CICO at maintenance

umbramirror
umbramirror Posts: 256 Member
edited July 2019 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi all,

Not sure if there is a thread like this recently or ever but I'm curious about something. Those who are successfully maintaining, on average how many calories are you consuming and roughly how many are you burning through purposeful exercise?

If you could please give me the following information I would appreciate it:

1) Height; 2) Weight; 3) Age; 4) Gender; 5) Body fat % (if you know it); 6) Length of time at maintenance; 7) Average calories consumed; 8) Average calories burned through purposeful exercise; 9) Types of exercise; 10) Average length of exercise

If you would like to include any additional information you think would be helpful, please do.

I have just started the maintenance journey so I am still experimenting. This is my information as of right now:
1) 5'6"
2) ~126 lbs
3) 29 years old
4) Female
5) I'm not sure
6) ~1 month
7) ~2000 calories
8) ~600
9) Calisthenics, walking, HIIT, and light lifting (beginning again)
10) 90 minutes
«13

Replies

  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,902 Member
    1. 5'9"
    2. ~180 (+/- 3)
    3. 59 (for another month)
    4. Male
    5. Not sure
    6. ~2 months
    7. ~2300 calories
    8. ~200ish
    9. Lifting and/or body weight any given month
    10. 45-60 minutes

    I'm unsure about #8. My fitness tracker will show as high as 500 calories after a 45 minute intense body weight session like Athlean X Xero, but everything I've read suggests that 50% of that would be more realistic.

    On maintaining - I don't count often right now, but I was never that over weight to begin with, just a few lbs that I wanted to tighten up. When I do count, I'm usually with ~150 calories of my goal.
  • umbramirror
    umbramirror Posts: 256 Member
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    1. 5'9"
    2. ~180 (+/- 3)
    3. 59 (for another month)
    4. Male
    5. Not sure
    6. ~2 months
    7. ~2300 calories
    8. ~200ish
    9. Lifting and/or body weight any given month
    10. 45-60 minutes

    I'm unsure about #8. My fitness tracker will show as high as 500 calories after a 45 minute intense body weight session like Athlean X Xero, but everything I've read suggests that 50% of that would be more realistic.

    On maintaining - I don't count often right now, but I was never that over weight to begin with, just a few lbs that I wanted to tighten up. When I do count, I'm usually with ~150 calories of my goal.

    Now that you mention it, I'm not sure if the calories I'm burning are accurate either. I should have mentioned that. I don't use a fitness tracker, only the MFP database and the predictions are likely skewed. My 600 burned could be more like 300. 🤔 I have to figure out how to most accurately track this.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,902 Member
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    1. 5'9"
    2. ~180 (+/- 3)
    3. 59 (for another month)
    4. Male
    5. Not sure
    6. ~2 months
    7. ~2300 calories
    8. ~200ish
    9. Lifting and/or body weight any given month
    10. 45-60 minutes

    I'm unsure about #8. My fitness tracker will show as high as 500 calories after a 45 minute intense body weight session like Athlean X Xero, but everything I've read suggests that 50% of that would be more realistic.

    On maintaining - I don't count often right now, but I was never that over weight to begin with, just a few lbs that I wanted to tighten up. When I do count, I'm usually with ~150 calories of my goal.

    Now that you mention it, I'm not sure if the calories I'm burning are accurate either. I should have mentioned that. I don't use a fitness tracker, only the MFP database and the predictions are likely skewed. My 600 burned could be more like 300. 🤔 I have to figure out how to most accurately track this.

    I've seen so many discussions on this...I think I wound up more confused lol. What seems to be working for me though is I use about half the reported burn, then only eat back about half of those exercise calories. Important to note though that at this time I am not weighing and measuring everything, but my weight is holding very steady.

    If it begins to creep back up over a period of 2 weeks or more, the scale comes back out and I'll track. I also use Libra to track my weight and the trend shows it consistently +/- that 3lbs I mentioned.

    Granted doing this way is probably clunkier than what someone who really knows what they're doing would manage, but something is working right either way. :)
  • umbramirror
    umbramirror Posts: 256 Member
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    1. 5'9"
    2. ~180 (+/- 3)
    3. 59 (for another month)
    4. Male
    5. Not sure
    6. ~2 months
    7. ~2300 calories
    8. ~200ish
    9. Lifting and/or body weight any given month
    10. 45-60 minutes

    I'm unsure about #8. My fitness tracker will show as high as 500 calories after a 45 minute intense body weight session like Athlean X Xero, but everything I've read suggests that 50% of that would be more realistic.

