weight loss and transitioning to maintenance ?

alyjb1121

I might answer my own questions by asking them, but nonetheless.
After I hit 17 lbs lost, someone in a forum told me I should up my calorie intake a bit to ease the transition into maintenance smoother since I was over halfway to my goal.
This seemed legitimate after everything I had read about maintenance and calorie deficit etc.
but, i wasnt ready. however, I was talking to a friend about this topic today....and recalculating numbers (bmr and deficit etc). it wants me to lower calorie intake not increase. is this because I still have the same deficit goal for 1lb a week? if so, I don't see how this makes the transition smoother while still trying to lose weight unless they meant I should lose less a week? but I don't want to change that, because I've been at a plateau for quite sometime, or will changing the per week goal help with the plateau?
A lot of questions, some make sense to me except they lead to the other questions which I can't make sense of, so just validate me here and put it out in layman terms for me?! TIA


(my goal is still 11lbs away btw and I have not loss anything for several weeks, even when I kept the same eating plans and then added cardio and weights-and then stopped weights after 2 months for a total 2 more months)

Branstin

A plateau is nothing more than your calorie maintenance level. You are no longer eating to lose but rather eating to maintain your current weight. Set your MFP profile to reflect your lifestyle before any exercises. Keep your weekly weight loss goal set to 1 lb. Add your exercises and eat back about half of those calories. Re-evaluate after about a month and make changes as needed. Keep your body well hydrated and get adequate rest.

alyjb1121

But i don't want to maintain, i want to lose 10 more. There is not a weight that your body just hits and says you have to stay there, right? (only asking because my stepmom said there is and that this is mine). The only reason I want to lose a few more lbs is because I want to go back to lifting, toning and building muscle but I am always afraid when I build the muscle, the scale will go up. I know it'll be healthier but it's still an issue.

I am literally at 1294, i cannot go too much lower. And i am set at sedentary. I log all excersize manually.

Thank you!

SezxyStef

Yes you should with less than 20lbs to lose switching it to 1/2lb a week is what is usually recommended...I didn't do that until I had 10 left. Then I upped 100 a day for a week...then another 100...but it caused a lot of water weight so I lowered it to 50 calories a week and it worked out well.

And yes if you recalculate with the same weekly weight loss goal you will have less calories to consume that is why it is suggested to lower weekly weight loss goal so it is sustainable.

As for your plateau that was you eating at maitenance...nothing more...and changing your weekly weight loss goal wont cause a plateau only calorie intake will.

With so little to lose tho you have to be very diligent in your logging...you have to be as accurate as possible...weighing solids, logging everything etc.

As for losing a few more lbs to lift...why? I started lifting 20lbs heavier than I am now...and if you are building muscle yes the scale will go up...because in order to do that you have to eat at a surplus of maitenance otherwise you have nothing to build from.

The scale isn't always the best indicator of lost fat..remember that..inches, firmness, BF% are better indicators...don't be a slave to the scale.

Branstin

But i don't want to maintain, i want to lose 10 more. There is not a weight that your body just hits and says you have to stay there, right? (only asking because my stepmom said there is and that this is mine). The only reason I want to lose a few more lbs is because I want to go back to lifting, toning and building muscle but I am always afraid when I build the muscle, the scale will go up. I know it'll be healthier but it's still an issue.

I am literally at 1294, i cannot go too much lower. And i am set at sedentary. I log all excersize manually.

Thank you!

No, you don't have to stay at your maintenance. A plateau can change with another calorie deficiency. Sedentary is for people who don't exercise at all. You are at least "Lightly Active" because you burn calories with cleaning, laundry, shopping, etc. Since you want to lose 10 lbs. then go for 0.5 lb. per week. I agree with adding weights, too.

rileyleigh

Since you have lost weight, your body burns fewer calories in a normal day. If you don't reset your goals in MFP, they will never change the amount of calories they tell you to eat to maintain your continued weight loss. The more you lose, the fewer calories you are allowed to continue weightloss.

That being said, as you lose more weight, many people suggest lowering the rate of weightloss as well. Perhaps you have been set at 1 lb a week which allows you 1300 calories or so (a guess). After losing 20 pounds, you can reset your goal to 1 lb a week, and it may only allow your to eat 1200 calories. However if you change it to .5 lb a week (because you are close to your goal), then you may be allowed to continue eating 1300, or even 1400 calories. You will continue to lose weight, just at a slower rate.

Then when you do switch from loss to maintenance, you will not change your diet by a drastic 700-800 calories overnight and mess with your body's balance.

alyjb1121

Yes you should with less than 20lbs to lose switching it to 1/2lb a week is what is usually recommended...I didn't do that until I had 10 left. Then I upped 100 a day for a week...then another 100...but it caused a lot of water weight so I lowered it to 50 calories a week and it worked out well.

And yes if you recalculate with the same weekly weight loss goal you will have less calories to consume that is why it is suggested to lower weekly weight loss goal so it is sustainable.

As for your plateau that was you eating at maitenance...nothing more...and changing your weekly weight loss goal wont cause a plateau only calorie intake will.

With so little to lose tho you have to be very diligent in your logging...you have to be as accurate as possible...weighing solids, logging everything etc.

As for losing a few more lbs to lift...why? I started lifting 20lbs heavier than I am now...and if you are building muscle yes the scale will go up...because in order to do that you have to eat at a surplus of maitenance otherwise you have nothing to build from.

The scale isn't always the best indicator of lost fat..remember that..inches, firmness, BF% are better indicators...don't be a slave to the scale.

this is excatly what i feel i needed! thank you! I will try this. I guess achiving .5lb lost a week is better than setting up for 1lb per week and not losing it.

alyjb1121

Since you have lost weight, your body burns fewer calories in a normal day. If you don't reset your goals in MFP, they will never change the amount of calories they tell you to eat to maintain your continued weight loss. The more you lose, the fewer calories you are allowed to continue weightloss.

That being said, as you lose more weight, many people suggest lowering the rate of weightloss as well. Perhaps you have been set at 1 lb a week which allows you 1300 calories or so (a guess). After losing 20 pounds, you can reset your goal to 1 lb a week, and it may only allow your to eat 1200 calories. However if you change it to .5 lb a week (because you are close to your goal), then you may be allowed to continue eating 1300, or even 1400 calories. You will continue to lose weight, just at a slower rate.

Then when you do switch from loss to maintenance, you will not change your diet by a drastic 700-800 calories overnight and mess with your body's balance.

yes, this is what i was thinking and needing to validate too! i guess the first person who suggested upping my calories never mentioned lowering my goal and i needed to make sure putting that piece into the puzzle was the right move! thank you!