the mediocre temptations throughout the day in order to eat "normally" in the evening.

I think you need to determine which of your favorites you want to "budget" for in your new lifestyle and make adjustments in other places in order to accommodate those things that mean the most to you. It's pretty easy to resist that cold, sugary doughnut in the break room, when I know that I'd need to give up my after dinner cookie dough ice cream cone and walk an extra two miles to make up the difference...not worth it to me. But, on the other hand, passing on the doughnut knowing that my favorite awaits me at home is sooo worth it to me.

Best wishes in figuring out how to have it all: enjoying eating what you love while also enjoying your successful management of your weight.

SLLRunner

I'm not surprised you're struggling, you must be starving!

There may be issues to address regarding hunger, appetite, cravings etc, but first you need to work out how much you really should be eating. If you're not eating back exercise calories, then you're using the TDEE method, and I seriously doubt that someone your age, doing all that activity, is only burning 1500 calories a day. I bet you could maintain on a lot more than that.

Claire,

I agree with the above. It really sounds like you've underestimated your TDEE.

On M,W,F I do weight training and then run 3-4 miles, which comes out to between 70-80 minutes. On T & TH I do other types of cardio, mostly the ergomaster and spinning, for about 50 minutes. I often take Saturday and/or Sunday off, depending on my very active lifestyle.

I'm 5 ft. 4 1/2 and am currently 146 pounds. On workout days, i eat between 2.000 and 2,200 calories, and on non-workout days I eat about 1.850. If I know I'm going out on a weekend, will save some calories from other days for that special lunch or dinner.

Maintenance is a lot of trial and error. I've been trying to maintain for a month tracking my weight and calories consumed in an excel spreadsheet. I don't have this maintenance thing down yet, but I have a feeling I will still continue to log, though I am thinking of going with the TDEE method just for fun.

ravenforest3009

With all that great exercise you are doing, your intake is too low. You must be hungry and then get food attacks.
Try to increase your calories by eating protein rich foods and aim for about 200kcal more a day.
try it for a week and see how it goes...if ok, keep going. if not, adjust up or down. it will take a while to find balance.
good luck and eat something healthy!

skinnyinnotime

Well 1500 would be kind of low to maintain on being sedentary, but with all that working out it really is very low.

Definately look into raising your daily calories and take it from there, you'll be able to fit in some of those sweet things! Also make sure to eat lots of protein not only for your muscles but to make you feel fuller for a longer time.

imjolly

I think you are struggling because your probably hungry. Looking at your calories you posted you are actually under the calories you should be eating and with exercise you should be eating even more. Your body needs the calories (not sweets) to survive and build muscle. If you crave sweets eat fruit or something a little sweet but not pure garbage. Even a glass of milk with help with your craving of sweets. Good Luck