Hitting your goal is huge. Whether that’s dropping body fat, fitting into your favourite clothes, or just feeling like yourself again—it’s worth celebrating. But here’s the hard truth: the work doesn’t stop there.

The goal isn’t just to get in shape; it’s to stay in shape. The goal isn’t just to lose weight; it’s to maintain the weight you’ve lost. There’s no finish line here—the aim of the game is to keep playing. And the longer you stay in the game, the better you’ll get.

Maintenance is where the real work begins. It’s the phase that turns your progress into something permanent. And while it might sound easier than dieting, don’t be fooled—it’s where many people slip up.

One of the biggest reasons people yo-yo with their weight is they never take the time to work on a plan to maintain their results. They get through the fat loss phase, but once the diet ends, they either slip back into old habits right away or gradually over time. This almost always leads to regaining the weight, leaving them back at square one and thinking about starting another diet.

To avoid this cycle, you need a solid maintenance strategy. Here’s how to stay ahead and make maintenance work for you.

When transitioning out of a fat loss phase, a common question is: should you increase calories incrementally or jump straight to estimated maintenance? Let’s break it down.

1. Understanding Maintenance After a Diet.

Your maintenance calories will typically be lower after a diet, and here’s why:

Weight Loss Reduces Your BMR. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) decreases as you lose weight because you now have less mass to maintain. While this is often framed negatively, it’s a simple fact of physiology. Heavier individuals require more calories at rest; as you lose weight, your energy needs decrease proportionally.

Lean Mass Plays a Role, But It’s Small. Muscle does burn more calories than fat, but not as much as you might think. For example, 1 kg of muscle burns roughly 10–15 calories per day.. Building muscle while dieting is incredibly challenging, so any impact on your metabolism from lean mass changes will be marginal.

The Truth About Reverse Dieting

Some believe that slowly adding calories trains your body to maintain on more calories, but this isn’t accurate. Your metabolism isn’t magically “retrained” by creeping calories up. Instead, the benefits of increasing calories gradually are primarily psychological:

Many, especially women, struggle with seeing the scale increase slightly after upping calories. A slower approach can help ease this mental barrier.

It allows for better control, reducing the likelihood of overeating as you exit a deficit.

That said, increasing calories too slowly can leave you in a deficit unnecessarily, prolonging your dieting phase when you’re ready to move on.

My Approach to Finding Maintenance

Here’s the method I typically recommend, though it’s adjusted based on the individual:

Gradual Transition for Most Clients

Gradual Transition for Most Clients. Depending on the level of restriction during their diet, most of my clients naturally transition into maintenance with a modest calorie increase. I prefer they hold this maintenance level for several weeks to allow their body and mindset to adapt. This period helps cement the new habits and routines that will make maintenance sustainable.

Start Slightly Below Estimated Maintenance. Increase your intake to about 100 calories less than your predicted maintenance. Monitor your weight, energy, and hunger levels for 1–2 weeks.

Adjust Based on Real Data. Maintenance isn’t a fixed number—it fluctuates daily based on activity, the thermic effect of food, temperature, and even menstrual cycles. Using your weight loss rate and current calorie intake as a guide provides more accurate real-world data than relying solely on theoretical calculators.

Account for Energy Expenditure Changes. As you eat more, you may notice a slight increase in activity levels (known as NEAT) and a higher thermic effect of food (since it’s a percentage of your intake). These small boosts can help balance out calorie increases.

Maintenance is about finding what works for you. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s consistency and adaptability. Use the data you have, monitor your progress, and adjust as needed to create a sustainable plan that keeps you moving forward.

Use my calorie calculator to estimate your maintenance calorie range. Here’s a link to a simple calculator you can use. – https://calculator-luke.webflow.io/

2. Stay Accountable to the Numbers

The scale isn’t just for dieting. Checking in 2–3 times a week keeps you honest. We’re not talking about obsessing over daily changes—that’s pointless. This is about spotting trends and making small adjustments before things go sideways.

Think of it like your bank balance. If you’re spending more than you earn, you sort it out before it becomes a problem. Same here.  This is also backed up in research, frequently self monitoring plays an important role in maintenance.

2. Keep Moving: Exercise and Activity

Movement isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s essential, and it does far more than just burn calories. Regular exercise helps solidify the mental shift you’ve made during your transformation. It keeps you focused, reinforces your habits, and prevents you from slipping into complacency.

Here’s the truth: when exercise starts to slide, nutrition often isn’t far behind. And when both go, you’re on a fast track back to old habits—and eventually, another round of dieting. That’s not the cycle you want to be in.

Strength training a few times a week is ideal for maintaining muscle and keeping you feeling strong. But it’s not just about gym sessions. Daily movement—walking, taking the stairs, standing more—is just as important. These small actions add up and help keep you consistent.

Maintaining the standards you’ve set with exercise and activity is the foundation of long-term success. You are not too busy to prioritise this – keep moving, and you’ll keep the momentum alive.

3. Stick to Structured Meals

Maintenance is where snacking can creep back in, and before you know it, those little “extras” add up. The best way to combat this? Stick to proper, structured meals.

Whether you’re a fan of 2, 3, or 4 meals a day, keep a rhythm that works for you. This isn’t about being perfect—it’s about staying consistent so you don’t find yourself reaching for convenience foods out of hunger or boredom.

4. Portion Control Still Applies

Yes, you’re eating more than when you were in a deficit, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to throw caution to the wind. Portion control is still key.

And let’s not forget movement. Daily activity—not just gym sessions but walking, stretching, or just staying active—helps keep everything ticking along. This is all about balance, not extremes.

5. Expect Weight Fluctuations

Here’s the truth: your weight will fluctuate in maintenance, and that’s completely normal. Moving from a calorie deficit to maintenance means your body will hold on to a little more glycogen and water.

The goal isn’t to stay at your lowest weight forever but to work within a range. If your goal is 60–62 kg, hovering within that range is exactly what we’re aiming for. Trust the process—this isn’t fat gain, just your body adjusting.

6. Shift the Focus to Lifestyle

Maintenance is the perfect time to pivot your goals. Instead of chasing the scale, think about performance-based goals: running a 10K, hitting a new personal best in the gym, or just feeling stronger and more energized in your day-to-day life.

This isn’t just about staying the same—it’s about thriving in this new version of you.

7. Watch for Complacency

Let’s be real—this is where a lot of people slip up. It’s easy to think, “I’ve made it!” and start letting old habits creep back in. Snacks here, skipping meals there… before you know it, things can start to slide.

But you’ve already built a solid foundation of habits—don’t let them go now. Maintenance is all about consistency, not perfection. Keep the standards high, and you’ll stay ahead of the game.

8. It’s About the Long Game

The beauty of maintenance is that it gives you space to focus on the rest of your life. No more yo-yo dieting, no more swinging between extremes. The longer you stay in this phase, the more your body adapts, and the easier it gets to sustain.

And here’s the best part: if things ever start to slip, you know exactly what to do. Whether it’s a quick reset or tweaking your approach, you’ve got the tools to handle it.

Final Thoughts

You’ve done something incredible, and you should be proud. But remember, this isn’t just about what you’ve achieved – it’s about where you’re going. Maintenance is a journey, not a destination, and you’ve got everything you need to succeed.

Stay consistent. Stay focused. And above all, keep becoming 1% better,

If you ever feel like you’re slipping or just want some extra guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out. Whether it’s a quick reset or a new challenge, I’m here to help you keep moving forward.

📩 Email: [email protected]

📱 Instagram: @LukeGouldenCoach