Unintentional maintenance?
 

For six weeks or more I've been the same weight with maybe an one pound fluctuation in either direction. This directly corresponds with me increasing my calories from 1300 to 1500.

Could I really be in maintenance mode? Could 1500 calories really be my maintenance "allowance"?

I'm not at my ideal goal, but I am at a comfortable weight and feel satisfied on 1500 calories.

Sounds like maintenance to me. :)

If you are comfortable there stay for a while and see what happens.

Do you have a system in place for tracking fitness?

Tricia-- I don't exercise

LOL - at I don't exercise!!! Me neither 60 pounds down and not 1 day of exercise. Average 1500 calories a day as well.

Hoping I won't ever have to but it will depend if I'm happy with where I'm at after a 5-6 month plateau (or as in your case maybe maintenance living).

Wishing you all the best with whatever you decide. :) As you already know I've been following your journey because I believe ours are much the same.

Given your height and current weight, I doubt 1,500 is your "maintenance" level. In addition, if 1,500 were your maintenance level, then when you were only eating 1,300 (200 less) you would have been losing less than a half pound each week. That is, your deficit would only have been 200 calories a day, which translates into less than a half pound a week loss. Is that the rate at which you were losing before this month? If you were losing more quickly last month, then I would conclude there's something else going on this month.

Perhaps in moving from 1,300 to 1,500 you've managed to stray a bit above 1,500?

Well, the trouble with not exercising is the gradual loss of lean mass. But if you're cool with that calorie level, there are some folks who maintain long term without exercise. And some people do more in their day to day lives than I do on purpose.

I didn't exercise with any consistency until I had been losing for 8 months. I'm also in my 40's, and the loss of lean is more of a deal the older you get.

Thanks y'all!

Yep, loss of lean mass as we get older...

Anyway, you know the saying: "Reduce calories to look good in clothes. Exercise to look good naked." ;)

YES, 1500 calories MIGHT REALLY be the amount
that your own individual body needs to maintain your current weight.

All of the calorie chart calculators are based on formulas that are merely Estimates of Averages,
and there are a great many people above and below those Averages.
We see many, many of these who are BELOW those Averages.
We hear little from people who are Above, because their bodies have less weight-problems.

The only way you can find out if this number is Your Own Personal Maintenance number,
is to continue eating that way indefinitely... at least for 6 months or so,
and if it is lower than what your body needs to maintain,
eventually your body will start dropping weight.

If 1500 calories is a number that satisfies your hunger,
and you are at a comfortable weight,
Your body might be at it's Own Ideal.
If you force your body to drop to a lower weight
maintaining that weight could involve living with constant hunger.

It's not about what works for OTHER people.
It's what works in YOUR OWN BODY. :hug:

Thanks bright angel!