    On maintaining - I don't count often right now, but I was never that over weight to begin with, just a few lbs that I wanted to tighten up. When I do count, I'm usually with ~150 calories of my goal.

    Now that you mention it, I'm not sure if the calories I'm burning are accurate either. I should have mentioned that. I don't use a fitness tracker, only the MFP database and the predictions are likely skewed. My 600 burned could be more like 300. 🤔 I have to figure out how to most accurately track this.

    I've seen so many discussions on this...I think I wound up more confused lol. What seems to be working for me though is I use about half the reported burn, then only eat back about half of those exercise calories. Important to note though that at this time I am not weighing and measuring everything, but my weight is holding very steady.

    If it begins to creep back up over a period of 2 weeks or more, the scale comes back out and I'll track. I also use Libra to track my weight and the trend shows it consistently +/- that 3lbs I mentioned.

    Granted doing this way is probably clunkier than what someone who really knows what they're doing would manage, but something is working right either way. :)

    This sounds about right to me as well.Congratulations on keeping your weight steady though! It sounds like you are doing well with your approach. 😊
  • umbramirror
    umbramirror Posts: 256 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    I think, though, that this information is going to show that everyone approaches just about every element of maintenance differently, and there's no "right" way. I think what we really have in common is that we've learned or are learning the specific skills needed to maintain, such as:

    - creating a plan for eating at maintenance that works for your life and preferences
    - creating a plan for what to do if your weight goes outside your maintenance range
    - being okay with normal weight fluctuations and not panic every time the scale goes up
    - handling normal life events that include food: vacations, parties, holidays, weekends, etc.

    Thank you, everyone who has responded so far. I agree with this completely and this variety is something I'm interested in. I'm curious about how people of different stats manage their maintenance. It might also provide some insight for people of similar body types and activity level, etc.

    Thank you for this reminder too. I'm still learning the ins and outs of all of this. I still struggle with adapting and not stressing about weight fluctuations. I just want to make sure I'm doing this properly and will not gain. That's why I'm going back to daily weighing and watching weight trends.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,902 Member
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    1. 5'9"
    2. ~180 (+/- 3)
    3. 59 (for another month)
    4. Male
    5. Not sure
    6. ~2 months
    7. ~2300 calories
    8. ~200ish
    9. Lifting and/or body weight any given month
    10. 45-60 minutes

    I'm unsure about #8. My fitness tracker will show as high as 500 calories after a 45 minute intense body weight session like Athlean X Xero, but everything I've read suggests that 50% of that would be more realistic.

    On maintaining - I don't count often right now, but I was never that over weight to begin with, just a few lbs that I wanted to tighten up. When I do count, I'm usually with ~150 calories of my goal.

    Now that you mention it, I'm not sure if the calories I'm burning are accurate either. I should have mentioned that. I don't use a fitness tracker, only the MFP database and the predictions are likely skewed. My 600 burned could be more like 300. 🤔 I have to figure out how to most accurately track this.

    I've seen so many discussions on this...I think I wound up more confused lol. What seems to be working for me though is I use about half the reported burn, then only eat back about half of those exercise calories. Important to note though that at this time I am not weighing and measuring everything, but my weight is holding very steady.

    If it begins to creep back up over a period of 2 weeks or more, the scale comes back out and I'll track. I also use Libra to track my weight and the trend shows it consistently +/- that 3lbs I mentioned.

    Granted doing this way is probably clunkier than what someone who really knows what they're doing would manage, but something is working right either way. :)

    This sounds about right to me as well.Congratulations on keeping your weight steady though! It sounds like you are doing well with your approach. 😊

    Thank you, and best of results and fortune with yours! :)
  • umbramirror
    umbramirror Posts: 256 Member
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    Thank you, and best of results and fortune with yours! :)

    Thank you! 💐
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,971 Member
    edited July 2019
    1) 5'8"
    2) 154.8# (Libra 7 day trend as of today)
    3) 68 yrs old
    4) Male
    5) 8-12% (last 2 hydro tests)
    6) 2.5 yrs in maintenance bet 150-160# after 36# wt loss from 196 to 160 in first 6 months.
    7) An ave of 1800 cals/day consumed
    8) About 268 cals/day burned
    9) Only exercise using a C2 Rower
    10) 26 mins in 2 sets of 13 min each w/10-15 mins rest in between.

