Maintenance

[Cautious1]

1) Is there a way of knowing how much your maintenance has gone down during a cut? Is there some sort of guide e.g. every XXlb you drop XX maintenance. I cant calculate the weekly average because of big fluctuations this month due to water.

My weight loss chart:
June: https://ibb.co/HPCPcNw
July: https://ibb.co/4pk5Rdf
August: https://ibb.co/28Xx7tf
Total: https://ibb.co/JjHXNnS

2) And when you end your cut and start a lean bulk, when does your maintenance go back up to what It was originally?

[AlexSays]

1) Is there a way of knowing how much your maintenance has gone down during a cut? Is there some sort of guide e.g. every XXlb you drop XX maintenance. I cant calculate the weekly average because of big fluctuations this month due to water.

My weight loss chart:
June: https://ibb.co/HPCPcNw
July: https://ibb.co/4pk5Rdf
August: https://ibb.co/28Xx7tf
Total: https://ibb.co/JjHXNnS

2) And when you end your cut and start a lean bulk, when does your maintenance go back up to what It was originally?

There is no guide and I'd hesitate to even give a 'rough' idea. The main thing is it is probably less than you think

The only way to determine it is to eat at a set calorie level and monitor the effects on your weight to determine how many calories under maintenance you are eating.

Your maintenance drops partly through supporting less bodymass throughout the day but also through decreased activity levels from being in a deficit. Once you start eating more it will likely rebound a small amount but your body is still supporting less mass overall so it will remain lower than it was

In reality we are only talking in the realms of 1-300 calories change and that is only really likely if you're dropping real weight (like 30-40lbs +)

[Cautious1]

There is no guide and I'd hesitate to even give a 'rough' idea. The main thing is it is probably less than you think

The only way to determine it is to eat at a set calorie level and monitor the effects on your weight to determine how many calories under maintenance you are eating.

Your maintenance drops partly through supporting less bodymass throughout the day but also through decreased activity levels from being in a deficit. Once you start eating more it will likely rebound a small amount but your body is still supporting less mass overall so it will remain lower than it was

In reality we are only talking in the realms of 1-300 calories change and that is only really likely if you're dropping real weight (like 30-40lbs +)

First two months I was losing 0.9KG while eating 1500Kcal therefore I knew my maintenance was 2400Kcal but since August ive had alot of weight fluctuation so It was difficult to monitor how much I was losing a week.

I do remember reading somewhere on here that every 10lb would be like 100Kcal decrease in maintenance but dunno If thats true.

And Ive dropped just under 22lbs.

[RTB1]

First two months I was losing 0.9KG while eating 1500Kcal therefore I knew my maintenance was 2400Kcal but since August ive had alot of weight fluctuation so It was difficult to monitor how much I was losing a week.

I do remember reading somewhere on here that every 10lb would be like 100Kcal decrease in maintenance but dunno If thats true.

And Ive dropped just under 22lbs.

I think it would be really hard to have a set rule for everyone given that some of that weight loss will be fat and some muscle depending on how they cut. It's probably best to start raising your intake conservatively and keep very exact records.

Congratulations on your weight loss, that's fantastic!

[Cautious1]

I think i would be really hard to have a set rule for everyone given that some of that weight loss will be fat and some muscle depending on how they cut. It's probably best to start raising your intake conservatively and keep very exact records.

Congratulations on your weight loss, that's fantastic!

Yeh I agree, I was planning on gradually increasing calories and monitor so I can see where my new maintenance is.

And thanks! Feels like its never ending

[SuffolkPunch]

Your data is more valuable than using some calculator. it's the same deal with TDEE calculators vs. real weight and calorie intake readings.

I don't even know if one exists like you describe but I have heard that you can see up to a 200 calorie adjustment in NEAT - and that applies going from maintenance -> bulk AND maintenance -> cutting. So in theory, it could be up to 400 cals from cutting -> bulking. That is a max expected value though.

[Tommy W.]

You can usually figure 100 cals a day for every 10 lbs. That is a general rule however there are factors involved. Lower weight due to lower calories can also cause NEAT to suffer so that compounds the lower maintenance issue. If you're carrying a lot of fat and losing fat allows for more activity then that is a reason for maintenance changing less.

[Luclin999]

Generally, Your BMR drops about 10 calories/day per pound of muscle you lose and about 2 pounds per day for each pound of fat.

So if you are doing it right, and 80% (or more) of what you lose is fat then your BMR should only drop about 30-45 calories per every ten pounds you drop. Of course if you do it the "wrong" way (no resistance training) and lose basically 50/50 muscle/fat then the drop would be closer to 60-70 calories per ten pounds lost.

The bigger factor is mostly "diet fatigue" from being in a long term deficit where you tend to subconsciously become less active and more sedentary over time. This can be corrected by simply recognizing that it is happening and making a conscious effort to get back up and return to your previous activity levels though.

[Tommy W.]

Understand that the majority of the calorie difference is from hauling less weight around all day. After losing 20 lbs haul around a 20 LB backpack around for a day in it will illustrate the point