So I'm going out of weightloss mode, into maintenance mode for the next 2 weeks. I'm afraid if I try to lose weight, Ill be discouraged by inevitably going over. Maintenance mode gives me a more reasonable goal. I'll still be working out & watching what I eat, but I'll have a little leeway.

Right now I eat a max of 1550 calories per day and losing. How many do you think I can go to for maintenance? I was thinking 1750-1800?

I know I could figure this out using a BMR rate calculator, but I'm more interested in advice from personal experience. Thanks!!

Anyone else doing this for the holidays, BTW?

Everyone is different so my experience may not apply to you at all. During the holidays I just try to practice portion control.

To find my approximate maintence level, i multiply my weight by 12

I don't change my mantenace level for special occasions. I have determined my calories I need to manitain by multiplying my goal weight by 12. I don't increase it for holidays, if I do gain a little weight I drop back to my maintenace calorie allottment and I soon go back to goal. A meal or two of rich, fattening food should not do any permanent harm. My problem is that sets up a desire to eat all the goodies again. Can't do that.

I like this calorie calculator tool: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

It uses the Mifflin-St. Jeor formula, which has been found to be the most accurate (although the best accuracy is what you discover for yourself by trial and error).

I think it's a good idea to switch to maintenance during the holidays, btw!

How quickly are you losing? I take my average pounds lost per week and multiply by 500 to come up with my average daily deficit. I figure it's about as accurate as any other number.