When to switch to maintenance

Jubee13 · March 2019

I am three pounds away from my “ultimate” goal weight and at the high end of what I’m going to consider as my goal range. I’m assuming that if I add back calories slowly, I’ll probably lose a few more pounds. Is it best to be at that “ultimate” goal before beginning to add back calories, or should I start now? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

endermako · March 2019

It's a personal preference. Some people get to a few pounds under their goal weight/range, because they know that you will gain a bit of weight from the water weight and the higher amount of food in your digestive system. My goal weight is 130-140. I'm going to go 2-3 lbs under 140 before I start increasing my macros a little at a time to get to maintenance level. That should reduce my shock of the scale going up slightly

cmriverside · March 2019

I didn't even really have a goal weight. The last 15 pounds that I lost were a struggle, for real. I'm now at 21-22 BMI and I'm fine with that. I could lose more. I don't want to.

It's exceedingly difficult to balance hunger/appetite against weight loss in my opinion.

sijomial · March 2019

I had a hard target number as my SMART objective and jumped straight up to maintenance calories. That suited me at that point in my life.

Some start to add cals before getting to goal (a soft landing).
Some aim for the top of their range and then slowly add more cals so they have a reducing deficit.
Some aim for the middle or bottom of their range and jump up slowly or quickly.

In a few months it's unlikely to matter how you transitioned so just pick a method that feels right for you. If you are losing slowly or quickly or if you get anxious about what the scales tell you day to day then take those factors into account.

happygirly77 · March 2019

I always get to that point then fall off my game. It's hard!

Jubee13 · March 2019

happygirly77 wrote: »

I always get to that point then fall off my game. It's hard!

Yes! I’ve done that same thing more than once. It’s very hard!

csplatt · March 2019

i want to drop 2 lb below my goal weight then go to maintenance so i won't be annoyed when the scale jumps a bit

AnnPT77 · March 2019

I did the "gradually add calories" method when I was getting very close to goal weight, and already losing slowly. I'd add about 100 daily calories, then wait/watch until I was sure I wasn't gaining . . . which tended to be a little longer wait with each add.

For me (i.e., maybe not true for all), it had several benefits:

* I overshot goal by a bit, so started actual maintenance at the lower end of my maintenance range.
* It encouraged me to add small, pleasant and usually nutritious tweaks to my routine eating, rather than adding a big ol' daily 400-calorie treat.

* It avoided the glycogen-replenishment/average-digestive-contents-increase scale jump showing up in any evident way, so it was psychologically easier for me.

YMMV!

12Sarah2015 · March 2019

My goal is to get to 23.2 BMi. My waist is still too large for what is recommended. Only three pounds to go as well, but waist measurement is what is going to get me to my goal

rainbow198 · March 2019

I got to a place where I was happy with my body (in clothes), with my eating and activity level, what I saw in the mirror and I was at a healthy BMI.

Then I worked to lose 5 more pounds to give me a 10 pound weight range year round.

Once I hit maintenance I slowly added calories back and still continued to work hard as if I was losing weight.

When to switch to maintenance

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