Transition from caloric deficit to maintenance

[Strangermim]

Hi I have been in a caloric deficit for the past 5 and a half months. I've been weightlifting and doing lots of cardio during this period.
I've lost 42kg. I'm in my last 2 weeks of cutting after which I want to maintain my weight. What will happen to me when I switch from a caloric deficit to eating at maintenance level. Will I put on weight? Is this weight permanent?

How do I transition?

[SuffolkPunch]

42kg - that's good going.

So you probably know how many calories you've been consuming and how fast you were losing weight? So you can presumably make a good estimate of your maintenance calorie level.

You can simply bump up to that. Yes, you will gain some scale weight, this will mostly be more food in your gut, more water and glycogen in your muscles. The adjustment should only take maybe 3-5 days to take place. You shouldn't keep gaining weight after this.

Remember that just like with dieting, all weight gain is explainable - if you genuinely gain a lb of fat, it can ONLY come from 3500 excess calories - not a small amount. So don't panic if the scales jump up by a few lbs.

There is no need to be overly gradual with the transition. Your maintenance level may adapt after a while and you might have to add another 200 calories or so to stop yourself continuing to lose weight.

[Strangermim]

42kg - that's good going.

So you probably know how many calories you've been consuming and how fast you were losing weight? So you can presumably make a good estimate of your maintenance calorie level.

You can simply bump up to that. Yes, you will gain some scale weight, this will mostly be more food in your gut, more water and glycogen in your muscles. The adjustment should only take maybe 3-5 days to take place. You shouldn't keep gaining weight after this.

Remember that just like with dieting, all weight gain is explainable - if you genuinely gain a lb of fat, it can ONLY come from 3500 excess calories - not a small amount. So don't panic if the scales jump up by a few lbs.

There is no need to be overly gradual with the transition. Your maintenance level may adapt after a while and you might have to add another 200 calories or so to stop yourself continuing to lose weight.

I've lost a lot of strength and stamina during the cutting stage. How long will it take to get them back once I up my calories?

[SuffolkPunch]

I'm not surprised, you probably lost weigh too fast... we usually recommend you don't try to lose more than 1% of your bodyweight each week. Obviously I don't know your starting weight so I can't say more than that.

very hard to put a number on it but it should be a matter of a few weeks maybe a couple of months.

[Strangermim]

I'm not surprised, you probably lost weigh too fast... we usually recommend you don't try to lose more than 1% of your bodyweight each week. Obviously I don't know your starting weight so I can't say more than that.

very hard to put a number on it but it should be a matter of a few weeks maybe a couple of months.

Is protein important when clean bulking? Or is it just okay to make sure I'm getting enough calories?

Thanks for all your help by the way

[Strangermim]

Is protein important when clean bulking? Or is it just okay to make sure I'm getting enough calories?

Thanks for all your help by the way

Can someone help me with this please

[SuffolkPunch]

Is protein important when clean bulking? Or is it just okay to make sure I'm getting enough calories?

Thanks for all your help by the way

It's important to life - so it always is. But we also need more when weight training (regardless of mass gain or fat loss phase).

Get at least 1.6g of protein per kg of target body weight.