Hit goal....but how do I to avoid losing more and change my eating?

kds10
kds10 Posts: 452 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I work out a lot...so now that I hit goal I have to start eating a little more, how do I do this? I am so used to eating a certain way scary to change!

Replies

  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 989 Member
    I'm assuming you were eating your exercise calories anyway, as that's how MFP is designed.
    I'm also assuming that you'd adjusted your rate of weight loss in MFP as you got closer to goal, such that you were losing the last 20 or so lbs at a slow rate.
    If so, your deficit would only have been about 250 recently, so it's actually not that many more calories to eat to get up to maintenance.

    As SuzySunshine says, eat a little more of the foods you eat now. You could also look at having a handful of nuts as a snack/post lunch dessert and maybe a hard-boiled egg with your breakfast. Depending on what you normally eat, you could sprinkle some seeds onto muesli or yoghurt in the morning or in to a lunchtime salad. Adding 250 a day isn't a lot.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,252 Member
    I think this may cover part of the questions:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10638211/how-to-find-your-maintenance-calorie-level/p1

    Personally, I increased calories gradually, which let me lose ultra-slowly down to the bottom of my maintenance weight range. (Strongly suggest you set a maintenance range rather than a single weight, which can be +/- whateer number of pounds would be slightly more than the typical fluctuations you see day to day. Trying to maintain at one single exact weight is a recipe for frustration, IMO. So, better to use a range, then adjust eating downward if at/over the top end for a few days in a row.)

    By adding calories gradually, I was more likely to make small, pleasant nutritious tweaks to my eating, rather than adding one big daily treat. (Different strategies might work better for you, but this was good, given my personality, goals, inclinations).
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,481 Member
    Is your current level of exercise and way of eating sustainable long term (minimum 2 years, preferably 5?)

    If not... start there. and start moving both towards long term sustainable equilibrium...

    For further input... see @sijomial 's answer above.
  • colinmcp
    colinmcp Posts: 88 Member
    kds10 wrote: »
    I work out a lot...so now that I hit goal I have to start eating a little more, how do I do this? I am so used to eating a certain way scary to change!

    I'm not at maintenance yet but i've lost 50lbs so far by having 4 meals a day of 375 calories, recently dropping to 350 each as i push to another 20lbs to lose. My plan for maintenance is to stay with the same regimen and slowly increase the per meal calories 2 weeks at a time until i hit a steady state.
  • tuckerrj
    tuckerrj Posts: 1,453 Member
    @AnnPT77 is right about having a range rather than an EXACT maintenance weight. Mine spans about 5 lbs. To answer you question, increase your daily caloric intake by 200 calories. Leave it there for a week. If you're still losing raise it up 200 again for the next week. Usually within 2 - 4 weeks you'll find your maintenance level.
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