TDEE-%20 questions for 5ft 5in women

Sparkie134

Hi!
I have been wondering if my calories are too low. So I read on here to find a TDEE calculator, enter my info and then deduct %20. I am 5ft 5inches, 29 years old, & 160lbs. I do 40minutes of cardio in the morning and 35 minutes of weights in the evening. I work at a desk job 9 hours a day.

I entered my information on this site http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
It told me that my TDEE is 2322 calories per day.
If I calculated right, to deduct %20 from that would be appx 1850 calories a day to lose weight, without eating back my workout calories (since I put my workouts into the TDEE calculator).

1850 seems way to high for me to lose weight. I was anticipating close to 1500.

Are there any women out there with similar stats that lose weight on a diet of 1800-1900 daily calorie intake?

hananah89

That is probably about right. I averaged 3-4 TDEE calculators to get a good estimate and took 20% off which is 1980 I believe. I just shoot for a range of 1950-2050 each day. I'm also 5'5", 23, and 172. I work out 6 days a week and sit at my desk all day like you do. I switched to the TDEE method a few weeks ago and after the initial maintenance/minor gain that is expected from the increased calories, I went and dropped a few pounds. It is perfectly fine to "eat more to weight less" (there is a group on here by the same name). It gives your body the energy it needs, especially when you do over an hour working out each day. It may seem high but there is no need to starve yourself or struggle on lower calories if higher intake works just as well, if not better. This is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

3dogsrunning

Yup. When I am losing that is around my intake. I am 5'5 and weigh less.

I have also done the MFP method and end up in pretty much the same place.

Sparkie134

Wow! Ok, thanks so much ladies!

It's sounds high and I'm a little nervous, but going to give it a try.

And on days that you DON'T exercise do you drop your cals?

3dogsrunning

Wow! Ok, thanks so much ladies!

It's sounds high and I'm a little nervous, but going to give it a try.

And on days that you DON'T exercise do you drop your cals?

No. TDEE is your calorie needs spread over the week. You eat the same everyday and it evens out.

If you use MFP, you end up eating more on some days and less on others.

Like I said, for me, it averaged out to the same.

LorinaLynn

I'm 5'5 and lost weight eating about 1800-2000 total calories with a lot less exercise than you're doing, starting at 160 and getting as low as 125. Currently a little higher thanks to some medication that screwed me up, but losing again on the same amount.

JGT2004

I am 5'6 27 yo around 170. I upped mine to 1500 a little while back and have now upped mine to 1800. In a week or so I will bump up to 1900 as I have increased my exercise load. I have struggled with the weight mostly from periods of little exercise and heavy drinking otherwise I am sure I would have lost more. Even with the little exercise and drinking I didn't gain more than I had originally started with. Plus now I don't feel bad about eating ice cream! IIFYM for the WIN!

Sparkie134

Wow! Ok, thanks so much ladies!

It's sounds high and I'm a little nervous, but going to give it a try.

And on days that you DON'T exercise do you drop your cals?

No. TDEE is your calorie needs spread over the week. You eat the same everyday and it evens out.

If you use MFP, you end up eating more on some days and less on others.

Like I said, for me, it averaged out to the same.

Sparkie134

Wow! Ok, thanks so much ladies!

It's sounds high and I'm a little nervous, but going to give it a try.

And on days that you DON'T exercise do you drop your cals?

No. TDEE is your calorie needs spread over the week. You eat the same everyday and it evens out.

If you use MFP, you end up eating more on some days and less on others.

Like I said, for me, it averaged out to the same.

Thanks so much for the response!

Sparkie134

Ha ha. I feel like I am in food Heaven now after trying to log 1200-1500 calories daily.
I love it!
I'm so excited to start logging at 1800.
The thought of it makes me even feel like working out MORE, to know that I won't be hungry at the end of the day!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE RESPONSES!

Sparkie134

I'm 5'5 and lost weight eating about 1800-2000 total calories with a lot less exercise than you're doing, starting at 160 and getting as low as 125. Currently a little higher thanks to some medication that screwed me up, but losing again on the same amount.

WOW! That's inspiring. Thanks! I am now at 160 and can't even imagine myself at 125! That's great!

amandaleigh_

I am 5'5'' and broke a year-long plateau by upping my cals to 1800 per day doing TDEE-20%. I also work a desk job, workout 5-6 days a week and went from 165 lbs to 145 lbs in about 7 months. Before that I was eating only around 1400.

