Staying at your target weight

marinebiologist_girl

This is probably an obvious question but given that I'm using this site, heh - first topic! - I'm obviously not an expert in weight loss. Once I reach the weight that I want to be, how do I STAY at that weight? If I keep eating less that'll lead to me continuing to lose weight, right, and if I eat more I'll regain it. *confused* Thanks for any help.

iLoveMyPitbull1225

well you can set your calories to "maintenance". Again it considers your weight currently, your activity level, and average number of workouts a week. When I reached my goal of 125, MFP determined me to set my calories at 1780 and I was like WOAAH! 1200 to 1780?!?! No. So I just have been adding in an extra 200-300 a day so far for like a month and seeing how that goes, not including the fact that I eat back at least half of my workout calories.


You can also research your BMI and TDEE to calculate your daily calorie needs based on your body.

Hope this helps!

Patovader

I have been maintaining for around 4 months now, I still log here every day to make sure I stay on track. My weight usually fluctuates by a couple of pounds either side of my goal weight and I tweak my maintenance calories up or down to suit.

TheLessOfMe

I've been wondering the same thing! I was going to keep using MFP as it's really helped me watch exactly what I'm eating

ElizabethRoad

To lose weight, eat fewer calories than you burn.

To gain weight, eat more calories than you burn.

To maintain weight, eat as many calories as you burn.

stylistchik

Part of it is actually masking a lifestyle change, not just a temporary "diet" to develop habits that will keep you healthy forever like eating right and exercising. Other than that you just bump your calories up a little to maintain instead of lose and continue on with your life. The more you get used to listening to your body the easier it will be. Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full, drink when you're thirsty, rest when you're tired. Those kinds of things will make it easier to maintain.

And never stop exercising. It provides tons of benefits besides weight loss.

ETA: I've been maintaining for almost 2 years, just keeping track of nutrients, playing with different macros and trying to change my body composition by lowering body fat. :-)

Robin1117

that's not a simple answer!

I think most of us in maintenance, as the above post just mentioned, bring our calorie limit up slowly until we reach a level where are weight stabilizes. This calorie level actually took me a long time to figure out. The other question you had was weather you will continue to lose weight after you reach your goal---I think this depends on what your goal weight is. When I first started, I only thought I needed to lose 6 or 8 lbs, but instead I lost more than that because I guess my goal weight wasn't where my body wanted to be. So I waited until my weight just stopped. My body, at this limit, was done and no amount of eating at 1200 calories would make it budge more. So I went into maintenance at that time.

I'd say, once you hit your goal, start finding some friends who are maintaining and you can enter this confusing phase together. good luck with your goals!

I wrote this a few months ago to mark my 2 years of maintaining if anyone wants to check it out....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin1117/view/maintenance-is-a-choice-my-2-years-of-maintaining-263772

marinebiologist_girl

Thanks so much for the help! I'm trying to lose about 25-30kg, mind you. So does MFP help you work out your maintainance mode?

ElizabethRoad

Thanks so much for the help! I'm trying to lose about 25-30kg, mind you. So does MFP help you work out your maintainance mode?

Yes. Your current calorie goal is based on your maintenance amount. (Maintenance minus 500 calories for 1 pound a week loss.)

Tdk4685

After I reached my first 2 goals I switched to maintain goal and it does work. You still have to be accountable for logging in your food and exercise but it should work just fine.

Robin1117

Thanks so much for the help! I'm trying to lose about 25-30kg, mind you. So does MFP help you work out your maintainance mode?

I think you need to see what mfp recommends for your calorie level and then work up to that at a pace you are comfortable with. I would say mfp provides the tools to log to the right level and a great group of people who are there to support you, if you choose to use the forums and community.....