Going from 1200 to TDEE - 20%

Mr_Knight

I know it's different for each person but what are your experiences? Did you just dive head first into it? Did you slowly introduce it?

My experience was great - I kept losing weight and was able to increase activity level because I had more energy.

However...

...I am a hyper analytical person who not only logs the crap out of everything, but re-calculates everything from 19 different perspectives. So I know with a high degree of accuracy what my calorie burn - both exercise and non-exercise - actually is. The problem is many people on MFP run into trouble because they over-estimate their TDEE and suddenly they are stalled.

My question for you is...what is driving you to make this change? Was something not "right" for you at 1200+exercise?

MissXFit13

Kudos to your for bumping up the calories! I made the same decision last summer, and I gradually increased my calories by 100 every week or so. Initially it took me a while to get used to eating more, and I saw some upward movement on the scale and felt a little bloated. But now that I've been eating more calories (1800) for 2 months, the scale is going back down and my clothes fit great again.

The biggest perk for me is that eating this way is far more enjoyable and sustainable for me. I feel like a human again, and I'm having some of the best workouts at Crossfit and weight lifting PRs.

I prefer TDEE-20% better than starting with an unhealty low (1200) amount of calories and then eating back what you burn on days you work out, because not only do you not know exactly how much you might be burning, but it seems to perpetuate the "reward" mentality of "I worked out today so I can eat this". And then eating little to nothing on rest days also seems like a punishment. That's just my opinion. TDEE allow for more flexibility.

ChristiH4000

Right now I'm tracking at my maintenance TDEE to try to just get my eating to level out (Adding exercise cals back with MFP goal, I did great on weekdays + horrible on weekends = no progress or gaining) so I'm just working to make sure I eat enough (never a problem, I always do), without going over (that's my problem).
I haven't lost yet, but I haven't leveled my eating completely out yet and I'm only two weeks into trying to track it this way. I'm hoping that eating at a relatively stable goal (without fluctuations for really intense workouts vs feeling hungry on rest days) will help me plan meals and stop the weekend overeating just by keeping my goal steady, and then looking back weekly to see if I've netted under my maintenance or over.
Sometimes I'm jealous of people that can eat 1200 cals a day without being absolutely famished. Undereating has never been my problem. Good luck in upping your cals. I really think the TDEE eating plan makes sense.

Frankii_x

I know it's different for each person but what are your experiences? Did you just dive head first into it? Did you slowly introduce it?

My experience was great - I kept losing weight and was able to increase activity level because I had more energy.

However...

...I am a hyper analytical person who not only logs the crap out of everything, but re-calculates everything from 19 different perspectives. So I know with a high degree of accuracy what my calorie burn - both exercise and non-exercise - actually is. The problem is many people on MFP run into trouble because they over-estimate their TDEE and suddenly they are stalled.

My question for you is...what is driving you to make this change? Was something not "right" for you at 1200+exercise?

I've decided to make the change because I'm hungry and feel lethargic! I've spent ages looking at TDEE etc and working my actual TDEE out and feel like I'm ready to make the transition. I always calculate my accurate burn when exercising etc and can account for pretty much everything I do most days (my days are pretty repetitive haha) so after what you've said I'm feeling pretty good about it!!

Frankii_x

Kudos to your for bumping up the calories! I made the same decision last summer, and I gradually increased my calories by 100 every week or so. Initially it took me a while to get used to eating more, and I saw some upward movement on the scale and felt a little bloated. But now that I've been eating more calories (1800) for 2 months, the scale is going back down and my clothes fit great again.

The biggest perk for me is that eating this way is far more enjoyable and sustainable for me. I feel like a human again, and I'm having some of the best workouts at Crossfit and weight lifting PRs.

I prefer TDEE-20% better than starting with an unhealty low (1200) amount of calories and then eating back what you burn on days you work out, because not only do you not know exactly how much you might be burning, but it seems to perpetuate the "reward" mentality of "I worked out today so I can eat this". And then eating little to nothing on rest days also seems like a punishment. That's just my opinion. TDEE allow for more flexibility.

Thanks so much! That's exactly what I'm thinking, I feel like it'll fit my life much better and agree it's not the healthiest mentality to have and I feel in a good place to change my habits

Frankii_x

Right now I'm tracking at my maintenance TDEE to try to just get my eating to level out (Adding exercise cals back with MFP goal, I did great on weekdays + horrible on weekends = no progress or gaining) so I'm just working to make sure I eat enough (never a problem, I always do), without going over (that's my problem).
I haven't lost yet, but I haven't leveled my eating completely out yet and I'm only two weeks into trying to track it this way. I'm hoping that eating at a relatively stable goal (without fluctuations for really intense workouts vs feeling hungry on rest days) will help me plan meals and stop the weekend overeating just by keeping my goal steady, and then looking back weekly to see if I've netted under my maintenance or over.
Sometimes I'm jealous of people that can eat 1200 cals a day without being absolutely famished. Undereating has never been my problem. Good luck in upping your cals. I really think the TDEE eating plan makes sense.

Thanks so much for your story I feel sooooo hungry hence the want/need to change. This needs to be sustainable for me and it won't be unless I make changes now! Good luck in your journey

Stage14

Your TDEE includes exercise...so when you do that don't eat back or log any exercise calories. You should be just fine because your current daily intake could be close to that number already. But if it's more I would suggest increase your calories by about 100 calorie increments. Adding a serving of nuts, half an avocado will get you there no problem.
Hope this helps.

Doesn't that vary depending on the activity level you use when calculating TDEE? For example if you consistently work out 5x a week you would factor that in and not eat back exercise cals...but if you're inconsistent or just starting out off the couch, you would eat back at least some...right??:ohwell:

Nope. You set your TDEE based on your projected activity level for the week (e.g. light workout 1-3 hours per week), and you eat that amount of calories each day whether you exercise more or less or none. If you're inconsistent in your activity, MFP would probably be a better option for calorie tracking, since it has you track calories burned in a workout and eat them back.

beckywilliams1967

Bump

babyluthi

Your TDEE includes exercise...so when you do that don't eat back or log any exercise calories. You should be just fine because your current daily intake could be close to that number already. But if it's more I would suggest increase your calories by about 100 calorie increments. Adding a serving of nuts, half an avocado will get you there no problem.
Hope this helps.

Doesn't that vary depending on the activity level you use when calculating TDEE? For example if you consistently work out 5x a week you would factor that in and not eat back exercise cals...but if you're inconsistent or just starting out off the couch, you would eat back at least some...right??:ohwell:

Nope. You set your TDEE based on your projected activity level for the week (e.g. light workout 1-3 hours per week), and you eat that amount of calories each day whether you exercise more or less or none. If you're inconsistent in your activity, MFP would probably be a better option for calorie tracking, since it as you track calories burned in a workout and eat them back.

i
Then those people who are inconsistent would they best work out their TDEE on the sedentary setting, also setting their MFP to sedentary (minus the 10,20 or 30%)then they would eat that every day but on the days that they do work out then eat back those calories? Depending on how much they have to lose, especially those who have a lot of weight to lose, it doesn't work out the same. ie it can end up higher than 1200cal/day base that MFP sets.

Mr_Knight

I've decided to make the change because I'm hungry and feel lethargic!

Well, that's an excellent reason. Good luck with the transition - it sounds like you're though this through, you shouldn't have much trouble making it work for you.

Sweettart

How are you finding out what your TDEE is?

AubieMae

My TDEE - 20% is the same as mfp (when I add back the calories I worked off). Best wishes!

Chickyjd

This totally works! Go for it, I am so glad I found this!! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974889-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet