So many opinions...please help a newbie out???

kaygold

Everyone,

I just joined this group today after have done my research (a LOT) and decided EMTWL was the route for me

I initially posted a this question on MFP in the general discussions forum, and I got a lot of supportive feedback. However, there were some varying opinions, especially when it came to the cut % I should be at, and at what activity level. While I don't discount anything anyone said, (some of it made sense to a newbie like me),I don't believe all the opinions came from people who also follow the EMTWL lifestyle. And so, I would like to re-post my question (see below please) here and get some feedback from members who have experienced, are living, and understand EMTWL.

I would very much appreciate any and all help! I just want to make sure I do this the right way. After years of struggling and yo-yo dieting I want to stick to this method because I feel it is something I can commit to in the long-term...but if I am going to commit, want to make sure I don't mess it up from the get go! Thank you!!!!

*****

I entered my info into the scooby calculator (there are a ton of calcs out there, but alot of you talk about this one....)

Female
5 feet 7 inches
157 pounds
25 years old
light excercise
15% cut

Based on this I came up with :

BMR: 1529
TDEE: 2102
CUT: 1787

So my questions are:

1) So based on this, I should eat 1787 a day right? And should NOT eat excercise calories right?

2) I have a desk job, but I do jillian michaels 30 day shred 3 times a week. Given ths, did I pick the right activity level of light?

3) Should I have done a 20% cut instead of 15%? Eat more to weigh less website says not to go higher than 15% but a lot of MFP members are at a 20%...

Thank you in advance!

tracieangeletti

I wish I could help you with this but I'm looking for answers too! Lol My question is about activity levels and cut %. Scooby describes activity levels by number of hours working out, but then it also says moderate or strenuous. I'm spending anywhere from 5-8 hours in the gym a week. I lift for an hour or so 4-5 days a week and then spin for an hour three days a week. My problem is should I just go by the hours spent working out to find my correct tdee or by moderate or strenuous description. I'm not sure how you decide moderate over strenuous. I'm working hard and sweating, especially during spin, but not sure if that counts as strenuous. I wouldn't worry about it so much but there is almost a two hundred calorie difference between the two and I'm sure that makes a big difference in your weight loss if you pick the wrong one. Can anyone clear this up for me? Which would you choose?

Btw: I am lifting heavy. Not sure if that makes a difference or not. Thanks!

Op: Maybe we can both figure this out!! Good luck!!

tracieangeletti

Bump :-)

kaygold

yes, BUMPITY! Please help! Thank youuuuu

disintegratedgirl

I'm pretty new to this programme so sure you will get advice rather much more experienced EMTWL-ers but thought I would give you both the link to heybales spreadsheet that alot of us use. It allows you to customise your TDEE around what exercise you actually do.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE#gid=14

Given it doesn't sound you have got that much to lose I would definitely be reluctant to go to 20% cut so would definitely give 15% a go. And your exercise calories are built into your TDEE so you don't eat back exercise calories unless you do an AWFUL lot more one day and doing so might take you below your BMR.

Good luck to both of you! I am currently doing a reset but hope to be in a position to start a cut in a month or so.

sassiebritches

I am wondering why are you going straight into a cut? I have ALOT to lose, and understood starting out we should all reset - whether that means 4 weeks or 12 weeks depends on your body. I personally am planning at least 6 weeks - Find your TDEE based on your activity and eat there until you are stable, you may gain some weight back, but I am hearing that this is ok and normal. Then once stable cut to 15%. That is when you will start losing......I could be wrong if you are close to goal, but that was my understanding. Not sure that helps, hope so

sassiebritches

sassiebritches

I wish I could help you with this but I'm looking for answers too! Lol My question is about activity levels and cut %. Scooby describes activity levels by number of hours working out, but then it also says moderate or strenuous. I'm spending anywhere from 5-8 hours in the gym a week. I lift for an hour or so 4-5 days a week and then spin for an hour three days a week. My problem is should I just go by the hours spent working out to find my correct tdee or by moderate or strenuous description. I'm not sure how you decide moderate over strenuous. I'm working hard and sweating, especially during spin, but not sure if that counts as strenuous. I wouldn't worry about it so much but there is almost a two hundred calorie difference between the two and I'm sure that makes a big difference in your weight loss if you pick the wrong one. Can anyone clear this up for me? Which would you choose?

