What is your 'ideal maintenance' lifestyle?

PrincessNikkiBoo

Hey everyone,

I'm up to the point now where I am increasing my calories to maintain. Ideally, I would like to be on the 1720 calories that MFP suggested and exercise three times a week.

Now, I'm currently on 1,400, exercising 5 times a week (I'm not sure 5 times a week is maintainable in the long run) and increasing my calories up every so often.

I'm not sure HOW to decrease my exercise while increasing calories and what effect this would have on my body.

Do you think that I should decrease the exercise when I get to 1,500 and if I still lose continue to increase calories up from there?

I could do with help forming some form of a plan.

Thanks.

p.s. sorry if I don't reply straight away - getting late here.

katevarner

Exercise as often as you want. I cut mine back to 5 days when I started maintenance, but partially because I'm training for a half marathon so burning a lot of calories on my distance training day and I need to rest after that day and I already had one day when I work longer so don't really have time to work out.

Just make sure you eat back your exercise calories on the days you exercise.

meshashesha2012

you could also change your activity level to moderately active which assumes that you workout 3-5 days a week. that way it really won't matter if you workout 3 days or 5 since it's bit into that range.

the only way you'd know the effects are to do it and keep note and make any adjustments from what you notice.

taso42

I'm not sure why you would decrease exercise. Exercise at a sane and rational level. If you're planning to decrease later, then it sounds like you're doing too much.

PrincessNikkiBoo

I'm not sure why you would decrease exercise. Exercise at a sane and rational level. If you're planning to decrease later, then it sounds like you're doing too much.

Physically I feel fine, life is getting in the way and I know I won't be able to keep getting up at 4;30 am everyday for the rest of my life to do it. Ill stay as active as I can and at least do something - but not the intense work outs I am now.

castell5

I started to maintain 11/9/12. I increased my calories to 1510 but I still work out 7 days a week. When we were kids, we played every day. There was no "rest" day from play.
So we don't play anymore as we did as children, now we "workout"
I think (and this is just me) that we all should work out doing some kind of physical exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
I am still nervous about regaining my weight so I am still working out 60 or more minutes a day and truthfully, I am still going down in weight even at eating 1510 calories a day.
This is ok, as I wouldn't mind being just 4 lbs lighter to give myself a little more room to adjust and learn how to maintain and hold at one weight. I figure I will need more practice room so I am going a little lower then my initial goal weight.
My plan is to decrease my exercise some and increase my calories some.. and adjust as needed.
Good luck in your plan design.

PrincessNikkiBoo

I think (and this is just me) that we all should work out doing some kind of physical exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

I agree! I will be doing light exercise over the "allocated" 3 days but I don't want to have to feel like I am restricted by my routine.

meshashesha2012

I think (and this is just me) that we all should work out doing some kind of physical exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

I agree! I will be doing light exercise over the "allocated" 3 days but I don't want to have to feel like I am restricted by my routine.

then doesnt that mean you're routine is too restrictive now?

i think a lot of pople look at exercise as a means of weight loss and once they lose the weight they assume it means they can stop. just like diet, people should be choosing options that are sustainable for the long run, past maintenance and not just when they are losing. i think we all know people who went crazy with diet and exercise to lose weight and then once they reach goal ease up to something saner and then fin themselves gaining weight again months later.

with that said, i dont think there's going to be too much of a difference between 3 days exercise or 5 days exercise unless of course we're saying that your current 5 days is you working out hours a day and you want to cut back to 30 minutes 3 times a week.


in any case, as i'm sure you know weight loss is more about what you eat.. same goes with maintenance. dont eat more than you need and you wont gain.

WendyTerry420

I started to maintain 11/9/12. I increased my calories to 1510 but I still work out 7 days a week. When we were kids, we played every day. There was no "rest" day from play.
So we don't play anymore as we did as children, now we "workout"
I think (and this is just me) that we all should work out doing some kind of physical exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
I am still nervous about regaining my weight so I am still working out 60 or more minutes a day and truthfully, I am still going down in weight even at eating 1510 calories a day.
This is ok, as I wouldn't mind being just 4 lbs lighter to give myself a little more room to adjust and learn how to maintain and hold at one weight. I figure I will need more practice room so I am going a little lower then my initial goal weight.
My plan is to decrease my exercise some and increase my calories some.. and adjust as needed.
Good luck in your plan design.

I would venture to guess that 1510 is not your TDEE. That sounds extremely low.

HMVOL7409

Actually maintenance is harder than people think and it's not always about calories in versus calories out. I have been maintaining since June and there have been challenges. When I started, I chose a routine I could always maintain; but I also enjoy working out and rather work out than cut calories. If you want to cut back on exercise make sure your maintenance goal reflects your new activity level as it will be decreased.

LadyRhodes01

You need to choose a plan you can maintain. Do you want to exercise 5 days a week for life? I started out at 6 days a week to lose. To maintain I dropped down of course. I dont want to exercise 6 days for the rest of my life. On my rest days, I still do some sort of activity even if I walk for at least 30 mins. I also went from a 2 hr workout to 1 hr.

I didn't gain my weight just from lack of activity, it was my intake as well. If you take care of both you should be fine. I strictly work out 2 days a week for 1 hr. Watch my intake, and havent gained. When I increased to maintenance..I listed my activity as 2xs a week for 40 mins. Just in case I was anable to complete 60 mins, so if I do, goal is kept. Figure out a good plan for you, that you can work with. You can do this.

