Maintenance weeks?

CW: 170  -  SW: 178  -  GW: 150.  I'm 5' 7.5", 20 years old, female.

I've been trying to lost weight since June 1st (so this is week 8).  So far, I've lost almost 8 pounds.  I try to average my calories so that in any given week, my daily average is between 1400-1500 calories, but my actual daily value fluctuates from 1200 to 1800.

I exercise regularly (3-5 times per week, I do various cardio and lift) and want to avoid plateauing.  Should I build in a week of "maintenance calories" where I eat an average of ~1900 (my maintenance) a day all week long, or will this just slow me down?  I work a 50 hour a week desk job, so I use sedentary stats.  I'm having no problems consuming only 1400-1500 a day in healthy foods.

I am a firm believer in having a maintenance week (well, for me it's a business week consisting of 5 days, haha.)

I don't think I could of broken my plateu without it. We are all different, I know some people who didn't have success with it but instead they found success in exercising more with different machines.

I find myself having maintenance days, not on a calendar basis, but on a "special occasion" basis (like holidays, birthdays, big parties).  I guess it works out to maybe twice a month.  It hasn't really slowed down my progress, and helps me stay realistic on this "lifestyle change".  I think the only time I would do more than a single day would be if I were on a vacation.  But, I have a lot more weight to lose than you do.

Many people struggle after about a 10% loss, so you might consider when you have lost about 18 pounds giving yourself a break from losing and practicing maintaining.  Then you can start again "refreshed" for the last 10 pounds.

I don't think there is anything wrong with maintenience weeks. It may take longer, but it jumps starts your body again when you lower your cals. If you're trying to lose weight, your body will adjust to your new eating habits and that's when people plateau.  However, if you are still losing steadily @ eating lower, why would you change things now?  It's up to you, but if you're worried about being slowed down, why not keep doing what you're doing now and then worry about maintenience? I say this bc I went on maintenience for a couple weeks and found it harder to cut calories again (still working out a lot). I think it's easier to have maintenience days every week and lower calorie days mixed in too. I'm sedentary as well so I know that we burn less then others and a deficit is harder for me with cals so I workout too.

Good luck. You kow your body better then anyone. If you think you need a maintenience day/week...go for it.

I usually hit 1800 or 1900 on at least one weekend day, and stay at 1300 or 1400 most weekdays, so my daily average is still a deficit, but I don't feel like I'm dieting, nor deprived.

I had planned in a maintenance week every 10th week as a pre-emptive strike against plateaus... I've just been getting worried since every time it's my time of the month, I gain two pounds for a week, and then lose about 2 1/2 right after.  I didn't 't monitor my weight vs. my cycle before I started trying to lose, so I don't know if this was always the case.  I guess I haven't actually plateaued, but it is frustrating because it feels like I'm gaining!

mperic81, you're right - I have been losing slowly, but steadily: about .75 pounds/week.  I have lost about 13 or 14 inches so far already! (Of course, it's in those random, unnoticeable areas like my fingers and calves - and my boobs ... my belly, hips, and butt are still quite padded.)  I probably shouldn't be worried about maintenance yet.

I like dkenworthy's advice - waiting until I have hit a 10% body weight loss to do a full week.  I hadn't thought of that, but will definitely try it . 

Thanks, guys!