Recomended "break" and eating at TDEE
athenalove46
Posts: 182 Member
I completed an 11 week reset a month ago. I initially started in at a 5% cut, then ramped it up to 10%. Right now I'm eating 1950, and I can't imagine cutting any more because I honestly don't want to eat below that number. The scale isn't budging, my measurements are staying the same, yet my body is definitely changing and I'm okay with that!
My TDEE is only 2200 calories. I have read that it is recommended to take a break every so often and eat at TDEE. How often would you think this should be done? Once a month? During my deload weeks? During TOM? lol Want to hear from some people who do this and how often you do it!
My TDEE is only 2200 calories. I have read that it is recommended to take a break every so often and eat at TDEE. How often would you think this should be done? Once a month? During my deload weeks? During TOM? lol Want to hear from some people who do this and how often you do it!
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If you aren't losing weight for 3-4 weeks, you are still eating at TDEE.
No need for a break, you are in it.
Were you still gaining weight at the end of the reset, or holding steady for 2-3 weeks?
Normally it would be every 6-8 weeks, depending on how much deficit you are taking. Like if you really had a 5% deficit, 8 weeks or actually a couple days here and there would be plenty.0 -
Lucia told me that I should stop cut and go back up to TDEE every 4-6 weeks (for a week), which is about the same time that you should take an exercise break as well.
When I started this whole EM2WL I never did the intial TDEE start off because I was already shocked by the 2700-3100 TDEE and thought no way should I eat that much. I bumped from 1600 to 2200 with exercise and thought that was enough of a recovery. While I gained strength I could not lose size. Skipping that reset I now believe was the initial problem. Eating at TDEE 2700 is harrrrd. but I'm getting used to all that food in me now. You can't skip the TDEE rests. That's part of the process. Otherwise you've never really escaped the fearful starved metabolism.
In the end, I suppose it's wise to slowly move up to TDEE anyways, which in effect is what I did. I think I've heard Lucia recommend it. Although I totally slowed it because I was afraid. And guess what, I didn't "trust the process" and I'm stuck. Not that the strength gains aren't amazing! But I would like to start shrinking.0 -
If you aren't losing weight for 3-4 weeks, you are still eating at TDEE.
No need for a break, you are in it.
Were you still gaining weight at the end of the reset, or holding steady for 2-3 weeks?
Normally it would be every 6-8 weeks, depending on how much deficit you are taking. Like if you really had a 5% deficit, 8 weeks or actually a couple days here and there would be plenty.
I was holding steady weight wise towards the last few weeks of my reset. I gained most of it during the beginning because I jumped right from 1600 to 2200. The bloat is gone, but the weight has remained the same. Would you suggest I cut more? I don't particularly want to....I want to be able to EM2WL! lol0 -
I was holding steady weight wise towards the last few weeks of my reset. I gained most of it during the beginning because I jumped right from 1600 to 2200. The bloat is gone, but the weight has remained the same. Would you suggest I cut more? I don't particularly want to....I want to be able to EM2WL! lol
Well, the Eat More is compared to minimum levels. You eat more than you need you'll still gain weight, you eat more than you need to lose weight you'll still maintain weight.
Well, if you started clearly from the high side to estimate TDEE, and you based it on best estimates possible, and you've given it a month, then you'd need to lower, the TDEE estimate is likely off, or the BMR it's based on is inflated too.
5% is tough for a woman, because your BMR will literally vary by that much through the month anyway, so for a couple weeks a month you'd have no real deficit.
I've helped a lot that thought they had a deficit but really didn't because of using inflated values.
Now, eating at maintenance and lifting is great for lifting progress, strength and such, and losing some fat slowly, then great.
But usually the lifting was to help lose fat and weight, and lifting will suffer at a deficit compared to at maintenance.
Just gotta decide what's more important. If the joints are taking a beating from extra weight all day, then having more muscle to carry it doesn't really matter. But if near goal weight and body recomp is making up for years of yo-yo dieting and burning off muscle mass, then great.0 -
I was holding steady weight wise towards the last few weeks of my reset. I gained most of it during the beginning because I jumped right from 1600 to 2200. The bloat is gone, but the weight has remained the same. Would you suggest I cut more? I don't particularly want to....I want to be able to EM2WL! lol
Well, the Eat More is compared to minimum levels. You eat more than you need you'll still gain weight, you eat more than you need to lose weight you'll still maintain weight.
Well, if you started clearly from the high side to estimate TDEE, and you based it on best estimates possible, and you've given it a month, then you'd need to lower, the TDEE estimate is likely off, or the BMR it's based on is inflated too.
5% is tough for a woman, because your BMR will literally vary by that much through the month anyway, so for a couple weeks a month you'd have no real deficit.
I've helped a lot that thought they had a deficit but really didn't because of using inflated values.
Now, eating at maintenance and lifting is great for lifting progress, strength and such, and losing some fat slowly, then great.
But usually the lifting was to help lose fat and weight, and lifting will suffer at a deficit compared to at maintenance.
Just gotta decide what's more important. If the joints are taking a beating from extra weight all day, then having more muscle to carry it doesn't really matter. But if near goal weight and body recomp is making up for years of yo-yo dieting and burning off muscle mass, then great.
Thanks! I am at a 10% cut right now. I honestly have no desire to go lower than that.
I'm okay with where I am weight-wise....I have no joint pain and am making great gains in the gym. I would love to have more muscle, but the chub has got to go. lol I guess I am just impatient at heart and not seeing results as of yet is a little disheartening. Just like I have been reading over and over give the process time! 0 -
Yep, give it a month, if no actual weight loss, you are eating at TDEE, no question.
Then take a 10% deficit from real TDEE if you desire weight loss in addition to slow fat loss.0
