I don't know how to maintain...
mskimee
Posts: 228 Member
I have hit my goal weight (at least I'm at a weight I'm finally happy with) and now I want to maintain. The thing is (no judgement please!!), I don't know how. I know it sounds silly, but I have never really maintained a happy weight before. I usually hit my goal and end up back where I began over a period of time and then have to start all over again and this time I want it to be different. Do I continue eating a deficit and decease my exercise? Do I up my calories and maintain my current exercise? A mix of the two? Is there a way of calculating a happy medium? I had a plan to keep my calories at their current level (1,000-1,200 a day) and decrease exercise from 30mins six days a week down to 30 mins 3-4 days a week, could this work? Should I also put my calories up? I would like to tone up a little more, can I do this while maintaining my current weight (117lb). I have lost 25lb altogether and I want to keep it off this time. Thanks in Advance!!
0
Replies
-
How tall are you? Age?0
-
Determine your TDEE at scoobysworkshop.com. Then eat that amount of calories on average.0
-
queenliz99 wrote: »How tall are you? Age?
I'm 5ft tall and 29, sorry probably should have included that in my post!!0 -
I have hit my goal weight (at least I'm at a weight I'm finally happy with) and now I want to maintain. The thing is (no judgement please!!), I don't know how. I know it sounds silly, but I have never really maintained a happy weight before. I usually hit my goal and end up back where I began over a period of time and then have to start all over again and this time I want it to be different. Do I continue eating a deficit and decease my exercise? Do I up my calories and maintain my current exercise? A mix of the two? Is there a way of calculating a happy medium? I had a plan to keep my calories at their current level (1,000-1,200 a day) and decrease exercise from 30mins six days a week down to 30 mins 3-4 days a week, could this work? Should I also put my calories up? I would like to tone up a little more, can I do this while maintaining my current weight (117lb). I have lost 25lb altogether and I want to keep it off this time. Thanks in Advance!!
This is most definitely a possibility, though you can't just "tone up" your body, but a lot of people who reach goal weight generally go onto a body recomposition program, which is what maintaining your weight while increasing muscle mass. Finding maintenance calories takes some fiddling around, and in terms of exercise in order to recomp you'll have to start a progressing heavy lifting program and eat at maintenance.
Then it's all about finding that happy medium, so how much exercise is good for you? You may have reached goal weight, but any other physical activity goals you might want to achieve? What do you enjoy doing, and what allows you to eat the things you enjoy while maintaining your weight? That's what maintenance is all about, doing what you want to do while maintaining weight.1 -
I adopted an exercise program when I was losing weight. When I hit maintenance I stayed in a deficit until I was five pounds below my goal weight then I started adding back 200 calories a week until I hit my maintenance caloires. The whole time I was losing weight I would never eat back more than half of my exercise calories most days, so after I was at maintenance and doing the same for a while and my weight stopped fluctuating so much I started allowing myself to eat back more of my exercise calories up to about 80%. For the last six or more months I've stayed right there, at maintenance or slightly below (likely 100-200 calories below maintenance) for recomposition. I increased my workouts to include more body weight training so that I could build muscle. On days I work out harder I allow myself to go slightly over my calories for the day, usually with protein or healthy fats if possible. I will probably do the same thing throughout the spring of 2017 until I feel I have built the muscle I wanted, then I may consider some bulk/cut cycles on into 2018.
The main thing is this.. I'm still logging everything and setting goals for myself. I watch my weight and I expect swings of up to 5 lbs. I don't let it get to me, and I've been able to stay 5-10 lbs under my goal weight all of this time, yet I've been able to build more muscle and cut fat along the way slowly. So whatever plan you decide to do, I suggest you keep logging and weighing in. Adjust as necessary, but work yourself slowly up to maintenance calories over the next few weeks. If you are exercising don't stop, that's the one thing that's going to give you the edge for the future to keep and maintain a healthy weight.4 -
How long did it take to lose the 25 lbs? What rate of loss? You said you were eating 1000-1200 cals AND exercising? Were you eating back exercise calories? Were you weighing your food when you logged?
You should definitely calculate your TDEE as suggested above but answering those questions will help supplement your own personal data which is usually more helpful than a calculator...0 -
Nikki10129 wrote: »a lot of people who reach goal weight generally go onto a body recomposition program, which is what maintaining your weight while increasing muscle mass.
This sounds like what I want to do! I enjoy lifting weights much more than doing cardio, so I think part of me was hoping I could scrap the cardio down to once a week and do the strength training 3 times a week and just eat at the 1,200 a day.quiksylver296 wrote: »Determine your TDEE at scoobysworkshop.com. Then eat that amount of calories on average.
I'll check this out! Thanks for the link!!
1 -
Nikki10129 wrote: »a lot of people who reach goal weight generally go onto a body recomposition program, which is what maintaining your weight while increasing muscle mass.
