Afraid to go to maintenance mode

PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot

Hey everyone. So I've hit my goal of 50 lbs. Here's my problem - I don't want to up my calories to maintenance mode because I've actually tried eating (what would be my) maintenance calories, and sure enough, the weight goes back on.

I'm not being lazy or anything - In fact, my exercise has continued to increase. I'm kind of OCD about running, I take very few days off (easily going for 10+ days without a day off), don't do under 40 miles a week, and often hit mid-50s for mileage (which will continue to go up a I train for my first 26.2 in Oct).

Is the small, but non-zero weight gain while eating maintenance calories a sign that I haven't been eating enough to begin with?

thanks
pete

MysticRealm

Try to slowly increase your cals by 100 per week or so till you get up to your maintenance calories.

purpleipod

You might gain a little at first but once you find that sweet spot you will be able to level out. You obviously can't eat at a calorie deficit for your entire life, so it's just something you're going to have to come to terms with. Just try to find that balance that will work.

cwolfman13

I reached my initial goal and am taking a little diet break to re-boot everything. I'm going to maintenance over the course of about 3 weeks. I'm upping my calories by 100 each week. Last week I was at 2,300, this week is 2,400, and next week will be 2500...I believe my TDEE is somewhere between 2500 and 2600 so I'll have to play around a little. I haven't gained anything doing this. I think if you go straight from a big cut to addding 500 calories more per day or whatever, you will probably shock your system and your metabolism won't have time to adjust to that intake fast enough to keep you from gaining.

chkn_WANG_Train

Try to slowly increase your cals by 100 per week or so till you get up to your maintenance calories.

game plan.

PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot

Thanks everyone - I'm going to need to do some number crunching to find out my TDEE.

sidkrose

Once you lose weight your body wants to get you back up to the weight you used to be, so your muscles are more efficient and you want food more. You will probably have to eat under maintenance calories to maintain. Look up "set point" and "Leptin hormone in maintaining weight loss" and you will see what I mean.

kluvit

I gradually increased my calories, and now, after about 9 months of "maintaining," I still keep my goal set at a 0.2 lb per week loss. I sometimes go slightly over for the week, but it's enough of a cushion that I'm not gaining.

gracielynn1011

Slowly add calories back in. Instead of just jumping up to maintaining, try adding just 100 calories for a week or two, then 100 more, and so on.

cwolfman13

Once you lose weight your body wants to get you back up to the weight you used to be, so your muscles are more efficient and you want food more. You will probably have to eat under maintenance calories to maintain. Look up "set point" and "Leptin hormone in maintaining weight loss" and you will see what I mean.

Ummmm....no....you can eat to maintenance and maintain. Set point theory is just ridiculous. People don't regain their weight because of set point theory..they regain their weight because they go back to their old lifestyles and old habits and over consume and move less. Permanent and sustained weight loss requires lifestyle change, not "dieting." Set point theory just let's people take less responsibility for what they're doing...they can just shrug their shoulders and say, "hey...I tried."