If you’re reading this, you’ve done the work.
You’ve either hit maintenance or you’re about to move into it.
You didn’t just “do a diet”.
You built structure.
You trained consistently.
You showed up when life was busy.
Maybe you’ve:
• Dropped body fat
• Built strength and muscle
• Rebuilt consistency with training
• Started prioritising yourself again
You feel better.
You move better.
You look in the mirror and recognise yourself again.
Now the real goal begins.
Not getting in shape.
Staying in shape.
Not losing weight.
Holding it.
There’s no finish line.
This is about standards.
And keeping them.
Maintenance is where results become permanent.
Maintenance is not easy.
You don’t have the urgency of fat loss.
You don’t see the scale dropping each week.
You just have standards.
This is also where people drift.
They finish their fat loss phase.
Structure softens.
Steps drop.
Training becomes optional.
Snacking creeps back in.
Six months later they’re frustrated and starting again.
Everything we built during your fat loss phase still applies.
The structure.
The protein targets.
The training sessions.
The daily steps.
The sleep.
The awareness around food choices.
None of that was temporary.
You don’t stop doing the things that got you here.
You keep doing them.
That’s how results stick.
1. Understanding Maintenance After a Diet
Your maintenance calories will usually be lower than before your fat loss phase.
Simple reason. You weigh less.
Less body mass means lower energy requirements.
That isn’t “metabolic damage”. It’s physiology.
Muscle burns more calories than fat. But not dramatically more.
1kg of muscle burns roughly 10 to 15 calories per day.
Building muscle helps. It does not double your metabolism.
What About Reverse Dieting?
Slowly increasing calories does not repair your metabolism.
It does not retrain your body. The main benefit is psychological.
Some people struggle seeing the scale rise slightly when calories increase.
A gradual transition can make that easier.
It also reduces the risk of overshooting when leaving a deficit.
But increasing too slowly can keep you dieting longer than needed.
Our Approach to Finding Maintenance
Here’s how we typically do it.
Start Slightly Below Estimated Maintenance
Increase calories to around 100 below predicted maintenance.
Run that for 1 to 2 weeks.
Track:
• Bodyweight trends
• Energy
• Hunger
• Performance
Then adjust using real data.
Maintenance is not a fixed number.
It changes with:
• Steps
• Training
• Stress
• Sleep
• Menstrual cycle
As calories increase, NEAT often increases slightly.
The thermic effect of food increases too.
Small changes. They add up.
Speak to your coach directly if you would like to know your maintenance calories range.
Then refine.
2. Stay Accountable to the Numbers
The scale does not disappear when the diet ends.
Weigh in 2 to 3 times per week.
Do not react to daily spikes.
Watch trends.
Treat it like your finances.
You monitor. You adjust early. You stay in control.
Frequent self monitoring is strongly linked to successful weight maintenance.
3. Keep Training. Keep Moving.
When training drops, nutrition usually follows.
Strength train a few times per week.
Keep daily movement high.
Walk. Move. Stay active outside the gym.
Daily movement is not optional.
This is part of who you are now.
4. Keep Structured Meals
Maintenance is where mindless snacking returns.
A bite here. A handful there.
It accumulates. Stick to structured meals.
2, 3 or 4 per day.
Keep protein high. Keep fibre in. Keep rhythm.
Structure removes guesswork.
5. Portion Control Still Applies
Calories are higher.
Standards stay the same.
Eat with intent.
You are maintaining results. Not testing limits.
6. Expect Fluctuations
Your weight will increase slightly when moving to maintenance.
More glycogen. More water.
Not fat.
Stop chasing your lowest ever weigh-in.
Work within a range.
If your range is 60 to 62kg, stay there.
Look at weekly averages.
7. Shift Your Focus
Maintenance is a chance to build performance.
Improve your 5k time. Add weight to your lifts.
Increase strength.
Improve energy.
Be more present at home.
Build a stronger baseline.
8. Watch for Drift
Standards soften quietly.
That is how regain starts.
Keep the habits you built.
Not perfectly.Consistently.
Consistency prevents panic dieting.
It’s the Long Game
Maintenance gives you stability.
No crash cycles. No starting over every year.
The longer you stay here, the easier it becomes.
If things slip, you already know how to correct them.
Ongoing Support
Maintenance is often where support becomes more valuable.
Less urgency. More flexibility. More real-life variables.
This phase is about:
• Holding your results
• Adjusting when life changes
• Staying proactive
• Keeping standards high
If you want continued structure and accountability without extremes, we can support you through this stage.
Final Thoughts
You did not come this far to go backwards.
Maintenance requires intent.
Stay consistent. Stay disciplined.
Stay 1% better.
If you need guidance, a reset, or accountability, we are here.
Your Coaching Team
Luke, Alfie & Phil.
📩 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @LukeGouldenCoach
