Why should i care about maintenance?
... or can I just bulk and cut forever?
What is Maintenance?
Maintenance is a phase where we are in homeostasis, neither gaining nor losing weight.
Our energy intake (food) generally matches our energy output (activity)
For people who have been strength training consistently longer than a year, this is also a time for minimal or slow body re-composition (when you are simultaneously gaining muscle and losing body fat)
Why SHould I be in maintenance?
Maintenance is a phase to learn how to nourish your body and practice balance
It is a time to find the maximum amount you can eat, while still maintaining your physique
It's a time for people newer to nutrition to focus energy on balancing meal composition and maximizing micronutrients prior to attempting a diet or a bulking phase
If your ultimate goal is to maintain a specific shape understanding how to eat and maintain is a skill that needs to be learned
When should I be in maintenance?
You should have a maintenance period if you have only tracked your food to lose weight. Trying to start a diet without knowing your maintenance calories is like using google maps with your location turned off.
In a busy or stressful season of life? Dieting or trying to build muscle is hard enough. You don't need to make it harder by doing it at a sub-optimal time of life.
Have you spent significant time yo-yo dieting? Switch to a long maintenance period to reverse metabolic adaptation and reduce stress.
why not bulk & cut forever?
There is no wrong answer here, if you want to be dialed 24/7/365 and perpetually diet and bulk, you can certainly periodize your nutrition that way.
However, most of my clients like to chase other goals (hiking, mountain biking, summer watersports), social activities, or travel that are not conducive to a successful diet or building phase.
You want your nutrition to align with that season's lifestyle goals, not the other way around.
