Eating at maintenance to get back to maintenance
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I'm going to stop logging my food for a while, at least until after Christmas. This is partly because it's Christmas and I want to enjoy myself, and partly because I'm worried I'm becoming a bit too obsessed with what I eat and it's making me unhappy, and really not helping my depression. So, I'm not going to go completely overboard over the holidays, but I will binge a little and probably put on a few pounds. If I then go back to eating my maintenance calories, (1450), will I go back to how I am now, or will I have to go under for a bit to drop it?
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If you put on a few pounds, your metabolic needs will increase a very small amount. So technically speaking, going back to your current maintenance should result in gradual weight loss. But the difference will be only 10-15 calories a day, so it might take 6-8 months to lose all the weight you gained, depending on how much it was.
I'd be more inclined to eat at a 150-250 calorie daily deficit until you've lost the holiday weight. 250 is half a pound a week, so if you gain 3 pounds, you'd be back at goal by the middle of February.
Happy holidays!0 -
Obviously if your diet is making you unhappy then something needs to change. Try to organise yourself so that you are enjoying the whole process. If you are not enjoying the process of losing weight, then you will fail.
Of course you should enjoy yourself over christmas. But don't set yourself up to fail but by completely letting go. If i was you i would set some rules in place so that its not a fee for all. If you go for the free for all, you may find it hard to get back on the wagon after christmas.
So when you get a chance, i think you should consider seeking some advice as to how to improve your strategies so that you are not obsessing to the point of being unhappy. I wonder what you are doing that is making you so unhappy? I have enjoyed my year of dieting so very much. And i think that's how it should be for everyone.
It is all within your power and control to do it. Figuring out how to do it is what you have to do and may need help with.0 -
I'm going through the same thing. I decided to start going back to my maintenance level and eating 1,650 a day during rest days/2,000 during days I work out. Since I'm used to eating 1,200 calories a day (sometimes less!), I started increasing my calorie intake by 100 every week. Right now, I'm at 1,400 and will raise it up to 1,500 by December 25. I started a week ago and I was 118 lbs. I weighed myself yesterday and was 116, and today I'm 117. It's a bit confusing, but I'll be checking the scale next week. Oh, and so far, no change in measurements.
My advice would be to increase your calorie intake by 100-200 every week, and until you reach your maintenance level. (I'm 18 and 5'4 btw if that's any help!) I read up on these things and I'm guessing that gaining a bit of weight is inevitable, but it's better than having to restrict yourself with what you eat and can't eat! :-)0 -
To answer your question, if you gain a few pounds and go back to maintenance, you'll maintain at that new higher weight.
But there's more to life than weight and I truly doubt you'll gain a few pounds between now and Christmas. That's an awful lot of cookies. Beware of eggnog - it ha more calories than I can ever possibly imagine! Little tiny glasses.0 -
To answer your question, if you gain a few pounds and go back to maintenance, you'll maintain at that new higher weight.
Just to be pedantic, that's only true if you go back to the maintenance calories required by the new weight.
If you go back to the maintenance calories for your pre-gain weight, you will slowly lose weight until you're back to that weight. Very slowly, though. It's better to lose the extra weight over a couple of months.0 -
I suppose, but if you're talking 2 or 3 pounds the difference is probably trivial and swallowed in rounding errors of logging and a lack of fit of the MFP model to your exact body.0
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Just wondering, why does your maintenance calorie intake need to be so low? Are you tiny or old? (I'm pretty old (51) and 5'6" and my maintenance calories are turning out to be around 1900 calories a day.)0
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My maintenance calories are over 1900 at 5'3". I was eating 1450 to lose weight. I also decided, having put on aout 4lb in the past 2 months, to stay at maintenance level until January, but I lost a lb in the past 2 weeks from increased workoutsJust wondering, why does your maintenance calorie intake need to be so low? Are you tiny or old? (I'm pretty old (51) and 5'6" and my maintenance calories are turning out to be around 1900 calories a day.)
I beg your pardon, just because one is old does not mean one has to eat very little.
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47Jacqueline wrote: »My maintenance calories are over 1900 at 5'3". I was eating 1450 to lose weight. I also decided, having put on aout 4lb in the past 2 months, to stay at maintenance level until January, but I lost a lb in the past 2 weeks from increased workoutsJust wondering, why does your maintenance calorie intake need to be so low? Are you tiny or old? (I'm pretty old (51) and 5'6" and my maintenance calories are turning out to be around 1900 calories a day.)
I beg your pardon, just because one is old does not mean one has to eat very little.
pretty sure that's why she's asking. The OP is 18 (supposedly) so maintenance of 1450 is low for someone so young unless she's very small
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To answer your question, if you gain a few pounds and go back to maintenance, you'll maintain at that new higher weight.
Just to be pedantic, that's only true if you go back to the maintenance calories required by the new weight.
If you go back to the maintenance calories for your pre-gain weight, you will slowly lose weight until you're back to that weight. Very slowly, though. It's better to lose the extra weight over a couple of months.
Yes.
There's also a theory which goes along the lines of if you are actively looking to lose weight then you should eat the maintenance calories of your goal weight. The idea is you will lose weight slowly over time and when you reach maintenance given you have been eating at that amount then maintenance should not prove to be a problem as you are accustomed to it.0 -
Sorry it took so long to reply. I'm 5'4, 110lbs, 18 years old and hardly active except on school days. As for my Christmas plans, I'm going to abandon them apart from on the actual day, but thanks anyway everybody.0
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we all have different maintenance calorie limits....we are all different...I am also maintaining at 1350 calorie average ...im 43, 5'6, small boned and 131 pounds...very inactive.0
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47Jacqueline wrote: »My maintenance calories are over 1900 at 5'3". I was eating 1450 to lose weight. I also decided, having put on aout 4lb in the past 2 months, to stay at maintenance level until January, but I lost a lb in the past 2 weeks from increased workoutsJust wondering, why does your maintenance calorie intake need to be so low? Are you tiny or old? (I'm pretty old (51) and 5'6" and my maintenance calories are turning out to be around 1900 calories a day.)
