Getting ready to go into maintence

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rob0781
rob0781 Posts: 16 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hey guys I am almost ready to start maintenance gonna be sometime this coming week im thinking, looking for advice I done a search and been reading alot and don't feel ready mentally which is why I am posting. I started out at 267lbs back in February and I've always wanted to be under 200 I am 36 years old male and around 6'0 maybe a inch less (hard to be accurate) I decided on 190lbs but figured I would go between 185-190 as a weight range, this morning I weighed in at 189 so I am figuring I am safe to make the switch, I am wondering should I slowly add extra calories and over how long or just bam all these extra calories all at once? Also eating back cardio calories? I go to the gym almost daily usually miss 2 to 3 days every 2 weeks and I weight train and also do 20 mins of cardio each gym visit as well. Also my job is very physical 5 days a week which I've also got all that info in my fitness pal. For weightloss I am currently eating 2010 calories daily and the tdee calculator is saying im gonna need to eat around 3129 calories daily. Also kinda wonder someday I just reach 2000 calories sometimes less now I gotta try to stuff in 1000 more i don't wanna resort to eating junk to reach a higher calorie . Just basically looking for info and advice and opinions on how to properly do this from people who have made the switch. Thanks!

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  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    At maintenance you must account for significant exercise.
    Both TDEE and MFP eating back exercise calories methods work if done properly - personal choice which suits you better but if your routine is erratic then MFP method is probably better. If your routine is pretty much similar week to week then TDEE is simpler. TDEE calculators include exercise remember, you don't add it again or you are double counting.

    If you have been recently losing 2lbs a week then c. 1000 more calories a day will be required to maintain. If you have been losing slower that that then maybe not. Your actual results are a far better guide than calculators.

    Whether you bump your calories straight up in one jump or walk them up slowly will be totally irrelevant in a few months time. Whichever way you do it some fine tuning will no doubt be required and probably over an extended period of time.

    High calorie and junk food isn't synonymous but remember when all your nutritional needs are met you don't gain extra points for more nutrition.... There should be some room for fun food!
    Whatever path you choose has to be sustainable and that's very personal.
  • BigNate17
    BigNate17 Posts: 65 Member
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    I'd suggest reverse dieting back up to find your new maintenance instead of going by what the calculator says. Increase calories by 100-200 every week until you find your new maintenance.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    The difference between losing and maintaining is a tiny handful of calories. There's zero need to eat junk to get there. Add a few ounces more chicken, a pack of almonds or a banana and you're there.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    I put my calories up by 100 calories at a time, initially I continued to lose but now as a 5'5" woman I can maintain on 1800 calories in term time, 1700 in the school holidays (I work in a school, but when there are no kids in I'm a lot less active) and I continue to weigh, measure and log everything. Also to eat back my exercise calories. So far I've been in maintenance approx. since November 2013, with a couple of times where I've had to reduce calories down after holidays (more food/drink) or being unwell/injured (less exercise)
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    nowine4me wrote: »
    The difference between losing and maintaining is a tiny handful of calories. There's zero need to eat junk to get there. Add a few ounces more chicken, a pack of almonds or a banana and you're there.

    OP hasn't stated how fast he is losing weight recently, only that he's lost 78lbs since February which is very rapid - depending on that rate of loss it may well be far more than "a tiny handful of calories".

    My point was really addressing his comment of needing to eat "junk" to make up the new calorie balance. Assuming he's eating a balanced diet, he would just a bit more until he hits maintenance. It doesn't require Cheetos.

    the transition is not nearly as dramatic as some people envision.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited August 2017
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    nowine4me wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    nowine4me wrote: »
    The difference between losing and maintaining is a tiny handful of calories. There's zero need to eat junk to get there. Add a few ounces more chicken, a pack of almonds or a banana and you're there.

    OP hasn't stated how fast he is losing weight recently, only that he's lost 78lbs since February which is very rapid - depending on that rate of loss it may well be far more than "a tiny handful of calories".

    My point was really addressing his comment of needing to eat "junk" to make up the new calorie balance. Assuming he's eating a balanced diet, he would just a bit more until he hits maintenance. It doesn't require Cheetos.

    the transition is not nearly as dramatic as some people envision.

    Transition to maintenance might not be dramatic for you or me (I mostly lose weight slowly) but work out roughly how much of a deficit has been required to lose that amount of weight in that amount of time and you might change your view.
    A few ounces of chicken and a banana is going to make a tiny dent in that deficit. A dramatic change is definitely going to be required for the OP to make up at least a 1000cal/day deficit.
    He's a 6' male with an active job plus regular exercise.

    What Cheetos have to do with it is anyone's guess!?
    No "junk" isn't required to hit a higher calorie allowance but a lot more food definitely is.

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