Just starting out

3furballs

ESo, I'm sticking a toe in and trying something different. I found a few different TDEE calculation sites and I've taken the lowest which was over 2000 and I'm deducting 20% from that, to equal 1689 as a calorie goal. I'm 148lbs trying to lose 10lbs and doing cardio kickboxing (on the heavy bag), kettlebell and walking, working out 6 days a week. Next grocery run I'm going to get more chicken so I can add more protein to my meals.

I have to admit I worry about putting the goal higher than this as I lost weight in 2010, and have kept it off until about 6 months ago, with weight watchers. But I just can't handle restricting my calories that much anymore. Since I lost the weight I have maintained and still eaten real food and treats without issue (thanks to staying active). I spoke to a personal trainer I know and she said I'd need to keep my calories around 1300/1400 to lose weight. She is starting to train for a fitness competition and lifts heavy and only has 1500 cal a day. It makes it hard to embrace the idea of increasing my calories!

What has worked for you calorie goal wise? I'd like to see the scale at 137 again, but mostly I'd to feel comfy in my clothes again.

heybales

You'll find the vast majority using 15% deficit, and that's with 30lb or more to lose.

Last 10 lbs - unless you want a fight on your hands that produces negative results - would be more reasonable at 10% deficit.

Besides, I'm betting by the way you took the lowest TDEE estimate, you also went for the lowest activity level you thought might fit. What did you select working out 6x weekly.

Your trainer hasn't kept up with current research if she feels that must be the level to eat at, likely for herself, but also for others. Or she is below 5 ft tall.

Pick whatever level you were eating at and maintaining.
What was true average gross eaten calories if you look at past month?

That is your current TDEE, with whatever level of exercise you did during that month.

Is it suppressed TDEE, or potential TDEE?
You couldn't know.

Merely eat 250 more daily than what you used to, if you keep the workouts the same.
If that eating level maintaining weight was really your TDEE, you should slowly gain 1 lb in 2 weeks, that's it. And with strength training, not even fat.
If that happens, that prior eating level was indeed potential TDEE. deficit from that to lose weight.

If you gain more or faster, or not at all, then your prior level was suppressed TDEE, not potential, and your metabolism either sped up to match eating level, and/or you topped of glucose stores with water in your muscles, which are always depleted to some extent while in a diet.

mymodernbabylon

It sounds like you work out more than I do, you weigh about the same and I'm guessing you AREN'T older than me (I'm 46). I'm 5'6" and my TDEE is 2350 - and I've tested it. At the most, with the weight you have to lose, you should be going for a 15% deficit. AT THE MOST. And in the TDEE you should also include more than just exercise - do you have kids, do you have an active job, do you walk around more than just weight lifting and gym stuff? That gets included as well.

Basically, if you aren't giving yourself the calories that you need for this, you aren't actually doing EM2WL - what you are doing is giving yourself a big and unnecessary deficit. And I'd honestly tell off your frickin' PT for the stupid nutritional advice she's giving.

3furballs

I'm 43 and work part time at a desk job and have 3 kids. I think what I'll do is use this goal for the next two weeks, then up take the three different TDEE measurements I got (2049, 2543 and 2424 on Scobby) and average them out (2338) and deduct by 15% (so my goal would be 1987), does that make sense? I just want to see if this current change to my goals will make a difference and I want to see if part of it is hormonal and if that will resolve itself in the next couple of weeks.

leooftheyear

3furballs wrote: »

I'm 43 and work part time at a desk job and have 3 kids. I think what I'll do is use this goal for the next two weeks, then up take the three different TDEE measurements I got (2049, 2543 and 2424 on Scobby) and average them out (2338) and deduct by 15% (so my goal would be 1987), does that make sense? I just want to see if this current change to my goals will make a difference and I want to see if part of it is hormonal and if that will resolve itself in the next couple of weeks.

how did you get the 3 numbers from Scooby, and was there a deficit built in the numbers already?

3furballs

I used three different sizes, Scobby, http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ and http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced, just one of them was scobby and that is the gross number, then I would deduct 15% to come to my total net calories.

nellyett

It's really difficult to wrap your head around the concept of getting to eat more to lose than we've been led to believe in the past. I'm the same age as you and come from that old school of thought that has us restricting everything in order to lose weight.

The ultimate goal is to eat as much as you can and still lose FAT (helps with sanity and lifetime sustainability), maintain muscle while doing so, and not eliminating any food groups or depriving yourself of the things you love unless you have a medical reason to do so.

You may have to play around with your numbers a bit to get a sense of your true TDEE, but I've found that the Scooby site has been pretty accurate for me and that's based on actual past data. I found that I fell in between two of the levels, and the more accurate reading is the Katch method if you know your bodyfat percentage.