    This data/info is mainly based on the past month during which time I have also been doing IF on a 16:8 to 20:4 schedule which I used to break a 10# wt increase over 6 months from 150 to 160 and drop 5# back to 155 (my target wt) in just a month. I exercise in a fasted state when I get up in the morning.

    I weigh myself and log all of the food & cals that I consume on MFP daily. Have been doing this for 3 yrs since I started my current wt loss/maintenance effort. I am not obsessive about weighing & measuring everything that I eat and will use estimates when precise measurement is impractical or impossible.

    I currently plan to continue using IF to maintain my weight and will increase cal intake, if necessary, to remain at or about 155# which I consider my ideal body wt.
  • staticsplit
    staticsplit Posts: 538 Member
    1) 5'11.5" (so I usually cheat and say 6')
    2) usually between 152-154.
    3) 30 years old
    4) Female
    5) Maybe 20-21%? That's a guess.
    6) 9 months
    7) Average is probably around 2200-2300. I usually aim for around 1900-2000 unless it's a high exercise day and I'm hungry. This is so I have flexibility on the weekends/if I go out to eat and loosely guess.
    8) Around 400-500? Some days more, some days less. Supposedly I burned an extra 800 today from walking but I still think Fitbit overestimates sometimes. I'm not hungry enough to eat 2600 calories today, which is what it's saying my total is.
    9) Yoga, weight training, running, walking most places since I don't have a car and live in a city with good transport.
    10) An hour to an hour and a half, I guess?
  • staticsplit
    staticsplit Posts: 538 Member
    8) Around 400-500? Some days more, some days less. Supposedly I burned an extra 800 today from walking but I still think Fitbit overestimates sometimes. I'm not hungry enough to eat 2600 calories today, which is what it's saying my total is.
    ?

    Haha nevermind--I'm so hungry today! I guess it kicked in late. Bodies are funny.

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    1. 5'9"
    2. ~180 (+/- 3)
    3. 59 (for another month)
    4. Male
    5. Not sure
    6. ~2 months
    7. ~2300 calories
    8. ~200ish
    9. Lifting and/or body weight any given month
    10. 45-60 minutes

    I'm unsure about #8. My fitness tracker will show as high as 500 calories after a 45 minute intense body weight session like Athlean X Xero, but everything I've read suggests that 50% of that would be more realistic.

    On maintaining - I don't count often right now, but I was never that over weight to begin with, just a few lbs that I wanted to tighten up. When I do count, I'm usually with ~150 calories of my goal.

    Now that you mention it, I'm not sure if the calories I'm burning are accurate either. I should have mentioned that. I don't use a fitness tracker, only the MFP database and the predictions are likely skewed. My 600 burned could be more like 300. 🤔 I have to figure out how to most accurately track this.

    There is no dead accurate way to track burns. 600 cals for 90 minutes looks a little high given your height and current weight.
    For me:
    1. 5' 9"
    2. 184
    3. 68
    4. male
    5. low 20s
    6. 1 year
    7. ~2300
    8. ~300
    9. Weight training and walking
    10. 1hour

    Phrrigus and I are almost twins! I haven't tracked most of the last year but I am tracking now because I want to lose about 10 lbs of vanity weight and get down below 20% BF.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,902 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    1. 5'9"
    2. ~180 (+/- 3)
    3. 59 (for another month)
    4. Male
    5. Not sure
    6. ~2 months
    7. ~2300 calories
    8. ~200ish
    9. Lifting and/or body weight any given month
    10. 45-60 minutes

    I'm unsure about #8. My fitness tracker will show as high as 500 calories after a 45 minute intense body weight session like Athlean X Xero, but everything I've read suggests that 50% of that would be more realistic.

    On maintaining - I don't count often right now, but I was never that over weight to begin with, just a few lbs that I wanted to tighten up. When I do count, I'm usually with ~150 calories of my goal.

    Now that you mention it, I'm not sure if the calories I'm burning are accurate either. I should have mentioned that. I don't use a fitness tracker, only the MFP database and the predictions are likely skewed. My 600 burned could be more like 300. 🤔 I have to figure out how to most accurately track this.