I'm trying to get to my final goal of 135 and hit a wall again. So, for the past month I dropped my cals to 1550 and will ramp it back up to 1800 (maybe even more) come September to try and get it going again.

shadow2soul

I'm 5'4.5".

I eat well...a lot and I'm not having any issues losing weight. I generally have a calorie range of 1500 - 2500 depending on how active I was for the day. In fact on Tuesday I ate 2403 calories, yum, with no guilt what so ever. And just for the hell of it:

Total Calories Consumed for the past 90 days:


Net Calories for the past 90 days:


Weight for the past 90 days (I only log weight occasionally, cause I'm weird like that ):


**seems the images are slightly too big. right click them to view the full image**

itsmandible

I think that sounds fine! I do the method of MFP where I eat back my calories from exercise, and right now I'm one 167-9ish, eating 1420 and then you add in 400-500 calories of exercise a day 5-6 days a week and bam, 1820-1920. Sounds fine! (:

SoViLicious

Im just happy to be able to say I am 5'5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

suziepoo1984

I am 5'5 and 29 years old too.. At my highest i weighed around 173 pounds, i have dropped down to 150 lbs in 4 months. I cant stay away from food, so unknowingly have always been eating at my TDEE- % range of around 1500-2000 and have been losing consistently. I still eat the same amount of food at lesser weight and am losing. I am not even as active as you, so i think you will do well at 1850:)
Good luck on your journey and enjoy food!

ETA: 1500 is the least i have ever eaten when following MFP method as that was my number of calories given to eat to lose 1 lb per week. But i found that hard to stick to, so have been consistently eating around 1800 nowadays and i am doing great

cityjaneLondon

I am 5ft 5 and normally eat around 1700. I have lost 47.5 lbs. I exercise 450 most days with 250 on Tuesdays when I try to eat a bit less. I am now at normal bmi and only want to lose a few more lbs so it is slooooow now, but still moving downwards. I eat well, mostly home cooking and love my cardio and strength training. It is so much better to eat well, be happy and take it slowly. That way it will stick. By the way, I am nearly 64 and feel better than I have for 23 years.

Sparkie134

I'm 5'4.5".

I eat well...a lot and I'm not having any issues losing weight. I generally have a calorie range of 1500 - 2500 depending on how active I was for the day. In fact on Tuesday I ate 2403 calories, yum, with no guilt what so ever. And just for the hell of it:

Total Calories Consumed for the past 90 days:


Net Calories for the past 90 days:


Weight for the past 90 days (I only log weight occasionally, cause I'm weird like that ):


**seems the images are slightly too big. right click them to view the full image**

Awesome! Thanks for including that!

Sparkie134

I am 5ft 5 and normally eat around 1700. I have lost 47.5 lbs. I exercise 450 most days with 250 on Tuesdays when I try to eat a bit less. I am now at normal bmi and only want to lose a few more lbs so it is slooooow now, but still moving downwards. I eat well, mostly home cooking and love my cardio and strength training. It is so much better to eat well, be happy and take it slowly. That way it will stick. By the way, I am nearly 64 and feel better than I have for 23 years.

Good for you! That's great!

Sparkie134

I am 5'5 and 29 years old too.. At my highest i weighed around 173 pounds, i have dropped down to 150 lbs in 4 months. I cant stay away from food, so unknowingly have always been eating at my TDEE- % range of around 1500-2000 and have been losing consistently. I still eat the same amount of food at lesser weight and am losing. I am not even as active as you, so i think you will do well at 1850:)
Good luck on your journey and enjoy food!

ETA: 1500 is the least i have ever eaten when following MFP method as that was my number of calories given to eat to lose 1 lb per week. But i found that hard to stick to, so have been consistently eating around 1800 nowadays and i am doing great

Thanks so much!

Sparkie134

I am 5'5'' and broke a year-long plateau by upping my cals to 1800 per day doing TDEE-20%. I also work a desk job, workout 5-6 days a week and went from 165 lbs to 145 lbs in about 7 months. Before that I was eating only around 1400.

I'm trying to get to my final goal of 135 and hit a wall again. So, for the past month I dropped my cals to 1550 and will ramp it back up to 1800 (maybe even more) come September to try and get it going again.

NICE! That's what I am hoping to do! Break my rut by keeping a consistent 1800 instead of back and forth on my calorie intake. These responses are SO encouraging