Losing Patience

luluinca

Not with EM2WL, it's working, but the slowness of it all. If I didn't have a trainer monitoring my exercise, my calories and how quickly or slowly I'm losing weight, I really think I'd be tempted to just deficit down and lose the last 12 lbs quickly. I know it's a bad idea but it's really tempting. Except for a few diet breaks, I've been doing this for almost 1.5 years and I'm anxious to reach my goal.

Since Jan. 5 I've lost 3 lbs which is great but it's more than I should be losing so we've added calories again. I think my TDEE must be higher than we realized. What I thought was going to be about .4 lbs/week loss has almost doubled. I don't really know how to figure out my TDEE from here as all the estimates are different but it must be closer to 2300 or 2400 than 2100. At 64 I'm a little surprised. Two weeks ago I cut back on my cardio a little and also cut back one day of strength training to a more calisthenic type day.

My question I guess is, should I just keep adding calories until I reach the weight loss I need or how bad is it really if it goes a little faster? I'm averaging 1750/day now. Does it matter very much that I like to calorie cycle so I can eat a little more a couple days a week either because of my workouts or dinner plans or something. I never go below 1650 and other days are as high as 1900. I assume that's okay but I'm not really sure. I don't have cheat meals................I like to track everything and not go over by too much. My macros may be off a little on those 1900 days because if I want a little extra butter or chocolate I have it.

heybales

3 lbs lost if fat x 3500 / 25 days = 420 difference between eating level and TDEE.

So find out your average calories actually eaten from Jan 5-30, and add 420 to it.
So if really 1750, then TDEE is 2170.

That is your results based TDEE for whatever the general workout has been during that time.

Obviously that's not your TDEE if activity level changes going forward.

2170 - 15% = 1845 eating level.

Yep - be good to eat more.

And that should allow you to recover more and better from the workouts.
That means you can workout harder when you should be - that will cause more body transformation.
That can raise TDEE even more.

luluinca

Thanks Heybales, one of my goals for January was to be really careful tracking, even the bad, such as drinks a couple of times and a buffet. You're much better at the math than I am so I think the 2170 number is probably close.

I'll go up again.................hah....................this That means you can workout harder when you should be - that will cause more body transformation.That can raise TDEE even more. sounds just like my trainer. He thinks I'll eventually be able to lose weight eating 2000. I need to practice patience though. I want to be at goal weight yesterday. I don't really even know why because I feel pretty good right now. I think I'm just tired of "dieting" and want to get on with my other fitness goals.

It doesn't really matter that I calorie cycle a little does it?

Jennbecca33

You have an awesome trainer!!! So many of them don't work in this mindset or even understand!! He's a keeper. I think the calorie cycling is fine. Eat more on the days you know you will be more hungry.

luluinca

@ Jenn, thanks for responding and for the input. I agree, I got lucky with my trainer. Seriously, the first thing he said to me last Sept was "You're not eating enough". I'd already been working with a female trainer for a year who had me eating between 1350 and 1450 depending on exercise. He challenged me to work harder and eat more.

He's still doing that! I've had a few over training minor injuries so we're mixing things up a little right now but the calorie burn is at least the same or maybe even higher. I love lifting weights though and in some ways I guess I'm looking forward to not being in a deficit any longer so I can progress even quicker.

heybales

Well, since dieting is usually being mindful of how much you eat - is that truly ever going to end now?

And if it's about the calorie level, you are going to get to start eating more now since you are moving up. So enjoy.

If you've been lifting since Sep, you really should still have some newbie gains available despite being in a deficit. Usually takes 9-12 months to reach that point of not a newbie.
Now the frequency per week can't be as often in a diet since recovery is slower, but that just means perhaps not as often right now for the big workouts. Other recovery level workouts or different muscles can still workout well.

But sounds like a good trainer, so he probably has that covered.

luluinca

heybales wrote: »

Well, since dieting is usually being mindful of how much you eat - is that truly ever going to end now?

And if it's about the calorie level, you are going to get to start eating more now since you are moving up. So enjoy.

If you've been lifting since Sep, you really should still have some newbie gains available despite being in a deficit. Usually takes 9-12 months to reach that point of not a newbie.
Now the frequency per week can't be as often in a diet since recovery is slower, but that just means perhaps not as often right now for the big workouts. Other recovery level workouts or different muscles can still workout well.

But sounds like a good trainer, so he probably has that covered.

I didn't know that newbie gains lasted that long so I feel better. I have been adding weight pretty consistently the last few months so it hasn't hurt me too much being in a deficit.

Just last week my trainer mixed up my workouts so I have more recovery time between the hard workouts and I'm actually taking a 3 day break this weekend, just swimming and walking the dogs.

I completely understand about being mindful during maintenance. It's not the logging and watching what I eat that's bugging me (that's a lifetime of work), it's not being at my goal weight yet. There's something about that still elusive number that I really want.

Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate the help you guys offer here.