Using Maintenance Weeks During a Fat Loss Phase
What is a “maintenance week”?
A maintenance week is a planned pause from dieting where you raise calories to roughly maintenance (TDEE) for 7–10 days. You’ll still train, keep protein high, and stay active—but you give your body and brain a break from the calorie deficit.
Think of it as a pit stop: you’re not abandoning the journey; you’re refuelling so you can drive faster and safer afterwards.
Why they work
Adherence reset: Hunger, food focus, and decision fatigue build up in a deficit. A short break restores willpower and routine.
Performance bump: More carbs = fuller glycogen stores → better training quality → you keep (and sometimes gain) strength.
Physiological sanity check: Weight loss isn’t linear. Extra carbs/sodium temporarily raise scale weight via water/glycogen, but body fat won’t increase if you truly hit maintenance (not surplus).
Lifestyle flexibility: Social events and holidays can land here, keeping your plan sustainable instead of “on/off.”
Maintenance Week vs. Refeed Day vs. Diet Break
Refeed day (1–2 days): Small, short bump in calories (mostly carbs). Good for morale; limited physiological impact.
Maintenance week (7–10 days): A full week at TDEE. Best trade-off between recovery and momentum.
Diet break (2+ weeks): Useful after very long deficits or before photoshoots/meets, but risks losing momentum if overused.
When to schedule them
Use one when any of these show up:
3–6 weeks into a deficit or after ~5–7% bodyweight lost
Training performance dipping 2+ weeks in a row
Persistent high hunger/irritability, sleep getting worse
Travel/holidays that would otherwise derail you
General rule of thumb: every 4–8 weeks, depending on how aggressive your deficit is and how lean you already are.
What to expect on the scale
Days 1–3: Up 0.5–1.5 kg (water + glycogen + food volume).
Days 4–7: stabilisation.
Week after: water drops; many see a “whoosh” if they were stalled.
Key point: Look at 7-day average weight, not a single morning.
A simple 12-week plan (with maintenance weeks)
Weeks 1–3: Deficit (–15 to –25% below TDEE)
Week 4: Maintenance week
Weeks 5–8: Deficit
Week 9: Maintenance week
Weeks 10–12: Deficit → optional photos/measurements
Aggressive dieters or very lean individuals may prefer every 4–6 weeks instead of 8.
How to run your first maintenance week (step-by-step)
Calculate TDEE (Riverside clients check in with the nutritionist) and set your daily target.
Plan carbs around training (pre/post). Keep protein steady.
Keep habits constant: regular mealtimes, step target, training days.
Track, don’t obsess: weigh daily, log food, note energy/sleep.
End-of-week review:
If your 7-day average weight rose >0.25–0.5% and you felt “puffy,” you were likely above maintenance—trim ~100–150 kcal next time.
If it fell or stayed flat and you felt great—perfect.
FAQ
Will I gain fat?
Not if you eat at maintenance. Extra scale weight is mostly water/glycogen. The goal is “not losing,” not “gaining.”
Should I change cardio?
No. Keep activity stable so the calorie target remains meaningful.
What if I’m on a tight deadline (photoshoot/competition)?
Use shorter breaks (2–4 days) or a single refeed day to protect performance without diluting the timeline.
Can beginners skip them?
If adherence is high and progress is steady, you can push longer between maintenance weeks. But the first one is still a great education in fuelling.
Common mistakes to avoid
Turning it into a surplus: “Maintenance” ≠ “free-for-all.” Still track.
Slashing steps/training: Keep routine identical.
Overcorrecting after: Don’t crash diet the day you return to a deficit—resume your previous plan.
Scale panic: Expect that initial water jump. Judge by the next 7–14 days.
