maintenance mode and working out?

Shelby1582
Shelby1582 Posts: 191 Member
edited November 12 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I've been at my ideal weight for a few months now and lately I've been working out less. It's only been in the last two weeks I worked out three days instead of 5 but is this how maintenance works? what are your maintenance tips?
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Replies

  • dlbaron
    dlbaron Posts: 79 Member
    I'm curious about this too! I am pretty much at maintenance and have been working out a lot less and less intensely. I do think I'm losing some muscle definition that I gained while working with a personal trainer, then doing P90X (only for a month or so), then Stronglifts 5x5. Now I'm not doing any of those and I know I need to start incorporating more strength training again so I can keep muscle. But overall I'm not gaining weight.
    The negative thing about this is I'm not as cheerful when I don't work out every day! That could also be weather related, but I loved being super active all summer, now when it's colder it's hard to get motivated.
  • kelseystew
    kelseystew Posts: 49 Member
    I am curious about this too! I am at my goal and now losing some of the motivation. I am trying to make new fitness goals to keep me motivated, like shaving 10 mins off my half marathon time and getting closer to a 6 pack. I am curious what other peoples tips might be!
  • summer8it
    summer8it Posts: 433 Member
    I'm doing less cardio but lifting more. I also stopped counting exercise calories but instead have my calorie goal set at TDEE.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    Bump... out of curiousity.
  • rebeccawwalters
    rebeccawwalters Posts: 37 Member
    Now that I'm at maintenance, I'm working harder to tone what was underneath, by weight-lifting, body weight resistance, etc. and less cardio
  • lucypeaks
    lucypeaks Posts: 96 Member
    Same, I am mainly focusing on toning up now and still careful not to go overboard on the fats and saturated fats...
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    I'm not at my goal weight yet, but I have no intentions on working out less once I get there, I'll simply increase calories until I stop losing weight. I enjoy working out, it's a big stress reliever for me. But if working out less is easier for you instead of eating more, that works too! Everyone is different. :)
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I set my calorie goal based on TDEE and don't eat back my work out calories so that I don't focus too much on the calorie burn. I think of my workouts as improvements to my overall health and fitness and don't really associate them with my weight. It has completely changed my mindset towards exercise in general. I no longer look at in terms of " If I run this many miles I can eat this many calories extra".
  • JulieAnn72
    JulieAnn72 Posts: 795 Member
    I've also been less motivated to work out since getting to my goal. I'm trying to maintain under 135 and I find that I'm starting to creep up (I was 135.5 today). So I really need to get off my butt and workout more again. But I don't seem to be as motivated now that I'm relatively happy with the way my body looks. I figure, though, if I let it go too far, I'll end up gaining again.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    For me exercise was never about losing weight. I have been in "maintenance mode" all year and am working out as much as ever.

    My goal is to continue to build speed, strength and endurance so I will continue to workout as much as I ever have (currently 7 days a week).
  • Linli_Anne
    Linli_Anne Posts: 1,360 Member
    I've set my calories to my TDEE, to include my 3x a week lifting program and short runs. If I do a longer run and feel like I need to eat more I do.

    I don't think maintenance means working out less, but, it's about finding more of a balance. What are your goals now? I'm looking to gain muscle, and burn fat and will likely do so through a series of bulk and cut cycles. Are you wanting to get stronger, leaner, run faster or farther?
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I don't exercise to lose weight, I do it for my health.

    My exercise will not decrease in maintenance.
  • simsburyjet
    simsburyjet Posts: 999 Member
    maintenance for me was eating more but working out even harder.. Changing things up so instead of just losing weight
    I wanted to be even fitter. I added more strength training and less cardio. For me that was cutting down on spin classes
    and doing more floorwork like push ups and planks.

    Oh about the brother are you going to sleep with him again? Do you think he will tell his sister?
  • marianneread
    marianneread Posts: 21 Member
    I exercise the same amount and increased my calories to maintain instead of lose. I love food. I exercise to stay healthy and relieve stress. It's more a way of life than a diet. If I'm dreading my workout, I try to find something new to mix it up.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    I'm more curious about your maintenance of your personal relationships. Inquiring minds want to know.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I workout more now that I'm in maintenance. The extra food gives me more energy to push harder at the gym.

    I think going back to not exercising is one of the pitfalls of maintenance and could easily lead to sliding back into old habits and regaining the weight that was lost.


