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Starting to think about weight maintenance

foodisfuelforlife
foodisfuelforlife Posts: 54
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
How! All I know is how to lose weight :(
I am terrified that my metabolism will be all muddily from losing weight
Besides eating 2000+ calories a day WITHOUT exercise seems like far too much to maintain!

Tips please please please!

Replies

  • Arexxx
    Arexxx Posts: 486 Member
    Increase your calories by 100 every week until your weight stops changing? I have no real iea either..
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,482 Member
    From what I've ready, if you've been big and lost weight, your maintenance calories are less than somebody who has always been small. I don't know how exactly you work that out, I'm afraid. I'm worried about maintenance too (although I'm not nearly there yet), as I don't think the TDEE calculators allow for that phenomenon. You could look at a TDEE calculator to get an idea of what the maintenance level is for your height and maintenance weight and then weigh often to check how much extra you need to drop to allow for having been bigger. I'm planning on doing something like that. I know that my maintenance calories will be less than 2000.
  • jackieatx
    jackieatx Posts: 578 Member
    Me too. I just upped my calories from 1550 to 1600 today. Going slowly and steadily. Although, its more of a mental issue for me.. just because I upper my alotted calories doesn't mean I'll hit it. I find the more health conscious I become the harder it is to fill up on certain foods that would get me to my calorie goal.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    There is this http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee and Scooby's Workshop that will help you figure out exactly what you need for your body. For maintenance they call that "gain muscle, lose fat" I think.

    I'm thinking about this a lot because MFP sets my maintenance calories too low. I don't need to lose weight and I did. So, I have been having to increase it to Active and still increase it by 100 or more calories over that. MFP does seem geared towards preventing weight gain. But, doesn't take into account how much muscle you have or if you have a high metabolism and I suppose I was underestimating my activity level. When I was eating the MFP recommendation I found myself reducing my activity level to manage it. So much happier now to eat more and have energy to be as active as I want to be. Much more enjoyable that way and necessary.
  • foodisfuelforlife
    foodisfuelforlife Posts: 54
    I suppose it is hard when MFP is really just a general equation for losing weight- you would really need a doctor or gym trainer to know EXACTLY how much you need. Still though thank you all so much for the help! It will be nice when we all don't have to count calories every day but also not worry about weight gain :)
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    Gradually up your cals, I'd say for about 200 cals per week until you are at your predicted MFP maintenance calorie allowance (this also generally is an underestimate of what you need).

    Unfortunately, you think the 'diet' is all over and maintenance really is initially quite hard work. I've been maintaining for 9 months and it's been a long learning curve. I think I lost an additional 4lb through learning the maintenance ropes so start now! I started adding just 100cals a week and lost quite a lot through that so I would recommend upping by more.

    Also work out what you want your maintenance range to be. Mine is 107-9lb though some people stretch this to be within 5lb.

    There's also a really good maintenance forum full of sensible people and good support. Getting buddies that were also maintaining was a big help. xx
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