Got to target now need to maintain.

Tigermad
Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello

This morning I reached my 135lbs target weight. I am actually now 134lbs. I still want to lose about 3-4% body fat.

The past couple of months I have been eating at 1800 calories. I do cardio 2 times a week and weight train 3 times a week. this week I took a break from lifting and I still lost 3 lbs doing cardio 3 times.

How do I find out what my maintenance should be. Do I stop all exercise and start at about 1500 calories for a few weeks then slowly start adding 100 calories per week. Or shall I continue my exercise routine and just add 100 calories per week until I remain fairly stable? I still want to lose fat so I am guessing I shouldn't up them too much. I am eating quite a bit more than all the online calculators so I must have quite a fast metabolism even though I am hypothyroid. Very strange!

Thanks
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Replies

  • redskirt
    redskirt Posts: 20
    I just want to say well done! Amazing work
  • MisterTEZ
    MisterTEZ Posts: 272 Member
    that sounds like a good plan tigermad, gradually add your cals until it balances out, and work in some exercises to keep fit, I have been maintaining for a few weeks now, and it will take a while to get it right..all the best on your maintenance and congrats on your weightloss :smile:
  • kazza2cats
    kazza2cats Posts: 87 Member
    Well done on hitting your goal. A fantastic weight loss.

    I too have hit my goal and just let MFP work out my maintenance calories. The first couple of weeks I still lost so I put up my activity level and now it seems about right. I eat back my exercise calories but not always on the same day if I've done a long run, I'll reserve some for treats as I still do get hungry on 1740 cals.
  • londoneye
    londoneye Posts: 192 Member
    Don't stop exercising! Not only is it great for your health, studies have shown that it is even more important for weight maintenance than for weight loss

    I find the research from the National Weight Control Registry useful: they study people who have had long term success in keeping off the weight they have lost http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    Don't stop exercising! Not only is it great for your health, studies have shown that it is even more important for weight maintenance than for weight loss

    I find the research from the National Weight Control Registry useful: they study people who have had long term success in keeping off the weight they have lost http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm

    Thanks for the replies. :-)

    I didn't mean to stop exercise for good. I meant as trial just to see what my baseline is. I love exercise and intend to continue it for the rest of my life. Which will hopefully be extended now I am healthier.
  • nannabannana
    nannabannana Posts: 787
    bumping for info. CONGRATS and thanks for sharing. :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Make sure u eat all ur exercise as and add 100 cals a week till u get to ur maintenance.

    You should also have a range for maintenance not just one figure. Mine is about 4-5lbs to account for fluctuations.
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    Make sure u eat all ur exercise as and add 100 cals a week till u get to ur maintenance.

    You should also have a range for maintenance not just one figure. Mine is about 4-5lbs to account for fluctuations.

    Oops. I have upped from 1800 to 1900 per day to try out. Is this too much? Doesn't seem so if I was losing between 2 and 3 pounds per week eating at 1800
  • doonesbury
    doonesbury Posts: 281 Member
    Bump!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Make sure u eat all ur exercise as and add 100 cals a week till u get to ur maintenance.

    You should also have a range for maintenance not just one figure. Mine is about 4-5lbs to account for fluctuations.

    Oops. I have upped from 1800 to 1900 per day to try out. Is this too much? Doesn't seem so if I was losing between 2 and 3 pounds per week eating at 1800

    That's an extra 100... If ur losing that much then I would go up by more!
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,659 Member
    Just want to say congrats on reaching goal ....... great job :drinker:
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Just had a look at ur diary and u don't eat your exercise cals. If u don't NET your calorie goal you will always be in deficit and therefor losing weight....
  • GnochhiGnomes
    GnochhiGnomes Posts: 348 Member
    Well done for losing all the weight. I feel like I'll never get there.
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    Make sure u eat all ur exercise as and add 100 cals a week till u get to ur maintenance.

    You should also have a range for maintenance not just one figure. Mine is about 4-5lbs to account for fluctuations.

