Adding calories when switching from a weight-loss diet to maintenance diet.?

Asked by: Ryan Casas

Once you know how much you can potentially eat and still maintain your weight, you can start increasing your intake over time to match it. For example, if you are currently eating 1500 calories a day but can actually eat 2000 calories a day and maintain your new weight, you can add ~100 calories or so at a time.

How many calories over maintenance does it take to gain weight?

Increasing your calories by about 500 beyond your daily maintenance calorie needs could allow you to gain about 15 pounds (6.8 kg) over 6 months. This may vary from person to person.

Can reverse dieting increase maintenance calories?

The takeaway: If someone’s been dieting for a long time and is ready to maintain their current level of body fat, reverse dieting can help increase maintenance calories, resulting in a more sustainable way of eating long-term.

How long does it take for a calorie deficit to become maintenance?

In general, the ideal length of time to be eating at a deficit is no longer than 6-12 weeks before taking some time to eat at maintenance.

How do I switch to maintenance after weight loss?

Instead of going straight to maintenance calories, start by slowing increasing your calories by about 200 calories a day and give it a few weeks to even out. If your weight stays pretty stable after three weeks, add another calories a day and repeat until you reach your true maintenance level.

Is it okay to eat over maintenance calories?

If you put more than just the maintenance level of calories into your body, you could build muscle or put on fat. In contrast, you can lose weight if you decrease your caloric intake below the maintenance threshold.

Can you build muscle on maintenance calories?

Additionally, you can’t build muscle without being in a caloric surplus, so you must eat more calories than you burn to promote muscle growth. While all macronutrients are important, protein is especially important for building muscle.

How often to increase calories reverse dieting?

How to reverse diet. Reverse dieting typically involves increasing calorie intake by 50–100 calories per week above your baseline, which is the number of calories you’re currently consuming to maintain your weight. This period lasts 4–10 weeks, or until you reach your target, pre-diet intake.

How can I increase my calories after restricting?

Experiment by adding foods to your diet in 100-calorie increments. Once every two weeks, add 100 calories to your diet. For instance, if you were following a 1,600-calorie weight-loss diet, start by increasing to 1,700 calories a day. After a few weeks, if your weight is holding steady, bump up to 1,800.

How can I increase my maintenance calories without gaining weight?

The first thing you’ll need to do is add about 100-150 calories to your already low caloric intake. Continue to log your food, but now that you have an average to go off of, add some calories to that number. So if you were eating 1200 calories before, start eating 1300-1350 calories for at least one to two weeks.

Does reverse dieting cause weight gain?

Reverse dieting tips

You may notice some weight gain in the process, even if you’ve applied a slight increase while definitely staying in a calorie deficit. Don’t panic — it’s highly unlikely to be fat! Extra food causes a little bit of fluid retention, which is temporary, normal, and will self-resolve over time.

How do you calculate maintenance calories?

Multiply your weight by 15

A rough estimate for calculating maintenance calories for a moderately active person is multiplying body weight in pounds by 15 (you roughly need 15 calories per pound of your body weight to maintain your current weight).

Is a 1500 calorie diet healthy?

BOTTOM LINE: A balanced 1,500-calorie diet rich in nutritious foods fits the needs of many people who want to lose fat and improve health. Still, while 1,500 calories may be a good guideline for many people, it may not be enough for some.

How many calories above maintenance for lean bulk?

You’ll need about 3,200 calories to maintain your current weight. That means that, during a lean bulk, you should be eating around 3,500 calories per day – 300 above “maintenance”.

What are maintenance calories?

Maintenance calories are precisely the number of calories your body needs to support energy expenditure. You can use calorie calculators like the Body Weight Planner from the National Institute of Health.

How long can you stay on maintenance calories?

3-4 months

End at your new, desired maintenance
There’s really no need. Stay on your new maintenance calories for a while, at least 3-4 months so your body fully settles into this new normal. Keep up the weight lifting routine.

Is maintenance calories the same as BMR?

Maintenance calories (Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE) Your BMR is the amount of calories you need in a survival mode. However, you will need at least 20% more than your BMR to be able to perform your daily activity.

Should I eat less than my BMR to lose weight?

Should you eat less than your BMR to lose weight? Since BMR represents the minimal calorie number you need for involuntary body functions, you shouldn’t consume fewer calories than your BMR. To lose weight properly, you need to consider both physical activity and your BMR.

What happens if you eat less calories than your BMR?

In reality, your body responds to eating below your BMR the same way it responds to calorie restriction of any sort—it simply breaks down more body fat to keep your organs supplied with energy. Thus, there’s nothing inherently bad or unhealthy about eating below your BMR.