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 less 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 or lose weight.  

Chronic dieters are at an increased risk for 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. 

HOW LONG SHOULD I BE IN A CALORIE DEFICIT?

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. A maintenance phase should then last at least as long as your calorie deficit.

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 and diet breaks 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.

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 religiously 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.

MAINTENANCE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

With the holidays fast approaching, now is a great time to consider embracing a maintenance phase. The added flexibility can make it easier to enjoy some of your favorite foods, and to not be worrying about how to track while spending time with family.  If you’re experiencing some tracking burnout, it can also help alleviate one source of stress during what can be a really stressful time of year.

While a maintenance phase is a great way to practice mindful eating and relying on your good 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 “we’ll start over in January” situation.  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, and 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-tracking life.

Maintenance periods are essential for being able to continue making progress. Taking breaks from eating a deficit gives both your body and your brain a much-needed break.  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 phases less challenging by offsetting some of that metabolic adaptation.  It’s also an investment in your physical health, and a great way to combat 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.

The support from a coach can help you understand how to navigate different seasons of nutrition to work towards your specific goals.

We are committed coaches who work with committed clients and love nothing more than helping our clients find a sustainable approach to nutrition that allows them to work towards their goals without white-knuckling their way through yo-yo diets. Learn more about our KLN team here!