Hi Elizabeth, this schedule and routine doesn't necessarily work for everyone, so by all means do what works for you! This is your way of being the boss of your bread! In terms of discard and feeding schedule, it says that Maura feeds her starter once a week (I imagine according to a similar feeding routine to the one we recommend.) It also says she bakes almost daily, so perhaps the "no discard" results from using the starter she's fed and stored in the refrigerator until it is down to a level that means it needs to be fed again. 

I agree with you that the "replacing what you've used" method of feeding a starter isn't going to properly nourish a starter for the long run, so it's not something I generally recommend for a maintenance routine. If you're finding you're creating too much discard, a smaller starter could be a good option. For this process, the room temperature revival feedings are coupled with building the quantity of starter, so very little discard is created. As a side note, the amount of discard for this starter process is 40g, so you would have enough for Maura's recipe, if you decided to go that route. 

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