How does your exercise routine change once in maintenance mo

SolidGoaled
SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Once you make it and lose all the weight, how does the exercise change? Can you drop down to 3-4 days a week for cardio/resistance training and maintain the weight loss and fitness level? I am currently working out 6 days per week and honestly - I don't know if I WANT to keep that up forever. I do love to exercise, but 3-4 days a week would be much more do-able long term and in my heart I know that. However, while I am losing the weight, I feel like the extra calorie burns are necessary. Thoughts?

Replies

  • JAG1224
    JAG1224 Posts: 191 Member
    i'd like to know this too. i workout 6-7 days a week and i know that long term i won't be able to keep that up. i'd like to drop down to 3-4 days a week after i reach my goal. can't wait to hear the responses to this.
  • JBatt123
    JBatt123 Posts: 24
    bump. :)
  • ChRiStA_1983
    ChRiStA_1983 Posts: 380 Member
    Good question!
  • bettyboop573
    bettyboop573 Posts: 610 Member
    I am only maintaining now :) I work 4 days on and 4 days off, so really I only workout on my 4 days off, and it seems to be working very well for me. Mind you I do reccomend sticking with the healthy eating!!
  • Nigel99
    Nigel99 Posts: 498 Member
    I just started in maintenance mode myself. I'm continuing to work out as I have the last couple of months, but that is because I'm in the middle of P90, and runnersworld.com's beginner running training. Once those are done, I will probably drop down to 3-4 days a week of workout exercise - though I may very well be doing something else that burns calories on the off days, like hiking, yard work, etc.

    My biggest issue so far is really trying to eat enough calories. My goal had been 1910 for a while (plus exercise cals), but now I'm looking at 2800-3000 calories every day that I exercise and burn 400-500. Easy to do if I'm just eating whatever, but tougher to do when I'm trying to eat healthy, am at work all day, and have limited time/ability to create all the time. It can be done, but it is a bit challenging. I would love to not have to eat 3000 calories six days a week though!
  • galaxysue
    galaxysue Posts: 83 Member
    I think you are allowed to eat a little more, but you do need to exercise, maybe not as hard or so many days, I do think it has to be a lifelong thing though.I am looking forward to finding out :smile:
  • amuhlou
    amuhlou Posts: 693 Member
    if you stick within your maintenance calorie level (under My Home > Goals > Calories Burned > From Daily Activity) you shouldn't technically have to exercise at all and maintain.

    When I go into maintenance mode, I will probably follow the guidelines from the CDC as the minimum (scroll down to the "greater health benefits" section):
    http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    Wow - according to MFP my maintenance calories at my goal weight are like 2000 per day! That seems crazy.... can I really eat that much and maintain my goal weight? Hard to believe.
  • fuzzymel
    fuzzymel Posts: 400 Member
    I intend to keep my exercise routine and just eat a little more.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    Once you make it and lose all the weight, how does the exercise change? Can you drop down to 3-4 days a week for cardio/resistance training and maintain the weight loss and fitness level?

    The short answer is yes.

    To build or trigger adaptations or a baseline level of fitness takes a lot of effort. To maintain it takes much less.

    Generally 2 FB weights sessions as well as 2 cardio sessions is more than enough to maintain. If you did them on the same day that would only be 2 days a week exercising.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I use a FitBit to measure actual burn. I burn between 1900 and 2100 every day without dedicated exercise. There are days I'm more energetic than others, grocery shopping, playing with my children, other up and down activities, but 90% of all my days are between those two extremes. My average burn over the last 90 days is 1942. I am not "working out" per se right now, although I do run some intervals a couple days a week. I don't burn huge amounts however, in spite of what MFP and/or gym machines say I should.
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