I finally calculated my TDEE

jeneferphillips89

So, after tons of reading and research and constantly reading on MFP about how 1200 is a devil number I finally went to the scooby website to calculate my TDEE and BMR (I have done this on other sites, I just chose 1200 cal for faster results). So, I figured out my 'special numbers' and this website tells me to eat somewhere around 1900 cal/day. MFP recommends I have 1400 for 2lb/wk weight loss. What do I do? I have chosen for now to do the 1400 cal/day. And even though I know that this is still a deficit and a miniscule 200 cal change, it scares me a little. I mean 1200 is the magic number....right? At least thats what I was always lead to believe. To go along with this fear that 200 calories extra a day will turn me into a whale of a human being I'm trying to work throughbeing afraid of weight lifting. I know I know, you cant gain muscle on a calorie defecit......you wont look like a man Jenefer.....others have awesome results with this and look oober sexy.....but the idea that the free weights (or even weights in general) are for men or will make you look like a man is still in the back of my mind. It was pounded into my young brain right along with the magic 1200 cal idea. Ugh, time to stop being a puss and just do it I guess

Sunitagt

So what was your TDEE then? 1900 is probably a 1 lbs per week loss at your TDEE, and thus 1400 would be 2 lbs per week which is fine if you have a lot to lose. If your TDEE is about 2400, then eating around 1400 should be fine until you can't take eating that much any more. I mean, that's what happened to me anyway. I switched to a 1.5 lbs per week loss rate because I just wanted to eat more.

But really you should be eating more than 1200. And definitely start working on strength training. It is definitely not just for men. Women are strong too.

Slim_strategy

Just a random note : when I did 1200 I found it really hard mentally to want to raise it, the idea of it being the minimum meant for me that it must be the right thing to do to become a smaller me... I lose a ton of muscle mass and I so regret not losing on more calories cause it made me skinny fat.
when I did raise it I felt a little less anxiety and actually ended up raising it again ( and didn't gain any weight ) now eating up to 1750 and feel a lot happier than when I was at 1200 and actually exercise sometimes as opposed to feeling like a lazy slug with no energy like before xD
1200 is a number that messes with me and I don't recommend it - at one point it gave me the mentality that if I could do the minimum then I could do even less and I got a little crazy and obsessed...

brianpperkins

For planning factors:
TDEE - 500 cal per day = 1 lb per week loss (approx)
TDEE - 1000 cal per day = 2 lbs per week loss (approx)

Which is right for you is dependent on your current weight, how much you want to lose, etc. Picking an arbitrary number such as 1200 cal/day makes no sense.

Lifting helps with body composition. Lean mass burns calories even at rest. You won't bulk unless you eat at a surplus, train specifically for it, and work hard. If you want a toned, firm body ... get to the gym and do strength training.