Trust the numbers and the science, have patience, and enjoy the process. Wild fluctuations on the scale aren't true indicators of what's happening with your body. It will take some time to get used to more fuel, and be sure to read all the notes in this group about upping your cals, etc. This truly works, and it's liberating!

Good luck!!

3furballs

I think part of my concern is that my exercise routine won't change. I love the workouts I do and I don't have time/money to add heavy lifting to it. Will that affect my weightloss? If I'm doing more cardio than strength training? I do strength training (would you call kettlebell that?) 3 times a week and in kickboxing we do 15 minutes of resistance training.

It is hard to wrap my head around. But I'm so frustrated that since the beginning of December I've rather suddenly gained 8-9lbs. I'm also worried it's hormonal and there may not be much I can do about it.

I think I will skip weighing in this Sunday and weigh in next Sunday and see if there is any change. I feel like nothing has changed and still feel bloated from tom so I'd rather not deal with any disappointment this week.

mymodernbabylon

I also used Scooby and discovered that it worked best for me. And I wish I was still eating my TDEE - it was fabulous. But I decided to do a small deficit to try to lose a bit more fat (all about aesthetics - stupid me). I think your plan to try it out works well - if you lose too fast, add more calories. If after 4 weeks you don't lose weight, then get rid of 100 calories and try again for 4 weeks.

heybales

The weight increase likely is hormonal.

Cortisol hormone. Because your body is stressed and retaining water. It can retain upwards of 20 lbs of water.
Will you feel stressed then?

Why is body stressed?
Eating so low for as much as you do.

Since doing more cardio, deficit should be even less, as cardio by itself gives no reason to retain muscle.
The resistance training will help, unless deficit is too much.
Care to risk it?

IIFYM site seems to badly underestimate for everyone.

I find it very hard to believe you got a TDEE that low with 3 kids and 3 days of work and 6 days of exercise.

Be honest with yourself - no need to shoot your body in the metabolism trying to play it on what you think is the safe side.
Bigger is not better and is not the safe side.

3furballs

So I was down to 143 two weeks ago then I was sick for a well and not working out, though also not eating as much. Ended up at 147. Got back into my routine and the last two weekends we've had celebrations but I've been working out all week and yet I was still 146 yesterday. Not sure what I need to do to get the weight off. Some of my dress pants are snug so I know there is gain in the waist and butt. I'm changing my workout a bit in that I'm doing combat conditioning Thursday and a self defense class Friday instead of Kickboxing and kettlebell just Tuesday and Saturday (Tuesdays class is after doing most of a Kickboxing workout, just the timing).

Do you think the workout change will help? I've kept my calories at 1900.

MandaLeigh123

You workout a ton! So do I so I can spot you right quick.
I weigh 145lbs--- 5'7".
My tested TDEE is 2,850 (yep daily!) approx
I just started a caloric cut and will be eating 2,450-2550 to lose weight :-)
I think 1900 is way too low since you are so close to goal and train alot.
Your trainer isnt eating enough. I saw huge gains in strength and endurance with cardio when I upped my calories.

heybales

If you had been slowing down in prior workout from boredom, or you couldn't make it harder, then yes it could make a difference.
Otherwise probably not.

So I noticed from past posts, the number was 1987 - but you rounded down to 1900.

And you didn't take the 10% deficit with only 7 lbs to lose.

And I'll bet, if the body actually shaped up to the max from the exercise - you wouldn't even need that 7 lbs to be gone, as the body would look more like what you want.

I doubt greatly you are getting what you can from your workouts. Sure burning calories. And perhaps feeling like you are giving it your all on days that should be intense.
But with a body not getting what it wants, not recovering totally, and not able to push as hard as it could - you aren't getting the max from your workouts.

Just like intervals allow the hard segment to truly be hard because you have an easy segment - does your week follow the same hard / easy progression each day?
Or as hard as you can go every day?

3furballs

The only days that are "easier" would be the Thursday comabat conditioning, it's hard but mostly strength interval training and Friday self defence is not really a work out (but I'm liking it) and Sunday is rest day. Monday is kickboxing, Tuesday is kickboxing (most of a class) followed by kettlebell, Wednesday is kickboxing (though I may switch to hiking once the weather is good), then combat Thursday, defence Friday and kettlebell and kickboxing Saturday. And the walking to work. I'm kind of stuck on their schedule since the only kettlebell classes offered that I can now make it to are the Tues and Sat and combat is included on the Thur (my husband changed shifts so I can't do 6am kettlebell).

So, I should up my calories? And Manda yes I did round down, I guess I'll up it to 2000 for the next week or so and see where that gets me, then up it another 100.

heybales

The more stress you put on the body by inadequate rest, the less stress you should put on it from diet - which also impairs recovery and is a stress all on it's own.

Up them calories.

3furballs

Well I've upped it to 2000, though I'm starting to see how hard it can be to get those calories with healthy foods!