    There is no dead accurate way to track burns. 600 cals for 90 minutes looks a little high given your height and current weight.
    For me:
    1. 5' 9"
    2. 184
    3. 68
    4. male
    5. low 20s
    6. 1 year
    7. ~2300
    8. ~300
    9. Weight training and walking
    10. 1hour

    Phrrigus and I are almost twins! I haven't tracked most of the last year but I am tracking now because I want to lose about 10 lbs of vanity weight and get down below 20% BF.

    I did my best to copy a master :D

    I'm going to start tracking again too. I'm not gaining at all, but not losing either, and there was this one ab in the corner a while back...I miss being able to see it lol
  • umbramirror
    umbramirror Posts: 256 Member
    1) 5'11.5" (so I usually cheat and say 6')
    2) usually between 152-154.
    3) 30 years old
    4) Female
    5) Maybe 20-21%? That's a guess.
    6) 9 months
    7) Average is probably around 2200-2300. I usually aim for around 1900-2000 unless it's a high exercise day and I'm hungry. This is so I have flexibility on the weekends/if I go out to eat and loosely guess.
    8) Around 400-500? Some days more, some days less. Supposedly I burned an extra 800 today from walking but I still think Fitbit overestimates sometimes. I'm not hungry enough to eat 2600 calories today, which is what it's saying my total is.
    9) Yoga, weight training, running, walking most places since I don't have a car and live in a city with good transport.
    10) An hour to an hour and a half, I guess?

    I'm probably going to have to maintain at this amount as well. I'm still trying to figure out my caloric intake. Right now I've been averaging just a little over 2000 daily, but I may still be losing weight slowly. It's difficult to tell because I go up and down with water retention. Today I weighed in at 125.2, yesterday 126.4, 4 days ago 127.4, and a few days before that 125.8. It's difficult to determine whether I'm losing or maintaining with all of these fluctuations.
  • umbramirror
    umbramirror Posts: 256 Member
    edited July 2019
    mmapags wrote: »
    There is no dead accurate way to track burns. 600 cals for 90 minutes looks a little high given your height and current weight.

    I agree. Though, without MFP I have no other way to track. I typically do 70 minutes of moderate-high intensity calisthenics in the morning 6 days a week, 1-2 days per week I add a HIIT session, and 3-4 days per week I also weight lift in the afternoon. I have no idea how much I truly burn each day so this makes it difficult to figure out how much I should eat back. Any advice?
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,902 Member
    1) 5'11.5" (so I usually cheat and say 6')
    2) usually between 152-154.
    3) 30 years old
    4) Female
    5) Maybe 20-21%? That's a guess.
    6) 9 months
    7) Average is probably around 2200-2300. I usually aim for around 1900-2000 unless it's a high exercise day and I'm hungry. This is so I have flexibility on the weekends/if I go out to eat and loosely guess.
    8) Around 400-500? Some days more, some days less. Supposedly I burned an extra 800 today from walking but I still think Fitbit overestimates sometimes. I'm not hungry enough to eat 2600 calories today, which is what it's saying my total is.
    9) Yoga, weight training, running, walking most places since I don't have a car and live in a city with good transport.
    10) An hour to an hour and a half, I guess?

    I'm probably going to have to maintain at this amount as well. I'm still trying to figure out my caloric intake. Right now I've been averaging just a little over 2000 daily, but I may still be losing weight slowly. It's difficult to tell because I go up and down with water retention. Today I weighed in at 125.2, yesterday 126.4, 4 days ago 127.4, and a few days before that 125.8. It's difficult to determine whether I'm losing or maintaining with all of these fluctuations.

    If you use an app like Libra or I think it's Happy scale for Apple users...But Libra will show your weightloss or weight gain trend after a number of entries. Very handy for folks who think they've stalled.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,902 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    There is no dead accurate way to track burns. 600 cals for 90 minutes looks a little high given your height and current weight.

    I agree. Though, without MFP I have no other way to track. I typically do 70 minutes of moderate-high intensity calisthenics in the morning 6 days a week, 1-2 days per week I add a HIIT session, and 3-4 days per week I also weight lift in the afternoon. I have no idea how much I truly burn each day so this makes it difficult to figure out how much I should eat back. Any advice?

    You're burning a decent amount for sure. Without a tracker or HRM I would use this or something similar.
    http://lamb.cc/calories-burned-calculator/

    Personally, I count about half what the tracker shows, then eat back about half of that. That's what works for me at my weight/intensity etc.... @mmapags may have a different/better idea , but I think after tracking data points for a while you'll find exactly where yours falls.