Maintenance calories

fteale

Is anyone else maintaining, but on what seems like pathetically low calories to do so? I get really down when I hear about people still losing on 1700 net, when I am stuck at 1500 or 1600 if I want to stay this weight for ever. I exercise a lot and do eat back those calories, but I burn a freakishly low number compared to everyone else I know. About 350 for an hour of hard cardio. It's hardly worth the calories I gain, as I get so hungry.

I am sure I have PMS and am just feeling sorry for myself.

lizsmith1976

I hear you - I burn a freakishly low number of calories too, but the "problem" is that we have lost weight and gotten healthier. A lower body weight + a healthier heart and lower heart rate = fewer calories burned You may want to think about re-checking your metabolic burns though. If you are now more muscular healthy and active, then your body may need more calories. For example, if you clicked "sedentary" lifestyle then MFP assumes you are a couch potato when not exercising. If you are hungry this could be the case. Congrats on reaching your goal weight! I am almost there

Good luck with the PMS :flowerforyou:

MissFit0101

I WAS in maintenance but at 110 lbs it's very low calories to maintain and I ended up overeating and putting on the pounds... it def sucks... so I feel your pain.. I'm now trying to shed a few pounds again but I don't know if I'm ever going to maintain 110 pounds... we'll just have to see.

rileysowner

Try something other than cardio. In particular start interval training, lifting weights and a combination of the two.

Onesnap

Here's the thing. You can't compare yourself to anyone else unless they are the same weight, gender, and age.

The reason is because everyone is different based on these things, and will need different calories to maintain.

I've recently switch to maintenance mode, and I'm slowly getting my bearings and finding my balance. The advice I got on here was to gradually increase my cals to figure out what I need to maintain. I went about it all wrong because I went for the full cals right away (while out of town for work, so eating out 3x/day) and I gained. In the coming weeks I'm sure I'll find my balance.

Just don't compare yourself and your maintenance needs to anyone else unless all of the above match up.

I also try to do something active each day, so my daily intake to maintain is pretty high (including logging the workouts).

Angie80281

Same here. My maintenance is 1410 a day, which is killing me. It wasn't so bad when I was working out and eating back my exercise cals, but I've been stuck in an air cast for 2 weeks, so no workouts for me. Trying to stay within my goal is near impossible.

fteale

I WAS in maintenance but at 110 lbs it's very low calories to maintain and I ended up overeating and putting on the pounds... it def sucks... so I feel your pain.. I'm now trying to shed a few pounds again but I don't know if I'm ever going to maintain 110 pounds... we'll just have to see.

I think this may be part of my problem. I want to maintain at a lower weight than my body wants to.

Awkward30

I'm not in maintenance yet, but I did read a paper that showed that people that diet down to a weight will have to eat less than someone naturally at that weight How long have you been maintaining? Could try upping and seeing if you gain or not?

Shweedog

I am 5'7" and fluctuate between 130-134 lbs. This is my maintenance zone. MFP tells me I can only eat 1650. But I eat 1800-2000 every day and do not gain. This site gives estimates and not everbody will have the same results with the suggested caloric intakes. Try upping your cals and see how your body reacts.

Onesnap

For example, if you clicked "sedentary" lifestyle then MFP assumes you are a couch potato when not exercising.

Actually this is wrong. Sedentary setting is based on those of us (myself included) that have a desk job. It has nothing to do with our weekly exercise routines and how active we are. Someone that works as a fitness trainer or in a factory where they are lifting is not going to be Sedentary in MFP's settings. If you work in an office, sedentary settings are correct.

fteale

Try something other than cardio. In particular start interval training, lifting weights and a combination of the two.

I do already, though thanks for the advice. I do circuit training twice a week and sprints.

ADNEWTON40

I know what you mean...I struggle with the same issue despite burning a huge amount of calories in training each month. Two pieces of advice
1) I've found that exercise calories are overstated for me by approx 30% when compared to results with a heart rate monitor. I would suggest you don't eat back all your exercise calories on the day...use them as a spread over the week.
2) If you are hungry, focus on what you eat more. For instance many nutritional foods are very low in calories salads are great as are berries etc...try and stay off processed food as much as possible.

