Question for those who reached your goal?

NeuroticVirgo
NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Did you maintenance calories go up a lot? At my goal weight, MFP says my maintenance calories will be about 1700 (oh I can't wait for those extra...even if I'm still like a year away from that! lol).

But I'm wondering if some of you got stuck at 1200 to maintain?

Or if your actually able to eat more than what MFP recommended for maintenance (maybe because now your more fit etc)

Would like to know your experience after losing the weight.

Thanks :smile:

Replies

  • tnaconde
    tnaconde Posts: 25
    i would stay at the 1200 and give myself a cheat day. id be afraid to slip into old patterns and gain again.
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
    i was at 1420 trying to lose. it didnt change but i did up it myself to 1600 calories. As long as you keep up your exercising and eating healthy, I see no problem with it. I don't eat all my exercise calories, but exercising is a great way to get to eat more:wink:
  • sm0113
    sm0113 Posts: 89 Member
    bump
  • penmillion
    penmillion Posts: 29 Member
    I'm interested in hearing replies to this question. I'm thinking of gradually increasing my daily calories until I hit the maintenance level rather than just suddenly switching. I want to do strength training so I made need more protein...
  • NikkisNewStart
    NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,075 Member
    I weigh 126 lbs and am 5' 7. I am in maintenance and I eat 1810 calories PLUS my exercise calories... I burned 360 something today and yesterday I burned well over 600... so that's a lot of calories. If I don't eat them- I lose more weight. I started easing into maintenance at 134 lbs... and went full on maintenance at 128 lbs. Now I'm at 126 lbs... so there ya go... I HAVE to eat my calories or I lose more. So... in no way will you have to eat 1200 or want to eat 1200 calories when you're in maintenance. Maintenance is heaven!
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    bumping for me too.
    i am 6 lbs away from goal! so i'll come back to this when I get there haha :)
  • NikkisNewStart
    NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,075 Member
    I'm interested in hearing replies to this question. I'm thinking of gradually increasing my daily calories until I hit the maintenance level rather than just suddenly switching. I want to do strength training so I made need more protein...

    This is exactly what I did... 1200 to 1450 to 1630 to 1810... but your numbers will be individual to you. Going into maintenance is a psychological adjustment. I describe it as driving full speed ahead and then slamming on brakes and putting it into reverse. If it has taken you a while to lose the weight... then I recommend easing into maintenance b/c it's a culture shock.
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
    as you lose weight, the maintenance cals will lower too. i am pretty inactive right now (unemployed), close to my goal weight, & only 5'3"... making my maintenance is only 1277 :o/ so nope, barely any raised.
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
    bumping for me too.
    i am 6 lbs away from goal! so i'll come back to this when I get there haha :)

    calculate your BMR in the tools & it'll tell you what your body burns daily at your height & weight- meaning your maintenance calories.
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    I weigh 126 lbs and am 5' 7. I am in maintenance and I eat 1810 calories PLUS my exercise calories... I burned 360 something today and yesterday I burned well over 600... so that's a lot of calories. If I don't eat them- I lose more weight. I started easing into maintenance at 134 lbs... and went full on maintenance at 128 lbs. Now I'm at 126 lbs... so there ya go... I HAVE to eat my calories or I lose more. So... in no way will you have to eat 1200 or want to eat 1200 calories when you're in maintenance. Maintenance is heaven!

    Thanks! Good to know you can actually increase! I'm still really far off from my goal (237 and trying to get between 130-160)...but sometimes I have those days when I think "gah, I can't wait till I can eat normal again!...what if that day never comes!?!" haha
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    According to MFP my maintenance calories is about 1880. When I stuck with the 1880, I found that I was a) hungry and b) starting to gain a little of the weight back. So, I tried upp'ing it just a little bit. I went to 2000 calories and was doing fine there. Then I had a few days where I was closer to 2200 or even 2300 and saw the scale drop some. So, I moved them up again and am usually between 2200-2400 a day and I dropped 4lbs. Now, I seem to be stuck at 146lbs (with a little fluctuation). So, I'm not sure what I'm going to do at this point. I was happy being 150lbs, but I do feel like those extra few pounds off DOES make a difference. I think I'll just keep doing what I've been doing and re-evaluate in a few months. :)
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    as you lose weight, the maintenance cals will lower too. i am pretty inactive right now (unemployed), close to my goal weight, & only 5'3"... making my maintenance is only 1277 :o/ so nope, barely any raised.

