Maintenance calorie levels: what happens when you are done?

UKMarjie

OK - so this has been on my brain for a while. And I am hoping to hear from people who have met their goals and are living with their new lifestyle but am willing to hear from anyone who has some knowledge to share.

When you have met your goals and are looking to maintain a weight how do you establish your calorie count?

weird_me2

Not at maintenance, but theoretically, if you have been faithfully tracking your intake (honestly and thoroughly), then you should be able to figure out your approximate maintenance number by your average recent loss. Take your average weekly loss and multiply it times 3500 to estimate your average deficit, then divide by 7.

For example, if you were consuming 1600 calories per day average for the last 8 weeks and lost an average of .5 lbs per week, then your maintenance would theoretically be 1600+250 (amount of deficit to reach .5 lb per week loss). In reality, this number could vary so it may take some trial and error. If you were losing slowly, I would say go up by a couple hundred calories for a month and see where you are at. If you are still losing, go up again. If you have gained slightly, go down, but you need to monitor for probably at least a month to allow for natural weight variations.

chickenz

Doesn't mfp calculate the maintenance calories once you reach goal?

wendybird5

Doesn't mfp calculate the maintenance calories once you reach goal?

I'm about to transition to maintenance mode and was going to go by what the app said. I've already done an initial check and what it listed sounds right based on my past experience tracking my calorie levels.

Sweet_Pea0107

When I hit my goal I used my tdee number as my maintenance calorie goal. I actually had to adjust it up little. The calculations online are not set in stone. Sometimes you have to use them as a starting point and adjust from there. I have been maintaining for year now. I eat 2050(sometimes more) to maintain.

waldo56

There is no such thing as done. A surefire recipe to backslide.

When you reach your goal, you aren't done, you are just entering a new phase.

After reaching my initial goal, I started bulk/cut cycling to build muscle and drop my BF% down to the single digits, each cut going a little further than the last.

Kris1997

Bump*

jenilla1

I've been on maintenance for almost 2 years. I just set it at MFP's suggested maintenance and I've had zero problems maintaining. But DO keep tracking if you intend this to be permanent. Otherwise, there's an excellent chance you'll start creeping up again. It's easy and it's a habit now so why not keep tracking? I suggest easing yourself into the higher level - maybe adding 100 calories a week until you hit maintenance, because it feels like too much eating if you try to increase it all of a sudden while you are used to eating less! Good luck! :drinker:

slimcakelady

There's a calculator on this website that might help. http://www.exercise4weightloss.com/bmr-calculator.html

Once you enter certain information ( gender, age, weight, height, and select your level of how active you are), it will calculate how many calories you burn at rest (BMR) and how many calories you can consume to maintain your current weight.

jensnewstart

Bump

robmill315

There is no such thing as done. A surefire recipe to backslide.

When you reach your goal, you aren't done, you are just entering a new phase.

After reaching my initial goal, I started bulk/cut cycling to build muscle and drop my BF% down to the single digits, each cut going a little further than the last.

I'm curious when you try to bulk/cut...what goals do you set? Is it put on 2lbs of muscle for instance and then try to drop 3lbs. I'm trying to get to the point where I want to do this to drop some body fat but I've never gone about it before.

DonM46

I've been on maintenance for 13 months.
Used MFP's maintenance level calorie count as a guide, but started gaining, albeit slowly.
Cut that by 100.
Started losing.
Up 50.
Etc.
Log, log. log.

waldo56

There is no such thing as done. A surefire recipe to backslide.

When you reach your goal, you aren't done, you are just entering a new phase.

After reaching my initial goal, I started bulk/cut cycling to build muscle and drop my BF% down to the single digits, each cut going a little further than the last.

I'm curious when you try to bulk/cut...what goals do you set? Is it put on 2lbs of muscle for instance and then try to drop 3lbs. I'm trying to get to the point where I want to do this to drop some body fat but I've never gone about it before.

I try to time ending cuts with events (shirtless weather and Christmas are the main ones for me), and work my schedule backwards from there, with 2 weeks of maintenance at each switch. When bulking I use a 500 cal/day surplus, when cutting a 500 cal/day deficit.

Natashaa1991

i need a help with this one. i am 5'8" 108 lbs (skinnier than most people so i have to eat less than most people). i eat between 1500-1600 and twice a week i go over 2000. too scared to eat 1800 a day (i figured 1800 would make me happy)