RoadsterGirlie

I was exercising 5 to 6 days a week during weight loss, and now I exercise for 4 to 5 times a week for maintenance.

Weight loss is 90% diet, and the exercise just makes me feel good, and keeps me strong.

My maintenance calories are 2300 on average a day (gross - not net), so that's easily sustainable.

It's part of a lifestyle, and easily sustainable. I mean, I work 40 to 50 hours a week to keep a roof over my head. Putting in 4 to 5 hours for health and fitness doesn't seem like a bad deal at all.

BinaryPulsar

I set mine to the highest activity level, then added 200 calories and usually I eat that plus 50 to 400 more calories. I got my calorie numbers from Scooby's workshop and fat2fit radio. I don't really do the exercise calorie thing. I just eat a steady amount day to day (more if I am hungry). And I exercise regularly, as well as have an active lifestyle.

upgetupgetup

Doing a little something every day helps me stay consistent. Ideal maintenance for me is what I've just started, which is four 30-40 minute strength sessions a week, with an upper/lower split, and some cardio calisthenics in between sets. I have weights at home, so it's not hard to get that time in.

In the new year, I'm going to try to get in 1-2 hours of gentle cardio a week, more for heart and lung health than anything. Choices that work for me are walking and swimming. And something for balance and coordination, like pilates or yoga. Am going to aim to fit one of these in on a weekend, and one during the week, and rotate.

This way I figure I can tick all the boxes and still have a life

emma7437

I would suggest dropping back to three days a week exercise and, at the same time, start adding 100 calories a week until you are no longer losing - there's your maintenance calories. Just a suggestion.

AntWrig

I would suggest dropping back to three days a week exercise and, at the same time, start adding 100 calories a week until you are no longer losing - there's your maintenance calories. Just a suggestion.

Best comment of the thread. You don't need to be in the gym 5,6,7 days a week. I would personally make the 100 calorie increase via carbs.

I am doing currently doing this and over the last two months I have slowly increased my carb intake by from 300g(starting) to 430g(current). I am still losing weight a slow pace.

Zangpakto

my ideal?

Stay thin and skinny, running ultra distance and multi stage races for both running, mtb and road racing...

And get this... my IDEAL... well.. it would be eating ONLY meat... yep... that would be perfect, if it was possible, my ideal would be keep going, and only eating meat xD

Oh, and just to add something... this is what I would love to happen... I know it wont as it isn't real, but you asked ideal right? And one can but dream!

MysticRealm

I'd like to do 3 days of exercise, and eat at or above 2000 calories. Many TDEE calculators put my calories at 2500-2700 to maintain but I think that's a bit high. MFP puts that I will gain when I eat around 2000.

lorenzoinlr

Agree with Emma and Fitnesscocial. The more you can work exercise into your daily routine the better. But even more important is developing a routine you can stick with. Start with deciding on what that is and then cut out calories accordingly, beginning conservatively until you find the right number.

PrincessNikkiBoo

I would suggest dropping back to three days a week exercise and, at the same time, start adding 100 calories a week until you are no longer losing - there's your maintenance calories. Just a suggestion.

Best comment of the thread. You don't need to be in the gym 5,6,7 days a week. I would personally make the 100 calorie increase via carbs.

Thank you both! This is the kind of thing I need... just someone to put it plain and simple.I LOVE exercising, but I know it isn't practical to be doing it at the pace I am now for the rest of my life.

I think from the posts, I'll increase by 100 in January and decrease to 4 days a week exercise and see how I manage with that, for now. Like I said... I do like it and I enjoy challenging myself. I'd love to be able to do a minimum of 3-4 times a week.

Does anyone think it would be a good idea to set my activity level as the lowest and eat back back the majority of my exercise calories burned over the course of the week? My routine is restricted by factors such as the weather/moving out soon etc sometimes - this is another reason that I am wanting to readjust my 'allocated' routine.

Yes, I know this probably sounds insane to some people but I'm trying to get a plan in place for the long term. One that I can manage for the rest of my life and I need to ask a lot of questions for this.

BinaryPulsar

^^^I guess everyone is different, but I think when you are on maintenance and not exercising daily, that being at the lowest activity level on most days would result in continued weight loss, unless you indeed have a very sedentary, non-active life and/or a slow metabolism or low muscle. But, in my experience the mfp maintenance plan caused me to lose weight (and energy). Had I continued with that, it would have slowed my metabolism. That was why I needed a better calorie calculator. But, I am a pretty active person with a fast metabolism and low body fat.

elisa123gal

I started to maintain 11/9/12. I increased my calories to 1510 but I still work out 7 days a week. When we were kids, we played every day. There was no "rest" day from play.
So we don't play anymore as we did as children, now we "workout"
I think (and this is just me) that we all should work out doing some kind of physical exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
I am still nervous about regaining my weight so I am still working out 60 or more minutes a day and truthfully, I am still going down in weight even at eating 1510 calories a day.
This is ok, as I wouldn't mind being just 4 lbs lighter to give myself a little more room to adjust and learn how to maintain and hold at one weight. I figure I will need more practice room so I am going a little lower then my initial goal weight.
My plan is to decrease my exercise some and increase my calories some.. and adjust as needed.
Good luck in your plan design.

I wonder if you eat your exercise calories back on top of your 1510 calories?