Why Maintenance Calories are Important

Goals for this week:

• Calculate maintenance macros
• Hitting set macro goals at least 70-85% of the time this week

It’s time to calculate MAINTENANCE calories and macros for this reset. It’s important to start at maintenance calories before changing macros for muscle building or fat loss. It’s essential to start you off in a good metabolic place before anything can happen. For fat loss specifically, if you have been under-eating (which most people are doing without even realizing it), body recomposition will be much more difficult and fat loss may not even happen with a calorie deficit. Before protocol can be adjusted for your goals, we need to set your body up for success – and that includes providing it with enough energy to perform at its best.

Not convinced? Prolonged calorie restriction can:

• Lower resting metabolic rate (making it harder to lose weight with less calories)
• Down-regulate important hormones
  • Thyroid can stop regulating metabolism
  • Sex drive decreases
  • Hunger cues not regulated
• Increase the likelihood of nutrient deficiencies 
• Cause female triad (amenorrhea, low energy availability, osteoporosis)
• Decrease muscle mass 
• Cause diet rebound and weight gain 
• Increase risk of injury
• Lower immune system functioning
• Decrease sleep quality 

MAINTENANCE MACROS BENEFITS:

• Stabilize energy levels
• Enhance brain function and gut health
• Stabilize hunger hormones so hunger cues are appropriate for maintaining your current physique and optimal health
• Restore your body’s natural metabolic rate for your age, height and weight
• Maintain current lean muscle mass