Do you still count calories while maintaining?

I've almost reached my goal!  I have 1 more pound to go to hit my target weight of 153 and a BMI of 22 which should happen this week  (I'm, male,  5'10 and 33 years old).  I've lost 23 lbs since May and gained back 2 belt notches.  I've also added at least 1 mph to my average speed on my lunch time bike ride, thanks to the weight loss.

I'm a little worried about maintaining.  I've gotten used to a 1500 to 1800 calorie diet (more on exercise days but still at least 500 calories less than what I burn) and don't know if I will be able to go back to eating closer to 2000 calories.  I have been pretty good about accurately recording calories, but would like to get away from that and worry less about the calorie content of what I am eating. 

Do you find your body can tell you how many calories you need or do you need to keep tracking your intake?  I'll probably end up easing up on the calorie tracking for awhile and see how it goes.  If I find I'm putting the weight back on, I guess I'll have to go back to tracking.

I also find I still have more body fat than I would like even though I'm at a good weight.  I'd like to replace some of it with muscle.  Any suggestions on the best way to do this while maintaining my weight?  I need to cut the fat around my middle and add muscle tone to my upper body.  My legs are in great shape from biking/running.  I'm thinking weight lifting at the gym is the best way, but I find that kind of boring.

Thanks for any suggestions!

sailracer_98:  There is quite a bit of disagreement among us Maintainers on what is better: 1) log weights and calories  OR 2) be intuitive and not obsessed with recording everything.  This is my advice, for what it is worth, keep logging calories and weigh-ins for a couple of weeks to make certain you are maintaining.  Once you know you are, then relax a bit and try a week of intuitive where you wait a week until you weigh-in to see if you stayed in Maintenance.  For me personally, I absolutely can not maintain if I don't log both calories consumed and daily weigh-ins; however, many people don't have to log or weigh-in daily.

As far as weight lifting goes, this is what I did because I kept burning myself out and hating weight-lifting to the point I would quit exercising:  I now go around 20 minutes on one day of just doing triceps and handgrips. I love both exercises, but while doing them, I also work my abs, back muscles, etc.  Then the next day I do biceps only, but a variety of exercises.  Again, I love doing them and they do build other muscles.  My point is, find some weight-lifting exercises that you enjoy or at least don't hate.  Slowly  get into your weight lifting and have fun with it.  I guarantee you will build muscle, but don't put so much pressure on yourself with dieting and exercising that you began to dislike it.

Anyway, great job and never give in!  Believe and you WILL maintain!

Hey Pilgrimdude,

Thanks for the feedback!

Sailracer, you could take up swimming if you'd prefer to do an activity rather than just weight lifting.  You likely won't bulk up too much with that, but you should get some toning done.

Like PD, I also still weigh in daily, although I'm more relaxed on my counting.  If nothing else, I've improved my portion control, so I'm not too worried about going way out of whack on my calories in a particular day. 

Clint

I'd suggest you need a good six weeks carrying on with calorie-counting and your food diary whilst you get well into the habit of your maintenance intake. An active 33 year-old male needs more like 2500 cals than 2000 (that would be more appropriate if you were a female).  Check those numbers with the CC calculator setting your activity level to 'moderate' and making your target and current weight the same number.

The best way to gain muscle is not to operate a calorie deficit and then to match that with strengthening exercises.  Continue to have a calorie deficit and you risk losing muscle along with the fat.  I suspect that if you have too much body-fat at the moment it's because 1600-1800 may have been too low an intake.

After six weeks you can reduce calorie-counting to spot-check status and weigh in less frequently..

 

gi-jane,

Thanks for the input.  I've actually got more of a sedentary lifestyle (desk job, long commute, TV or reading in the evenings) but occasionally I'll get a bike ride or a jog in.  The CC recommends 1597 calories for me to lose weight which I have been been sticking to when I don't exercise and I would aim for 1800 to 2000 calories when I did exercise.  Over the past month I've been able to exercise probably 5 times a week, but when the weather gets bad it drops.  This has been pretty typical for me for the past few years.  The problem was I got in the habit of eating more on workout days but then I would end up eating the same amount on days I didn't work out and my weight started creeping up.

I guess I'm convinced I need to keep up the calorie counting until I find the level where my weight is stable and then maybe I can cut back and only go back to counting if my weight starts creeping up again.  I hope my stable level is more like 2500 calories than 2000 because I really like eating!

I still count and suspect that I will continue to do so forever. Though I don't know if I will log it forever but kind of a running tally in my head. I've been more lax and ill eat what I want then log and adjust instead of sticking to the plan every day. I like to know why my weighÞ is creeping and identify the culprits so I can make changes.

I also track my exercise and weigh myself daily. It works for me and I don't mind it. If you find it burdensome then don't do it.this should be sustainable and not detract from your life so maybe count until you're stable and then stop and see how you do. If you fluctuate more than you're comfortable with then resume counting.

I must admit that I have done 1 week without counting and haven't gained any weight and feeling good about that as it indicates that I have the food thing sorted in my head but I am going to continue counting for the next few months just to make sure that I stay on track and don't slip.

I will be looking at not counting for 1 week per month and provided I don't put on any weight in the next 3 months I will then stop counting unless I start gaining at which point I will immediately restart counting.

I've been maintaining almost a year now and I think I'll always have to count calories... it's just what works for me.  If I don't, I go overboard.  I'm not a big fan of the scale and weighing everyday, I think that's a bit overboard and borderline obsessive, IMO.  I would recommend picking a day in the middle of the week (I do Wed mornings) and weigh yourself then, just to see that you're in your range and on track.  Just remember that the scale alone is not an accurate measurement of how you're doing... ask yourself if your clothes still fit, how you look in the mirror, and if you've gained any muscle.  You can also use a measuring tape.  Just need to find what works best for you.  Best of luck w/your maintenance!  :)

I have only just started "maintaining" although I reached my CC goal about a month ago, I decided I wanted to lose another 7 lbs which I have now done. However I will always still count calories as I don't trust myself not to over eat and because I gradually gained about 3 stone over 2 years and became overweight, now having lost it all I am scared stiff of gaining it again and as I like food but don't want to slip into bad habits calorie counting and doing a food diary works a treat for me :) 

I'm coming up on my two year mark with maintaining.  I weigh myself almost every day and I still log my food.  Partially it's to keep tabs on myself and keep myself honest about what and how much I'm eating but also I'm one of those that enjoys looking at the data.  Also because I'm fond of my weight lifting routine, I need to pay attention to macro levels so I use the analysis tool a lot.

I don't weigh more than once a day though, just the once in the morning before I've eaten anything.  I can easily fluctuate 2 or more pounds from one day to the next - you just kind of have to get used to this, which is easier said than done.

There's a big weight control study going on where people who have lost a certain amount of weight and kept it off for a year or more particpate - the National Weight Control Registry.  Their research findings so far show:

78% eat breakfast every day.
75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.

meganr:  Thanks for sharing that.

I follow intuitive eating and don't count calories. However, I do weigh myself every now and then - and yes, I am maintaining.

Original Post by merylwhite1:

I follow intuitive eating and don't count calories. However, I do weigh myself every now and then - and yes, I am maintaining.

 Meryl- Do you happen to have the link for that book? I am real interested in purchasing it. Thanks!!

Haven't counted calories for four months.

I do weigh myself to see how I am doing.

I have been maintaining for around 8 months.

~k