    And did you tell you bff you slept with her brother yet? You might get some good cardio running from her. :flowerforyou:
  • splashtree2
    splashtree2 Posts: 277
    'm on this maintaining weight and transorming some fat in musclrs,.you can make it ut you got to lower calories anyway and push when you workout so smal pause time....just comeback intraining even though i din't like gyms so much
    I've been at my ideal weight for a few months now and lately I've been working out less. It's only been in the last two weeks I worked out three days instead of 5 but is this how maintenance works? what are your maintenance tips?
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  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    In...

    ...for various reasons.
  • ciccanti38
    ciccanti38 Posts: 37 Member
    Fitness is a lifestyle....I am also at my goal weight but I really want that sculpted look so I am still working out 5 days a week mostly strength training because cardio actually makes me lose weight fast. I am not so hard on myself with eating though. Although I do try & eat clean most of the time! Everyone is different though. You just need to see what is best for you! I have started a Group on here yesterday for people just like us...who have reached our goal weight & can you believe that I only have 1 interested member so far? If interested please join & pass it on to others! It is called Sassyfizeaks!
  • emjaycazz
    emjaycazz Posts: 330 Member
    Is this how maintenance works?

    It's different for every person and their lifestyle/fitness goals. If you just want to maintain a certain weight, you can go about by any way that makes your energy expenditure more or less equal to your calorie intake. The catch is that calorie needs change from day to day AND over time as our bodies response to physiological changes, activity level, etc.

    For me, having JUST the goal of keeping a specific weight is no fun at all, so I gravitate towards doing fun stuff (circuit training, deadlifts, squats, etc.)
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    As long as you are maintaining and reaching your specific fitness and body composition-related goals according to adequate training volume, intensity and frequency, you're fine.
  • Tuala42
    Tuala42 Posts: 274 Member
    Heart health is my top priority since high blood pressure runs in my family, and mine was starting to creep up before I lost weight. So I've kept up pretty much the same schedule of cardio that I had while I was losing weight. Also its great to be able to eat back all those exercise calories!
  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
    You can do one of two things when maintaining. You can keep your exercise the same and increase calories accordingly or you can decrease exercise to a frequency, intensity, and duration that is sustainable for you and eat accordingly. There's no "right" way to go about maintenance--if you're maintaining then you're doing it right (+/- 5 pounds).
  • boatsie77
    boatsie77 Posts: 480 Member
    I've been in maintenance for 8 months now--I ensure I keep up on my exercise by always having an upcoming 5K (or more) run/walk/crawl always on my schedule. It gives me a reason to stay in training and to monitor my nutrition (and some are a lot of fun, like mud runs & color runs).

    I recently finished a 1\2 marathon (at age 58) and had spent the previous 5 months doing the required cardio, strength & nutritional programs in order to allow me to cross the finish line in the vertical position. I now have a goal to do a full marathon on my 60th birthday (Jan 2015) which should keep me on track with my maintenance for at least another year. Participating in 5, 10, +Ks leading up to that time will keep me engaged and enjoying the process.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    Now that I'm at maintenance, I'm working harder to tone what was underneath, by weight-lifting, body weight resistance, etc. and less cardio

    I'm almost at my goal and this is what I am planning on doing myself.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    I'm almost at maintenance and I have def slacked off the working out. However, I think for me it's because my mom fail ill and of course it's the busy time of year for me.

    I do plan on working out 5 days a week during maintenance. Now, I just need to get back at it! :-)
  • westendcurls
    westendcurls Posts: 252 Member
    Im working out more but im also trying to become a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. So i have my usually work out routine and then what I've added for teaching.
  • janer4jc
    janer4jc Posts: 238 Member
    I plan on working out for the rest of my life because I know what happens when I don't.
  • fashionosack
    fashionosack Posts: 94
    To do some exercise every day to match the appropriate diet, moderate Games to reduce appetite, increase fat burning rate.
  • nicolamoonbrains
    nicolamoonbrains Posts: 72 Member
    Some great answers in this thread. I have just exceeded my goal weight and I am now focusing on maintenance but don't want my weight to spiral too low as it has done in the past. My main goal is to keep up the exercise but to eat more and still eat healthily.

    I seem to have an issue when I loose weight in that I often end up loosing too much. Once the balls rolling it gets a little out of hand... I don't eat enough to compliment my increased metabolism I suppose and if I carry on I end up being underweight.
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