Hope this helps

Cakepiebeer

Is MFP the only calorie calculator you've used to determine your maintenence?

There are some other ones you may want to check out as a "second opinion" like Freedieting.com or even bodybuilding.com

also, You may want to adjust your macros to account for more fats and protein. a macro percentage like 20/40/40 is ideal for an active workout lifestyle. (20carbs, 40 protien, 40 fats)

Again on the maintnence levels, you may find that the other sites vary among the amount of calories you're given.

Good luck

Onesnap

Same here. My maintenance is 1410 a day, which is killing me. It wasn't so bad when I was working out and eating back my exercise cals, but I've been stuck in an air cast for 2 weeks, so no workouts for me. Trying to stay within my goal is near impossible.

The 1,410 is very doable if you cook all of your meals, and don't eat a lot of processed foods. If you eat healthy whole foods and eat every 2-3 hours you should be just fine. The reason is, the cleaner you eat the better your body handles that 1,410 if you are not working out.

For healthy recipes (tasty too) check out Everyday Food magazine. The nutrition info is given so that it makes it easier to log.

When I was losing 1lb/week I was at 1,260 per day. Typically I burned 300-500 calories per day so I was taking in at least 1,500 for each day that I got some sort of activity in. I was never hungry during the 9 months I was losing with this program. If you eat cleanly, and every few hours you should not be hungry with 1,,410 w/out a workout.

fteale

I also try to do something active each day, so my daily intake to maintain is pretty high (including logging the workouts).

I do something every day, I walk at least 2 miles a day and do all the housework constantly, in fact, I only ever sit down to come on here or in lectures, but I am still only maintaining at 1500. My resting HR is 44. I really do burn freakishly low calories!

bcattoes

Have you tried eating more? I mean, do you know for sure that you'll start gaining if you add another 200 or so calories per day?

I don't really have an answer, except maybe alternating a heavy calorie day and then a "diet" day?? (is that zig-zagging?? I'd never heard that term before joining this site). That way you'd at least only be hungry every other day.

I know you can get weighted clothing, which I suppose would make you burn more while exercising but I have no idea if it's safe to do that.

fteale

Same here. My maintenance is 1410 a day, which is killing me. It wasn't so bad when I was working out and eating back my exercise cals, but I've been stuck in an air cast for 2 weeks, so no workouts for me. Trying to stay within my goal is near impossible.

The 1,410 is very doable if you cook all of your meals, and don't eat a lot of processed foods. If you eat healthy whole foods and eat every 2-3 hours you should be just fine. The reason is, the cleaner you eat the better your body handles that 1,410 if you are not working out.

For healthy recipes (tasty too) check out Everyday Food magazine. The nutrition info is given so that it makes it easier to log.

When I was losing 1lb/week I was at 1,260 per day. Typically I burned 300-500 calories per day so I was taking in at least 1,500 for each day that I got some sort of activity in. I was never hungry during the 9 months I was losing with this program. If you eat cleanly, and every few hours you should not be hungry with 1,,410 w/out a workout.

I am vegetarian, and don't eat any processed foods, and I am starving on 1500 a day. I seem to be eating all the time, but I never feel full.

Onesnap

I am vegetarian, and don't eat any processed foods, and I am starving on 1500 a day. I seem to be eating all the time, but I never feel full.

From an outsiders point of view this would mean that despite the 1,500 you are not giving your body what it needs nutrition-wise. I would suggest meeting with a nutritionist or wellness specialist to figure this one out so that you can work out a sustainable plan for you.

Also, check out www.dailygarnish.com for fantastic vegetarian recipes!

My only guess at this point is you are not getting enough protein. Are you cooking with quinoa and other ancient grains that are high in protein? You also may want to get a blood test done at your doctors to figure out what you are lacking. Your body is trying to tell you something.

