How should I start eating my maintenance calories?

[Gamerkuro]

I'm in the middle of figuring out how I should maintain my goal weight now that I am very close to reaching it. One of the things I am concerned with is how should I start eating my maintenance calories. The calories I would need to eat to maintain my goal weight (130) would be about 600 to 800 calories more than what I'm eating now to lose weight.

Once I reach my goal weight, should I immediately start eating these extra calories or should I start slowly adding these calories in over a few weeks or months?

Additional info that might help. When I reach my goal weight I plan on switching from working out from 5 days a week to 3, with more focus on strength training. I'm also planning on ending my 5:2 intermitting fasting.

[Dominique · Accepted solution]

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@Gamerkurowrote:

should I start slowly adding these calories in over a few weeks or months?

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That would be what is known as "reverse dieting" among bodybuilders and other physique competitors, something they (or at least some of them) do after a show, which itself came after a tough diet that brought them down to extremely low body fat levels. I don’t think it’s necessary for regular folks like you and me. However, a sudden change in your eating habits (for instance, adding most of the calories as carbs, or switching from intermittent fasting to a more normal eating schedule) can cause swings in water weight. If you think such swings could cause you to freak out (when seeing the number on the scale), then making more gradual changes could make sense.