Calorie goals - how did you go from loss to maintenance?

logg1e

Just that really. I'd be interested in anyone sharing what their daily calorie goal was during weight loss (and if and how that changed) and you transitioned to maintenance.

Here's where I am, in the middle of this process:
11st 11lb (SW) calorie goal 1200
9st 9lb calorie goal 1300
9st 7lb (GW-ish) calorie goal 1400

Thinking of seeing where I am after a week at 1400 and upping by 100 per week.

Francl27

I'm 2 pounds from my goal... I switched to a maintenance goal and try to keep a small deficit most days.. some days it's 200, some days 300, some days 50, some days I'm a bit over. I figure eventually I'll get there.

Joanjett88

Definitely curious about this as I am within reach of my goal weight.

logg1e

Thanks Franc!

(bumped for me and Joan).

47Jacqueline

I went lower than my goal level, then added it back. Then went to a Zumba convention, where I lost 4 lb and stayed there for a while. Now I'm eating 2039 calories plus exercise cals and maintaining for now.

Cryptonomnomicon

If you are getting the correct amount of protein and fats (link provided below) I would add 20 carbs=80cals a week till you hit the magic number.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

A cut 'n' pasta guide from the link for weight loss...

General recommendations for weekly weight loss goals should be based on a number of factors, the main one of which is how much weight you have to lose. The more weight that you have to lose the less severe the negative impact of being at a calorie deficit will have generally (see below for examples).

As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

Obviously, the deficit that is right for you will depend on your personal circumstances and how well you deal with the deficit. For example, for someone who is morbidly obese, the health benefits of getting the weight off quickly will often outweigh the possible negative impact and, as such, a higher than 2 lb a week deficit may well be appropriate.

ETA: 2180cals a day for cutting with a once a week refeed of 2900cals, maintenance 2900-3000 a day.

logg1e

I'm sure I've seen you post the same post elsewhere the_deliverator (your picture is memorable).

What do you mean by "20 carbs=80cals"?

In terms of calorie goals, how did you go from losing to maintaining?

MelsAuntie

My calorie goal has always been 1700 calories per day. I logged everything, stayed under my goal, never did cheat meals ( I hate the concept, not to mention the name), and lost weight very slowly, which is the way I wanted it. I did NOT want fast weight loss, as I didn't think my skin would be able to do that without wrinkling. Over 9 months or so, something like that, I lost 22 lbs., and have been maintaining since. I have been too busy with the farm/garden/horses to log anything lately and I haven't weighed myself since last fall.

MKEgal

What do you mean by "20 carbs = 80cals"?

Basic nutrition.
20 grams (g) of carbohydrates = 80 calories
Each gram of carbs has 4 calories.
So does each gram of protein.
Each g of fat has 9 calories.

In terms of calorie goals, how did you go from losing to maintaining?

As you near your goal, you'll be in less of a calorie deficit, so your weight loss will slow.
To lose weight, you should be eating 10x your healthy goal weight (150 lb = 1500 cal).
To maintain weight, you need 15 cal per lb. *
So as you get close to your goal weight, nudge the cal/lb up until you're at your goal & not losing.


* http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HB_web/calorie-counting-made-easy.htm
"multiply your current weight by 15 — that’s roughly the number of calories per pound of body weight needed to maintain your current weight if you are moderately active. Moderately active means getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day"

logg1e

My calorie goal has always been 1700 calories per day. I logged everything, stayed under my goal, never did cheat meals ( I hate the concept, not to mention the name), and lost weight very slowly, which is the way I wanted it. I did NOT want fast weight loss, as I didn't think my skin would be able to do that without wrinkling. Over 9 months or so, something like that, I lost 22 lbs., and have been maintaining since. I have been too busy with the farm/garden/horses to log anything lately and I haven't weighed myself since last fall.

Thanks Mel. You say that you've been too busy to weigh yourself since reaching maintenance. Have you counted calories and if so, have you stayed with a goal of 1700.

Congratulations on your achievement!

logg1e

Basic nutrition.
20 grams (g) of carbohydrates = 80 calories
Each gram of carbs has 4 calories.
So does each gram of protein.
Each g of fat has 9 calories.

So why add 20g of carbs specifically? Why not fat or protein?

As you near your goal, you'll be in less of a calorie deficit, so your weight loss will slow.
To lose weight, you should be eating 10x your healthy goal weight (150 lb = 1500 cal).
To maintain weight, you need 15 cal per lb. *
So as you get close to your goal weight, nudge the cal/lb up until you're at your goal & not losing.

I meant how did the original poster I was replying to approach maintenance. Literally "how did you" not "how does one"

365andstillalive

Well, if you're losing at a very gradual rate, as you should be within say 10-20lbs of your goal, going into maintenance is a lot easier.

Currently with about 25lbs to go, I'm eating at a deficit around 550 cals a day. By 20lbs to go, I'll be eating closer to 450. 15 to go 350. 10 to go 250. 5 to go 150 or so and then voila, maintenance!

It means it'll be slow near the end, but really that's the most sustainable way to do it.

logg1e

I was going to try that, but being soooo close to goal I struggled seeing the weight-loss slow. Sounds as though you were more successful than I was and could handle it Congratulations on reaching your goal!

TavistockToad

I was going to try that, but being soooo close to goal I struggled seeing the weight-loss slow. Sounds as though you were more successful than I was and could handle it Congratulations on reaching your goal!

If that's how you feel, what happens when the scales stop moving?

logg1e

If that's how you feel, what happens when the scales stop moving?

