When did you decide to switch from losing to maintaining

Doctorpurple
Doctorpurple Posts: 507 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi there

I'm trying to figure out whether I should stop losing and try maintaining but I'm not sure. I really like where I'm at right now but also wouldn't be too happy if I gained, but I don't mind losing a couple more. I've a read from previous threads that sometimes switching from "losing mode" to "maintain mode", people normally gain a lb or two so you can go a bit below your ideal weight before switching. What do you guys think about this? Also, I'm curious when you decided to stop losing weight and start maintaining?

My stats

Height: 5'4''
Weight: 114-115

Replies

  • sandhusaab16
    sandhusaab16 Posts: 112
    I also need suggestion for switching my weight is 77 kgs height 5 ft 9 inches..when shud i switch?
  • DJCaz1
    DJCaz1 Posts: 4
    I'm not trying to sound like a creeper, but based on your pics, you look terrific. Do you really think it's more a matter of continuing to lose? It would all depend on how you feel. Do you like the way you look in the mirror? Do you like the way you feel in general? Are you happy with yourself? I think these are more important than what the scale says. Good luck to you. :smile:
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    Your weight will naturally fluctuate day to day as well. Maintaining is usually a range, not a set weight. You can see your weight vary during maintenance +/-3lbs at least.
  • Fithealthyforlife
    Fithealthyforlife Posts: 866 Member
    Your weight will naturally fluctuate day to day as well. Maintaining is usually a range, not a set weight. You can see your weight vary during maintenance +/-3lbs at least.

    This is so true as she said. Actually it can happen in other phases too, not just maintenance. For example, this morning I weighed myself for the first time in 3 weeks (I'm in a bulk phase) and my weight was 2.5 lbs lower, even though I'm seeing muscle gains when I look at my body in the mirror and my clothes are tighter around the shoulders!I have been eating more than ever, working out better, etc...and my weight was the lowest it's been in 2-3 months! Some of this was probably dehydration, as I woke up very thirsty.

    It's all a psychological game. Hang in there!
  • skinnybythanksgiving
    skinnybythanksgiving Posts: 159 Member
    I started adding back calories 100 a week 4 pounds from goal. I still lost four more pounds over Christmas. Also I didn't have that sudden jump in weight.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    After losing 22 lbs., I liked the way I looked and felt, so started maintaining at that point. It's not about an arbitrary number.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Sometime in December, I hit 15 lbs from my original goal weight of 150 and started adding 50 cal/week to my daily calorie goal so that I would have a soft landing at maintenance. I was eating 1400 calories/day then. On January 8, I washed my hair, wrapped it in a towel - saw my mom's slender face looking back at me and decided I was done. I had gone from a size 18 to a size 10 (and even an 8 in some things!). I weighed 157 and reset my goal weight to 155 because I like round numbers. I'm currently up to 1650 cal/day and holding at 154 lbs. Some days, I have trouble making myself eat the whole 1650. When spring comes and I get out and start gardening & hiking more, I suspect my calories will be closer to 1800 daily to maintain.
    Anyway, try adding 50 to 100 calories per week until you stop losing. It seems to have kept me from putting on any weight so far. Good luck!!!
  • Regan45
    Regan45 Posts: 191 Member
    I went into maintenance when I hit my goal weight. I used MFP maintenance guidelines and ended up 7 pounds under my goal weight. I'm happy at this weight and have been maintaining for about 4 months now. So i think MFP guidelines are a bit low but it worked out for me.
    You'll know when you get where you need to be. It's when you feel you're best,.
  • NidiaG24
    NidiaG24 Posts: 31 Member
    I am now in maintenance mode, but I expect my weight to go lower as I continue to tone and then pick up as I build muscle. I usually keep my weight goal in a range, not a specific number
  • sarrah_n
    sarrah_n Posts: 192 Member
    When my weight got within 5 lbs of the lowest healthy BMI, I switched to maintenance. And compared to my height, getting much smaller would be nearly impossible without drastically changing my lifestyle. I still lost a bit after changing my calorie goal, but have now found a good balance and am happy to eat more :) 5' 10, 136 lbs now at 2000 net calories
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
    I got to a point where I liked how I looked, and just switched. I did not gain back any weight, but that could be because I started out using the MFP method and actually lost a couple more pounds. Then I switched to TDEE and tweaked the numbers a little, and have been pretty stable for the last 6 months or so, within a range of +/- 4 lbs.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I think it's hard to decide 'oh yeah, I don't need to lose any more' when you're at a healthy weight and look good, but aren't model thin or really muscly.

    The reason I (and I bet mostly people here) succeeded at their weight loss is that they're disciplined, stubborn, and peristent. Maybe with a perfectionist streak. So saying 'good enough' is hard.

    I found hitting the goal I had set out when I started (that I thought I'd never hit) then focusing on exercise and inches was helpful. Otherwise you get into this competition with all the people with the fantastic abs and really unbelievable bodies. But I'm just trying to stay healthy and look good. I don't have to be perfect.
  • Doctorpurple
    Doctorpurple Posts: 507 Member
    thank you for all the comments. I decided to lose one more lb just for my sanity due to weight fluctuations and hit maintenance.
  • Pintado
    Pintado Posts: 33 Member
    The reason I (and I bet mostly people here) succeeded at their weight loss is that they're disciplined, stubborn, and peristent. Maybe with a perfectionist streak. So saying 'good enough' is hard.

