Hello! This is my first post and I’ve got a question about weight loss phases, since I’ve been trying to lose weight and keep it off for quite some time and really made awesome results the past few months. I kind of want to give you guys all the details, so I hope this will make sense!
I’ve been cutting for a little less than two months, I’ve gotten stronger (thanks to the bridge) and I’ve been steadily losing weight. I started my weight loss mid-October (@190lbs 5’8.5) with 12-1300 calories, 185g of protein, 120g of carbs, 30g of fats, currently weigh 179lbs. I have an active job so I’m almost always moving around. However Thanksgiving, leftovers, and my Birthday (I know, terrible circumstances lol) rolled around and I’m holding onto some weight, which is making me think about entering a maintenance phase after 12 weeks?
I have heard that a weight loss phase should last for the longest of 12 weeks, then enter a maintenance phase for the same amount of time, then after that period decide to either lose more weight or whatever. I was wondering if that is really true?
TLDR; Should you enter a maintenance phase equal to the amount of time you were in a cutting phase (1:1 ratio) or if it would yield the same results to just lose weight until you’ve reached your goal weight/physique then enter your maintenance phase?
If you want to lose more weight and you feel like you can maintain focus then go for it. If you’d like a break take one. There’s nothing magic about 12 weeks.
I don’t know where you heard it, but it’s not the truth. The most important things are nutrition, workout, and regularly. Nutrition is 80% of your success. You have done a good job, but it seems like you are eating less than you need, do you count your deficit right?
The only really specified length of time is at least 2 weeks on induction. After that it is by preference, weight, and carb tolerances. You need to do 2 weeks of strict induction at the begging and you can then stay in Phase 1 https://realweighttraining.com/nitri…st-experiences until you get 10 - 15 lbs from goal weight or you can move into phase 2 if you feel you need a little more variety and can tolerate a slower weight loss. Phase 3 is about 5-10 lbs from goal and phase 4 is lifetime. At any point in the journey you may find that you have reached a point where you can not have any more carbs without gaining weight.
There’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to weight loss and maintenance phases. Some people find it helpful to have a structured timeline, like the 12-week cutting phase followed by a 12-week maintenance phase you mentioned, while others prefer to continue losing weight until they reach their goal and then focus on maintenance. It really depends on what works best for you and your body.
And don’t stress too much about the holiday weight gain; it happens to the best of us! Just keep up your healthy habits, and you’ll get back on track in no time. Good luck on your weight loss journey! And if you’re looking for additional resources and support, you might find the website https://medicalweightlosslehighvalley.com/.com helpful.
I think if you really want to lose weight you don’t need these phases. Just make a plan, stick to it and you will succeed. Take breaks, get distracted, watch movies or TV shows on soap2day, take more walks outdoors and of course think positively and everything will work out for you. You can lose weight easily, all you need is the desire. Good luck to you!