This sounds like what I want to do! I enjoy lifting weights much more than doing cardio, so I think part of me was hoping I could scrap the cardio down to once a week and do the strength training 3 times a week and just eat at the 1,200 a day.quiksylver296 wrote: »Determine your TDEE at scoobysworkshop.com. Then eat that amount of calories on average.
I'll check this out! Thanks for the link!!
1200 is very low for maintenance so I think you'll find the number higher when you calculate it but that's also why I'm curious about your logging and how fast you were losing.
I'm a couple inches taller than you but in the same weight range, fairly active, but my TDEE is 2200.2 -
Nikki10129 wrote: »a lot of people who reach goal weight generally go onto a body recomposition program, which is what maintaining your weight while increasing muscle mass.
This sounds like what I want to do! I enjoy lifting weights much more than doing cardio, so I think part of me was hoping I could scrap the cardio down to once a week and do the strength training 3 times a week and just eat at the 1,200 a day.quiksylver296 wrote: »Determine your TDEE at scoobysworkshop.com. Then eat that amount of calories on average.
I'll check this out! Thanks for the link!!
I think you'll find yourself still losing on 1200 calories a day, I'm 5' even and I can lose at a pretty reasonable pace at 1400 calories, so expect to eat more, but that's the joy of maintenance! And if you want to recomp your body you'll need to fuel it so it has the energy to build the muscles you want. In terms of weight lifting are you following a lifting program that is based on lifting progressively heavier weights? If not, that's what you're going to need to do! Stronglifts 5x5 is something basic and easy that incorporates full body movements to get you started.0 -
My job is very much sedentary (admin), I'd class my lifestyle as lightly active I think. I started at 142 in February and hit 117 in December so the loss was fairly gradual (or as I like to think, it was slooooooooow). I log daily and am as accurate as possible (the odd time I eat away from home I'd guess portions and ingredients) and when I exercise I take the calories from the treadmill and log them (though I know these can be very inaccurate). I'm hoping I can find a maintenance plan that fits into my lifestyle, cos I think it'll help me maintain for life and not fall into the trap of yo-yo!WinoGelato wrote: »1200 is very low for maintenance so I think you'll find the number higher when you calculate it but that's also why I'm curious about your logging and how fast you were losing.
I'm a couple inches taller than you but in the same weight range, fairly active, but my TDEE is 2200.
0 -
This sounds like what I want to do! I enjoy lifting weights much more than doing cardio, so I think part of me was hoping I could scrap the cardio down to once a week and do the strength training 3 times a week and just eat at the 1,200 a day.
1200 isn't enough. Your TDEE is likely in the 1800ish range without exercise added in. Also, don't scrap the cardio. You don't need to kill yourself with it, but 30 minutes of cardio 3x a week would be a healthy way to maintain. Add in the weight training on other days of the week, and rest at least 1 day a week from both. Work your way up to maintenance calories slowly (add 100-200 a week) and keep up an exercise program or you'll end up gaining the weight back and starting over again. Fitness is part of maintaining weight unless you want to count calories forever.1 -
The only difference between maintaining and losing is a handful of calories...that's it. I've been in maintenance for 3.5 years...I eat very much the same as I did while losing, just more. I exercise the same...I ride basically five days per week and lift 2-3 times per week. Actually, at certain times of the year I exercise more because I'm training for various cycling events which I didn't really do during the weight loss phase...I compensate by eating more to support the training.1
-
Spliner1969 wrote: »Work your way up to maintenance calories slowly (add 100-200 a week) and keep up an exercise program or you'll end up gaining the weight back and starting over again. Fitness is part of maintaining weight unless you want to count calories forever.
See this is why I need help! I'd have just thrown the extra calories into my days without even considering adding them back slowly!! Thanks for that!! from what i can see on MFP, fitness seems to be the way to go. Once I work out my TDEE I hope I'll be good to go!1 -
I am exactly in your same boat. Same height and same weight and same history. From what I've seen and experienced, up your calories slowly for your body to adjust and pick up a weightlifting routine. I have started to lift more weights and I have noticed my body looks so much better. I am 23, but I have never looked better. I have yoyoed most of my life and I think I finally accepted that I have to stay on MFP and log at least a few years in order to learn to maintain. Its a commitment to your self.2
-
I think it's also important to note that people stop monitoring their weight once they've hit their "goal weight," so they don't notice when the weight starts creeping back on. Whatever mix of added calories and increased/decreased exercise you settle on, as long as you keep monitoring your weight, you'll notice what does/doesn't work and will be able to adjust if necessary.
It's also important to remember that you have a weight RANGE, not a defined single weight. You won't always be at 117; you'll probably be anywhere between 116 and 118, or 117 and 119, on any given day. Don't freak out and over-correct if you see 118 on the scale.
