MAINTENANCE PHASES: WHY YOU NEED THEM & HOW WE CAN ADDRESS METABOLIC ADAPTATION
When considering fat loss, the number one thing we talk about is energy balance. In order to lose fat, it’s necessary to eat a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than you expend). However, our bodies aren’t made to exist in a calorie deficit forever.
Enter: the maintenance phase.
WHY A MAINTENANCE PHASE?
Eating at maintenance means that the calories you eat are roughly equivalent to the calories you expend, meaning you are eating enough to neither gain nor lose weight.
Chronic dieters are at an increased risk of developing metabolic adaptation. Metabolic adaptation is the body’s way of naturally compensating for a smaller body size, and to cope with long-term reduced calorie intake. Increasing your calories periodically as you work toward fat loss can help your body recover and make it possible to continue pursuing your goals without having to continually reduce your intake. 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.
While it may seem counterintuitive to not be consistently pushing toward that fat loss goal by eating at a deficit until you’ve achieved it, maintenance phases are actually associated with greater overall weight loss.
Another bonus: people who take maintenance breaks also maintain their weight loss better than people who don’t. And it only takes about two weeks of a maintenance break to see those benefits.
It can be mentally exhausting to eat at a strict calorie deficit for a long time. This can lead to burnout, which makes compliance much harder and can result in backtracking into old negative habits. Rather than getting to this point, it can be really useful to ease off the deficit and be intentional in allowing ourselves some more flexibility.
No matter what your overall goals are, tracking your food is not meant to be forever. Tracking helps us bring attention to our intake and is a useful tool that helps us establish habits that are necessary for long-term success. Maintenance phases are a good opportunity to practice relying on the habits that we’ve established through tracking, like getting adequate protein and fiber.
WHILE A MAINTENANCE PHASE IS A GREAT WAY TO PRACTICE MINDFUL EATING AND RELYING ON YOUR HABITS, MAINTENANCE IS NOT A COMPLETE DEPARTURE FROM FOCUSING ON YOUR NUTRITION AND FOOD CHOICES.
We especially don’t want a maintenance phase to slip from a confidence-building exercise and a break for your body into a situation where you throw all of your habits out the window. It is a calculated approach that allows you to eat more, practice flexibility, and build habits that allow you to move away from tracking for future periods of maintenance.
Your maintenance phase could look like any of the following:
Continuing to track pretty regularly, but eating more calories than usual.
Partially tracking to make sure you’re getting enough protein and keeping your calories roughly in check.
Not tracking at all, relying on your rock-solid habits, and being mindful of your food choices
All of these approaches are intended to help build confidence for what your nutrition will look like in your post-deficit life. It can be mentally challenging to move away from always trying to eat at a calorie deficit if you’ve been a chronic dieter. A maintenance phase allows you to bridge the gap between pursuing your fat loss goals and maintaining your progress.
Taking breaks from eating a deficit gives both your body and your brain a much-needed break, and is essential for continuing to make progress. And while it may feel like a step backward or an unnecessary waiting period, it is actually an investment in making your future fat loss goals less challenging by offsetting some of that metabolic adaptation. It’s also an investment in your physical health, and a great way to combat mental burnout.
Flexible nutrition isn’t just about being flexible in your food choices; it’s also about utilizing different strategies that all contribute to overall long-term success.
We believe that the best way to achieve your fat loss goals is working with a coach who creates a plan specific to you - your needs, your preferences, and your goals. A sustainable approach to our nutrition is essential to long-term habits and success. For high support coaching and guidance, apply for our 1:1 Nutrition Coaching here.