Women, what are "maintenance calories" for you?

macchiatto

I just recently moved to maintenance (planning to do a recomp) and am working on figuring out what I need to eat to maintain. I am currently at 1600 calories, wanting to move up by 50-100 per week and see where I end up. I do also eat back 1/2-all of my exercise calories.
I'm 5'7", 38 years old and have PCOS. I do HIIT 2x/wk, run 2-3x/wk and am starting NROLFW.
I know we're all different; just curious to hear a range from women of different ages, activity levels, etc.

kk_140

5'4" and 21 years old. I maintain at around 1800 calories a day.

Faye_Anderson

Every woman will be different. Start here: scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and see what that gives, my maintenance is 2300 so 1600 sounds really low to me, but like I said we're all different :flowerforyou:

KarenJanine

I'm 5'8, around 160 lbs, cycle 50 miles per week and lift 3 x per week. I maintain at around 2400-2600 cals (total, not net).

Janlo26

Sounds like you have a good plan to find out your personal maintenance calorie level. Everyone is different so your method is likely to give you the info you want.
All the best in your quest!

stuffinmuffin

We're all different. I use a Fitbit and HRM to get my daily calories (though I tend to work to being under my weekly cals rather than daily).

I'm 5'3" and 108lb and I eat about 1900 calls a day if not more (this all depends on exercise and general activity though). If I was to sit on my butt all day I could only eat about 1450 calories!

QueenBishOTUniverse

I'm not quite to goal yet, but I have been eating *around* what my maintenance should be (according to scooby's workshop) once I hit goal. I'm 5'8" 166lbs aiming for 160lbs. I lift on a 4 day split routine and occasionally go for a run if I feel like it. I aim for between 2300 and 2500 calories a day but go up to 2800 or so about once a week. When I hit 160lbs I'll just spend the next few months watching to see what my weight does, if it stabilizes great, if it keeps going down, YAY! More food for me!

macchiatto

Every woman will be different. Start here: scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and see what that gives, my maintenance is 2300 so 1600 sounds really low to me, but like I said we're all different :flowerforyou:

I know we're all different. I was just curious to hear a range from other women of varying heights/weights/ages etc.

With exercise I eat closer to 1800 most days. Women with PCOS do tend to have significantly lower BMR than other women so I may end up having to stay lower than I'd like (or just having to exercise more to maintain at the level I'd like).

Samby_v1

5' 4", seem to be maintaining within 1600-1800. Long story.

amy_lynn007

I am 5'3", 124 lbs and maintain on MFP's recommendation of 2060 cals per day (before exercise). I do eat back exercise calories, so end up maintaining on 2300 or so. I've been maintaining a couple of months now, and it seems to be working! Only fluctuated up/down a few pounds, I'm guessing just water weight. I do have mine set to active as I'm constantly walking at my job and average around 16-17k steps by the end of the day.

aleggett321

5'4", 150 lbs, age 55

Cardio 4x/week
NROLFW 2x/wk
Gentle yoga 2x/wk
Goal 10,000 steps/day on my fitbit every day

Maintenance about 2035 according to my fitbit. Slowly upping to 1950 and will evaluate from there. Want to leave some wiggle room.

sweetnlow30

I'm 5'3" and when I hit 125 I will be maintaining on about 1800 according to the rate I am losing at now. I plan to ease into maintenance after I lose about 3-5 more pounds.

cwolfman13

My wife is 5'3" and 39 y.o. and weighs around 125. She does a full body heavy strength routine 3x weekly and runs 3-5 miles about 3-4x weekly. She is a mother of two boys and husband to another but otherwise has a desk job...she maintains at around 2200 - 2300 calories.

brynnsmom

I average 1700-1800 calories per day. I'm 37, weigh about 108 pounds. I have an office job but it does involve some walking; I also have a small child to chase around. I exercise about 5 times per week, 30-45 minutes (usually brisk walking or biking).

Graelwyn75

It is really going to vary from person to person, depending on activity level, height, weight, lean mass and genetics possibly.
For me, with my activity level, it averages around 2400.

ETA - 5'10, 130/131, walk 5 miles a day plus cycle 2-3 times per week, do boxing and circuits twice a week, lift 1-2 x per week and sometimes throw in a martial arts class.

cavia

5'7", 42, approximately 2500 calories.

paperpudding

Maitenance for me - net calories of 1700.
I am 50 years old and just under 5 ft 4 in, activity level set at lightly active.

I did not work this amount out on scoobie or anywhere, I just eat it and it works - my weight has not varied more than 1 kg from my goal weight of 62 kg since last November.

However you are younger than me and taller than me - I imagine your net calories for maintenance would be bit higher than mine.

RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle

I'm 5'71/2 " . Maintenance is 1900-2000 depending on how active I am.

DebbieLyn63

5'6", 50yo, 183. Fairly sedentary, but I do chase my 2 yo granddaughter around 4 days a week. I also have PCOS and Insulin resistance. I maintain around 1400 or so. I have been at maintenance for about the past year, not intentionally, just too much stuff going on right now to be able to concentrate fully on losing.
If I ever reach my goal of 155, I am afraid my maintenance will be around 1000-1200. ugh.

PinkyPan1

I am 5'1" and 53 yrs old. I went on maintenance 2 weeks ago. My calories are 1540 without exercising. I power walk 5 miles daily and take care of my grandchildren during the day. I have still managed to lose 1.5 pounds. I am not looking to lose more weight and figure I will balance things out within the next few weeks.

brenn24179

I am 61 and 5'4 and 1400-1600 is about right for me.