RangerSteve

I am vegetarian, and don't eat any processed foods, and I am starving on 1500 a day. I seem to be eating all the time, but I never feel full.

Have 1-2 days a week where you eat more calories. Hell, I take 1 day a week and don't even count. On those days I'll put away a whole pizza and a pint of ice cream. Weight either decreases or stays the same over the course of a week too.

As much as we have to go by 24 hour cycles on caloric intake, our bodies don't necessarily work that way. We have changing hormones that affect how we use energy (calories) so we can get away with having a meal or a day where we eat more calories. NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenesis) will increase on days where you eat more food as well so you'll have increased body heat to take care of some of those calories. Plus, your ghrelin and leptin levels (hunger hormones among other things) will be affected if you take a day/meal off from low calorie.

Give it a shot. Do a 2 week experiment where you have 1 day each of those weeks in which you either eat more calories or don't count at all. (just don't go crazy and make yourself puke or something silly like that) If your weight stays the same, you found yourself a way to maintain your sanity.

bcattoes

I am vegetarian, and don't eat any processed foods, and I am starving on 1500 a day. I seem to be eating all the time, but I never feel full.

From an outsiders point of view this would mean that despite the 1,500 you are not giving your body what it needs nutrition-wise. I would suggest meeting with a nutritionist or wellness specialist to figure this one out so that you can work out a sustainable plan for you.

Also, check out www.dailygarnish.com for fantastic vegetarian recipes!

My only guess at this point is you are not getting enough protein. Are you cooking with quinoa and other ancient grains that are high in protein? You also may want to get a blood test done at your doctors to figure out what you are lacking. Your body is trying to tell you something.

That's not necessarily true. I can eat nothing but junk food and give my body very little of what it needs nutritionally and it will tell me I'm "full". Hunger is not always your body saying it needs a nutrient.

Onesnap

That's not necessarily true. I can eat nothing but junk food and give my body very little of what it needs nutritionally and it will tell me I'm "full". Hunger is not always your body saying it needs a nutrient.

Correct, but meeting with an expert (nutritionist, wellness expert) can't hurt. It's not always your body's way of saying it is lacking something but at 5'5", 130 lbs 1,500/day should be adequate if eating a balanced diet. I'm 5'6" and 135 so I'm coming from a similar point with eating similar calorie goals (and eating vegetarian all day long until dinner).

Onesnap

Also, if you burn lower than 'everyone else you know' the only way to tell for sure is to wear a HRM with a chest strap (Polar is the best) and find out what you're really burning.

If you are burning more than you are logging, than 1,500 may not be what you need to take in on those days. If you're logging your workout of 300, and it is an accurate burn, that day your maintenance cals will be 1,800 (just as an example) so on workout days you're eating more than your 1,500. Just make sure to log every workout and get a HRM if you are concerned you are burning less than other people your age, size, and gender. You're burning less than someone else because they may weigh more, be male, and be older/younger than you.

fteale

I am vegetarian, and don't eat any processed foods, and I am starving on 1500 a day. I seem to be eating all the time, but I never feel full.

From an outsiders point of view this would mean that despite the 1,500 you are not giving your body what it needs nutrition-wise. I would suggest meeting with a nutritionist or wellness specialist to figure this one out so that you can work out a sustainable plan for you.

Also, check out www.dailygarnish.com for fantastic vegetarian recipes!

My only guess at this point is you are not getting enough protein. Are you cooking with quinoa and other ancient grains that are high in protein? You also may want to get a blood test done at your doctors to figure out what you are lacking. Your body is trying to tell you something.

I had a whole load of blood tests done by my doctor and the results came back spot on perfect for everything. She even said she had never seen such text book results. I think my body is trying to tell me it wants to be fat!

fteale

Also, if you burn lower than 'everyone else you know' the only way to tell for sure is to wear a HRM with a chest strap (Polar is the best) and find out what you're really burning.

I have a garmin HRM I use for all exercise.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

According to mfp my maintenance calories should be just over 1600 net. After eating at 1200 net or just under for months the extra 400 calories seemed like a daunting task, so I manually set it to 1400 net. I eat about 2000 per day gross and the scale goes down I'll eat a little more for a week or so and it usually comes back up. I accept that my lifestyle isn't always the best (tailgating on Sundays, whatever on Saturdays) and it all seems to even out on the scale and in the pants.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Also, if you burn lower than 'everyone else you know' the only way to tell for sure is to wear a HRM with a chest strap (Polar is the best) and find out what you're really burning.

I have a garmin HRM I use for all exercise.

Which one do you have? Make sure that it's one that calculates burn based on hr and not distance, I returned mine because it was based on distance and highly inaccurate (especially when I was trail running and it would lose satalite reception), and forget about anything that was an inside activity like group fit classes or weight training.

fteale

Also, if you burn lower than 'everyone else you know' the only way to tell for sure is to wear a HRM with a chest strap (Polar is the best) and find out what you're really burning.

I have a garmin HRM I use for all exercise.

Which one do you have? Make sure that it's one that calculates burn based on hr and not distance, I returned mine because it was based on distance and highly inaccurate (especially when I was trail running and it would lose satalite reception), and forget about anything that was an inside activity like group fit classes or weight training.

It's the top of the range one, the 610. It calculates on HR. I can set it to indoor or outdoor use (for GPS).

It's not the HRM at fault, and it's not that I am mistaken in my required intake. I really am maintaining at 1500 (I am actually a bit below 130, about 125/128). I've been here for 6 weeks.

brynakrauth

Looks like a lot of us are dealing with maintenance. I've been in maintenance mode for about 2 years and I can tell you it is really, really hard. I've noticed that if I eat "bad" for just one day, I gain weight. A combination of cardio and strength training helps but the bottom line is, you have to be so careful every day. If you have one not so good eating day, get right back to the good eating the next day.
I look at this as a lifetime of eating well and working out. So, you might have to play with your program a bit to find out where your body likes to be in terms of calorie consumption and exercise. If you feel like you're eating all the time and are never full, try eating fewer times a day but consuming more calories when you do eat.

P.S. I looked at your profile pictures and you look great. Would love to see a picture of you with a BIG smile on your face tho. You hit your goal and that's really something to be proud of. Take a moment to enjoy it

Onesnap

Also, if you burn lower than 'everyone else you know' the only way to tell for sure is to wear a HRM with a chest strap (Polar is the best) and find out what you're really burning.

I have a garmin HRM I use for all exercise.

Then how do you know for sure you are burning less cals per workout than the other women the same age, height, and weight as you? Esp if your blood tests came back perfect? If you don't have a medical reason to burn less why do you think you burn less than those exactly the same as you.

fteale

Looks like a lot of us are dealing with maintenance. I've been in maintenance mode for about 2 years and I can tell you it is really, really hard. I've noticed that if I eat "bad" for just one day, I gain weight. A combination of cardio and strength training helps but the bottom line is, you have to be so careful every day. If you have one not so good eating day, get right back to the good eating the next day.
I look at this as a lifetime of eating well and working out. So, you might have to play with your program a bit to find out where your body likes to be in terms of calorie consumption and exercise. If you feel like you're eating all the time and are never full, try eating fewer times a day but consuming more calories when you do eat.

P.S. I looked at your profile pictures and you look great. Would love to see a picture of you with a BIG smile on your face tho. You hit your goal and that's really something to be proud of. Take a moment to enjoy it

Ha ha! I don't smile in photos, I have awful teeth.

fteale

Also, if you burn lower than 'everyone else you know' the only way to tell for sure is to wear a HRM with a chest strap (Polar is the best) and find out what you're really burning.

I have a garmin HRM I use for all exercise.

Then how do you know for sure you are burning less cals per workout than the other women the same age, height, and weight as you? Esp if your blood tests came back perfect? If you don't have a medical reason to burn less why do you think you burn less than those exactly the same as you.

I am only going by what people on here burn. I am always about 30% below others my size.