You should select the maintenance goal in one of two scenarios:
- You want to stay at your current weight and are satisfied with your calorie intake
You’ve just finished a reverse diet
If you choose the maintenance goal because you’re happy with your physique and the amount of food you’re eating, feel free to stay on maintenance as long as you’d like.
If you choose the maintenance goal because you’ve just finished a reverse, you may need to stay on it for about the same number of months you spent reversing. This gives you enough time to allow your metabolism to adapt to the higher calories and also extends how long you stay out of a calorie deficit. These are general guidelines. How long you should stay on maintenance depends on many factors. Reach out to our coaching team at coaching@avatarnutrition.com for more personalized recommendations.
If you have a history of crash or yo-yo dieting, it can be beneficial to stay on the maintenance setting for a year or more. The more time you spend at a higher calorie intake, the greater your chances of losing weight when you finally do decide to cut.
*** Still not sure whether you should choose maintenance as your goal? Take our goal quiz!