I've changed my goal. It hasn't been an issue.

MelsAuntie

My calorie goal has always been 1700 calories per day. I logged everything, stayed under my goal, never did cheat meals ( I hate the concept, not to mention the name), and lost weight very slowly, which is the way I wanted it. I did NOT want fast weight loss, as I didn't think my skin would be able to do that without wrinkling. Over 9 months or so, something like that, I lost 22 lbs., and have been maintaining since. I have been too busy with the farm/garden/horses to log anything lately and I haven't weighed myself since last fall.

Thanks Mel. You say that you've been too busy to weigh yourself since reaching maintenance. Have you counted calories and if so, have you stayed with a goal of 1700.

Congratulations on your achievement!

Thank you! As a horse owner, organic gardener and full time farmer, I'm so busy in the summer that I don't pay any attention to the scale and I don't log very often, but after all this time on the site, logging very accurately, I have a pretty good idea how much I'm taking in, somewhat more than when I was trying to lose weight but not overly so, I doubt I'm ever over 2000 cals., and as long as my jeans ( or other clothes with no give) are not getting tighter It's accurate enough for now. I'll pay more attention in the winter, when I am not hauling and stacking hay, etc., and will be back on the elliptical machine. In any case, weight is not my main priority... being strong enough for haying, hauling feed sacks and topsoil, hauling and stacking firewood, etc., that's the main thing.

michelleepotter

I only had 30 lbs to lose to begin with, so I started with a deficit of 250 calories to lose .5 lb a week. I reached my goal yesterday, and my plan was to add in 50 calories a week until I stop losing. Is that too slow?

alereck

1200 - 1400 calories = 30 lbs loss for 7 months
1400 - 1600 = no weight change for 2 months
1600 - 1800 = no weight change for 2 months

Eating more is awesome!!! :drinker:

edgar35

Congrats on reaching your goal!

logg1e

Congrats on reaching your goal!

Thanks Edgar, it was a relatively small goal compared with some of those with amazing success stories.

logg1e

1200 - 1400 calories = 30 lbs loss for 7 months
1400 - 1600 = no weight change for 2 months
1600 - 1800 = no weight change for 2 months

Eating more is awesome!!!

Thanks for posting alereck, that's just the inspiration I needed to read this morning!

meganjcallaghan

I'm supposed to be at maintenance by now but I haven't figured out how much that is yet. I eat back almost all my exercise calories (even though everyone says MFP overestimates burn) and often more than that because I don't necessarily log everything....like cream in my coffee, or soy sauce. Yet somehow I keep dropping and having to pretty much binge eat for a few days to get back up to where I want to be.

civilizedworm

During my cut, trying to lose 10 to 15 pounds, I averaged about 2100 to 2400 a day.

Maintenance is anywhere from 3000 to 3400 calories a day.

I train 4 to 5 days a week with an average 6 hrs a week set aside for fitness.

dopeysmelly

end Jan - mid April = approx. 1200 calories - lost approx. 25 lbs
mid April - early July = approx. 1300 calories - lost approx. 25 lbs
early July - mid August = approx. 1400 calories - lost approx. 15 lbs
since mid August = approx. 1500 calories - lost approx. 5 lbs (this is a bit too fast TBH, but my TOM is coming which messes up the scale weights, so I won't really know until a couple of weeks how much I've actually lost)

I'm about 5-9 lbs away from my target (120 lbs) from 190 lbs. I'm 5'2", 41, female, lightly active (1 hr daily walk). When I get to 2-4 lbs of the target, I'll start eating back the exercise calories my Vivofit calculates and see how that works. If I'm still losing, then I'll add in a bit more, but I think I'm nearly there. IIFYM calculates my TDEE with no exercise would be 1580.

jrline

It takes a couple weeks just continue tracking but now I have so many more calories and if I'm going on a long jog I have to eat even more. It has been a challenge after 19 months of trying to get down. Now I am trying to stay at my BMI and tone up more.

cwolfman13

As a general trend (not a linear event) I noted that I was losing roughly 1 Lb per week which meant that I was consuming about 500 calories less per day than I needed to maintain weight...so I just increased my consumption by about 500 calories. Math...

I maintained for awhile and started training harder...so I started losing again and didn't really want to...so again, I noted my rate of loss and adjusted my calories up to accommodate the additional activity. Math...

WinoGelato

Lost a total of about 25 lbs in a year. I've always eaten back exercise calories. I don't weigh/measure my food. I have a FitBit.

Started off at 1400 cals between Feb 2013 - Aug 2013 and lost pretty quickly, about 0.75 - 1 lb/week for a total of about 20 lbs

Changed my goal to 1600 but also kind of slacked off between September and December of 2013. I went up and down during that time but overall steady weight. It's likely I was eating at maintenance - still tracking but not really trying to stay at/under my net goal.

Beginning Jan 2014 decided to focus again, I raised my goal to 1700 but got more strict about hitting the numbers, lost about 0.5 lb/week between Jan and end of March to get to my goal weight.

Was going to raise my calories up to what I think is my maintenance level but we were going on an extended holiday and I knew with summer coming I would have a lot of stuff going on (parties, events, vacations, etc), so I kept my goal at ~1700. I gained a little first part of the summer, have been buckling down for the last 6 weeks or so, and just reached my goal weight again last week.

According to my FitBit, my TDEE is around 2100, but since I don't weigh/measure my food I want to have some margin of error in there, so I am going to raise my goal to ~1900 in the coming weeks and monitor things from there.