Tdee calculator

Mandy72CM
Mandy72CM Posts: 59 Member
edited December 21 in Health and Weight Loss
If you eat less than your TDEE does that mean you should lose weight?

Replies

  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    Yes but how much lower you should eat depends on multiple factors.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Mandy72CM wrote: »
    If you eat less than your TDEE does that mean you should lose weight?

    Yes. For each 250 you eat less daily on average you will lose .5 pound each week. It is important to log your food accurately and understand that the bathroom scale will probably not show you linear results since weight fluctuates up and down for reasons unrelated to fat weight loss.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Maxematics wrote: »
    Yes but how much lower you should eat depends on multiple factors.

    Yes. In my vast experience in failing diets I have learned that is is faster to lose weight slower and sustainable than try to go fast and quitting because it was too harsh.
  • Mandy72CM
    Mandy72CM Posts: 59 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Mandy72CM wrote: »
    I wish I had thought about this sooner. I tend to go on a binge cycle if Iv went over my calories and I self sabotage. Really I was probably only eating up to my tdee. I’m going to look at this from a whole different angle now. I need to stop this destructive cycle.

    That is excellent news. I am amazed at the difference in my life before understanding more of the mechanics of weight loss and now. Just knowing that I can eat up to my TDEE (maintenance calories) when I need to without worrying about weight gain really takes a lot of the pressure off when I am not having a great day. Sure I might not lose weight that day but being kind to myself and just accepting that it is all part of my journey keeps me at it. For me those days are really rare and I think it is because I know I can do it. Of course I eat more on holidays and special occasions too.

    I’ve never thought about that, eating my tdee won’t make me gain weight! Thank you soooo much for your wisdom. You have helped me turn a corner. Now I know I got this! ❤️
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    Mandy72CM wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Mandy72CM wrote: »
    I wish I had thought about this sooner. I tend to go on a binge cycle if Iv went over my calories and I self sabotage. Really I was probably only eating up to my tdee. I’m going to look at this from a whole different angle now. I need to stop this destructive cycle.

    That is excellent news. I am amazed at the difference in my life before understanding more of the mechanics of weight loss and now. Just knowing that I can eat up to my TDEE (maintenance calories) when I need to without worrying about weight gain really takes a lot of the pressure off when I am not having a great day. Sure I might not lose weight that day but being kind to myself and just accepting that it is all part of my journey keeps me at it. For me those days are really rare and I think it is because I know I can do it. Of course I eat more on holidays and special occasions too.

    I’ve never thought about that, eating my tdee won’t make me gain weight! Thank you soooo much for your wisdom. You have helped me turn a corner. Now I know I got this! ❤️

    Keep in mind that this applies when eating below your actual TDEE. The online TDEE calculators give you an esimate of your average TDEE. That estimate will be close for most people.

    Our actual TDEE varies day by day, depending on what we do (not just exercise, but daily life activity), and can differ from the calculator estimates.

    This is important because it's useful to understand that we affect our actual TDEE in various ways: If we undereat and get fatigued, so rest more, it tends to reduce our actual TDEE. If we over-exercise and get fatigued, the same thing can happen; at an extreme, the extra rest/inactivity from fatigue might wipe out most or even all of the exercise calorie burn. If we increase our daily life activity (stuff like parking further from the building, taking the stairs, etc.), it can increase our TDEE (a little) even without increasing exercise.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    If you are not aware of weight fluctuations that was another turning point for me. Here is an article to read:

    http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

    Basically even when you are doing everything you should do with regard to your weight loss the bathroom scale can and probably will go up at times. It will also seem to penalize you for eating more food one day or eating at a restaurant. The truth is it is not. It is just your body reacting the way it should and the gains will go away in a few days.

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