EM2WL- Metabolism Reset and calorie increase

Nayners21

Has anyone began this journey by just increasing their calories quickly and not the recommended 100 per week? Any success? I feel that I already went through my "metabolism reset" when I was sick and tired of eating at 1200 calories. I pretty much said, "F- logging in my food, I'm so tired of this." So I went on a bit of a little eating spree/just not caring what I ate for about 2 months. Of course I gained, about 4-8 pounds. However, because I really didn't keep track, I am really not sure how many calories exactly I was eating. I'm kind of confused if I still need to eat at maintenance or can I cut?

heybales

Start logging and see what level you are at for a week of whatever typical eating was/is.
If actually pretty far off, go slowly up.

If close already, get up to estimated TDEE for a week to make sure.

Take a deficit.

There are many that just jumped straight up. Usually big weight gain. Not surprising. Eating in surplus to a suppressed TDEE.
Everyone would gain fat eating over TDEE.

Nayners21

I would like to hope I wasnt eating over TDEE, but I cant be certain. My problem is I am over thinking what my TDEE is. I dont want to trust that I can actually eat that much. It is a scary feeling.

heybales

Can you believe your sedentary number is realistic?

Many have no clue on calorie levels, never looking at them, never logging what they used to eat that caused weight gain.
And only diets they see is 1200.
Like if you didn't log what you ate during that time of not carrying, you don't know how much you ate.

So a very skewed outlook as to what calorie levels are. I'd suggest most would be shocked that they burned 2000 with sedentary lifestyle (actually probably a tad lightly-active), and with newly added exercise compared to when they gained - probably 2500.

And you can be certain on eating over TDEE. In fact a 2 week test is best way to confirm.
Eat 250 more than what you think TDEE is, daily for 2 weeks.

You would only gain 1 whole pound slowly. Incredible, huh.

If you don't gain 1 lb, then your estimate of TDEE was low, and body sped up.
If you gain more and faster, you gained water weight, which again proves you were not eating at TDEE prior, or there would be no glucose stores with water to even top off to cause weight gain.
If you gain exactly 1 lb slowly, then your prior estimate was correct, take a deficit to that number.

mymodernbabylon

Feel free to read about my journey to finding out my true TDEE here: http://eatmore2weighless.com/lianes-two-year-fitness-plan/

And you can friend me here if you'd like. I also post in the forum section of the EM2WL website where I post my frustrations and victories. I'm 45 yr old, 5'6", 145-149 (range), lift 2-3x a week, run 2-3x a week (slow jog) and play as a goalie in field hockey 2x a week. I currently am eating between 2100 and 2300 calories depending on how active I am in a week (right now at 2100 as I'm not doing hockey the next 3 weeks...sad). You'll be amazed at what you can eat!