Maintain!

So I made a decision. I am going to try to maintain, for at least 2 weeks but possibly a month. I decided that I wanted to know what would happen. I am continuing to train for my half marathon, and I will be running about the same amount each week that I have been running for the past couple of weeks, I will also be continuing my cross training on non running days, BUT I am going to up my caloric intake. When you want to lose weight you cut back on your calories, create a deficit, it works. I have also been paying attention to my net calories, never letting them fall too far below 1200. I have been trying to lose about 1.5 pounds per week, and so my calorie goal has been 1350 per day, since most days I burn 300-500 calories (sometimes more) I have actually been eating around 1600 per day to keep my net calories up (like I said, not letting it fall too far below 1200). I told my calorie counter that I wanted to maintain, and my new calorie goal is 2080 per day- WOW. I decided that I would not keep my net calories around 2000, but rather I will eat to my goal and if I happen to go out and run 13 miles and burn 1000 or more calories I will eat my way back to 1200 net.

I must admit, I am a little scared. I feel like I have been very good to my body, I have been kind, but my fear is that my body will say "What is this? We are getting more food than normal, we should store some energy, STORE STORE STORE!" I don't want to gain, I want to maintain. So like I said I will give it a try for at least 2 weeks, if at the end of those two weeks I have been gaining I will go back to trying to lose 1.5 pounds per week and I will worry about figuring out maintenance when I reach my goal. But, if maintenance seems to be working I might give my self two more weeks, a month off from dieting, wouldn't that be nice? So, wish me luck.