Need help-loosing weight -what are the next steps?

agbmom556

I am in the process of loosing (50 pounds). I weigh myself 2 times a month. I am eating at a 15% deficit. I workout 5 times a week (weights, body pump or walking) As my weight goes down, I readjust my daily calorie goals according to the scooby calculator +15% deficit of TDEE.
I eat back 1/2 of my daily exercise calories if I do weights or body pump.

1. Is this the correct path until I reach my desired weight?

retirehappy

Sounds like a good foundation. Just be sure you are using the right activity level on Scooby's site.

You might also try out Heybale's Just TDEE spreadsheet, link is under his profile, it is a Google doc that you can download locally or keep in your folder with Google if you have one. It is a great help and easy to fill out as well.

Good luck on your Journey.

agbmom556

Retire happy, Thank you for the information. Since I have a desk job. I set my activity to sedentary and plan to eat 1/2 of my exercise calories.
I am not sure if I should change it to lightly active and not eat back calories.
I will check out heybales worksheet. Thank you again

retirehappy

So desk job, no kids to chase around, no fitness activity, only exercise is looking for the tv remote? That would be true sedentary. Women tend to underestimate their activity levels. As you eat less, you can do less, you are not feeding your body to perform. Just be honest with yourself.

ambsnic17

I'm no expert but you said you work out 5x a week, so would you really be sedentary?

agbmom556

retirehappy and ambsnic17, you are both right. Part of me wants to loose weight quickly another part of me wants to do this the right way. It has been a long, slow process.
I will readjust. Thank you for being honest. )

agbmom556

Yesturday, Kiki posted this article. Talk about great timing.

http://eatmore2weighless.com/diet-lies-part-2/

heybales

So it sounds like you are saying you are doing 15% deficit to TDEE - but you aren't really doing TDEE because you don't include exercise.

Therefore that is not TDEE.

And then you take 50% deficit to the exercise calories, which may or may not increase that daily deficit to well beyond 15%.

Why not just use MFP the way it was designed if you want to include exercise when you do it.

You can use MFP method with the same principle - use a reasonable deficit.

First though - correct activity level - and as a mom with family - you are not sedentary, you are lightly active - unless you cook and clean for no one anymore and are bump on a log after work and outside of exercise.

Then find a deficit amount that is close to 15%, maybe a tad more on non-exercise days, and a tad less on exercise days. That may be 250, may be 500 - you can also create your own custom goal for what the difference should be.

For custom, set the activity level honestly, set weight loss to maintenance - and go look at what your daily eating goal is with no exercise logged.
Now take off perhaps 17.5%, and go set a manual eating goal of that much.

Now log your exercise honestly, and don't change the calorie value unless you have a better estimate from something.
If walking or running or biking outside - those intensities are specific.
If elliptical with no specifics - use what the machine says, as well as stairs, rower, ect.
Lifting and circuit training are close enough - take the full value.

Now meet your daily eating goal.

If you don't like the idea of dynamic daily eating goals, and planning for a static number would make you adhere better - then use the weekly average TDEE method most use - and that Just My TDEE Please in my profile page will work good enough.

agbmom556

Thank you heybales. I plan to use a static number for my food as it will enable me to plan my meals. I will look at the Just my TDEE worksheet.