    Oops. I have upped from 1800 to 1900 per day to try out. Is this too much? Doesn't seem so if I was losing between 2 and 3 pounds per week eating at 1800

    .
    That's an extra 100... If ur losing that much then I would go up by more!

    Sorry. Got the wrong end of the stick thought you meant 100 calories spead out over the whole week. Silly me
  • FITnFIRM4LIFE
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
    I am maintaining at 16-2000+ a week for over a year. I do cardio 2 x, and lift 3 times , like you:-)
    When i lift heavy i eat more, when not, I eat less. I love food and lifting. Your metabolism is burning more cals from the weight lifting, it keeps you burning.
    Good job to you!
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    Just had a look at ur diary and u don't eat your exercise cals. If u don't NET your calorie goal you will always be in deficit and therefor losing weight....

    My exercise calories are included over the whole week. I am In The eating more to weigh less group. The 1800 calories is for a medium active lifestyle. If I was not doing any exercise I would only be eating 1500 so I am eating my exercise calories over the whole week. . I logged my exercise the other day because I fancied seeing what it said I would weigh in 5 weeks. I don't need to log my exercise normally. I did it for fun.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    Don't stop exercising! Not only is it great for your health, studies have shown that it is even more important for weight maintenance than for weight loss

    I find the research from the National Weight Control Registry useful: they study people who have had long term success in keeping off the weight they have lost http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm

    Relieved you said that, I would be so depressed if I had to stop exercising once I hit maintenance
  • cliffhouse49
    cliffhouse49 Posts: 6
    Wow! Congratulations! I am having such a hard time with the metabolism thing...it's slowing down no matter what I try.
  • YoungerNextYear59937
    YoungerNextYear59937 Posts: 90 Member
    First of all, congratulations on reaching your target! Well done. Second, NEVER stop working out. It's what will help you shed the excess fat. I love that you strength train so much. Perhaps that explains why you are a calorie burning machine! If you plan on continuing your exercise regimen (which I strongly advise you to do), you need to take that factor into account when establishing a baseline. If you stopped exercising, established a baseline, then started exercising again, you would start losing again. (At least that's the theory).

    I took a look at your diary, and I agree with the person who commented on your not eating back your exercise calories. I would guess that is why you are still losing. If you feel uncomfortable eating them all back, eat part or most of them back. Do you not log your water, or are you not drinking any? If it's the latter, start drinking it. It will help you shed the fat.

    And last, listen to your body. Feed it appropriately, exercise it, and it will probably come to rest at what is the ideal weight for you. I wouldn't spend too much time figuring out a baseline. Start eating back some of your exercise calories, raise your daily intake 100-200 calories, work out, drink water, and see what happens. Congratulations again!
  • Tigermad
    Tigermad Posts: 305 Member
    First of all, congratulations on reaching your target! Well done. Second, NEVER stop working out. It's what will help you shed the excess fat. I love that you strength train so much. Perhaps that explains why you are a calorie burning machine! If you plan on continuing your exercise regimen (which I strongly advise you to do), you need to take that factor into account when establishing a baseline. If you stopped exercising, established a baseline, then started exercising again, you would start losing again. (At least that's the theory).

    I took a look at your diary, and I agree with the person who commented on your not eating back your exercise calories. I would guess that is why you are still losing. If you feel uncomfortable eating them all back, eat part or most of them back. Do you not log your water, or are you not drinking any? If it's the latter, start drinking it. It will help you shed the fat.

    And last, listen to your body. Feed it appropriately, exercise it, and it will probably come to rest at what is the ideal weight for you. I wouldn't spend too much time figuring out a baseline. Start eating back some of your exercise calories, raise your daily intake 100-200 calories, work out, drink water, and see what happens. Congratulations again!

    Thanks for the replies. I shouldn't have logged the exercise calories it has caused so much confusion now :-(. I don't log my exercise calories normally since I am eating them back over the week and are included in my tdee.

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