Another thing that's helpful is to have other active goals that aren't related to your weight (like working on a lifting program, running a 5k or whatever). It's tough to go from focusing on weight loss (and benefiting from the structure involved) to focusing on...nothing. That's another reason why people gain the weight back without noticing at first. Try choosing a different goal and working toward that, so you keep the structure and the focus you already have.0 -
Don't use a TDEE calculator if you have been using the eat back exercise calories method or all your data is thrown out of the window. I would say don't use a calculator at all - they can't take your logging accuracy/inaccuracy into account.
Your recent rate of loss gives you the best guide to what your initial maintenance calories are.
Just take it one step at a time, there's no rush. Fitness/strength/body composition goals are a nice replacement for weight loss goals - maintenance is a new start as much as it's a finish point.
Also take a moment to pat yourself on the back!0 -
Don't use a TDEE calculator if you have been using the eat back exercise calories method or all your data is thrown out of the window. I would say don't use a calculator at all - they can't take your logging accuracy/inaccuracy into account.
Your recent rate of loss gives you the best guide to what your initial maintenance calories are.
Just take it one step at a time, there's no rush. Fitness/strength/body composition goals are a nice replacement for weight loss goals - maintenance is a new start as much as it's a finish point.
Also take a moment to pat yourself on the back!
How do I manually figure out my maintenance calories? Ive been trying to figure out the math for myself and am not smart enough...I've calculated that I've lost on average .58lbs each week for the last 6 weeks. I dont really know what my deficit is if I dont know my maintenance calories. All I know is 3500cals=1lb.....Math is not my favorite lol0 -
Kimblesnbits13 wrote: »Don't use a TDEE calculator if you have been using the eat back exercise calories method or all your data is thrown out of the window. I would say don't use a calculator at all - they can't take your logging accuracy/inaccuracy into account.
Your recent rate of loss gives you the best guide to what your initial maintenance calories are.
Just take it one step at a time, there's no rush. Fitness/strength/body composition goals are a nice replacement for weight loss goals - maintenance is a new start as much as it's a finish point.
Also take a moment to pat yourself on the back!
How do I manually figure out my maintenance calories? Ive been trying to figure out the math for myself and am not smart enough...I've calculated that I've lost on average .58lbs each week for the last 6 weeks. I dont really know what my deficit is if I dont know my maintenance calories. All I know is 3500cals=1lb.....Math is not my favorite lol
How accurate was your logging? Were you weighing your food with a digital food scale? If you were losing 0.58 lb/week, consistently, that means you were eating at a weekly deficit of 2,030 calories or 290 cals/day from your maintenance level. If you were taking in 1200 calories, that means your maintenance cals or TDEE would be 1200 + 290 = 1490. I still think that sounds low.
0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Kimblesnbits13 wrote: »Don't use a TDEE calculator if you have been using the eat back exercise calories method or all your data is thrown out of the window. I would say don't use a calculator at all - they can't take your logging accuracy/inaccuracy into account.
Your recent rate of loss gives you the best guide to what your initial maintenance calories are.
Just take it one step at a time, there's no rush. Fitness/strength/body composition goals are a nice replacement for weight loss goals - maintenance is a new start as much as it's a finish point.
Also take a moment to pat yourself on the back!
How do I manually figure out my maintenance calories? Ive been trying to figure out the math for myself and am not smart enough...I've calculated that I've lost on average .58lbs each week for the last 6 weeks. I dont really know what my deficit is if I dont know my maintenance calories. All I know is 3500cals=1lb.....Math is not my favorite lol
How accurate was your logging? Were you weighing your food with a digital food scale? If you were losing 0.58 lb/week, consistently, that means you were eating at a weekly deficit of 2,030 calories or 290 cals/day from your maintenance level. If you were taking in 1200 calories, that means your maintenance cals or TDEE would be 1200 + 290 = 1490. I still think that sounds low.
I wouldnt say it was a consistent .58 lbs/wk loss but over the whole 6 weeks that's what it came out to (I also use happy scale for the trending weight) My logging was as accurate as I can, meaning I weigh on food scale whenever possible but there were outings, thanksgiving, holiday/bday parties, going out to dinners here and there etc but overall with my estimates, here are my 6 weeks worth of logging (I put my maintenance calories as a guess at 1900) :
Week 1: Net cal average: 1609 (Net cals under guessed maintenance: 1958)
Week 2: Net cal average: 1844 (Net cals under guessed maintenance: 395)
Week 3: Net cal average: 1778 (Net cals under guessed maintenance: 851)
Week 4 (thanksgiving week) net cal average: 1912 (Net cals under guessed maintenance: 85)
Week 5: Net cal average: 1587 (Net cals under guessed maintenance: 2191)
Week 6: Net cal average: 1539 (Net cals under guessed maintenance: 2526)
Sooooo.....my REAL maintenance cals would be around???0 -
Nice maths @WinoGelato
1490 may not be the "real" TDEE / maintenance level of course if logging is out, but 290 more than currently being eaten should be in the ballpark.
1
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392.9K Introduce Yourself
- 43.7K Getting Started
- 260.1K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.8K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 415 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.9K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.6K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.5K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions