Deciding what your maintenance weight should be

JoMFrasca

I am new to maintenance, having lost more than 60 pounds since mid-April. At first, I set a fairly modest and attainable goal weight which would just barely put my BMI into the healthy range. I am 5'6" and 58 years old. My first goal weight was 154. Reached that, blew right through it to my real goan weight, which I did not initially admit to myself because it seemed like so much to lose -- 145. Kept going, losing weight even when I switched to maintenance in September and now I am at 134 (BMI is 21). That seems like a lot still, but I have gone from a size 16 to size 4 and I really don't have any desire to get smaller than that. Most of my life I have been in the 130's and a size 6/8. Many folks are telling me I can't lose any more without looking too skinny.

So my question is one that I have been struggling with -- how do you decide that you are really done, lost as much weight as you want and are ready to maintain? This last week my weight was the same as the week before. That's the first time I have not lost weight in my weekly weigh-in since April. I am happy since I do want to maintain now, but also a bit scared. What if I start gaining now? Should I try to lose a bit more so I have more of a cushion? Also, I wonder if I should try for below 130.

My trainer says I weigh as much as I do relative to my clothing size because I have built a lot of muscle in all the working out that I have done the last 6 months while losing weight. He says I look like I weigh 115.

So I am wondering if anyone else has struggled with the issue of what to choose to maintain as your long term weight goal and how you have dealt with that issue.

ladybg81

I've had 3 maintenance weights! First, it was 145 but I kept losing. Then, it was 135 and yet again, even with increased calories, I lost. I am now at 125 and have not lost anything. My maintenance calories per MFP is 1710 so I normally stay as close to that as possible. The past week or so, not so much. In turn, I've lost 2 more pounds so I've got to get back to eating right. But I really just let my body decide and I'm more than happy with where I am now. Plus, if I lose anymore at 5'10, I will be WAY too thin.

hewhoiscd

I struggled with the same questions, still do to some extent.

Body Fat percentage is a better overall goal I think than total weight. Also strength goals. So, currently I am trying to gain muscle mass while keeping my body fat down...and I don't care really what my total weight is.

For example, I am 6'2" and I used to be 210lbs. I lost 43 pounds and got down to 167lbs, all the weight lost was fat. Now, if I get back up to 210lbs again and most of it is from muscle mass, I'd be very happy with that I am currently at 172lbs and content with that weight since I know most of the gain is from muscle. If I gain more weight and it is mostly muscle, again, I will be content.

So, IMO, total weight doesn't really matter, it's where the weight is coming from that makes a difference.

Kim55555

I've had 3 maintenance weights! First, it was 145 but I kept losing. Then, it was 135 and yet again, even with increased calories, I lost. I am now at 125 and have not lost anything. My maintenance calories per MFP is 1710 so I normally stay as close to that as possible. The past week or so, not so much. In turn, I've lost 2 more pounds so I've got to get back to eating right. But I really just let my body decide and I'm more than happy with where I am now. Plus, if I lose anymore at 5'10, I will be WAY too thin.

This is sensible. I reckon I'll do this. I already had 1 period of maintenance for 8 weeks. I'm starting another period of maintenance now because I am hungry and need to eat more to fuel my intense exercise, plus I need a break. When I'm ready to (in say 4-8 weeks time) I plan to eat at a defecit of 500.

I'm about 3-5 kg's off my goal weight. I'm not sure exactly what scale weight I want to end up as, i'm concentrating on building more muscle, increasing fitness and I'm looking to lower to body fat %. I'm currently at 26.5% (just scraped into the healthy range). I'd like to be in the low 20's if possible. I have no idea what scale weight I'll end up at by I agree with you in that I think I'll let my body decide where it wants to be at. I'll continue to work my *kitten* off and see where I stop. I still would like to get rid of my belly fat.

Kim55555

I struggled with the same questions, still do to some extent.

Body Fat percentage is a better overall goal I think than total weight. Also strength goals. So, currently I am trying to gain muscle mass while keeping my body fat down...and I don't care really what my total weight is.

For example, I am 6'2" and I used to be 210lbs. I lost 43 pounds and got down to 167lbs, all the weight lost was fat. Now, if I get back up to 210lbs again and most of it is from muscle mass, I'd be very happy with that I am currently at 172lbs and content with that weight since I know most of the gain is from muscle. If I gain more weight and it is mostly muscle, again, I will be content.

So, IMO, total weight doesn't really matter, it's where the weight is coming from that makes a difference.

Yeah I agree. I'm 5 foot 2 and back when I was 65 kg a couple of months ago people didn't believe me!! they thought I looked like I was in the 50 kg range. One lady at work who is my height said she weighed 56 kg's however she is chubby!! whilst I look soooo much leaner than her!! Scale weight is deceptive. I'm female and I have muscle and a heavier frame, I'm always at the upper end of the healthy weight range for my height. People are different shapes and sizes.

Also I lost 1 and half kg about 1 month ago but then put half back on but people keep commenting about how small i'm getting and my clothes keep getting looser. So I haven't lost much scale weight in the past 6 weeks but I have lost heaps of centimetres. I cant wait for my appraisal in 2 weeks time! I love hearing these comments because it reinforces the fact that i'm on the right track and my looser clothes too. I dont give a f*** about the scale lol.