Maintenance Calories?

NeuroticVirgo
NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I was just curious if some of you have done MFP's maintenance calories...and if it was the correct amount. I am doing ok losing with what MFP tells me to eat...but just for fun, I checked out my maintenance amount...and it was 2440 calories w/ sedentary activity....and with out any added exercise.

Well I know on days that I over eat...If I eat up to around 2000 for a few days I gain weight...so eating another 440 calories a day seems like it would just make me gain more! :o/

Just curious about other peoples experiences when they've switched to maintenance? Or even if you switched to maintenance for only a couple of weeks etc....

Replies

  • nikki2609
    nikki2609 Posts: 128
    i wasnt sure what you meant so googled my own maintainance calories and i came up with 1949 daily allowance, i am currently eating 1200 and exercising but still not losing, (lost 3lbs in 1st 2 weeks but nothing for past 3 weeks?!)
    time to up my game me thinks x
  • Enchantica
    Enchantica Posts: 117
    I'm also interested to know this as I'm pretty close to going onto maintenance (adding this comment so the topic flags up in My Topics)
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    I haven't done maintenance cals yet, so I can't give you a personal perspective. But remember that as you lose more weight, the amount MFP would give you for maintenance will go down. So at your goal weight, maintenance wouldn't be 2440.

    From the few I've heard, you may need to adjust your maintenance cals once you get there. A little bit of tweaking will probably be necessary. But it will also be a matter of what the food is, just as now. You'll still need to eat healthy, to maintain. Good luck to you!
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    i wasnt sure what you meant so googled my own maintainance calories and i came up with 1949 daily allowance, i am currently eating 1200 and exercising but still not losing, (lost 3lbs in 1st 2 weeks but nothing for past 3 weeks?!)
    time to up my game me thinks x

    Nikki, I don't know your specifics, but if your maintenance cals are anywhere NEAR 1949 and you're eating 1200, and you only have about 10 lbs to lose, you are eating FAR too little (especially if you're exercising as well.) Your deficit shouldn't be even close to that high - probably more like 250, at most. I would recommend these threads to understand metabolism and why you need to fuel the body properly, or it will rebel. Good luck to you!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • lulabellewoowoo
    lulabellewoowoo Posts: 3,125 Member
    But remember that as you lose more weight, the amount MFP would give you for maintenance will go down.

    I found that as I near my goal, I have to set my weight loss to 1/2 lb per week rather than 1 to 2 lb and it's working. That's 1400 calories without exercise calories. My maintenance calories are only 250 more (1650), which makes sense per other sites where a woman should eat about 1800 calories a day on average for a maintenance healthy diet. Just what I learned on my research and from my doctor.
  • cem789
    cem789 Posts: 231 Member
    I totally agree

    i reached my target weight (105) a few weeks back and switched to maintainance.

    My net average every week has been the correct calories +- 100. Not over or under enough to have put on or lost a pound.

    Anyway, im now 109! I have been exercising a lot more so some of this may be muscle weight however I feel my maintainance calories might be a bit high.

    My BMR is around 1250 and my maintainance is around 1550 (set at sedentary level). Because im set at sedentary level I log my long walks to uni and all my exercise.

    It gave me 300 calories for normal daily activity but I guess I probably dont burn that on top of my BMR if I dont do much.
  • runningneo122
    runningneo122 Posts: 6,962 Member
    For the most accurate method to KNOW what your BMR is, get a BodyBugg or similar. You wear it 24/7 and know EXACTLY(well, supposedly) what you are burning and can adjust accordingly.
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    Well I have seen a lot of people say they will switch over to maintenance when going on vacations etc, so that they don't gain, and have more calories to play with etc. I thought about doing something like that...but I don't want to gain 20lbs when I'm supposed to be maintaining lol

    Guess I'd just have to play with it.
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