Need advice RE: Maintenance

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pelleld
pelleld Posts: 363 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5'3" tall and will be 48 next week. I started at 143 in February of this year, with a goal of 1 pound per week until I hit 125 (which I did in May). I go to Curves 5 days per week, for 45 minutes, which I've been doing for about 6 years. When I started to try to lose weight this time I added Jillian Michaels DVDs which I now do 6 days per week, either a 30 minute one or a 50 minute one. SInce hitting 125 (which frankly seemed impossible to me at the beginning), I have begun to add calories back in to slowly get to maintenance calories. I am continuing the same exercise as when I was losing.

I am still losing! This morning I am down to 121.6. I know this happened to one of my good buddies on here, but I am looking for other experiences with maintenance as well. I am afraid to jump up to maintenance calories all at once because I don't want to gain. But I don't want to get below 120 either. Any advice/experiences folks can share would be most appreciated!

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  • ambie35
    ambie35 Posts: 853 Member
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    Sometimes MFPS reccomended Maintenance calories are less then what your body may actually need to maintain. Or perhaps your body has just not adjusted yet. I would really try to get some more protein in your diet and eating your exercise calories back at this point is very important. Try not to lose anymore as when your body does adjust to maintenance many people gian a pound or two. Hopefully everything will balance out for you. Try playing with your calorie amount to find a number that works for you.
  • kristidem
    kristidem Posts: 160 Member
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    Hitting and staying on maintenance is tough. I also experienced continued loss for a couple weeks. I found it difficult to add food to my day... I just wasn't hungry. Over time, I have added food (to begin with too many "treat" foods, so have adjusted again). To maintain too, you will need to eat back most/all of the calories you burn exercising - it could be you're net is just too low. It's all trial and errror, to find what works for YOU. I fluctuate about 2 pounds on either side of my original goal.... sometime it's up and I reduce food intake / move more, or it's low and I add more food.
  • pelleld
    pelleld Posts: 363 Member
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    bumping for more replies..................

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