How to transition into maintainance?

MissSusieQ

hi all.
I'm getting pretty close to my goal weight, so I'm starting to think about how I'll move into maintainance. I've never made it this far, so what do I do?
I was thinking I'd just slowly add a few calories each week, but I'm not sure.. I'm currently on 1200cal and I weigh myself every morning, and if I go more than 50cal over my limit I'm heavier the next morning.
I get weighed in on a fancy scale that works out my bmr based on my muscle mass etc, and my bmr is in the 1500s so I don't get why I'm heavier if I'm still under my bmr.
I don't want to be on 1200cal forever!!

MissSusieQ

anyone?

_stephanie0

add 100 calories each week until you're at maintenance. your maintenance is probably a lot higher than you think, i upped my calories to 2200 in hopes to gain muscle and i lost two pounds. the initial weight gain is just water weight. its pretty much impossible to be fat. dont stress the scale. this is a lifestyle, make it manageable and realistic.

congrats on hitting your goal btw :flowerforyou:

bdamaster60

I'm assuming your fat and protein intake are fine. So I would suggest upping your carb intake 5 grams everyday and weight yourself consistently everyday and see how much your body will allow you to consume before it gains weight.

Firefox7275

Stop weighing yourself daily, all you are measuring is your hydration status not your bodyfat. 50 calories is not going to produce measurable fat gain on the scales, it may help your muscles refuel with glycogen (carbs) - since 1g glycogen is stored alongside 3g water you might see that on the scales. Why are you eating under your BMR? If you are training as well I am not surprised your muscels are depleted/ dehydrated.

southernhealthyhippie

Ugh this is kind of my current situation and it's driving me crazy! I ate 1200 for a few months, upped to 1400 in Oct because I was hungry, then this week upped to my BMR -1450. I haven't really seen any weight loss in a couple months, which surprises me since my TDEE is in the 1700s..

gimpygramma

Hey Miss Susie, want to be friends?
I reached my goal weight just this past Thursday so this is a topic that is near to my heart. You say you’ve never got to this point before. I have…many times. And I have never succeeded at it for any significant period of time. (Not what you want to hear, I am sure.) This time, I am more motivated because I have found it so hard to drop the weight. I had to work my buns off…because of my age and size my BMR is only 1070 and if I were to continue with my sedentary lifestyle, MFP said I would burn 1360 calories a day. They predicted that on a 1200 calorie diet it would take me 48 weeks to lose my 16 lbs. Fortunately, when I am not lolling on my bed reading a book, I walk. My rate of weight loss has equalled my exercise calories/3,500.

On a day to day basis I am quite happy with my 1,200 calories. I don’t think adding a couple of hundred to that total would leave me anymore satisfied.Nor am I hungrier on the days that I exercise. What I would like, however, is to be able to eat what I want for a meal or even for a day now and then. So my plan is to continue with a 1200 calorie base line, continue logging, and then once a week to start with have a day where I record but do not worry about the calories. Tomorrow we are going to an open house. I may have eggnog and I will eat the appies that will be handed around. I am not a big eater at Christmas dinner but the day after I plan to have turkey sandwiches with stuffing and cranberry sauce on them.

This is my plan then. I would be interested in friending someone who is going through the same process perhaps in a different way. We could compare notes…see what works, what doesn’t.