    This, definitely!
  • mumtoonegirl
    mumtoonegirl Posts: 586 Member
    I have been at the same weight for over 6 months, my body seems to have decided that I am in maintenance, however when I switched my status to be maintain and started eating at the calories suggested I started to gain so I went back down to where I was at loosing and lost the weight and have stayed the same for a while just putting on muscle now.

    So for me personally I need to have the settings at 1lbs loss and keep my macros at that level to stay where I am, ideally I would like to be down about another 5-10lbs or so but time will tell.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I'm getting to my goal weight then I'll slowly add 100 calories a week, so that hopefully I lose a bit more by the time I'm really at maintenance. My goal is still close to 'lose 1 lb a week' but I've been going over 2-3 times a week lately (still mostly under TDEE though), so it will take a while.
  • Momto4minions
    Momto4minions Posts: 173 Member
    Is there a pinned post somewhere on what the mfp maintanence routine is? I see several people say they followed the mfp maintenance guidelines. Will these just show up for me in my app/ home page when hit my loss goal?

    Feeling hopeful! Lol
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Hi there

    I'm trying to figure out whether I should stop losing and try maintaining but I'm not sure. I really like where I'm at right now but also wouldn't be too happy if I gained, but I don't mind losing a couple more. I've a read from previous threads that sometimes switching from "losing mode" to "maintain mode", people normally gain a lb or two so you can go a bit below your ideal weight before switching. What do you guys think about this? Also, I'm curious when you decided to stop losing weight and start maintaining?

    My stats

    Height: 5'4''
    Weight: 114-115
    It's not always true you gain weight back when you go to maintenance, especially is you work to lose your weight very slow. My goals the last 20 pounds were to lose .5 pounds a week. .I I've been in maintenance for about six weeks now and have lost a few more pounds, but that's because I don't quite have the maintenance thing down yet. I'll find my balance and it will be fine.

    Maintenance is not about being at one specific weight all the time, it's about being in a range.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    thank you for all the comments. I decided to lose one more lb just for my sanity due to weight fluctuations and hit maintenance.
    Really, it's not about the number on the scale. That one pound you want to lose will return in normal weight fluctuation.
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
    I wish there was a better word for it than maintaining. There is always something else to do to become better.
  • IroncladLuke
    IroncladLuke Posts: 21 Member
    Your weight will naturally fluctuate day to day as well. Maintaining is usually a range, not a set weight. You can see your weight vary during maintenance +/-3lbs at least.


    maintenance isn't a line, it's a wave
  • blankney94
    blankney94 Posts: 95
    Thanks for your question Doctorpurple - I'm in the same position - will certainly be interested to read the answers. I'm 5'3", aimed to get to 120lb and today jumped on the scales and hello I'm 119lb! I'm getting to the point where if I lose too much more I will have to buy new clothes, and also I don't want people thinking I'm gaunt or unhealthy - I need to look healthy.
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    I have a goal weight in mind, and after that, I have a 10-pound range in mind. I might revise depending on how I look and feel as I get closer to it, but that's my plan for now.
  • michable
    michable Posts: 312 Member
    I have found it harder than I thought it would be to find my maintenance calories. When I got to my goal weight of 53kg (I am 5 ft 4) about 3 or 4 months ago, I started adding 100-200 calories every week or so to find my maintenance calories. I have since lost another 3 kgs. The weight loss has been very slow, so I think I'm maintaining, and then I wake up one morning and I've lost a kilo. I have done both MFP and TDEE methods in this stage, and found that I lost more using the MFP method, so I am back to TDEE method.

    Having had this experience, I would probably not recommend going under your goal weight before starting maintenance, although I guess it depends a bit on how rapidly you plan on increasing your calories.

    Good luck!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I have found it harder than I thought it would be to find my maintenance calories. When I got to my goal weight of 53kg (I am 5 ft 4) about 3 or 4 months ago, I started adding 100-200 calories every week or so to find my maintenance calories. I have since lost another 3 kgs. The weight loss has been very slow, so I think I'm maintaining, and then I wake up one morning and I've lost a kilo. I have done both MFP and TDEE methods in this stage, and found that I lost more using the MFP method, so I am back to TDEE method.

    Having had this experience, I would probably not recommend going under your goal weight before starting maintenance, although I guess it depends a bit on how rapidly you plan on increasing your calories.

    Good luck!
    Same problem. For me, I think still losing is due to my weight lifting and running and other cardio. I just need to up those calories little by little. I THINK I'm maintaining within a range now, but time will tell.
  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
    After I started feeling ill, then I knew I had to stop, I became thinner than I realized!
  • wertgirlfor
    wertgirlfor Posts: 161 Member
    I'm going to start maintenance soon because I'm now within the healthy weight range for my height, feel good about how my body looks, and the maintenance calories for my weight is high enough to be something I can keep up long term.
  • AHack3
    AHack3 Posts: 173 Member
    Iam playing and readjusting my maintenance area now. I had a goal weight originally in mind of 125 pds and to maintain from 125-130 pds, I did that for a little while and decided to lower it a bit after the Holidays I had gained. I recently got back down and I was going to maintain 123-128 pds., now I'm leaning more towards 120-125. We'll see, I'm about 123 right now, I feel good, I feel good at 125 also. I think I like having my high end of maintenance still be a weight I feel good at. I still have a few pants in my closet I would like them to fit a little looser so a couple of pounds should allow them to fit better. I've been 118 pds back in 2009 and I felt I was too thin, but I have more muscle mass now than I I did then and my body is different now. So it's kind of a personal thing I think where you feel your best.

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