Eating at maintenance for goal weight now?

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Music4Hym777
Music4Hym777 Posts: 71 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

I am wanting to lose 15lbs at whatever rate (atleast about 1/mo). I am wondering if anyone has tried eating at the maintenance level of their goal weight and then maybe or maybe not eating back the fitness calories. For example right now to maintain my weight I would need to eat 1980 calories plus my added activity (I am pretty active at my job). Yet the maintenance for my goal weight is 1850. I know it would be slow losing, but has anyone ever tried it and had success with it? Does anyone think this would work? Part of the reason to for doing this is that eating to lose a lb a week is not something that I am willing to do and I want to make this a lifestyle change as opposed to feeling like I am on a diet.

Any thoughts?

PS. If you look at my journal it will be not so great, I have been sick, had stress at work, and a bunch of functions, but I am going to my trainer tonight and am talking to him about this too.

Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    Hi All,

    I am wanting to lose 15lbs at whatever rate (atleast about 1/mo). I am wondering if anyone has tried eating at the maintenance level of their goal weight and then maybe or maybe not eating back the fitness calories. For example right now to maintain my weight I would need to eat 1980 calories plus my added activity (I am pretty active at my job). Yet the maintenance for my goal weight is 1850. I know it would be slow losing, but has anyone ever tried it and had success with it? Does anyone think this would work? Part of the reason to for doing this is that eating to lose a lb a week is not something that I am willing to do and I want to make this a lifestyle change as opposed to feeling like I am on a diet.

    Any thoughts?

    PS. If you look at my journal it will be not so great, I have been sick, had stress at work, and a bunch of functions, but I am going to my trainer tonight and am talking to him about this too.

    Yes, this would work. Although, i'll mention that both honesty and consistency are the key to this method.

    Will you be accurately/honestly logging absolutely everything you consume?

    Will you be consistently hitting your calorie goal on the dot, or close to it, every single day?

    You will definitely get to your goal weight eating at maintenance for that weight, however, because the deficit will be MUCH lower it's extremely important to be as accurate as possible. Please also note, that yes, the weight loss will be MUCH slower than a larger deficit. (that deficit should get you to your goal weight in 26 weeks for example)

    The 15lbs in one month... this isn't even likely to happen with a LARGE caloric deficit.

    Best of luck!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    My TDEE for my goal weight would be about 1950 and I am eating 1800 now. I have lost 30 pounds in the last two months.
  • Music4Hym777
    Music4Hym777 Posts: 71 Member
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    The 15lbs in one month... this isn't even likely to happen with a LARGE caloric deficit.

    Best of luck!

    This is not 15lbs in 1 month, I meant losing atleast one pound a month until at my goal weight.
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
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    I like this idea a lot! I'm doing something kind of similar -- I put my calorie goal somewhere between maintenance and .5lb/week, but I do eat my exercise calories. So I have a very small deficit per day. I'm down about 4 or 5 pounds in two months, which isn't a lot, but I figure the slower I lose the easier it will be to keep it off. We're actually quite similar - I'm 25 and want to lose about 15 pounds

    Maybe the only thing to watch for would be if you have a really crazy workout? Burning 500+ calories (especially multiple times a week) and not eating any of them might give you more of a deficit than you really want. I was at 1550 calories for a while, and was still kind of hungry/grumpy, but somehow 1650 net keeps me way happier? You'll have to give it a few weeks and play with the numbers if you need to

    Seems like people content to lose at a leisurely pace are not that common on here. Glad to see someone like myself out there - best of luck to you!
  • Music4Hym777
    Music4Hym777 Posts: 71 Member
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    bump
  • BARBY1956
    BARBY1956 Posts: 51
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    I like this idea a lot! I'm doing something kind of similar -- I put my calorie goal somewhere between maintenance and .5lb/week, but I do eat my exercise calories. So I have a very small deficit per day. I'm down about 4 or 5 pounds in two months, which isn't a lot, but I figure the slower I lose the easier it will be to keep it off. We're actually quite similar - I'm 25 and want to lose about 15 pounds

    Maybe the only thing to watch for would be if you have a really crazy workout? Burning 500+ calories (especially multiple times a week) and not eating any of them might give you more of a deficit than you really want. I was at 1550 calories for a while, and was still kind of hungry/grumpy, but somehow 1650 net keeps me way happier? You'll have to give it a few weeks and play with the numbers if you need to

    Seems like people content to lose at a leisurely pace are not that common on here. Glad to see someone like myself out there - best of luck to you!

    I also am doing this. I want to lose about 20 lbs (in no particular time frame) and I have lost about 13 lbs. since January. I never have to go hungry to lose nor have I had a gain. . I eat between 1500 - 1800 calories and exercise about 30 minutes a day using a Jillian Michaels DVD. Since I am close to my goal, I am now concentrating more on strength training and using weights.
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
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    If you are eating at maintenance then your activity level should be factored in to that, so you shouldn't be eating exercise calories on top of your maintenance level.

    And yes it will work and is a great way to lose weight.

    A smaller deficit is better in the long run.
  • acm130
    acm130 Posts: 100 Member
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    Yup, this works check out Fat2Fit philosophy. It's sloooooow but the key is consistency and if you truly subscribe to the "lifestyle change" versus diet eating like "the thinner you" is so much easier then having a huge caloric deficit and then trying to switch from that to a realistic and sustainable calorie intake. I eat between 1500-2000 kcal and I'm losing, i didn't have a lot to lose so it's been really slow but what's important to me is that I'm not gaining I'm losing slowly but surely and when I get to my GW I don't have to make huge changes cuz I'm already there. Best of luck:smile:
  • Music4Hym777
    Music4Hym777 Posts: 71 Member
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    Yup, this works check out Fat2Fit philosophy. It's sloooooow but the key is consistency and if you truly subscribe to the "lifestyle change" versus diet eating like "the thinner you" is so much easier then having a huge caloric deficit and then trying to switch from that to a realistic and sustainable calorie intake. I eat between 1500-2000 kcal and I'm losing, i didn't have a lot to lose so it's been really slow but what's important to me is that I'm not gaining I'm losing slowly but surely and when I get to my GW I don't have to make huge changes cuz I'm already there. Best of luck:smile:

    I will definately check out the Fat2Fit philosophy. I am hoping to get to consistency. I think in reality though consistency for me means revolving around that number. Somedays will be more, some days will be less, but the average is what I am hoping will be there.
  • Slimat30
    Slimat30 Posts: 142
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    This has worked for me. I eat a flat 2000 cals each day and have had great results. I don't feel starving or like I'm on a diet at all x

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