Changing mode from lose weight to maintain weight

margretheaasjohnsen
margretheaasjohnsen Posts: 4 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello all,

It's my first time posting here, and am looking for some advice.

My weight story: I was always a lean kid, a little on the thin side. Did classical ballet at a high level till I left high school. Developed depression and anxiety during my university years and have been on anti-depressants. I know that gaining weight in the first place was "my fault", as I kept on eating as I'd always done, and even eating worse than previously, during my early 20's. Alas, the result was a major weight gain. From my last weigh-in at 17-18, at 50-something kgs, I weighed close to 80 kgs four years ago, at age 25. I started losing weight when I left university and got a job. More so when I switched jobs last fall to a more hectic environment.

Long story short, I began my weight loss-journey in March. I weighed 67 or so kgs and have been using Lifesum and then My Fitnesspal + Jawbone up from August to log my meals, etc.

I also picked up ballet again this fall (yay!).

I am now at 52.5 kgs (as of this morning) and I'm looking to transitioning to maintaining the weight, not losing anymore - but also not gaining.

I've read online that one should slowly add 100 calories, but my problem is - even though I work as a high school teacher, that I some days don't burn more than 1600-1900 calories (according to the Jawbone Up).

Does anyone have any advice on how to go about transitioning to maintain-mode in a healthy way, not gain weight, etc.?

Thank you :)

Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    My advice, based on what I'm doing: I use a Fitbit (similar to Up, I believe) and have a personal agenda to move enough to burn 2000/day according to the device. I'm eating in the range of 1800-1900 per day, which I figure is at maintenance with a little room to spare. I like having that small buffer because I realize that a fitness tracker can't be 100% accurate.

    Try something similar, eating a little under what your device daily burn reads, and see how it goes for a few weeks. Then adjust as needed.

    *I will admit I'm new to this. Less than 2 weeks in 'maintenance' but I think trying something, assessing, and then adjusting as needed is the way to go. Just figure out what works for you.
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
    Hello & Congrats! <3

    I think your height (& maybe frame - petite, muscular etc.) needs to be factored-in in addition to just the weight.

    Many of the 'fun size' peeps (5'2" & under) like myself found that because we are SO much shorter than the average person that it really limited on the calorie adjustment that can be made in maintaining.

    A number of us have by & large left the calories as is or very minimum adjustment.
  • margretheaasjohnsen
    margretheaasjohnsen Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you for your quick reply!

    The reason why I mentioned the daily burn, is because I have no problem hitting 10 000 steps a day. My bad days, moving-wise, is the weekends, because I'm not at work (but still no less than 6000 steps). On regular days, I move from 11 000-20 000 steps - but still only burn 1440-2265 calories (going through the last couple of weeks recored on the UP here) depending on whether I have ballet practice or not.
  • margretheaasjohnsen
    margretheaasjohnsen Posts: 4 Member
    I think this goes for me as well, RaspberryTickleChicken. I'm app 5'4" (163 cm). I'm not too good with the whole frame way of thinking, but I'm Scandinavian if that counts for anything - so a heavier build than, lets say, those of Asian origin... ;)

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