    :( Sad day!
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
    as you lose weight, the maintenance cals will lower too. i am pretty inactive right now (unemployed), close to my goal weight, & only 5'3"... making my maintenance is only 1277 :o/ so nope, barely any raised.


    My maintenance is really low too @ 1450 calories, but I can't wait to eat that extra 250 calories plus exercise. I'm about 3 pounds to goal and once I reach goal then I'll slowly up my calories. I'm just so scared I'm going to start gaining.
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
    I have always only maintained a deficit to lose 1/2 lb a week since I started MFP so basically have never eaten less than about 250 cals under maintenance. However, since I have been losing weight (at an actual rate of about 1 lb a week), my calories have gotten less as time has gone on since my BMR dropped along with my weight. About 6 months in I realized I could never again raise my calories more than what they were in that moment because even though I was fitter, I am no athlete and not fit enough to raise my BMR above the 'lightly active' level. Once I realized this, it actually became easier for me to keep within my calorie limit because I had formed new eating habits. I try to get some form of planned exercise in every day so my calories each day range from approx 1500 to 1900 which is a lot more than most people on MFP. I also realized a long time ago that you don't have to starve yourself to lose fat. In fact, as you get toward maintenance, most people seem to plateau if they keep to a large deficit. I admit it is a balancing act worthy of a job in the circus to keep your calories at the optimum level to lose weight and fuel your body properly.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    My calories went up by 250 per day because I had my settings set to lose 0.5lbs. per week before reaching my goal weight. I don't believe anyone would be stuck at only 1200 calories after reaching their goal weight because MFP includes a built-in calorie deficit, even if it's a smaller one.

    If I exercise on a particluar day I eat more, otherwise I try to stick to MFP's recommended maintenance calories. When I do cardio, I eat back between 75-85% of the calories burned. When I lift weights, I eat ABOVE maintenance calories. I eat a calorie surplus of an extra 200-300 calories. I lift heavy weights 2-3 times per week and my body needs the extra fuel to recover and build muscle.

    It's only been a month since I reached my goal weight but so far the above plan is working. It might need some adjustment in the future.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    bumping for me too.
    i am 6 lbs away from goal! so i'll come back to this when I get there haha :)

    calculate your BMR in the tools & it'll tell you what your body burns daily at your height & weight- meaning your maintenance calories.
    This is incorrect. Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns just being alive and breathing at total rest. You would burn this much even if you were in a coma. To find your maintenance calories go to My Home>>Goals. Look at the right hand side under "Calories burned from normal activity." That is your maintenance calories at your current weight. This number will go down as you lose weight.
  • phnx72
    phnx72 Posts: 47 Member
    bumping for me too.
    i am 6 lbs away from goal! so i'll come back to this when I get there haha :)

    calculate your BMR in the tools & it'll tell you what your body burns daily at your height & weight- meaning your maintenance calories.
    This is incorrect. Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns just being alive and breathing at total rest. You would burn this much even if you were in a coma. To find your maintenance calories go to My Home>>Goals. Look at the right hand side under "Calories burned from normal activity." That is your maintenance calories at your current weight. This number will go down as you lose weight.

    THANK YOU for saying that lol
  • sassylilmama
    sassylilmama Posts: 1,493 Member
    Bump for future reference
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    I am maintaining and went from 1200 to 1430. I have been maintaining for about 2 months and gained .5lb back. It is an adjustment. You still have to watch. It is easy to go back to old habits.
  • Mike523
    Mike523 Posts: 393 Member
    calculate your BMR in the tools & it'll tell you what your body burns daily at your height & weight- meaning your maintenance calories.

    Someone already said it, but I want to say it again since I see this posted here so often. Say this with me...

