What happens after reaching goal weight??

funkythreads2004
funkythreads2004 Posts: 51 Member
edited January 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok so this is probably a stupid question, but once you reach your goal weight what happens then? Obviously Im still doing all my gym training, but what about my food intake, do I increase it back up to 2000 calories a day, or stay on 1450, which surely can't be good in the long run?

I probably only have about 10lbs to go, and train 5 times a week, partially because im entered into a 10k BMF course in September. As I said before, I eat about 1450 calories a day and have already started getting a little ravenous after workouts. I plan on doing the same amount of exercise, but im curious to know how much I increase my calories when i have gained my goal weight. Im worried an increase will result in weight gain.

xx ;-)

Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Add 100 calories a week until you hit your maintenance calories. From there, monitor your weight. If you keep losing, eat a little more and wait at least three weeks before changing it again. If you start gaining, eat a little less and wait at least three weeks before changing it again.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    If your maintenance level is 2000 and you only have 10 pounds to go, I would start increasing calories now. With so little left to lose, it's better for you to go slowly at this point--the recommendation is for a 250-calorie daily deficit to lose half a pound a week.

    That will give you more calories to fuel your training, and it will be a much easier transition when you do go up to 2000 since the jump will be that much smaller.
  • funkythreads2004
    funkythreads2004 Posts: 51 Member
    Yeah Your info seems to marry up with what other have said. Its just feel weird adding more calories. But im sure i will manage to eat them, Im starving lately ;-)
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Figuring out what you have to do to maintain is the hardest part of this. Your maintenance intake might not be what the calculators give you, so tinker until you get it right, and then work on turning your lifestyle into a habit.
  • JaniseNikolic
    JaniseNikolic Posts: 24 Member
    what a great question! Thanks for the good information! I still have twenty to go but I was wondering the same thing!
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Great question. I'm 5 lbs away from my current goal. Don't know whether to change my goal to BF% reduction or maintenance.
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
    Good eating habits and exercise is probably what brought you to this point.... I say continue... only lessen the intensity and keep it routine. Inactivity and poor eating habits are to be avoided if you don't want to relapse.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Yes, when I hit my goal in December, I started experimenting with how many calories my actual maintenance was. I added 50 every two weeks, weighed frequently and made adjustments. It ended up that given my size (5'1" and 102 pounds) my maintenance is about 1450 calories. That seems to work well to keep me in a range of 101-103. I also pay attention to how I feel, which is plenty energetic with a sense of well-being.
  • funkythreads2004
    funkythreads2004 Posts: 51 Member
    A month on from this post and i am now eating 1650 calories a day and have still lost 4lb!!! I am now trying to find a level to maintain rather then lose. Happy that the info given worked. Thanks everyone :laugh:
  • momzeeee
    momzeeee Posts: 475 Member
    Figuring out what you have to do to maintain is the hardest part of this. Your maintenance intake might not be what the calculators give you, so tinker until you get it right, and then work on turning your lifestyle into a habit.

    This is so true! Statistically there's a 95% failure rate for long term weight loss success-your question is definitely not a dumb one!

    Do some searching for maintenance info via books, websites, blogs etc and you'll quickly realize there's almost NO resources for how to transition into maintenance and how to stay there permanently. Even the maintenance group on mfp is really slow.

    In a nutshell-after you tweak whatever plan you're working on and settle into a rhythm, you'll realize something no one talks about-maintenance is boring. There's no highs of a new low on the scale, or a smaller sized piece of clothing fitting for the first time. The compliments from people noticing your results dry up. And the mind games start-the justification of little splurges turn into overindulgence that lead to weight gain. The time for weight loss is relatively short. Maintenance is 20, 30, 40+ years.

    I've been in maintenance since March and it's way more challenging than losing weight was. But, I'm determined to be part of the 5% that succeeds at this, so I'm working on my plan of action right now. You're doing the right thing-asking for advice and thinking ahead :)
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Figuring out what you have to do to maintain is the hardest part of this. Your maintenance intake might not be what the calculators give you, so tinker until you get it right, and then work on turning your lifestyle into a habit.

    This is so true! Statistically there's a 95% failure rate for long term weight loss success-your question is definitely not a dumb one!

    Do some searching for maintenance info via books, websites, blogs etc and you'll quickly realize there's almost NO resources for how to transition into maintenance and how to stay there permanently. Even the maintenance group on mfp is really slow.

    In a nutshell-after you tweak whatever plan you're working on and settle into a rhythm, you'll realize something no one talks about-maintenance is boring. There's no highs of a new low on the scale, or a smaller sized piece of clothing fitting for the first time. The compliments from people noticing your results dry up. And the mind games start-the justification of little splurges turn into overindulgence that lead to weight gain. The time for weight loss is relatively short. Maintenance is 20, 30, 40+ years.

    I've been in maintenance since March and it's way more challenging than losing weight was. But, I'm determined to be part of the 5% that succeeds at this, so I'm working on my plan of action right now. You're doing the right thing-asking for advice and thinking ahead :)

    Sure, maintenance can be boring... But it has its benefits!

    http://www.leangains.com/2010/03/secret-benefit-of-being-lean.html
  • potluck965
    potluck965 Posts: 529 Member
    Figuring out what you have to do to maintain is the hardest part of this. Your maintenance intake might not be what the calculators give you, so tinker until you get it right, and then work on turning your lifestyle into a habit.

    For sure. I am still struggling with maintenance after almost two years.

    Whatever you do, you must be vigilant. I do relax a little, but I find it just as important to manage everything as when I was losing.

    I recently got a BodyMedia Fit device just to help me. I didn't need it when I wanted to lose, that was frankly a lot easier to figure out. Now that I don't care so much about losing I find it much more difficult.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    I am now at my goal weight (actually under it) and I'm kinda lost. That leangains link nailed it. I want to reduce BF% now while maintaining weight. That means eat more. After 14 months of eat less, eat less, eat less, I now have to shift to eat more, eat more, eat more.
  • girlontheseesaw
    girlontheseesaw Posts: 90
    Maintenance is definitely an ongoing challenge. I hit my goal about a year and a half ago, kept logging, got bored, stopped logging, ever so slowly put weight back on again. I gained maybe 5kg (having lost a total of about 15kg) before deciding to log again with a 250cal weekly deficit.

    I think I'm happy to slack off every so often, but just keep an eye on my weight with an upper limit I don't want to exceed (say 3kg over ideal weight). My weight fluctuates a lot anyway, even when eating sensibly and exercising regularly, so I watch the upper limit and restrict my calories if I go the wrong side of that.

    It only took 5 months to lose 15kg so I figure it's easy enough to make the same effort any time it becomes necessary.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories