Are you at maintenance mode??

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EthanJeremiahsMama
EthanJeremiahsMama Posts: 534 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone on here in maintenance mode and working towards a lean, tone, body? I started at 1,200 cals. Lost my weight, and want to tone / work towards a more lean look. It says being around my height at 5'5-5'6.. And weight that I should at least be eating around 1,500 cals.. Which seems so high to me. Slowly but surely, I will gradually get there. Any feed back would be helpful just to see what has helped you as well! Thanks!
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Replies

  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    Anyone on here in maintenance mode and working towards a lean, tone, body? I started at 1,200 cals. Lost my weight, and want to tone / work towards a more lean look. It says being around my height at 5'5-5'6.. And weight that I should at least be eating around 1,500 cals.. Which seems so high to me. Slowly but surely, I will gradually get there. Any feed back would be helpful just to see what has helped you as well! Thanks!

    i'm 158cm (5'2) and itry to eat about 2000cal a day and i've been maintaining around 50kg (110lb) for ages now.. but this is including exercise. seeing as you are much taller than me, your maintenance level (for lightly active) would be more than 1500cal, because mine is around 1600-1700. come on just eat them cals up! with nutritious yum food!
  • scarletleavy
    scarletleavy Posts: 841 Member
    I'm 5'6'' and maintaining at around 130 lbs. Honestly, I eat a lot more than 1500, more like 2000-2400 calories, but I'm also really really active and lifting a lot of weights (I really want to gain some muscle, so I'm working hard on that goal). I think it really depends on the person though. You'll have to up your calories a bit and see what works for you. There will be a level that you can easily maintain your weight, you just have to find it.
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    I'm 5'5" and eating around 1600 per day - it's working as maintenance, but I'm still not brave enough to eat my exercise calories every day!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I'm 5'5" and eating around 1600 per day - it's working as maintenance, but I'm still not brave enough to eat my exercise calories every day!!

    i am the same height as you, and with exercise cals can eat 1900-2000 per day and maintain, why would you not want to eat more if you can?!
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    1500 and 1600 calories with exercise is awfully low for maintenance. You need around 2000 cals before exercise to live.
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,359 Member
    Bump

    I'm not at maintenance yet, but planning ahead and thinking positive.
  • arispawild
    arispawild Posts: 155
    Im about 5'5 and 118 pounds and my maintainence is like 1600. SO EAT. :)
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Yup. I am maintaining and looking to build muscle now. I think I am too old and saggy to ever get a really toned body, but I would like to look neater.

    I am 5'5" and on 1500 to maintain as well.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Yup. I am maintaining and looking to build muscle now. I think I am too old and saggy to ever get a really toned body, but I would like to look neater.

    I am 5'5" and on 1500 to maintain as well.

    you're 34 and u think you are too old and saggy to tone up!? OMG!!!
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Yup. I am maintaining and looking to build muscle now. I think I am too old and saggy to ever get a really toned body, but I would like to look neater.

    I am 5'5" and on 1500 to maintain as well.

    you're 34 and u think you are too old and saggy to tone up!? OMG!!!

    Absolutely. Post children. I have too many stretch marks for the skin to ever recover.
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    Are you all saying you will eat 1500 calories a day for the rest of your lives? Surely 1500 a day is still a deficit?
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
    I haven't counted at all in the last month or so and have lost a lb or two. I don't lose every week but i haven't gained and i seem to drop some weight every week or week and a half. What is maintenace mode anyways? People need to learn to eat sensibly without counting calories and maintain or lose. I basically eat half the food that i used to eat and thats my method of measure. Eat, drink and be merry.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    I am! For light activity before exercise my calories are at 1960. I am 143 and 5'10" I want to focus on building muscle now. Today with exercise I am suppose to eat 2500 calories.

    I had kids and I don't think it is too late look toned. Sure it will take time and yeah I have lots stretch marks. I am almost 30. I think over time it won't look as saggy. At least I am hoping.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Pretty much. I'm set to eat 2000 calories plus exercise. But I think maintenance might be a little higher for me because I've lost at 2000 before, but I consistently go over target, so having 2000 as a target probably means I'll average 2200 or so which is probably actual maintenance.... (follow all that?)
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Yup. I am maintaining and looking to build muscle now. I think I am too old and saggy to ever get a really toned body, but I would like to look neater.

    I am 5'5" and on 1500 to maintain as well.

    you're 34 and u think you are too old and saggy to tone up!? OMG!!!

    Absolutely. Post children. I have too many stretch marks for the skin to ever recover.

    You can be toned everywhere except the belly. I'll probably be toned everywhere except the thighs.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I think I am...unwillingly. No matter what I do I don't lose anymore. :(
  • kated930
    kated930 Posts: 132
    I'm glad that I have found other maintenance people. Honestly, I think it's really hard to give up the " I am trying to loose weight" mentality... considering I keep lowering my goal weight every time I get there!


    But I am going to try maintenance! Im 5'3'' 114 lbs, and that's healthy. So I guess I want to tone, not loose.

    I find it SUPER difficult to eat exercise calories.

    I am not sure where I should have my calories for the day... anyone else 5'3''?
  • siabevis
    siabevis Posts: 811
    I am... i eat 1500 per day. no more. sometimes less.
  • it_be_asin
    it_be_asin Posts: 562 Member
    I'm on maintenance - 1570 are my maintenance calories at 5'5" and 120 pounds with a sedentary activity level, but with workouts, active transport and cleaning the house on the weekend, I usually eat 1700 - 1900 per day and am maintaining my weight.

    1800 per day is a pretty small calorie budget for the long term (and it will only shrink as I age - OMGWTFBBQ) - but it is the right calorie budget for a small woman.
  • it_be_asin
    it_be_asin Posts: 562 Member
    Are you all saying you will eat 1500 calories a day for the rest of your lives? Surely 1500 a day is still a deficit?

    Not if you are a petite woman who is middle aged or older.
  • Raf702
    Raf702 Posts: 196 Member
    Anyone on here in maintenance mode and working towards a lean, tone, body? I started at 1,200 cals. Lost my weight, and want to tone / work towards a more lean look. It says being around my height at 5'5-5'6.. And weight that I should at least be eating around 1,500 cals.. Which seems so high to me. Slowly but surely, I will gradually get there. Any feed back would be helpful just to see what has helped you as well! Thanks!

    Maintenance for my height, age, and weight is ~2,500 calories with my current activity lifestyle(4-5x a week exercising). But I'm always at a calorie deficit, and only refuel/refeed to ~2,500 cals 1x a week which is when I have a cheat meal.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    I am 5'10" and my maintenance calories are 2000 before exercise, although they should probably be higher than that because I keep losing.
  • Armygirl67
    Armygirl67 Posts: 177 Member
    Anyone on here in maintenance mode and working towards a lean, tone, body? I started at 1,200 cals. Lost my weight, and want to tone / work towards a more lean look. It says being around my height at 5'5-5'6.. And weight that I should at least be eating around 1,500 cals.. Which seems so high to me. Slowly but surely, I will gradually get there. Any feed back would be helpful just to see what has helped you as well! Thanks!

    i'm 158cm (5'2) and itry to eat about 2000cal a day and i've been maintaining around 50kg (110lb) for ages now.. but this is including exercise. seeing as you are much taller than me, your maintenance level (for lightly active) would be more than 1500cal, because mine is around 1600-1700. come on just eat them cals up! with nutritious yum food!

    I am 5`1` cw 135-lbs.. i was just wondering what would be my maintanance calories when i reach the 110-lbs..Thanks for the info..
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    4'11 and ~100ish pounds. I maintain on 2000 calories. I'm 23 and workout 6-7 days a week doing strength and cardio.

    1500 is awfully low for anyone in their 20s or even 30s to maintain on unless there's an underlying thyroid condition or a history of starvation in which case medical treatment would be wise for the former and eating more would boost the metabolism for the latter.

    I know how scary it is to eat more...I was terrified to eat 2000 and now I eat 2200 or so 1-2 days a week. I've not gained a pound in 4 months of eating this way.

    Take a leap of faith and think of it this way...most people can maintain on at least 1800 if they're reasonably active (i mean basic walking and stuff)

    So, If you currently eat say 1500 calories and increase to 1800 you're only eating 300 more...IF maintenance was actually 1500 you'd ONLY gain about 2.5 pounds after an entire month of eating 1800 calories.

    Thing is that I highly doubt that you would maintain on 1500 calories so those 2.5 pounds that you're risking are totally worth it if it turns out that you CAN eat 1800 and maintain, right? Just try it! :) you won't regret it!
  • FaithHopeBELIEVE
    FaithHopeBELIEVE Posts: 626
    Are you all saying you will eat 1500 calories a day for the rest of your lives? Surely 1500 a day is still a deficit?

    Not if you are a petite woman who is middle aged or older.

    that's what I was going to say. I'm 5'2" and 1100 cals a day is my BMR.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Well, you multiply your BMR by an activity factor that corresponds to your activity level.

    So sedentary would be 1100 x 1.2 = 1320 calories without exercise at all, just lying in bed and doing the necessities of life

    throw a couple walks in there for errands and you're lightly active

    lightly active: 1.375 x 1100 = 1512

    add in a couple workouts and you're moderately active.

    moderately active: 1.55 x 1100= 1705.

    I would say that most people are at least moderately active after being involved with MFP for a while so even someone with a BMR of only 1100 can eat 1700 and maintain if they workout 2-3 days a week and just get up off the couch more frequently. Many people confuse BMR with total daily energy expenditure, they are quite different. You'd burn 1100 calories in a coma but when you get out of that coma and begin moving around, eating, preparing food, using the restroom...it all requires energy.
  • Bermudabarbie
    Bermudabarbie Posts: 568 Member
    Bump for review.
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    Are you all saying you will eat 1500 calories a day for the rest of your lives? Surely 1500 a day is still a deficit?

    Not if you are a petite woman who is middle aged or older.

    I am a 5ft 4 40 year old and I still lose plenty on 1500 cals a day.
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    Are you all saying you will eat 1500 calories a day for the rest of your lives? Surely 1500 a day is still a deficit?

    Not if you are a petite woman who is middle aged or older.

    that's what I was going to say. I'm 5'2" and 1100 cals a day is my BMR.

    So if you eat over 1100 cals a day with no exercise you will put on weight? That sounds ridiculous.
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    Well, you multiply your BMR by an activity factor that corresponds to your activity level.

    So sedentary would be 1100 x 1.2 = 1320 calories without exercise at all, just lying in bed and doing the necessities of life

    throw a couple walks in there for errands and you're lightly active

    lightly active: 1.375 x 1100 = 1512

    add in a couple workouts and you're moderately active.

    moderately active: 1.55 x 1100= 1705.


    I would say that most people are at least moderately active after being involved with MFP for a while so even someone with a BMR of only 1100 can eat 1700 and maintain if they workout 2-3 days a week and just get up off the couch more frequently. Many people confuse BMR with total daily energy expenditure, they are quite different. You'd burn 1100 calories in a coma but when you get out of that coma and begin moving around, eating, preparing food, using the restroom...it all requires energy.

    Why does mfp give you 1200 cals if you are sedentary. Surely there would be no deficit and you wouldn't lose weight if the calculations above are correct.
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