Worried About Eating too Low Calorie to Maintain Later

gingercurves

So I've been following mfp's recommendations and eating 1480-1500 on average calories per day. I'm at 275 lbs right now and want to be around 130-140. I'm 5'3. I'm worried that once I hit my goal and start eating my maintaining calorie allowance that I am going to gain weight. Has anyone else gone through this and what happened with you? Did you gain any weight or no?

Supertact

At first you'd gain a little bit due to water and glycogen. That being said that is the point of maintenance calories, to maintain. Why would you gain eating at maintenance, If you gain eating 'maintenance' calories then you are actually eating at a surplus not maintaining.

DeguelloTex

Maintenance calories, by definition, mean that you don't gain weight. (Day to day fluctuations aside, of course.)

Some people recommend building back up to maintenance, but by that point your deficit is probably already going to be fairly small.

hmroebuck

When you are 130 pounds, 1500 will probably be your maintenance intake.

kgeyser

As you lose weight, you also decrease your loss per week goal. So while you may be set to lose two lbs per week now, you're going to decrease that goal as you lose to 1.5 lbs per week, then 1 lb per week, then you'll be close to goal and losing 0.5 lbs per week. That's a 250 cal deficit per day from your maintenance calories, which means that once you hit your goal weight, you'll be eating pretty much as you would long term to maintain already, although in maintenance you would get to add a small snack. This reduces bumps in weight gain and makes transitioning to maintenance easier.

I have seen people report a small bump in weight gain as they add those few calories in, as in a few pounds, which is why some people try to lose a few lbs below goal weight before transitioning to maintenance. Truthfully, our body weight fluctuates all the time and we are never really one static weight, but a range of weights, so as long as you've got the body you want and measurements you are happy with, the scale weight doesn't matter as much.

paperpudding

OP I am about your height and I am maintaining on net calories of 1700.

I lost on 1460.

I did not have as much weight to lose as you - however when you get to about 10lb over weight you will need to adjust your setting to losing 1/2 lb per week - and that should get you around the same calories as I had.
Which it seems is not much less than you are having now - but that's because you are currently set to lose a lb or 2lb per week

paperpudding

in other words, what post above me already said

williams969

When you are 130 pounds, 1500 will probably be your maintenance intake.

Goodness, not for me, nor for a lot of maintainers. The number will be very different based on activity level, BF%, age, height, etc. Mine's looking likes it's going to be around 1900 at 135lbs (I'm 38, 5'6", moderately active, FYI).


To the OP, once you approach your goal, maybe around 20-30 left to lose, you'll have a greater feel for what your maintenance level will be like. I'm already at that point, where every 3 weeks I increase my intake about 100 cals/day to get an increasingly slower loss. Eventually, that loss will average out to "zero", and THAT will be my maintenance.

Don't go putting the cart before the horse. Get going on what will make you lose right now in a reasonable and sustainable level, and keep at it!:flowerforyou:

MelodyandBarbells

So I've been following mfp's recommendations and eating 1480-1500 on average calories per day. I'm at 275 lbs right now and want to be around 130-140. I'm 5'3. I'm worried that once I hit my goal and start eating my maintaining calorie allowance that I am going to gain weight. Has anyone else gone through this and what happened with you? Did you gain any weight or no?

Try to get enough protein and incorporate resistance training as you can. These will help you retain as much of your lean body mass (muscles) as possible, so that when you're done losing the weight you've maximized fat loss as well. I believe a body with more muscle does burn more calories, since muscle burns more than fat. Your overall satisfaction with your final look is also likely to be better if you mostly strip the fat over and around your muscles through your weight loss process. Good luck!

hmroebuck

The BMR for a 5'3 130lb female only varies by about 10 calories per year of age. The average would be about that of a 40yo which is 1229. 1500 allows for some exercise. Of course every individual is different, but with the given parameters, 1500 is a pretty fair estimate.

Saramelie

I am 5'4, 211 pounds, goal of 145 and, following TDEE my maintenance should be around 2000 cal per day once there (including regular exercise)... You dont have to starve to maintain. Trust the process and just focus on what to do right now, not what to do in 100 pounds from now. Good luck on your journey!

WalkingAlong

Your maintenance calories will have little to nothing to do with your deficit level, despite scare tactics here that would say otherwise.