Thread 2 because we have reached our goal weights and we want to maintain not regain. We might be going cold turkey or titrating down or staying on!

[MargoLivebetter]

Can't believe we filled up a whole thread! Welcome to thread 2.

On a positive note to start us off, I've lost 1lb of the two that I gained from my autumnal apple crumble caper. Filling full of resolve and pleased to know I can gain a pound or two (which is of course completely normal) and then lose them again.

Keep us posted

I guess that just goes to show how different we all are @Blondeshavemorefun . I am very envious of the extra calories you get to consume !

Tho that’s on 5 so if I was brave and came totally off I may not get away with that

My tdee is 1350 (5ft 2 and 61kg). I'm 41. I weight lift 3x a week for 1hr 20 (lifting heavy) and cardio 40 mins 3x per week plus all the daily walking etc. My maintenance is around 1900. I have spent months tracking and my calculations are pretty accurate. My calorie burn in the gym is 900 (I do both weights and cardio on the same session) 3x per week. My various trackers that count my excercise and steps have my burning around 4000 cals on average per week. So 571 per day. Which added to my bmr is 1921. So yeah, I'm fairly certain I've found my maintenance cals accurately and my excercise cals and activity are accurate too. I've been logging it for a very long time.
Unfortunately, it does mean if I don't get my gym sessions in, I'm screwed. I can't tolerate eating at such low calories now I'm off medication. I'll cross that bridge if it comes to it. I suppose I just need to walk a hell of a lot more if I can't go to the gym, and try and eat a little less so it isn't too drastic. I'm having around 1700 per day currently as that seems to be my sweet spot to allow for life's pleasures - ie. Last week I went to the christmas markets, and had a birthday meal out. With Christmas coming up, I'll be keeping that up through December and probably January for good measure. I may keep it up for good tbh, as I think it's working well and not making me feel like I can't go out and eat what I want on special occasions. Which is how it should be. Life shouldn't be so restricted.

That sounds like a really good plan, I’m 43 and slightly lighter than you, and I really hope I can build up to replicating that. Two hours in the gym three times a week sounds quite doable. Can you tell me more about how you split it between lifting and cardio? Do you have a set order?

I have just had hip surgery so I’m some months away from being allowed to do much in a gym. However, I have an exercise bike and ChatGPT tells me that 60 minutes of cycling is equivalent to 10000 steps, so that’s going to be my goal, building up to 3 x 20 minute sessions a day.

I have a prefered order, but that depends on what equipment is available 😆. I try to do 30 min cardio warm up - there's a sort of c25k programme on the treadmill, so I do that. I could just run, but my pelvic floor prefers the walk and run mix!
Then I do my weights, I start with the hardest for me - leg press. I go hard and heavy on this - 190kg 25 reps, 3 sets, then do the same but at 150kg as I'm a bit tired after the first lot! Then I do a mix of leg, core and arms each time on the machines (although do planks for core mostly). I dont do leg day and so on. I prefer a full body work out. I finish with a 10 min max incline 5km speed walk on the treadmill.
At some point I need to look at it because I'd like to gain more muscle - and I'm not really at the minute. But for now whilst I'm practicing maintenance - I'm not messing with the equilibrium! It works for what I need. Eventually I'll be ready to mix it up!
The cycling sounds ideal. I started off with it as my preferred cardio. And breaking it up is definitely the way to go.

If you want to gain muscle:

a) start with weights, ie before the cardio
b) increase the load on the leg press until you can only just manage 10 reps (do 3-4 sets)

I do sometimes do cardio after weights if I have to - I found it just didn't make any difference.
Unfortunately, the 190kg is the max on the leg press, hence the high reps and high sets. It's the best I can do with it!

Are you doing a full range press? If you are doing a full range then do each leg separately.

Can you move to a squat rack or smith machine?

My gym also has the plate loaded version and the max is more like 500kg.

Yes, full range for my short legs (my inside leg is 26 inch!). Its tough as I often don't register on the little blippy thing. But it's defo full range for me. Same on the hip abduction and adduction. My legs don't spread any further to make the thing work! It's honestly a pain in the (leg) arse being of short leg!!!
I can do the squat thingy, but I find it tedious setting up, and it's usually hogged by teenage boys. I do use freeweights sometimes, but honestly, getting on there is a workout in itself.

Our gym only has that one leg press. Unfortunately. I prefered the one you added to yourself.

If you are doing full range by bending your knees right back (ie beyond 90 degrees) then your best approach is to do each leg separately, will be much harder. I’m also quite short… those machines not made for short people.

I think the range matters less on the abductor and adductor (esp adductor). Yes re: teenage boys on squat rack but it’s a much better exercise if you can do it.

Anyone else thinking they really need a @MeridaBrave in their real life?

🤣🤣🤣🤣 I’m hoping that’s a compliment!!

I don't count my exercise calories, but neither do I count my alcohol calories. It seems to balance out 😂

@ThisMustBeMyDream for times when you can't exercise, an easy way of managing it is to plate up your meal as normal, then take 1/3rd of it away (maybe for tomorrow's lunch?).

Edited to delete duplicate post

Anyone else thinking they've accidentally wandered on to the wrong topic?

Finding all the TDEE chat very interesting. I’m getting a Garmin for Christmas and I’m looking forward to all the data it will provide me with!

Am I the only one here who doesn’t count calories? I do keep a food diary but i don’t want to do all the counting and weighing I used to do in the past. It’s going ok for me currently but I feel like I’m very much in the minority.

I don’t count calories, or only very approximately. Sometimes I take a photo of my plate and get chatgbt to do a nutritional breakdown, which seems pretty accurate from all I can divine.

I don't count calories, although I do a rough estimate in my head because I've calorie counted on so many diets before I can guesstimate fairly well these days. I do sometimes count protein and fibre if I think I might not be getting enough.

I always track my liquid intake though as I am awful at getting enough otherwise.

Like @OneThirdLess I don't track cals, but I know roughly what I've had at the end of the day because of many years tracking. I tracked every day while still on MJ, and when I came off to see what I could get away with without gaining. Now I don't.

Also second using the squat rack - it is a pain in the butt (literally) but best all rounder to hit as many muscle groups in one exercise. I'm with you @ThisMustBeMyDream as a fellow shortie, I will have to keep this exercise up forever to be able to consume the relaxed weekends I'm now enjoying!! Although, they are not as relaxed as they used to be - I don't really want to eat the same anymore!! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all ranges of food - I just can't eat quite as much of it.

I'm impressed by all of you non calorie counters. I find that as soon as I don't keep track, I start eating too many!

I'm also impressed by the work with weights. I am going to look at a gym to see if I can bear to join it. It has a pool (I love swimming) and looks as though it caters more to middle class laydies than big hench blokes - that's my hope anyway. You get classes included in the membership too and I definitely need some inspiration as I'm very bored of all the stuff I usually do.

Using my fitness pal it’s easy. Just scan bar code

I'm considering this too. I've been doing pilates but it's really aggravated my calcific tendonitis in my shoulders. I'm thinking swimming (breast stroke) abd lower body weights -some must surely be better than none to try and save my shoulders.

I don't count calories. But I don't eat bread, rice, pasta or potato. This has worked for me, very successfully.
I tend to drink like a pirate.