Gaining vs. Maintaining - Which do you find harder?

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Fithealthyforlife
Fithealthyforlife Posts: 866 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
There's a thread in the "Maintaining" section asking which people find harder...maintaining or losing.

Link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1214647-is-maintaining-weight-just-as-hard-as-losing-weight

So I thought I'd ask those who have gained and are now maintaining the same question.

Which do you find easier, and why? Gaining or maintaining?

Replies

  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    Been on both ends and bulking was much harder in the end. The mental mind F of it all, eating past the point of feeling stuffed and having to always adjust calories/macros is exhausting at times. Yes maintaining is hard when you first get there and adjust to having a weight range etc. However once I get back there I will be more relaxed and will no longer log and stress about macros and calories etc.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Been on both ends and bulking was much harder in the end. The mental mind F of it all, eating past the point of feeling stuffed and having to always adjust calories/macros is exhausting at times. Yes maintaining is hard when you first get there and adjust to having a weight range etc. However once I get back there I will be more relaxed and will no longer log and stress about macros and calories etc.

    this.

    I was all OVER the first maintenance- up and down each day- but it ironed out in 2 weeks.
    Bulk was definitely smooth sailing the first 3 months- 4 has been a push- and I'm half way through month 5 and I'm finding again- I'm pinging- some days I'm good- other days I'm light- definitely been inconsistent with food.
  • tabburch123
    tabburch123 Posts: 2 Member
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    MAINTAINING!!! By far! I think when we diet we have a goal in mind and we work toward that goal. When we reach our goal its kinda like "then what?" We no longer need the strict calorie deficit to continue losing and for me it was very hard to not go overboard when I ate something I normally wouldn't have. I gained 10 lbs back this winter b/c I just couldn't seem to find a balance. I am now hard at it again with my goal in mind but this time when I hit my goal I am going to set a schedule of excercise and stick to it!
  • goredguar
    goredguar Posts: 63 Member
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    Been on both ends and bulking was much harder in the end. The mental mind F of it all, eating past the point of feeling stuffed and having to always adjust calories/macros is exhausting at times. Yes maintaining is hard when you first get there and adjust to having a weight range etc. However once I get back there I will be more relaxed and will no longer log and stress about macros and calories etc.

    this.

    I was all OVER the first maintenance- up and down each day- but it ironed out in 2 weeks.
    Bulk was definitely smooth sailing the first 3 months- 4 has been a push- and I'm half way through month 5 and I'm finding again- I'm pinging- some days I'm good- other days I'm light- definitely been inconsistent with food.

    ^ What these two said. The mental aspect of eating more (especially due to a past ED) is tough, and then trying to eat more whilst fitting those things into your macros is annoying - I'm finding it difficult to get enough protein, as whey protein powder *ahem* err badly disagrees with me!

    Some days I find I'm super hungry and eat over, some days you get to the end and you're like "oh gawd not more food". Plus the occasional jibes and comments from my female lecture-buddies about my bigger lunches gets a bit...irritating, to say the least.

    Bulking is harder for me for all those reasons.
    Maintenance is never really a problem per-say, as I found that unless I measure and count calories, I end up eating much less as I wildly overestimate calorific contents (again, from the ED days).
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    I will say there's a big difference between gaining due to lack of motivation, not logging, whatever and PURPOSELY gaining.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I will say there's a big difference between gaining due to lack of motivation, not logging, whatever and PURPOSELY gaining.

    indeed.

    I wasn't hungry last night- and I know I was short by a few hundred- normally I ice cream it up and call it a night- but nope. I just went to bed. I'll make it up today.

    purposeful gain is dreary after a few months.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Maintaining is easier. If I work out and eat as much as I want, I maintain. Durp.
  • Nealius
    Nealius Posts: 10 Member
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    Bulking is definitely the hardest. I can't even hold down 2-cups of oatmeal without feeling like I am going to rupture my stomach and vomit at the same time.
  • trojan_bb
    trojan_bb Posts: 699 Member
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    Maintaining is the easiest thing in the fitness world. You just do the same thing every day, very little thought or effort needed.

    Muscle mass is super easy to maintain, even eating at a slight deficit and medium intensity in the gym. Growing lean tissue is actually difficult, keeping it is not unless a person just has no awareness about their own diet and exercise.

    The body's systems all work towards homeostasis. Maintenance. Once you've held a certain size and strength level for a while, it takes a significant change to alter it.
  • parker0303
    parker0303 Posts: 5 Member
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    Gaining for sure.

    Been "maintaining" all my life pretty easily. However adding significant muscle mass is far more difficult after the initial beginners gains.

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