[ncuneo]

So my maintenance plan is to get to a certain weight (this is where I need help) and then start adding 50-100 cals about every 4 weeks until I'm at about 1800 (this is where I think I'll be most comfortable). I want to do it this way as opposed to going to a specific goal weight because I want my body to *naturally* determine it's maintenance range and I want to maintain at about 1800 regardless of what weight that is. Because I lose at a pretty high calorie range and I'm adding back so slowly I think I'll probably lose another 5 lbs during this process. So at what weight should I start the process. I'd be happy at any of the following maintenance ranges 145-150, 140-145 or 135-140. Should I just start the process once I reach 150 and wherever I end up is where I end up? Or should I push a little harder towards the middle of my ranges and start at 145? Has anyone else done it this way, had a goal weight range and a goal maintenance cal range. How did you do it?

[mandalinn82]

I would get to the place you ideally want to be before you start adding calories back in...then adjust slowly as you've planned to do. If you are happy at 150, start at 150. If you'd prefer to maintain lower, get to the weight you ideally want to maintain, then start there.

For me, I had a weight I wanted to maintain, but my body decided for me that it wasn't maintainable, so I gained up a little bit. Still, getting to that point, even though I couldn't stick there, was important for teaching me to be happy where I am today (because any lower just does not work for my body).

[Glory87]

Hmmm, the scale did it for me, more or less. I lost weight pretty steadily until 140 lbs. Then, the scale refused to budge for, Oh, I dunno, 3 months? I figured my body was done losing weight and slowly added 100 calories per day (from 1400 to 1500 for a few weeks, then to 1600 for a few weeks, etc) until I reached 1800.

Then, I did lose about 10 more lbs, over about 7 months, still eating aorund 1800 a day. I now maintain at 1800 calories a day (plus a weekly treat meal) at 130 lbs (+/- 2 lbs)