Maintaing weight after goal is reached

EmilyStrick

so i started on this site last week after finally realizing that weight loss is all about calories in vs. calories out! i always ate healthy, but, as i've finally realized, you can still consume a lot of calories that way!! anyway...just wanted some input from anyone that's at a point of weight maintenance...i have lost 2 pounds over the past week, proving to me that lowering my calories will allow me to lose 2 pounds a week until i get to my goal. so, once my goal is reached, i know that my caloric intake should go up to maintain that weight....have you successful people found that once you've raised your caloric intake, you're still able to maintain?

cheri03

I am interested in answers too. I am very close to my goal weight and worry about the calorie increase.

supercool111

Well I took a break from losing weight when I lost 20lbs. I didn't want to lose weight too fast and so for a few months I ate about 2000 cals a day and counted those calories until I got used to how much food that is and then I didn't have to keep counting. I went for walks a few times a week too if I felt like I had gone a little overboard. I maintained the loss from September to late December. I would advise you to find out how many calories you need once you reach your goal weight and just eat that amount and you'll stop having to track foods after a couple of months.

ractayjon

I was actually thinking abou this same thing last night.
What I decided was that when I reach my "goal" I would increase my calories by 500 for a week or so....and I would see how that effected my weight (along with my routine exercise etc). If I still lost weight then I would up it another 250 for the next week or so to see if I gain...and keep doing that until I record gain of a few pounds.
Then Id go back to my original MFP until I am back at my goal weight (or around) and do the same thing but with less calories then when I gained...and just keep going like that until I find the right cobination of calories for a maintain weight....
I dont know if this is right but it seems that it would work...interested to hear other ideas

EmilyStrick

thank you for the replies! i was thinking about it some more and came to the conclusion that if this site's recommendation for caloric intake for weight loss is working for me, then i'll just try their recommended caloric intake for maintenance (when i finally get there!). when i reach my goal weight, this site recommends 1875 calories per day, so i will just do that and if i gain i know i need to cut back a little...if i lose, i can ramp up a little! i suppose it's all just trial and error and what works for everyone's own body chemistry. i'm just glad that counting calories is working for me...such a relief! i hate being bigger than i feel comfortable being, and even just losing 2 pounds makes me feel so much better! hopefully i can control myself on super bowl sunday!!! i'll have to watch the game and make food at my own house...baked chicken wings, salsa instead of cheese dip...otherwise i know i will fail miserably. who can say no to cheese dip?????

CasperO

:happy: For the past month I've been very nonchalant with my calorie counting. After over a year on the MFP plan I was pretty close to my goal, and I look good and feel good and it was just a really crappy time to try to work on this.

My exercise has slipped pretty badly, and I've probably logged calories 2 days a week for the past month,,, and here's what I've found.

In my case, I just use my head and use the good habits I developed with over a year of dedicated calorie control and I've maintained my weight. Some days I mess up a little, and some days I'm nice and light. I've probably exercised 3 times in the last 2 weeks. And I'm holding dead on, 208 pounds. No change. This summer when I can get out on the bicycle again I'll probably get to the 200#-even goal, but for now I'm pretty satisfied.

I will continue to log in and log food pretty regularly, just to keep in the habit and keep in touch with the system. And if I hit 215 I'll be back on it like crazy... (Actually, if I quit seeing abs in the mirror that'll do it too. I like seeing abs,,, :happy: ).