Newbie Questions

crankyme

Hi everyone -

I just found EM2WL about a month ago and dove in head first. In 2013 I went from 196 lbs to 165 lbs in about 6 months doing the Paleo diet and nothing else but walking. It's been 4 years and I'm at 186 now. Eating that way wasn't sustainable for me. I'm an insulin dependent diabetic and have monitored my carb intake for many years, trying to keep it to around 100 carbs a day, and eating more fat than most folks would be comfortable with, although I wasn't tracking and don't know the percentages.

I'm 48, weigh 186 right now and put myself down as lightly active. I walk between 10k and 12k steps a day on average. Using the EM2WL calculator, I came up with:

TDEE 2110
BMR 1535
TDEE with 15% cut 1794
Ligthly active

I ate at this level for 3 weeks with my fitbit tied into MFP. If I earned extra calories I ate them the best I could. It seemed to confusing to have my daily calories fluctuating all around so I used the three week average of my fitbit daily burn and that was 2300 - so my the activity level I selected wasn't really right. I've adjusted my numbers to:

Macros 30% protein, 35% carbs, 35% fat
TDEE 2300
BMR ?? I don't know because my fitbit One doesn't give me that
TDEE 1955 based on 15% cut
I stopped eating calories from the fitbit unless they are over 345 which is the diff between TDEE and TDEE with cut.

I also started lifting 3x a week using the EM2WL free beginner workouts. So far, I've put on 2 lbs (I started at 184), even though I'm eating at a cut. My stomach just seems to keep growing and growing and it feels like I'm going in the wrong direction. The only positive I can see is that my insulin sensitivity is getting much better. I need less even with more carbs, so that is a huge plus.

Can someone tell me if my second set of numbers seems right? Should I keep eating at this cut level even though weight is going on? I know this is a slow program, and I'm willing to put in the work, but I feel like I'm just making things harder on myself by putting on more weight. I was not restricting calories at all or doing any cardio other than walking, so I started at a cut instead of a reset. Advice on that would also be great.

Thanks in advance. You all seem like such a supportive group!

Kathleen

JollyHodgers87

Hi there. Since I'm a newbie... question, I'm a pescetarian- borderline vegetarian and have been for several years. Do you have to eat meat to partake in this diet? Thanks.

empressichel

Hi Kathleen @crankyme
Your numbers look right, I would definitely use you Fitbit numbers rather than the calculators.
Just remember with your Fitbit to manually add in your strength training as it won't account for that with just your step count.
The two pound weight gain could be many things but I would guess it is most likely because you have just started a new lifting programme.
The bloated stomach feeling often happens when people start EM2WL too. Make sure you are getting enough fibre and drinking plenty water and if the volume of food adds to the bloated feeling, try splitting it into smaller meals/snacks.
On the reset, have you read through all the info to see if you think one would be right for you?
http://eatmore2weighless.com/the-metabolism-reset-guide/
It sounds like you are taking all the right steps and doing everything we recommend so just need a huge serving of patience now!
Love how you are diving right in and not just researching but DOING too! That's where the magic lies!
Ichel
Team EM2WL

empressichel

wstephens87 wrote: »

Hi there. Since I'm a newbie... question, I'm a pescetarian- borderline vegetarian and have been for several years. Do you have to eat meat to partake in this diet? Thanks.

Hi @wstephens87 Great question!
Answer : absolutely not!
I am a vegan and have been very successful with EM2WL. I get over 200g of plant-based protein a day. This is a lifestyle that will work for anyone! It really does work for anyone and everyone. Just have to make tweaks and adjustments and it is totally doable.
Ichel
Team EM2WL

crankyme

Thanks Ichel, for your take on what's going on with me. I actually had the thought this morning that maybe I ought to do a reset. Why not? If I can take my calories up to 2300 and maintain, or put on and take off weight w/in a week that the EM2WL guide says is normal on the way up to TDEE, then I can start at peak calorie eating, and cut from there. Yay! I'm actually surprisingly hungry at 1955 a day.

I really do enjoy not stressing out about food, scales, water weight, etc. This all feels so relaxing and uncomplicated. Looking forward to the next few weeks...will look for more non-scale victories and report back.

Cheers and thanks again!
Kathleen

1Mrsmcdilbert

Hello - I have a newbie question. Will this work if you are hypothyroid? I just got back from the doctors and their suggestion when I talked about having issues with weight loss was to go on one of their programs with ready made food which will end with me being at 800 calories before they discuss eating regular healthy food. I don't want to eat that low and I don't feel that is healthy. I am so discouraged today.

Thanks in advance,

Annette

heybales

Amount of actually being off estimated TDEE is on average 5% lower max - not a huge amount - 100 calories on what could be an estimated 2000 TDEE.

And if taking meds - then likely not that far off.

Now - if you've lost a lot of muscle mass through years of dieting, TDEE estimates using gender, age, weight, height were going to be inflated anyway - so you could be right on or still a tad lower going off body fat %.

The problem is it makes you tired - move less daily, base metabolism isn't effected nearly as much as people like to believe.

That level of calories should be reserved for a research study where you are being measured out the wazoo to confirm no damage to the body.
You aren't getting that.

Yes it will work - your potential TDEE may just be lower a tad than if you had no disease. Finding a way to keep moving daily will help too.

But no need forcing it lower by undereating by a huge amount - that's a guaranteed way for body to respond first to conserve calories for metabolism - slow you down.

Pocket__Cthulhu

My calculated TDEE is...very, very high.

