Hi there to all my personal heroes

I am VERY far from maintaining, but in my continuing overhaul of my lifestyle, I have wondered something. Basically weight loss is calories in - calories out, right? So, if I start eating and living in a maintenance mindset now (at a calorie goal which would maintain my eventual goal weight), wouldn't I just eventually get down to my goal weight? Does there have to be a weight loss program and then a maintenance program in your opinion(s)?

Thanks for any input!

p.s. BTW, you guys rock! Reading your posts (albeit in a lurky kind of way) really gives me the hope/will/belief that I can do this in the long haul. Thanks! Did I mention that you were my heroes?

There is a theory that claims just as you suggest. Start eating at your maintenance level and you will eventually get there. This seems to make sense to me but I was already nearly at goal before I heard of it. I might have tried it if I had know about it sooner. I don't know if any body on these forums has done it. There is a website called Calorie Queen or Queens that talk about this. I have been very successful at calorie counting and even at goal I still count calories. There are as many different diets as there are dieters, I say do what works for you.

Hi kasmin - that's what I did. I started my journey four years ago by eating at the level I was willing to eat for the rest of my life. It worked for me.

I lost 54 pounds in six months - about two pounds a week, then another 27 pounds over the next year until my body seemed done. I didn't have a transition to maintenance.

So, my take is that you can do just as you suggest. Go for it. Good luck.


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The theory definitely makes sense to me and that's what I'm trying to do. If the rule of thumb that I've heard (goal weight X 10 = maintenance calories) is true, then I should be eating 1600 calories to eventually get to 160 pounds and be able to maintain. (Yeah, I know it's just an estimate and all that stuff). So I eat between 1600 and 1700 calories/day on average. I'm losing slow but pretty steady. I started out at 1800 calories and cut back to 1600-1700 a few months ago. I've lost 53 pounds, but it has taken me 9.5 months.

Like BillBlueEyes, this is what I've been doing too. And my journey has been much like yours. I do count my calories 3-4 times a week as well to be sure that I'm on track. But I am eating now how I plan to eat for the rest of my life. I am still losing, but VERY slowly--about 1/2 lb a week. Which is fine. I have no deadline.

This sounds like a great plan. I am going to have to figure out how to make maintenance work for me soon. I know it can't be a lot different from what I do now, but I do expect to flail around for a while.

Windchime, I think your numbers might be too low. I am losing weight on about 1290 calories (your calculation based on my maintenance weight). I do exercise some, but I hope everyone includes some exercise as part of their lifestyle.

Hey, thanks for the responses! It was good to see that people were able to do it this way. I also checked out the book that bargoo mentioned (well, the website was no longer in existence). Interestingly, they suggest a base value of 12 to use in that formula that windchime mentioned. Either way, I should be pretty safe with a calorie max at 1500. Now all I have to take care of is the "head game"