Btw: I am lifting heavy. Not sure if that makes a difference or not. Thanks!

Op: Maybe we can both figure this out!! Good luck!!

I had this question in another site and the answer was - The mayo clinic considers what you are doing as Strenuous. If you are able to breath normal, carry on a conversation and sing...thats light, if you are able to breath and are breathy during the conversation and not able to sing - Moderate, if you are breathing heavy, have to take deep breaths between words during conversation and unable to sing that is Strenuous. So I say you should set to highest, but that is me....and I am new too, just what I am hearing from my other Eat more grooup:)

tracieangeletti

Thank you so much!! That really helps a lot. Today during spin I kept trying to see if I could sing during the intervals. Nope couldn't' sing! Now if I could just figure out the right cut %.

kaygold

I'm pretty new to this programme so sure you will get advice rather much more experienced EMTWL-ers but thought I would give you both the link to heybales spreadsheet that alot of us use. It allows you to customise your TDEE around what exercise you actually do.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE#gid=14

Given it doesn't sound you have got that much to lose I would definitely be reluctant to go to 20% cut so would definitely give 15% a go. And your exercise calories are built into your TDEE so you don't eat back exercise calories unless you do an AWFUL lot more one day and doing so might take you below your BMR.

Good luck to both of you! I am currently doing a reset but hope to be in a position to start a cut in a month or so.

Thanks for this! I think I'll stick with the 15% cut, and tommorrow, after my rest day today, I'm totally using this chart!

kaygold

I am wondering why are you going straight into a cut? I have ALOT to lose, and understood starting out we should all reset - whether that means 4 weeks or 12 weeks depends on your body. I personally am planning at least 6 weeks - Find your TDEE based on your activity and eat there until you are stable, you may gain some weight back, but I am hearing that this is ok and normal. Then once stable cut to 15%. That is when you will start losing......I could be wrong if you are close to goal, but that was my understanding. Not sure that helps, hope so

Hi there! The reason I am not eating at TDEE and going straight into my cut is because for close to a year now I've eaten 1500 calories a day when dieting. Since my cut less than 300 cals above what I am used to, figured I would just go into the cut. If I was me in HS, aka 1200 cals a day (no no!) I would probably have considered eating at maintance for a while and done a reset.

I do plan on eating at maintence every once in while though

husseycd

I think going to the 1757 calories for a while should be fine, and then "resetting" at TDEE is a good idea. You might slowly up your calories to TDEE, stay there for a few weeks and then drop back to a cut.

I've read you should take a diet break every 4-6 weeks, especially when closer to "ideal" body weight.

I'm fairly new to this as well. I'm heading to Alaska next week where I fully expect to eat at TDEE for the week, and then after I'll cut a little just to drop a litte more BF%. It should equate to about 5 lb.

Good luck!

daniellewillson3

I'm new also and I really like it so far! I've noticed that there can be more one way to do things as far as figuring out your TDEE. For me, since I work out inconsistently, meaning some days I work out longer than others or do different exercises that equate to different amounts of calories burned, I like to set my energy expenditure at little to no exercise and then log the exercise and eat back my calories depending on how much I work out. This works for me I kinda like to log the exercises I do anyway because I feel like the food I eat back is a "bonus" or "extra"

AnitraSoto

Everyone,

I just joined this group today after have done my research (a LOT) and decided EMTWL was the route for me

I initially posted a this question on MFP in the general discussions forum, and I got a lot of supportive feedback. However, there were some varying opinions, especially when it came to the cut % I should be at, and at what activity level. While I don't discount anything anyone said, (some of it made sense to a newbie like me),I don't believe all the opinions came from people who also follow the EMTWL lifestyle. And so, I would like to re-post my question (see below please) here and get some feedback from members who have experienced, are living, and understand EMTWL.

