We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

When to start adding back calories

Jubee13
Jubee13 Posts: 132 Member
edited November 2024 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I am 1 1/2 pounds away from my goal weight. I'm fine at that weight but I'd like to lose a pound or two more to give me a little breathing room. After I'm at goal, should I go ahead and start adding back calories a little at a time, or keep doing what I'm doing until I lose below my goal weight?

Replies

  • jackidoll
    jackidoll Posts: 8 Member
    you should get a couple pounds below the goal weight just to be safe, then up your calories slowly to an amount for strictly maintenance.
  • Linovitz
    Linovitz Posts: 79 Member
    Now that I am in maintenance I weigh myself everyday as a check.
  • pinkys008
    pinkys008 Posts: 55 Member
    I would suggest finding a tool like trendweight that shows a moving average of your weight, to help keep track of how you are doing, without daily water weight fluctuations causing concerns.
  • Owlfan88
    Owlfan88 Posts: 187 Member
    I found that if you are going to raise your calories slowly that you can go ahead and start raising once you hit goal, because you will keep losing a little more. For example if you were at a deficit of 250 calories and you add back in 100 calories a day, you are still at a deficit of 150 calories per day. Personally I should have started adding back in calories a few pounds above goal as I've technically been in maintenance for 2 months but I've lost another 6 pounds. I can't seem to figure out/believe how many calories I really need for maintaining.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    You didn't mention your current rate of loss - if you are losing at more than half a pound a week start adding calories now.
This discussion has been closed.