Maintaining weight

Sadly the science of maintaining is much the same as the science of losing weight... you just have more calories to play with!

But figuring out a daily number for Monday to Friday and a different number for the weekend while still being within your weekly calorie number is TOTALLY allowed!

Have you already worked out what your maintenance calories are?

(MASSIVE congrats on the loss too!)

If "spending" your weekly maintenance calorie allowance that way makes life easier/happier/suits you then go for it.

You may have to accept bigger than usual weight fluctuations and therefore a wider maintenance weight range. Might be best not to do your weigh in on the Monday.

There's nothing wrong with working with a weekly calorie allowance, and splitting is as you like, rather than sticking to the same amount every day. Just make sure that you're logging everything, even at the weekends, to make sure that you're not going over your weekly total, otherwise your weight may start to creep up again slowly. And after working hard to lose 4 stone I'm sure you're not in a hurry to gain it back!

Remember that the allowance MFP gives you is an estimate and you'll need to experiment and find out what works for you. I recommend regularly monitoring your weight and using a weight trending app so that you can get an idea of what's happening and make adjustments as required - you may need more calories, you may need less. But you need your own data (from weighing and accurate logging) to know.

Name: Ingrid
Age: 45
Height: 5'4
Total Weight lost: 210.5
Time it took to lose: 3 years and 6 months
How long in maintenance: 6 months
Maintenance weight range: 128-135

Average weight recorded from January: 135
Average weight recorded from February: 132
Average weight recorded from March: 132
Average weight recorded from April: 132
Average weight recorded from May: 132
Average weight recorded from June: 130.6
Average weight recorded from July: 131.5
Average weight recorded from August: 128.75
Average weight recorded from September 128.24

Week of October 6: 125.5
Week of October 13: 127.5
Week of October 20:
Week of October 27:

Struggles/successes of the week:

Thursday night: it’s Thursday night again...blah. Tomorrow is weigh in and so I am anxious. Saturday I had a binge. It was bad but not too bad. And I kept it mostly healthy and didn’t have to finish everything. So again, more controlled binging- but still, it’s the “why” that bothers me. Why can’t I eat to enjoy food instead of eating when I am upset. Why does food have to be such an enemy in my head? Had a great workout week so far. I feel less tired when I work out, more invigorated, and I am starting to see exercise as helpful and fun, not as punishment or something to obsess over or get through. If only eating right could be same! Haha!
So we’ll see what the scale says tomorrow...but this is how I feel tonight: anxious and worried, as always.

Friday morning:
Under my goal. It’s okay for another week. Up 2 lbs. from last week, but still under weight goal.

I haven't been trying to maintain but have been stuck at the same weight give or take a pound or two for six months. I will be 229 one day, then 231 the next.. back and forth. Never go over my 1560 per day... weigh my food on scale... drink water.. no alcohol... but it's cool as I'm not gaining... so just my body maintaining I figure. But I'm 5' 11 guy and don't wish to eat less than I am at 1560! I'm thinking it's my Celebrex that I started taking a few months back because I joined MFP May 2016 and lost dramatically until six months ago.

@julief63 Lots of people look at their weekly calories instead of focusing on the daily calorie goal. As long as it balances out it is fine to eat a lower goal during the week and a higher goal on the weekend.

@ekim2016 Sorry, when I first read your post I thought you said you were trying to maintain.