    BMR IS NOT MAINTENANCE CALORIES.
    BMR IS NOT MAINTENANCE CALORIES.
    BMR IS NOT MAINTENANCE CALORIES.

    BMR is the bare minimum calories you body uses just to maintain vital functions - breathing, heart beating, digestion, brain activity, etc. This is what your body would burn if you were in a coma or slept all day.

    MAINTENANCE, or TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR multiplied by an activity multiplier, which is determined by your activity level.

    If your lifestyle is sedentary, multiply your BMR x 1.2 to get you maintenance calories.
    If you are lightly active, multiply by 1.375
    If you are active, multiply by 1.55
    If you are very active, multiply by 1.725

    For example, if your BMR is 1400, and you lead a sedentary lifestyle (desk job, most of the day sitting), you would multiply 1400 x 1.2 to get a maintenance level of 1680.

    Get it?
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    calculate your BMR in the tools & it'll tell you what your body burns daily at your height & weight- meaning your maintenance calories.

    Someone already said it, but I want to say it again since I see this posted here so often. Say this with me...

    BMR IS NOT MAINTENANCE CALORIES.
    BMR IS NOT MAINTENANCE CALORIES.
    BMR IS NOT MAINTENANCE CALORIES.

    BMR is the bare minimum calories you body uses just to maintain vital functions - breathing, heart beating, digestion, brain activity, etc. This is what your body would burn if you were in a coma or slept all day.

    MAINTENANCE, or TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR multiplied by an activity multiplier, which is determined by your activity level.

    If your lifestyle is sedentary, multiply your BMR x 1.2 to get you maintenance calories.
    If you are lightly active, multiply by 1.375
    If you are active, multiply by 1.55
    If you are very active, multiply by 1.725

    For example, if your BMR is 1400, and you lead a sedentary lifestyle (desk job, most of the day sitting), you would multiply 1400 x 1.2 to get a maintenance level of 1680.

    Get it?

    WELL SAID
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    bumping for me too.
    i am 6 lbs away from goal! so i'll come back to this when I get there haha :)

    calculate your BMR in the tools & it'll tell you what your body burns daily at your height & weight- meaning your maintenance calories.
    This is incorrect. Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns just being alive and breathing at total rest. You would burn this much even if you were in a coma. To find your maintenance calories go to My Home>>Goals. Look at the right hand side under "Calories burned from normal activity." That is your maintenance calories at your current weight. This number will go down as you lose weight.

    THANK YOU for saying that lol

    yes, agreed!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Maintaining, I went from 1200 cals to 1490. I'm 5' 2, and not that strict about sticking to my calories - if I'm over one day, I dont stress. I still exercise, cos I enjoy it, but I dont eat back my exercise mat. I mean, calories :wink:

    I do still try to watch my micro-nutrients - I think in maintenance its very important to get the right nutrition, so under 100g of carbs if I can, aim for 100g protein, though that's a struggle. But again, I'm relaxed about it, its an aspiration, not a Must Do At All Costs!
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
    thanks for everybody explaining the bmr. thats really important and very well explained.
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    I weigh 126 lbs and am 5' 7. I am in maintenance and I eat 1810 calories PLUS my exercise calories... I burned 360 something today and yesterday I burned well over 600... so that's a lot of calories. If I don't eat them- I lose more weight. I started easing into maintenance at 134 lbs... and went full on maintenance at 128 lbs. Now I'm at 126 lbs... so there ya go... I HAVE to eat my calories or I lose more. So... in no way will you have to eat 1200 or want to eat 1200 calories when you're in maintenance. Maintenance is heaven!

    i agree! i get 1680, i can happily eat between 1680-2000 cals and i tend to eat my exercise calories as well. I started maitaining at 122lbs and i got down to 120lbs as i thought i was eating all my calories! i have now given myself a range as i kept losing. i would not stay on 1200 when im im maintaining! why would you want to after you have worked so hard to get here in the first place? your attitude towards food and exercise would have come a long way to help you maintain, i know mine has.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I'll probably be around 1700 to maintain at 5'5 and around 130.

    I'm currently at 1500 to lose a half pound a week at 136#.
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