Calories during dieting/maintenance
 

First of all, I am SO glad to have found this forum. I've lost 102 pounds and have 15 or so to go but felt like a maintainer since pretty much the first pounds I lost - I've regained so many times that I put off dieting for years until I was pretty sure I could keep whatever I lost off, even if it wasn't much.

However, and I feel kind of bad posting this, I seem to lose on more calories than a lot of you eat to maintain. I currently weigh 169 pounds and have been losing 1.75 pounds a week eating 1900 calories a day and exercising for 45 minutes or so 5-6 times a week on my exercise bike (average for the last several weeks). I use the Lose It iPhone app and it says I'm netting about 1500 calories a day (it subtracts the exercise).

I've been tracking everything since June and I burn 13 calories per day per pound of body weight, which means that in the mid 150s I could eat 2000 calories, and then also what I burn (who knew I'd love exercising?!). I'm 5'8" and am pretty muscular by nature. I know my math is right because I already eat just under that and lose with the exercise. What I'm wondering is if there's some sort of drop off when you stop losing and start maintaining, the "reduced obese" problem. I do lead a pretty active life in addition to the exercise, I'm usually on my feet several hours a day. And they never hurt anymore!

Thanks to everyone who posts, I'm a lurker at heart but will make myself post because it's so helpful to see what works for different people. As soon as I found this forum I knew I would keep the weight off because I was already thinking like all you successful maintainers!

Don't feel bad. I lost on 1800-1900 calories a day and about the same amount of exercise, and I'm maintaining on 1900-2100/day and the same amount of exercise. I'm also 5'8" and I've been maintaining in the low 120s (starting weight of the low 140s in May of this year) for about two months now.
Good luck!

All of our bodies are different - you're one of the lucky ones! :D In my case, I lost most of my weight on such low cal that my metabolism was a bit messed up. My maintenance calories are creeping upward as I become more active and eat more (odd, I know). 1500 was my original count, but I started losing again, so am increasing gradually to 1600-1700.

Originally Posted by hatethesweatpants:
All of our bodies are different - you're one of the lucky ones!
I am increasing gradually...from 1500...to 1600-1700.

I did not cause, nor can I change, my metabolism.
It is what it is.

The person who posted above is 6'1" weight 154.
I am 5'0" weight 118.
Of course there is a difference in the fuel that each of our bodies uses.

Interestingly enough, during the first couple of years of my maintenance,
I maintained a weight of 3 to 5 lbs less than my current weight,
while eating around 1350 daily calories.
But, then... due to no explainable or understandable reason...http://smilies.sofrayt.com/eng/cant%20believe.gif
I had to start dropping my calories in order to maintain my weight loss,
and the past couple of years in order to maintain around 118,
...which is 3 to 5 lbs heavier than it was during those previous years...
I've had to eat an average of 1050 calories.

It is what it is....and that's okay.http://www.postsmile.com/img/emotions/183.gif

We're all different. I'm a high calorie loser as well and have yet to find my maintenance "sweet spot". Enjoy it! Right now I'm eating 1600-1900 durning the week and significantly more on the weekends and I'm still losing...can't quite figure it out.

Thank you, I will enjoy it! I've been so worried about messing up my metabolism that I just exercise more instead of dropping calorie levels, maybe that helps? Thanks to everyone for your responses.