TDEE -20% So Confusing!

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Lishia1283
Lishia1283 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so I'm totally confused. I have been eating between 1200-1300 calories for about a couple months now (mainly because I have set my lifestyle as sedentary). My weight loss has been very slow or nonexistent at this point. I know I'm getting closer to my goal of 140 (I'm currently at 159) but it's getting frustrating! One thing I have noticed is if there was a workout that I did that burned between 700-1000 calories and I just eat anything I want (all in moderation of course) I will actually lose weight lol. This is bizarre to me because I feel that if I'm counting calories I either don't lose weight or just maintain but if I'm eating more than I will lose weight. So I thought maybe there's something to this TDEE-20% method and I would give it a try. But this is where I'm confused. When I put in my stats (I work out 5-6 hours/week and I currently weigh as of today 159 lbs) on the caluclator it gave me these numbers:

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): 1420 calories Projected weight loss: 1.1 lbs per week
Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE): 2450 calories 3.9 lbs per month
Daily calories based on goal in step 6: 1960 calories 51 lbs per year

What numbers will I actually be following? If I'm looking at it right, it would be 1960 calories and that seems like a lot for me to be consuming everyday to lose weight. So someone please help me because I want finally break into my 150s at least.

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Just eat 1900 calories daily if your TDEE is 2450. And adjust macro's accordingly. I like them around 35% carbs, 40% protein and 25% fats. BTW, try 1900 for 4-6 weeks. if you don't see much weight loss, then subtract 200 calories for another month. Right now you need to find your real TDEE. For example, I eat a standard 2500 calories a day. On average, I lose 1 lb per week which means my TDEE is 3000. If I was only losing 1/2 lb per week, then my TDEE would be 2750.
  • Lishia1283
    Lishia1283 Posts: 20 Member
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    Well what about the days that I don't work out? Should I just go by the 1420 calories for my basal metabolic rate or should I eat the 1900?
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    Well what about the days that I don't work out? Should I just go by the 1420 calories for my basal metabolic rate or should I eat the 1900?

    Eat the same amount daily. Don't log your exercise calories.
    With 19lbs to lose, I wouldn't do such a cut, I'd do 15%
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Well what about the days that I don't work out? Should I just go by the 1420 calories for my basal metabolic rate or should I eat the 1900?

    When you run the TDEE calculators, exercise is figured in. And this is why you eat the same amount of calories regardless of exercise.
  • Lishia1283
    Lishia1283 Posts: 20 Member
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    So based upon the numbers I posted previously, would my NET calories be the 1900 or would it be the 1420? I hate to sound so dumb and redundant but I want to make sure I'm not mixing up the numbers.

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