BENEFITS OF EATING AT MAINTENANCE
Maintenance maintenance maintenance: MUCH more than just a buzzword, especially if you’ve been following me (and other evidence-led folks in the nutrition world). And you’ve likely seen plenty of calculators and explanations of how to find this level of caloric intake for you. But…why? Why does your body need to know and spend time in this phase?
Eating at maintenance is often thought of as a pause button on your health journey, or a phase to pass through on your way to other phases. Often, when people think about their nutrition goals, the focus is on either losing fat or building muscle. But there is a magic to maintenance: spending (a large amount of time here) is not only beneficial but necessary for your body’s overall health and long-term success. Many clients that I work with are initially reluctant to embrace maintenance phases, thinking it will stall progress. However, maintenance is a crucial part of ensuring your metabolism stays healthy, your body gets the nutrients it needs, and you can sustain the results you’re working toward in the long run. And ideally, it’s where we are spending most of our time, not just when working with a nutrition coach, but through life.
WHY WE NEED TO INCORPORATE MAINTENANCE PHASES
1 | MAINTENANCE SUPPORTS METABOLIC HEALTH
Our bodies are incredibly adaptive. When you’re consistently eating below maintenance (in a calorie deficit), your metabolism will eventually adjust to burn fewer calories—this is a survival mechanism called metabolic adaptation. While this can be helpful in the short term for fat loss, over time, it can make further progress difficult. Your body becomes more efficient at conserving energy, meaning the same deficit that once worked no longer yields the same results.
Spending time eating at maintenance allows your metabolism to recalibrate. It helps prevent metabolic slowdown by ensuring your body isn’t constantly operating on low energy. This way, when you return to a fat-loss phase, your body is primed to respond more efficiently. Essentially, you’re allowing your metabolism to “reset,” giving you more flexibility and success in future phases.
This graphic from Precision Nutrition shows the metabolic benefits of reverse dieting into maintenance and the benefits of then continuing to spend time in this caloric range.
2 | IT PROTECTS YOUR LEAN MUSCLE
One of the biggest misconceptions about dieting is that all weight loss is good weight loss. But the truth is, when you’re in a calorie deficit, you risk losing not just fat, but also valuable lean muscle mass. This is especially true if you’re staying in a deficit for an extended period. Lean muscle is crucial for your metabolism because it burns more calories at rest and supports overall strength and health.
By incorporating maintenance phases, you give your body the fuel it needs to preserve muscle while still maintaining the progress you’ve made. Maintenance eating helps you keep more of your hard-earned muscle while preventing unnecessary loss – which sets you up for better long-term health.
3| IMPROVED ENERGY AND PERFORMANCE
If you’ve ever been in a calorie deficit for an extended period, you might have noticed your energy levels start to dip (one of the flags that we look for to tell us that we’ve been in that phase for too long, and a primary reason that deficits are not long-term phases to be in!). Suddenly, workouts feel harder, recovery takes longer, and you’re dragging yourself through the day. This happens because your body is running on fewer calories than it needs to thrive.
Eating at maintenance gives your body the energy it needs to perform at its best. You’ll likely feel more energetic, see better results in the gym (and the bedroom…just sayin’), and recover more efficiently. This improved performance not only supports muscle retention and growth but also helps you enjoy your workouts more. You’re fueling your body to perform, not just survive.
4 | MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
Let’s be real — constantly restricting calories and being in a dieting mindset can take a toll on your mental and emotional health. Long periods of deprivation can lead to feelings of burnout and frustration, and for some, can bring us back to older patterns of behavior, eating or otherwise. Yet antoher reason where eating at maintenance can be incredibly beneficial.
Maintenance phases give you a break from the pressure of dieting, allowing you to enjoy food (and, dar I say, life) more freely without worrying about weight loss. You get to reconnect with your body’s hunger and fullness cues and build a healthier relationship with food. This mental and emotional relief is key to long-term sustainability because it prevents the cycle of extreme restriction followed by overeating, which can hinder your progress over time.
