switching to maintenance - tips or how to?

wendyapple

thanks for any words of wisdom you might be able to share here...

so after two months of plateau, while mostly eating at a deficit and working out daily, i am realizing my body just doesn't want to be at what i set my goal weight at (125), so i've adjusted (128) and am switching to maintenance calories.

this is a pretty big bump, going from 1300 to 1680, and while i like to eat, i'm worried that this much of a bump up will cause me to gain, rather than maintain.

does anyone have experience in this area? should i be transitioning to the 1680 slowly, over a few weeks to give my body a chance to adjust, or should i dive right in with an extra meal a day? i should also add that i'm starting heavier strength training, so my body will probably want the calories. i just don't want to gain back fat, but gaining muscle would be ok, but i know that takes a while.

thanks, folks.

danielpinkney

In the same kind of position. Target weight now reached but looking to lose 7lb fat and gain 7lb muscle. If you're stepping up the strength training I would suggest you up the calories, but do it in a way that makes you feel comfortable. Ie if you aren't hungry don't force yourself to eat, but if you are go for it and don't feel guilty in doing so . Perhaps make up the extra calories though increased protein (1g per lb of bodyweight per day seems the standard) or look at protein supplements? Be warned you might gain weight but it should be lean muscle as opposed to fat.

wendyapple

also, is it recommended to eat back exercise calories at maintenance?

xo
w

PercivalHackworth

Hi wendy :-)
First - congratulations for such decision. I know how much strength it requires
First - it's not that much of a jump - caloric speaking I mean.
Don't worry, your body will just adjust fine. Eating around maintenance will help you to maintain your activity, but won't help in the development - since maintenance is what it is - protein synthesize left aside : no more no less.
If you want to gain, muscles not fat, usually a safe margin is a +15% over maintenance, with a serious trainning, it's enough to develop your body, not enough to store it as a plain fat.
How do you make sure of that : 1 interview with the scale per week, for instance every sunday, first thing in the morning.

Here is my impression after my first week on bulking phase :
I did accross months : 1750 calories -> 2200 -> 2550 -> 3000 calories today. Guess what, my weight is still stable, I slightly perceive changes - less fat (the stubborn fat is going around the abs zone), bigger muscles
so don't worry!!


edit : regarding the concept of eating : if you are bulking ; you won't burn that much at the gym, feel free. But basically, I'd say no, because the TDEE is calculated using your activity level. That activity level supposes you do these exercises. So no need to eat em back (except if you burnt 2K at the gym)

wendyapple

thanks! I have to look into all this bulking and cutting... it sounds a little scary!

carrie_eggo

Hey wendy! I reached my weight goal in November. I went up to 1800 calories (5'6" 123lbs, heavy lifting) and still lost 1% BF and 1.5lbs over the course of about 2 months... Granted, I had some days and weeks it was lower and some days/weeks it was higher (holidays). It's something that you have to play around with. You may find that you can go higher than 1680, especially with lifting. You can also cycle your calories and eat more on lifting days and less on rest days. On February 1st I went up to 1900 calories on rest days and 2100 calories on lifting days and I don't log my exercise (I have only been lifting). I had a week where I was over the 2100 almost every day....I gained about 3 pounds but my measurements are pretty much the same, clothes fit the same. Let the measuring tape and the mirror be your guide. Ditch the scale!