I would very much appreciate any and all help! I just want to make sure I do this the right way. After years of struggling and yo-yo dieting I want to stick to this method because I feel it is something I can commit to in the long-term...but if I am going to commit, want to make sure I don't mess it up from the get go! Thank you!!!!

*****

I entered my info into the scooby calculator (there are a ton of calcs out there, but alot of you talk about this one....)

Female
5 feet 7 inches
157 pounds
25 years old
light excercise
15% cut

Based on this I came up with :

BMR: 1529
TDEE: 2102
CUT: 1787

So my questions are:

1) So based on this, I should eat 1787 a day right? And should NOT eat excercise calories right?

2) I have a desk job, but I do jillian michaels 30 day shred 3 times a week. Given ths, did I pick the right activity level of light?

3) Should I have done a 20% cut instead of 15%? Eat more to weigh less website says not to go higher than 15% but a lot of MFP members are at a 20%...

Thank you in advance!

According to your post and then a later comment, you have been dieting eating 1500 calories, I would recommend that you do a a reset.... 1500 (according to your calculations) is very close to your BMR of 1529. If you increase your calories up to TDEE (either slowly or all at one - your preference) and stay there anywhere from 4 - 12 weeks, hopefully you will get your metabolism revved up to where it should be.

After doing this, and when you weight stabilizes, *then* start a 15% cut. Remember also, that you don't want to stay at cut for too long. Take a TDEE "diet break" every couple of months and eat at TDEE to "remind" your metabolism of it's true TDEE. If you stay at cut too long, you risk your body adapting and thinking that your cut is in fact your TDEE...

kaygold

Everyone,

I just joined this group today after have done my research (a LOT) and decided EMTWL was the route for me

I initially posted a this question on MFP in the general discussions forum, and I got a lot of supportive feedback. However, there were some varying opinions, especially when it came to the cut % I should be at, and at what activity level. While I don't discount anything anyone said, (some of it made sense to a newbie like me),I don't believe all the opinions came from people who also follow the EMTWL lifestyle. And so, I would like to re-post my question (see below please) here and get some feedback from members who have experienced, are living, and understand EMTWL.

I would very much appreciate any and all help! I just want to make sure I do this the right way. After years of struggling and yo-yo dieting I want to stick to this method because I feel it is something I can commit to in the long-term...but if I am going to commit, want to make sure I don't mess it up from the get go! Thank you!!!!

*****

I entered my info into the scooby calculator (there are a ton of calcs out there, but alot of you talk about this one....)

Female
5 feet 7 inches
157 pounds
25 years old
light excercise
15% cut

Based on this I came up with :

BMR: 1529
TDEE: 2102
CUT: 1787

So my questions are:

1) So based on this, I should eat 1787 a day right? And should NOT eat excercise calories right?

2) I have a desk job, but I do jillian michaels 30 day shred 3 times a week. Given ths, did I pick the right activity level of light?

3) Should I have done a 20% cut instead of 15%? Eat more to weigh less website says not to go higher than 15% but a lot of MFP members are at a 20%...

Thank you in advance!

According to your post and then a later comment, you have been dieting eating 1500 calories, I would recommend that you do a a reset.... 1500 (according to your calculations) is very close to your BMR of 1529. If you increase your calories up to TDEE (either slowly or all at one - your preference) and stay there anywhere from 4 - 12 weeks, hopefully you will get your metabolism revved up to where it should be.

After doing this, and when you weight stabilizes, *then* start a 15% cut. Remember also, that you don't want to stay at cut for too long. Take a TDEE "diet break" every couple of months and eat at TDEE to "remind" your metabolism of it's true TDEE. If you stay at cut too long, you risk your body adapting and thinking that your cut is in fact your TDEE...

Thanks so much for the advice! When you say to eat at TDEE every couple of months, is that like every 2 months or so? When will I know to eat there? And for how long? Like a week?