Weight-Loss Maintain Weight

Weight-Loss
blasto333

blasto333

New member
Hi, I lost 40 lbs in 3 months eating around 2000-2300 calories per day. I pretty much followed the MyPyrmid recommend portions and ate a variety of fruits, veggies, whole wheats..ect.

I exercise 1-2 times per day, 6-7 times per week.
* 30 minute run + 30 minutes strength training (moderate to heavy)
* 1-2 hours of tennis practice for the college team (light to moderate)

Now I am at my ideal weight (160-165lbs) and haven't been losing more than 1 lbs for the past 2 weeks.

I don't want to lose any more weight, but I also don't want to gain anymore. What should be my target calorie intake?

There are calculators online that state anywhere from 2500-3800.
 
Tips on Maintaining your Weight

First of all congratulations on your weight loss. Great Job. Here are some tips on maintaining your weight loss.

1. Weigh yourself daily to see where your weight is going.
2. Determine what your boarders are. Set a max weight and a minimum weight and when you get close to any of them change your eating a little.
3. Now that you have been on a diet, don't throw out the whole plan. Add some foods to see how your body responds to them. Are you still loosing, maintaining or gaining?
4. Since you play tennis I don't see anything wrong with doing lots of cardio. Otherwise I would suggest more weight training than cardio because of the extra muscle gained. It would help you control your weight better.

I am sure you will do a great job. Maintaining is easier than loosing so you will be fine.
 
blasto333 said:
Hi, I lost 40 lbs in 3 months eating around 2000-2300 calories per day. I pretty much followed the MyPyrmid recommend portions and ate a variety of fruits, veggies, whole wheats..ect.

I exercise 1-2 times per day, 6-7 times per week.
* 30 minute run + 30 minutes strength training (moderate to heavy)
* 1-2 hours of tennis practice for the college team (light to moderate)

Now I am at my ideal weight (160-165lbs) and haven't been losing more than 1 lbs for the past 2 weeks.

I don't want to lose any more weight, but I also don't want to gain anymore. What should be my target calorie intake?

There are calculators online that state anywhere from 2500-3800.
Click to expand...

Hey there, BIG congraulations on making your goal! 40 pounds is no piece of cake (literally or figuratively :blush5:).

is a link to calculate roughly your Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR for short. You've probably heard of it before. Anyways, when you input your stats, it calculates how many calories you would need to consume to maintain your weight if you simply laid in bed all day. My BMR comes up as 2050ish.

However, you probably don't lay in bed all day. Now that you have your BMR, there is one more step. Here is the Harris Benedict formula (I found it on a website but learned about it from Maleficent, a forum member):

Harris Benedict Formula
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
Click to expand...

So again, me personally, my BMR is 2050, and just say, for example, I was lightly active, AKA light exercise and sports 1-3 days a week, I would multiply my BMR, 2050, by 1.375, giving me = 2818 calories a day. If I ate 2800 calories a day with my routine, I would maintain my weight.

This is a very accurate method to get the general idea of how many calories you should be consuming to maintain your weight; however, that being said, we aren't robots - some days will be more, some will be less. You have done the hard part of losing the weight, by the journey has just begun, really.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the information. The results of the Harris Benedict Formula results in 3098 for active weeks (6-7 days a week) and 2784 for somewhat active weeks (3-5 days a week).

It looks like I will probably lose 1 lb a week if I keep my current diet and exercise plan. I will monitor it for a month to see what happens, as 5 lbs less wouldn't be terrible.
 
blasto333 said:
Thanks for the information. The results of the Harris Benedict Formula results in 3098 for active weeks (6-7 days a week) and 2784 for somewhat active weeks (3-5 days a week).

It looks like I will probably lose 1 lb a week if I keep my current diet and exercise plan. I will monitor it for a month to see what happens, as 5 lbs less wouldn't be terrible.
Click to expand...

Exactly, if it's too much, no big deal, you can change it.

Don't forget to spoil yourself once in a while, too - maybe a slice of cake or ordering some pizza now and then. After 40 pounds down and your goal reached, you deserve it mate :D
 
I have now started scheduling in "spoil" meals on Fridays. This Friday I am going to have a chicken parmesan hoagie!

Thanks for all the help.
 
How is maintaining going?

That spoil meal sounds delicious. How is your maintenance diet going? Being successful?

Watch out that you still eat the healthy stuff that got you to your goal weight.
 
AlexaCooper said:
That spoil meal sounds delicious. How is your maintenance diet going? Being successful?

Watch out that you still eat the healthy stuff that got you to your goal weight.
Click to expand...

IT is going great! I am around 157 lbs. I didn't get a chance to have my spoil meal, but I have become such a good cook that even my healthy meals seem very tasty to me. Instead of scheduling my spoil meals, I will just have them as I want them. I seem to have the eating under control and exercise is fun.
 
Great job on the weight loss. You may want to consider tracking your Body Fat along with your weight. If you continue to workout, then you may trade Fat for Muscle - a healthy exchange. Perhaps that should be your new goal?

I know there are scales out there which measure both weight and body fat, but I don't know how accurate they are. Just my two cents.
 
I am now around 155lbs. I have now added in an extra bowl of cereal (about 450 calories) or an equivalent amount of calories. I hope this is enough to keep my weight where it is.

The crazy thing is I don't feel tired or hungry, but I guess I am just too active!
 
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