Still losing?

Options
britkneemeyer
britkneemeyer Posts: 54 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I've been set to maintain for a while now. I am 5'9 and 143 pounds. I lead a pretty sedentary life. i work from home so i mostly am at my desk all day. I've been eating even past my maintenance and still losing. I even eat most of my exercise calories back! i net around 1850 calories. When i set out to maintain i was 146 pounds but ive somehow lost 3 pounds in the last few months. i know that's not much, essentially a fluctuation but with how much i eat it worries me. Is it possible my maintain calories are too low? Am i reading too much into it? i'm even worried i might be sick or something because i feel like im eating so much and still am fluctuating down. Anyways thanks for indulging my neurotic brain. Any advice is helpful.

Replies

  • oarngesi
    oarngesi Posts: 73 Member
    Options
    Over 3 months that may be like 100 calories a day but dont worry about it
  • steff274
    steff274 Posts: 227 Member
    Options
    I am maintaining this is also my problem!! I am at my I don't want to go lower than that weight!! Honestly not 1 pound lower even even!! I get to this weight and I panic abit!! I also feel like I am eating loads!! I am a shorty 5ft 2 and 7st 7 (105) this gives me a BMI of 19.3.. I will add you perhaps we can support each other in maintenance ;)
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
    Options
    Unless you are feeling weak or lethargic or having dizzy spells, I wouldn't worry about it very much.

    If you are, stop reading this reply & go to the doctors. :)

    I'm 4' 10" with an original goal weight of 105 lbs. After I reached my goal weight, I just continued to do what I was doing. I am one of the people who believe that the body knows when to stop losing weight on its own.

    In about 3 mths time after reaching my goal weight, I continued to lose.

    I have now leveled off at 94 - 95 lbs & holding steady going on 4 mths and I feel great. And to be quite honest after I reached my goal weight I didn't obsess about the 'number' any more. I weight in now every 2-3 weeks or so.

    You may also want to read some other threads about 'maintenance weight' because a lot of the posters seems to arrive at their current weight quite organically (many beyond their goal weight).

    But most of all I think you should keep in mind that there's no magic number for everyone and you have to kind of access how your body is functioning at the weight you're at. If you are feeling fatigue or is unable to function then I'd worry & see a physician. Otherwise, just continue to make smart eating choices, exercise, and see where your body thinks you should be. :)

    Best of luck!
  • MargaretSobers
    MargaretSobers Posts: 167 Member
    Options
    Yes you can maintain your calorie, loosing fat is about calories in versus calories. First of all you have to know that how much calorie you are taking in whole day. Just count your calorie intake that you are taking in whole day.
  • Maryam2014mfp
    Maryam2014mfp Posts: 174
    Options
    You could get your dr to check a few things; such as your TSH (thyroid). You could be on the higher (functioning) side of normal, which would cause your metabolism to be a bit faster. Ditto what others said previously. Take care.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Options
    You probably just have your calories set a little below your true maintenance. I wouldn't be panicking and going to the doctor unless you start losing rapidly despite increasing calories or you have other symptoms. If you don't want to continue to lose, increase your calories a bit. It's not going to be much, since you said 3 lbs over a few months. Maybe 50-100 calories per day and see how that goes.

    Remember that MFP's maintenance number is just an estimate. It's too low for me too and I continued to lose until I increased my calorie goal.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
    Options
    ^ what she said.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    Options
    If you are losing your burning more than your taking in!!

    If you want to remain the same weight, eat a bit more.

    If you want to carrying on losing a bit, carry on what your doing!

    Now you have lost weight - You need to recheck your BMR & TDEE. People forget to do this again once they have lost weight!!

    Check your stats again from the online calculators!

    But to be fair your at a good height and a good weight - I think I weigh about 4lbs more than you, same height : )
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
    Options
    Unless you are feeling weak or lethargic or having dizzy spells, I wouldn't worry about it very much.

