Going from 1200 to TDEE - 20%

Frankii_x

I slowly went up. 1200 to 1350 for a month, then up to 1450 for a month, etc.

Lovely to hear your story thank you!

Frankii_x

I dove right in pretty much. It takes a while of tinkering. Lots of patience required but I feel I am moving the right direction finally. I decided on a daily intake based on a weekly average since I work 4 days a week and that gives me a significantly higher TDEE on those days. I pretty much shoot for 2500 cals a day now and don't sweat it if I'm a few hundred under or over.

Lovely to know it's working I feel it's much more relaxed and a better way for me to approach things!

bookworm_847

I switched over to TDEE -20% when I started Insanity at the beginning of September. After a couple of small gains from my body adjusting to more food, I have been steadily losing since about mid-September. I wish I had done it sooner! It's easier to plan my meals, as well.

Good luck!

jacklis

I just made a similar switch- although I was not at 1200 still- I had bumped up a bit.
However in the last 3 weeks the intensity of my weight training had increased and I was feeling ravenous, and I did not want to get run down or hurt so I listened to my body and was eating more. I weighed in and- bam! down 3 lbs... so I thought it was time to really eat like a human being.

Love this! Thanks for proving I'm making the right choice

To be fair, and so you don't get discouraged, please know that the scale was creeping up slowly - 1 lb a week for about a month and a half before I saw the switch. So please give it some time- don't give up after a couple of weeks- if you have got it right you will see your body start to take charge after about 2 months- I know that feels like a long time, but it is worth it.

Runningcircuits

Thank you for posting this Frankii - I am thrilled to see the results posted above by others. I need to stop being such a moron and just freakin' eat my exercise cals back (which is usually within 150-200 cals of TDEE-20%). I'm doing it! Yesterday's stress drinks had me reset today, so I might as well reset with this, too.

viglet

I'm currently trying to do this.

I was eating around 1200 calories during the week and then binge eating at like 2000 or more on weekends.

I used this calculator to help me determine where I should be eating based on my activity and workouts.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

It says around 1550 a day. So I have been at a higher calorie range for the last three weeks (some days eating 1200 some days eating up to 1800) and haven't gained so I hope that if I stay consistant at 1500 calories daily I will see some results.

SezxyStef

I switched to TDEE-20% on Sept 9th when I started lifting weights. Mainly because it's hard to know what calories you burn lifting.

So I went from 1350 calories a day (eating back appx 250 exercise calories a day) so a total of 1600...losing about 1lb a week.

My TDEE-20% is guess what......1600.

Since then this is what I have seen.

1 week in I was up 2.5 lbs...now keep in mind new exercise routine so it was all water.
2 weeks in I was down that above mentioned 2.5lbs...but I didn't count it as a true loss
3 weeks in down 2lb...this I do count as a true loss...

I was hungry week 2 and often went over my 1550-1600 (usually only 50-200) but I still lost appx 2/3lb a week which I am happy with.

ETA: My actual TDEE of 1995 is calculated using my actuals...not a calculator online.

I use a kitchen scale and log everything...I took a 3 week time frame and did the calculation

Formula looks like this

Total calories consumed+(3500*Weight lost)/number of days

29,642+(3.5*3500)/21=1995*20%=399

1995-399=1596

born2drum

If you picked a good goal for yourself on MFP, weekly weight loss wise, and ate the exercise cals back your total cals for the week should be in the range of TDEE-15-25% anyway. If they are lower that TDEE-25% on average most liekly your weekly weight loss goal was too aggressive to begin with.

As an example say MFP gives you 1450 calories to lose 1 lb/week, and you plan on exercising 5x/week for an average of 400 cals per workout. well MFP will tell you to eat 1450 on the days you don't workout and 1850 on the days you do whereas a TDEE calculator may tell you to eat 1700 everyday regardless if you workout.

So for the week MFP will have you eat 12,150 (1450*2+1850*5) whereas doing it the other way will have you eat 11,900 (1700*7) almost the same number of cals for the week (250 dif). The issue in not following MFP is if you don't workout the full 5 days or burn more or less than planned. If that is the case you may lose more or less than your goal, whereas MFP will have you lose your goal amount regardless how much you actually workout.

What many MFPers do is take the low 1450 and not eat back exercise calories which is wrong, if you are not eating them back then your daily activity level should reflect the higher burn with would be covered in the 1700/day above.

I second this because it's TRUTH. Well done mate!

Frankii_x

Thank you all so so much :flowerforyou:

Quasita

You can safely avoid issues with Refeeding Syndrome by making modest increases (50-100 calories) a day until you reach your goal. You don't have to space a week at a time, but you do have to make sure you do so modestly, or you might feel really sick or bloated.

I remember increasing from 900 to 1200 calories and I got sooooo sick because I did it all at once!!

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.