Confused about weight loss

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This may sound really silly and obvious to some people but,

I am maintaining my current weight with what I'm eating and how I am exercising. To lose weight I can reduce my current consumption until I am at my desired body fat percentage. Can I then return to the previous amount I was eating, while maintaining my new body weight? Or will I have to continue restricting the amount of food?

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  • Floridanudist
    Floridanudist Posts: 44 Member
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    You will have to restrict some because a lighter person burns fewer calories than a heavier one.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    If you lose additional weight, your maintenance calories are most likely going to change and may be lower than what you currently maintain on. Once you reach your goal, eat what MFP tells you to eat for maintenance calories, and try it out for 4 weeks. If you have steady and consistent gains (that aren't natural fluctuations by +/- 5lbs each day, and disappear within a few days), reduce by around 100 and test it out for another month to see if you stay around the same weight.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
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    Some, depending on how much you lose and how much goes to muscle. You can figure out how much by figuring your weight loss over the past month and your average daily calories and (taking total weight loss)*3500/30 (or 31, lol) and adding that to what you were eating each day. If you are still losing, add a little more. Gaining, subtract a little. :)
  • ahimsa1990
    ahimsa1990 Posts: 16 Member
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    Oh this is such good news! I checked what maintenance would be once I am at desired weight and it is totally enough. Just need to cut back for a few months :) Thank you guys!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    I actually think, because you are already considering how maintenance will work for you, that you have absolutely got this!

    :bigsmile: