Calorie Question

gettingto65

If I eat 1300 calories a day (TDEE 2100) for say around six months to reach my goal weight (would like to lose 50lbs) and then bump it back up to TDEE/around 1600 calories a day, is this okay?

I am so wary of eating too few calories but I am having no luck with 1600 calories a day after three months (measuring food and eating 80% clean)

Any advice is hugely appreciated thank you

KorvapuustiPossu

If you are not losing at 1600 that means that your TDEE is 1600 or you are underestimating what you are eating (are you weighing EVERYTHING on a kitchen scale to a gram? ) If you were in deficit you would be losing. So if you drop to 1300 that would only mean 300 deficit (considering you are not losing at 1600) so that would put you at just above 0.5 lbs loss a week so 50 lbs would not happen in 6 months. However I do not think your TDEE is really 1600...more likely your logging is the issue. Just tighten that and it should be fine.

malibu927

Measuring or weighing? There's a major difference, and using a food scale is the best way to ensure you're eating the amount you say you are.

kommodevaran

Your math is almost correct - keep in mind that your TDEE will decrease as your weight decreases, so your 800 calorie deficit won't be 800 for long. 1600 sounds like a better idea. In fact, one possible method for weight loss is to eat at maintenance calories at goal weight.

But your practical approach is not helping you. You are eating more than you think you are. Not much, just enough to not lose weight. Measuring is pointless, eating clean is pointless. Weigh everything you eat and drink on a kitchen scale. What you eat has no direct impact on weight. But food choice might impact satiety, energy level and overall feeling of wellness, and thus willingness to adhere to calorie deficit, and thus successful weightloss.