Trying to Maintain but slowly losing

fougamou

I hit maintenance back in October/November. My goal weight was 155. I decided to try to maintain at about 152.5 - meaning a range of 150-155. That is essentially what I did through February.

In late February and early March, I noticed my weight trending downward, which it has continued to do. I didn't focus on it too much knowing that a. I was attending a conference (with conference meals) and going on vacation in April.

I just got back from vacation and weighed in at 148.4.

I am still tracking all the food I eat and base my calorie goal on Fitbit's calculation. Normally, I try not to go over my calorie count, but do get very close. While on vacation, calorie counting was particularly guesswork and I did over over many days (all you can eat ribs! YUM!)

A couple of questions for you:

1. The recent weight loss is surprising to me since I was more or less maintaining. Did anyone else experience this while maintaining -- sort of plateauing and then a drop of a few pounds?

2. I am torn over whether or not I should try to gain back the weight I lost. I think I look fine, but when I see pics of the last time I was at this weight, I think I was too skinny -- shoulder bones visible. On the other hand, I am not depriving myself. Has anyone here lost more than they wanted to, if so, did you consider it a "bonus" or try to gain a bit back?

marilandica

I think it's a process of figuring out where and how maintenance works. I maintained where I wanted to (like you, essentially within a 5-8 lb range) for several months over the winter, but have started losing again. I've realized that as the weather has warmed, my base activity level has picked up substantially. Pretty sure this is what accounts for the downward moving scale and loose clothes. I don't want to cut back on my regular exercise because it's an important "habit" to have. So, I need to eat a bit more than I have been.

The_Enginerd

Any calorie calculator is going to be an estimate. Each individual is slightly different. It you are slowly losing weight, you are going to need to eat more to maintain your weight. I used MFP's estimate when I switched to maintenance, and I had to up my calories a bit because I was very slowly losing weight.

For you questions:

1) Yes, jumps up/down are pretty normal.

2) This is a personal choice, provided you are still within a healthy range.

Kevalicious99

I am finding the same thing .. I just cannot seem to stop losing. I like you just want to stay the same, but that is much harder than losing weight.

I am just going to try to eat as much as I burn .. I too am using a Fitbit and use the Fitbit calorie burn number for my calories.

But I have gained a fair amount of muscle in the last 8 months and muscle burns calories 24/7 .. so it is possible I am just burning more calories than Fitbit says I am.

And well exercise .. just means that I have to eat more. I hate it .. I would be totally happy to eat 1600 cal a day and just maintain. But I am finding that maybe 2300 or more is needed.

Good luck. I hope both of us resolve this very soon.

animalldy

I've continued to slowly lose once I started maintaining (about 2 months ago, so not that long). I set a low weight for myself that I am not comfortable going under because I just look too skinny. Once I hit below that number a few times I increased my calories by 100. If I see that low number again I will increase by another 100 calories. Works for me! I'm focusing on weight training now to lower my bf% but maintain my weight while eating at maintenance.

The_Enginerd

And well exercise .. just means that I have to eat more. I hate it .. I would be totally happy to eat 1600 cal a day and just maintain. But I am finding that maybe 2300 or more is needed.

Say what?!

SezxyStef

And well exercise .. just means that I have to eat more. I hate it .. I would be totally happy to eat 1600 cal a day and just maintain. But I am finding that maybe 2300 or more is needed.

Say what?!

x2...

to the OP if you continue to lose up your calories by 100...wait a couple weeks and see if that helps..if it does great..if it doesn't...add more...wait if it works....you get the idea...

jchadden42

I hit maintenance and then lost another 10 pounds. The trouble I'm having is that, with exercise, I often should eat about 2500 calories/day. I don't always do this. I seem to have settled in at my current weight, but I found that I had to add calorie dense foods to my diet. I now put avocado on just about any sandwich (not pb&j), and I eat nuts with several meals.

Allowing ourselves to increase calories after having tried to lose weight can be a mental block IMO. Good luck.

beckyhoo

I continued to lose after hitting goal and am now at the point where I could stand to gain a few pounds back. Part of my problem is not wanting to decrease my calories again after bumping them up to gain. I like the prospect of being able to eat more at any given time, which is probably leading to under eating. But I'm working on it. Maintenance can kinda mess with your mind, if you let it.

PJPrimrose

Ditto here. I am getting more a rolling weight loss/gain than at first when it was all over the darn place! I can't tell you if you would look better lighter! You could ask some friends you'd think would be honest .

mjglantz

Yes! I reached my goal of 162 last April and continued eating the way I was. Had recently started working out at the gym in addition to getting at least 10,000 steps/day. I continued to lose weight slowly but surely and added in more calories going from about 1700 in April 2011 to 1975/day now. I get a clean bill of health from doctors so I know I'm not sick. I figured that I'd just keep eating this way and exercising and my weight would stabilize, which it seems like it has done, finally!
I do eat a very healthy diet that is high on plants and whole grains. Sort of follow MIchale Pollan "eat food, less of it, more plants" and that works.

susannamarie

Yep, just bump the calorie goal by a bit. It looks like you're losing about 1lb/month, try adding 100 calories/day?

5pmsomewherenow

I also go on vacation (10 days) in the early spring, and lose about 5 pounds, while on "maintenance." I think it's because I can be more active on vacation than my "sedentary" life at a desk while working. I get better sleep, and don't do any stress eating while on vacation. I've dropped about 5 pounds in the early spring, for the past three years. I just keep on track, closely monitoring MFP, and come back into range over the next 6-8 weeks or so. There are some times when we can exercise more, or eat better, and it will reflected in a slight loss. It all evens out over the long term.

irleshay

That happened to me also. I meant to lose 21 pounds and I did. I didn't mind when it became 25, and then at one point it became 28. Strangely that was when my gym closed for repairs and I wasn't exercising but still calorie-counting. Once I started working out again, a few pounds came back. So now I'm at a loss of 24 pounds.

I say let your body do what it will. Unless you're becoming dangerously thin, I wouldn't worry about trying to gain back a few.

einzweidrei

What does MFP have you set at to maintain? I found their number to be too low for me so I added more calories to it. Which, if you don't want to lose any more weight, I would suggest you do as well. In fact, I'm going to desync my FitBit because it has me at eating an even lower number of calories than MFP on most days if I don't move enough according to them.