I beg your pardon, just because one is old does not mean one has to eat very little.
pretty sure that's why she's asking. The OP is 18 (supposedly) so maintenance of 1450 is low for someone so young unless she's very small
Yes, thank for for explaining that, although I thought I was being pretty clear. Plus, as I stated, I'm not young myself.
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janicelo1971 wrote: »we all have different maintenance calorie limits....we are all different...I am also maintaining at 1350 calorie average ...im 43, 5'6, small boned and 131 pounds...very inactive.
I plugged in your numbers and got 1600 cals for maintenance btw.0 -
janicelo1971 wrote: »we all have different maintenance calorie limits....we are all different...I am also maintaining at 1350 calorie average ...im 43, 5'6, small boned and 131 pounds...very inactive.
I plugged in your numbers and got 1600 cals for maintenance btw.
not sure of your post? when i increase my calories i gain weight. i maintain at 1350 average...i don't think the exact numbers work perfectly for everyone..but that is just me...i have been at this weight for 6-9 months (within a few pounds 129-133)..so clearly 1350 is working for me
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I'm going through the same thing. I decided to start going back to my maintenance level and eating 1,650 a day during rest days/2,000 during days I work out. Since I'm used to eating 1,200 calories a day (sometimes less!), I started increasing my calorie intake by 100 every week. Right now, I'm at 1,400 and will raise it up to 1,500 by December 25. I started a week ago and I was 118 lbs. I weighed myself yesterday and was 116, and today I'm 117. It's a bit confusing, but I'll be checking the scale next week. Oh, and so far, no change in measurements.
My advice would be to increase your calorie intake by 100-200 every week, and until you reach your maintenance level. (I'm 18 and 5'4 btw if that's any help!) I read up on these things and I'm guessing that gaining a bit of weight is inevitable, but it's better than having to restrict yourself with what you eat and can't eat! :-)
If you are 116 pounds and are eating 1200 a day, you should not be giving any advice. You need to be taking advice to learn how to lose weight in a more sustainable way.
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Patttience wrote: »I'm going through the same thing. I decided to start going back to my maintenance level and eating 1,650 a day during rest days/2,000 during days I work out. Since I'm used to eating 1,200 calories a day (sometimes less!), I started increasing my calorie intake by 100 every week. Right now, I'm at 1,400 and will raise it up to 1,500 by December 25. I started a week ago and I was 118 lbs. I weighed myself yesterday and was 116, and today I'm 117. It's a bit confusing, but I'll be checking the scale next week. Oh, and so far, no change in measurements.
My advice would be to increase your calorie intake by 100-200 every week, and until you reach your maintenance level. (I'm 18 and 5'4 btw if that's any help!) I read up on these things and I'm guessing that gaining a bit of weight is inevitable, but it's better than having to restrict yourself with what you eat and can't eat! :-)
If you are 116 pounds and are eating 1200 a day, you should not be giving any advice. You need to be taking advice to learn how to lose weight in a more sustainable way.
This is kind of harsh. Her advice isn't bad. You took her historical "slash and burn" calorie restriction level, which lots of folks (including me) use sometimes for a quick result, and acted like she's still eating at that level and suggesting OP do so as well. She's suggesting reverse dieting up to maintenance, which is good advice.
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Patttience wrote: »I'm going through the same thing. I decided to start going back to my maintenance level and eating 1,650 a day during rest days/2,000 during days I work out. Since I'm used to eating 1,200 calories a day (sometimes less!), I started increasing my calorie intake by 100 every week. Right now, I'm at 1,400 and will raise it up to 1,500 by December 25. I started a week ago and I was 118 lbs. I weighed myself yesterday and was 116, and today I'm 117. It's a bit confusing, but I'll be checking the scale next week. Oh, and so far, no change in measurements.
My advice would be to increase your calorie intake by 100-200 every week, and until you reach your maintenance level. (I'm 18 and 5'4 btw if that's any help!) I read up on these things and I'm guessing that gaining a bit of weight is inevitable, but it's better than having to restrict yourself with what you eat and can't eat! :-)
If you are 116 pounds and are eating 1200 a day, you should not be giving any advice. You need to be taking advice to learn how to lose weight in a more sustainable way.
This is kind of harsh. Her advice isn't bad. You took her historical "slash and burn" calorie restriction level, which lots of folks (including me) use sometimes for a quick result, and acted like she's still eating at that level and suggesting OP do so as well. She's suggesting reverse dieting up to maintenance, which is good advice.
Like what I said, I started raising my calorie intake slowly until I'm at maintenance level. I stopped consuming just 1,200 calories because I know both my mind and body will soon crash if I kept eating that little. I didn't do my research carefully and didn't know 1,200 was too little until this December (I consumed only 1,200 from September 1 to mid-December), which is why I started reverse dieting to not "shock" (?) my body since I'm not used to eating as much as I used to before. Anyway, all I was saying was what I thought about OP's problem and my experience in reverse dieting so far. I'm not trying to lose weight, but trying to maintain it. As of now, I'm 117-118 lbs.
Thank you, Rose. :-)0
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