At maintenance and still losing

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sarah2954
sarah2954 Posts: 291 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been at maintenance for a month. My SW was 198 in January, and I got down to 128 in mid-August. I was very hppy with my body, and decided I was done losing and switched to maintenance. Since then, I've lost 3 pounds, an inch from my waist, and an inch from my hips.

I set MFP to lightly active and maintain, and it gives me 1680. I almost always eat all my calories, and I'm not as strict as I was when I was losing. Example - at the drivein last night, I had brought a zero bar for my son, and I took a bite. I also ate a few fries. If my kids offer me something, I will take a bite.

***** My diary is open, but it's not accurate. Now that I'm back in school, I don't have much time, so I will sometimes just keep track in my head and no enter my food for the rest of the day. But I am eating all my calories, even if it doesn't show that in my diary!!

I eat back all of my exercise calories (calculated by a HRM). I used to exercise almost daily but it's dropped off now that I'm back in school :/

So what I'm looking for is advice on how many calories I shoud eat. Thanks :)

Replies

  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I don't know. But I do know that when my sister lost a lot of weight she had the same problem when she tried to stop. If you're losing too quickly and feel unhealthy I'd really losen up and add a few hundred more calories. But if it's a slow loss, I'd stay at maintenance and see if you stabilize.

    Truth is, it is much easier to lose weight than to maintain it. Most people regain. Exercise and be cautious and see what happens.

    But you're right, you have to be cautious not to lose to much.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Just start upping your calories a bit at a time until you find you weight is staying constant?
    In the end, the MFP figures are always going to be just approximations.

    I've just got myself a motoactv and have been keeping it on all day so the pedometer side works to give me an idea of total daily calories. When I get to my target I'll probably try and keep using it for a while at least to base calculations on that.

    Also, of course the numbers we enter for food are also just approximations - calorie information can be way out both ways.
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    You may have to play around with your calorie goal a little bit to get the right numbers.

    Try adding in 200 calories a day for a week or two and see if you stop losing. If it works great! You have your number to stick with. If it doesn't work add some more calories.

    I'm not sure of your stats but under 1700 to maintain your weight doesn't seem right.
  • NyimaR
    NyimaR Posts: 108 Member
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    Could you use your HRM over a 24 hour period to get a better approximation of how much you burn in a day?
  • sarah2954
    sarah2954 Posts: 291 Member
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    You may have to play around with your calorie goal a little bit to get the right numbers.

    Try adding in 200 calories a day for a week or two and see if you stop losing. If it works great! You have your number to stick with. If it doesn't work add some more calories.

    I'm not sure of your stats but under 1700 to maintain your weight doesn't seem right.

    I'm 5'2", 125 pounds
  • sarah2954
    sarah2954 Posts: 291 Member
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    Could you use your HRM over a 24 hour period to get a better approximation of how much you burn in a day?

    Hmmmm....I think I'll try that!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Check with another site for your maintenance calories. I use: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    Keep in mind that the calories on that site will include your exercise in your calorie goal, so you wouldn't add exercise to that.

    MFP calories are a little too low for me. Even though I'm not a terribly active person outside of my exercise, I would need to be at moderately active + exercise calories to maintain. This past week, I tried switching my activity level to very active, and but didn't include my exercise calories, and still lost. Very active gives me a little under 2000 calories. My real TDEE is closer to 2300, maybe more.
  • kimdt74
    kimdt74 Posts: 22 Member
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    I use http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ to calculate my calorie intake. I am working on trying to find my maintenance also.

    Sorry someone else posted this before I did.
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
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    Could you use your HRM over a 24 hour period to get a better approximation of how much you burn in a day?

    Hmmmm....I think I'll try that!

    My understanding about HRMs is that they only work accurately with an elevated heart rate (ie aerobic activity), not resting or low impact activities.

    I lost about 5 lbs after trying to start maintaining. I think the formulas are great for a ballpark but they can easily be off by a few hundred calories for any individual and of course calorie tracking can easily be off. I just upped my calories slowly and used trial and error to find my approximate maintenance. I don't track exercise calories anymore and I eat roughly the same amout each day, but my exercise routine is very consistent.
  • sarah2954
    sarah2954 Posts: 291 Member
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    Thanks everyone!

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