    If you are, stop reading this reply & go to the doctors. :)

    I'm 4' 10" with an original goal weight of 105 lbs. After I reached my goal weight, I just continued to do what I was doing. I am one of the people who believe that the body knows when to stop losing weight on its own.

    In about 3 mths time after reaching my goal weight, I continued to lose.

    I have now leveled off at 94 - 95 lbs & holding steady going on 4 mths and I feel great. And to be quite honest after I reached my goal weight I didn't obsess about the 'number' any more. I weight in now every 2-3 weeks or so.

    You may also want to read some other threads about 'maintenance weight' because a lot of the posters seems to arrive at their current weight quite organically (many beyond their goal weight).

    But most of all I think you should keep in mind that there's no magic number for everyone and you have to kind of access how your body is functioning at the weight you're at. If you are feeling fatigue or is unable to function then I'd worry & see a physician. Otherwise, just continue to make smart eating choices, exercise, and see where your body thinks you should be. :)

    Best of luck!
    +1
  • MissHolidayGolightly
    MissHolidayGolightly Posts: 857 Member
    Options
    1850 seems low for your height and weight, especially if you're working out. Your maintenance is probably closer to 2000. Check on a calculator such as IIFYM (http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/).
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Options
    If you're only eating some of your exercise calories you're not actually eating at maintenance
  • Daiako
    Daiako Posts: 12,545 Member
    Options
    Eat more.


    Problem solved.
  • feexbee
    feexbee Posts: 21
    Options
    Unless you are feeling weak or lethargic or having dizzy spells, I wouldn't worry about it very much.

    If you are, stop reading this reply & go to the doctors. :)

    I'm 4' 10" with an original goal weight of 105 lbs. After I reached my goal weight, I just continued to do what I was doing. I am one of the people who believe that the body knows when to stop losing weight on its own.

    In about 3 mths time after reaching my goal weight, I continued to lose.

    I have now leveled off at 94 - 95 lbs & holding steady going on 4 mths and I feel great. And to be quite honest after I reached my goal weight I didn't obsess about the 'number' any more. I weight in now every 2-3 weeks or so.

    You may also want to read some other threads about 'maintenance weight' because a lot of the posters seems to arrive at their current weight quite organically (many beyond their goal weight).

    But most of all I think you should keep in mind that there's no magic number for everyone and you have to kind of access how your body is functioning at the weight you're at. If you are feeling fatigue or is unable to function then I'd worry & see a physician. Otherwise, just continue to make smart eating choices, exercise, and see where your body thinks you should be. :)

    Best of luck!

    Very good advice. Exactly what I was going to say!
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    Options
    You probably just have your calories set a little below your true maintenance. I wouldn't be panicking and going to the doctor unless you start losing rapidly despite increasing calories or you have other symptoms. If you don't want to continue to lose, increase your calories a bit. It's not going to be much, since you said 3 lbs over a few months. Maybe 50-100 calories per day and see how that goes.

    Remember that MFP's maintenance number is just an estimate. It's too low for me too and I continued to lose until I increased my calorie goal.

    All of this.

    If you're unhappy with still losing, add 50-100 cals per day (netting 1900-1950). Reevaluate in 3-4 weeks to see if you are maintaining/losing/gaining. Depending on what your body is doing, readjust your calories as needed.
  • britkneemeyer
    britkneemeyer Posts: 54 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the great advice. I'm gonna try not to stress about it. i went back to my stats and in may i weighed in at 146.6 and yesterday in at 143.6 so thats 3 pounds in 8 months (i had fluctuated up and then back down) Which isn't too worrying i don't think.

    Thanks for all the replies! Maybe i am set a bit too low. Mostly i think i'm going to try and take a calorie counting break and try to learn to go by hunger again. If my body naturally wants to lose a bit more its not a big deal to me. I get too caught up in numbers instead of health sometimes.
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    Options
    I kept losing past my goal weight once I started maintenance also. Two years later I just do to have that problem any more, I keep having to cut back a little so I don't gain weight.

Categories