EXPLORING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MAINTENANCE AND METABOLIC ADAPTATION
Now, let’s talk a bit more about metabolic adaptation, sometimes referred to as “adaptive thermogenesis.” It’s the body’s way of adjusting how much energy it burns based on your calorie intake. When you’re consistently giving your body less fuel (eating less), your body gets used to functioning on fewer calories, which leads to a slowdown in your metabolism. (Our bodies are really smart in this way – this is to protect us!)
At first, this might not seem like a big deal (and this is even further convincing if you are noticing continual weight loss), but eventually, this adaptation can lead to more harm than benefit. Your body becomes more efficient at conserving energy, and suddenly you need fewer calories to maintain your weight. That’s why many people who yo-yo diet end up gaining back the weight they lost (and sometimes more).
Incorporating maintenance phases breaks this cycle. By giving your body enough calories to function optimally, you prevent, or even reverse, metabolic adaptation. You’re signaling to your body that it’s not in a prolonged state of deprivation (a built-in feature from our days as cavemen), which helps your metabolism remain more active and responsive.
HOW TO TRANSITION INTO A MAINTENANCE PHASE
If you’ve been dieting for a while and are ready to give your body a break and an opportunity to thrive, transitioning to maintenance might feel scary — especially if you’ve been in a calorie deficit for a long time. This feeling is so, so valid. Here’s how to do it smoothly:
Gradual increase: slowly add calories back into your diet over the course of a few weeks, aiming to bring yourself up to maintenance without causing sudden weight gain. This could look like increasing your intake by 100-200 calories per week/every other week until you reach your estimated maintenance number. (Full transparency: you might experience some weight gain as you meet your body’s needs. Especially if strength training, this may very well be in the form of muscle! I say this with so much love: this may also be a good time to take a break from your relationship with the scale and focus on your relationship with food.)
Monitor and adjust: just like when you were finding your maintenance calories, keep an eye on your weight and how you feel during the transition. If your weight remains stable and your energy levels improve, you’re in a good place. (These are excellent indicators that your body needed these extra calories.)
Focus on nutrient density: while you’re increasing your calories, prioritize nutrient-dense foods. This way, you’re supporting your body with the best quality fuel, which can improve how you feel and perform.
LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF MAINTENANCE PHASES
Incorporating maintenance phases into your nutrition strategy has long-term benefits that go beyond the immediate, like:
Sustainability: instead of being stuck in a constant cycle of dieting, maintenance allows for a more sustainable, balanced approach to nutrition. You’re not always chasing the next goal — you’re also learning how to maintain what you’ve achieved and allowing yourself to thrive in the present.
Metabolic flexibility: by preventing prolonged metabolic adaptation (aka allowing your body to get used to surviving on too few calories), your body remains more flexible in the way that it uses the energy (food) that your provide it. This keeps your metabolism responsive, making future phases outside of maintenance (like fat-loss or muscle gain) more effective.
Holistic health: maintenance isn’t just about calories. It’s about giving your body the nourishment it needs to thrive. You’re supporting your hormones, mental health, and overall well-being by fueling your body properly.
Eating at maintenance is not a step backward. It’s a crucial part of your journey that ensures you can sustain your progress without burning out. By giving your body time to recalibrate, protect muscle, and reset your metabolism, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success, no matter your goals (present or future).
Maintenance phases are your opportunity to pause, refuel, and reset, so you can come back stronger and more resilient in the next phase of your journey. Embrace it as a vital part of your nutrition strategy and give your body the care it deserves.
Transitioning between nutrition phases can be daunting, especially when thinking about holding on to progress that has been worked hard for. Drop any questions that you’ve got in the comments, and know that 1:1 nutrition coaching can be an incredible opportunity to receive not just the support, but guidance and roadmap assistance for your personal journey and needs. I’d love to help you build sustainability, see progress, AND be a happy, energetic version of yourself while you’re at it!