I'm female, 5'5, 30yo and it told me to eat 2735 cal a day. I'm 177

I added up the hours I spend at my dojo (Aikido: throwing and grappling), lifting weights (5x5 StrongLift) and running. I conservatively picked 6-8 hours of exercise a week. It may be more because I did not count my work with weapons (jo staff, iaito and bokken) or the warm ups. I wasn't sure I should. I work at an office.

The few posts I glanced at give much lower numbers, should I scale this one back or trust the calculator for now until I find my balance?

I'm doing a reset. I have been trying to stick to 1400 calories because of my sedentary job and failing miserably. I didn't log my "failures" so have no idea if I should even do a reset. Clearly I ate enough to gain ten pounds in the past 6mos.

Thoughts? Some one hold my hand and tell me this will be alright.

heybales

Think about this.
Intervals - either the now faddish and misapplied HIIT, or Short Interval Training, or regular - all burn less calories per time than a good strong steady-state cardio session. (but the hope is they burn more in repair later after a good workout - just like lifting).

So when you think about that training - is it constant, or rest times between movements?

Because many people are surprised that a normal weight-lifting session burns about as many calories as a strong paced walk. Because of the nature of rests.

So if that training has a lot of rests - you may be in the training for 1 hr, but actually only be active for say 40 min - that difference in time adds up weekly.

And while the sessions are tough, it's tough in an anaerobic way, not overload by weight reason - so not the same repair process going on.

But warmups if almost daily for say 15 min - add up weekly if like walking before, and even more if after.

You might try this, and put the dojo work depending on how non-rested it is, under the aerobic class stuff. But if it's do a movement, then backup and wait for other person, then comments, then do it again - that's probably closer to walking level like lifting would be.

Just TDEE Please spreadsheet - better than rough 5 level TDEE charts from 1919 study.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G7FgNzPq3v5WMjDtH0n93LXSMRY_hjmzNTMJb3aZSxM/edit?usp=sharing

Might give a hint to allow honing in faster. Nothing to be gained from overeating a potential TDEE, except fat and difficulty lowering it down to reality later.

kcmsmith0405

@Pocket__Cthulhu I would say that is probably closer that you think - I do martial arts without the weightlifting or running (slowly adding those in) and my TDEE is 2500-2550. I am taller and heavier than you (5'8 and 212) but also much older, so extrapolating I bet you are really close to 2600-2700 TDEE.

You probably want to reset and go up slowly. I went up rather fast 1600 to 2000 this first week (I was starving LOL) - then slower after that and gained about 5 lbs until I stabilized, but I felt so much stronger in my workouts. I have been cutting for a few weeks now (2200) and it's torture - I have no idea how I ever ate 1600 cals a week LOL.

Kelly

Pocket__Cthulhu

I am definitely doing a reset, because I'm so hungry all the time that the idea of eating -that- much sounds heavenly. I've already been gaining steadily since I went from a job where I walked 5-10 miles a day to sitting still.

That's how I ended up here. I thought I needed to cut my calories back drastically to prevent gaining, and started a starving "you're doing great being so disciplined" during the day to a total binge at night. I figured 1400-1600 was enough. That's my BMR, and I didn't realize it. It's day three and I decided to just rip the bandaid off and gain 5-10 pounds. I figure it won't torment me as much as my recent gain because at least I will understand my gain and I could use it to build some real good strength...and, food. I'm so tired of being hungry and tired.

I did notice yesterday that my squat of 145 felt like 95. It's shocking how quickly exercising gets easier.

Thank you for the reply! It's good to see nice people here. I'm always afraid to post on these forums because the answer has always been get a scale and stop eating as much. I really hope this works.

Much love!

kcmsmith0405

You are exactly where I was - trying so hard to eat at BMR and then chowing down every night after working out. You will LOVE how you feel when you are eating enough.
And yes exercise got easier for me within a few days of eating more. I just did a cut and forgot what it was like to be eating below TDEE (so not fun). I made it 4 weeks - taking a week off now to eat again.

Pocket__Cthulhu

It's an incredibly miserable cycle.
I feel better just knowing I don't have to try and avoid even healthy food items to keep my intake low enough to lose. It's just not sustainable for me and after doing the calculator I understand why.

cinblog1965

@kcmsmith0405 I ws the same way, trying to eat below BMR to lose and then binging and then beating myself up mentally for having no willpower. At 52 I'm now eating 1780 calories and I can say it's so nice to eat again without guilt! And I do feel more energetic so I'm not dragging myself to the gym, I'm looking forward to it!

charlouiselb

Hi guys- I’m new to all this. I selected the 1200 cal program MFP recommended for 1 lb a week loss. However, when I input my info into an online calculator and got these results. Can you help me understand which is appropriate for someone who works out infrequently and is rather sedentary- I paint mostly seated throughout the workday.
Thanks!
Char

heybales

charlouiselb wrote: »

Hi guys- I’m new to all this. I selected the 1200 cal program MFP recommended for 1 lb a week loss. However, when I input my info into an online calculator and got these results. Can you help me understand which is appropriate for someone who works out infrequently and is rather sedentary- I paint mostly seated throughout the workday.
Thanks!
Char

8 hours of mostly seated workday, shoot 9-10 with driving perhaps, is hardly the end of the story when you include rest of the day and the weekends - what are those like?
Got kids, pets getting walked, household duties, ect?

Rarely sedentary then on average.

MFP expects no exercise until actually done, external sites do include planned exercise - you got any being done?

1200 is bare minimum for safety for average truly sedentary woman - do you want to be average, are you truly sedentary, do you want minimum results for body transformation?

If not - then don't do minimum.
Attempt to lose fat eating the most you can with good workouts - that's the goal.

And 1 lb weekly - do you have more than 15 lbs to lose? Then it might be reasonable. But the less resistance training you do, the smaller the deficit should be so you don't risk muscle mass loss.