Help - TDEE weight loss?

MaeHills
MaeHills Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I am confused and looking for help please!

I have calorie counted on and off for about the last 5 years. I have gone between phases of 1200 calorie diets, to giving up and eating whatever, back to calorie counting and now I am going by the 1350 MFP has advised.
I just saw a success story and it was about how TDEE had been used to lose weight - I worked mine out using the TDEE minus 20% and have been shown that as my TDEE is around 2000 I need to eat around 1600 calories per day to lose weight (I put in that I exercise 3 times per week which I do).

My confusion begins here - as I have been pretty much 'on a diet' for the last 5 or so years,upping to 1600 calories wont be creating a defecit for me. I don't usually eat more than about 1400-1500 calories per day. How will upping to 1600 allow me to lose weight?

I am 19 years old, female, 5ft6 and weigh currently 156 pounds. I have tried raising my calories in the past but saw a gain after about a week so dropped them down again. I'm at my wits end and just want to lose my last 10-15 pounds and get on to maintaining a healthy weight!

Thanks in advance to anyone that has any advice or guidance for me and can clear this up in my head! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • MaeHills
    MaeHills Posts: 17 Member
    Bump :(
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    Takes longer than a week to determine if you're kcal goal is too high.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

    More info here
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1187899-in-place-of-a-roadmap-short-n-sweet-reposted
    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    tryclyn is right, you need to stick to it for much longer - a minimum of 4 weeks, MINIMUM, before you decide if it is or isn't working. Because you've been eating so much less than 1600 cal a day, the first few weeks are likely to show a small gain that is from your cells replenishing their glycogen stores -aka, water weight.

    the deficit you're trying to create is not a deficit from your current calorie level. It's a deficit from what it would take for you to maintain your current weight at your activity level. It's above whatever your BMR is, by usually quite a bit.

    The links tryclyn posted are good, read them.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    As said above you have to give it more than a week to see how real results. Also since you only have 10-15 lbs to lose you should probably be doing the TDEE -10. If you are not losing weight at your current calorie goal then you are probably not measuring correctly; overestimating burns and underestimating intake. If you had a deficit then you would be losing. Whatever your target it is you are not accurately hitting it then this is all pointless.
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
    Takes longer than a week to determine if you're kcal goal is too high.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

    More info here
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1187899-in-place-of-a-roadmap-short-n-sweet-reposted
    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    These are great links. I would also advise you to rethink the 20% deficit to your TDEE. With only 15 pounds left to lose that is unrealistically high. The links will help you understand what % you should try.
  • MaeHills
    MaeHills Posts: 17 Member
    Thank you everyone!! That is great advice, I will check out the links :)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    As well until you track accurately (weigh food/choose correct entries/log everything) you really don't know how many calories you are eating.
  • smkean
    smkean Posts: 132
    just set it yourself, dont over/under do it, as i am sure you will know that will not benefit you.
    Start at 1200, and see how you get on, also remember that depending ont he speed of your metabolism you might not see results at first. I was told that it can take a woman UP TO 3 weeks to see what she has done in that particular week.
  • VanillaSmile427
    VanillaSmile427 Posts: 45
    I agree with everyone. Stick to 1500-1600 calories a day. This may be a stupid question but when you do you TDEE you know you're not supposed to eat exercise calories back right... just wanna make sure you know that..

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    I used that calculator and for 20% 1651 cal ... and for 25% 1548 cal... so i would stick to 1600 for about a month and re-*kitten* from there. I know it can be very frustrating when not seeing results for a week or so but consistency is key! Stick with it and you will see results!!
  • HavtaLose
    HavtaLose Posts: 59 Member
    Please don't do a 1200 calorie diet. Yes you will lose weight on it, but can you stick to it the rest of your lifetime? Because guess what will happen when you reach your goal and start eating above 1200. Also why eat 1200 when you can eat more and lose?

    I follow tdee-20% and am currently eating 1850 and losing steadily. I started on Jan 5th and my ticker shows the progress.

    Some posters have given you great links, read those and memorise the points (seriously). Lastly, weigh/measure and log every single meal. DO NOT estimate portions. A food scale costs on avg about $15, it will be your best investment!

    Instead of relying on scale, take pictures/measurements. If you still like to weigh daily (like me), weigh each morning before eating and after using the restroom. Record your weight but take only take seriously the 7 day lowest weight as there as several reasons for a false high number (high sodium, water retention) but it will only show less when you've lost.

    GL!
  • mistakenidentity
    mistakenidentity Posts: 28 Member
    Bump!, My problem...exactly. Eager to see replies.
  • scubasuenc
    scubasuenc Posts: 626 Member
    If you have been eating a smaller amount of calories upping your calories to an appropriate level is scary. I'm in the middle of that and it is hard to be patient, however trusting the math is beginning to work.

    When I started MFP it gave me 1680 calories to lose 2lb per week. Per my doctor's recommendation I did not eat back any exercise calories because I have so much to lose. As I lost weight, MFP would periodically drop my calorie goal. When I got down to a goal of 1230 I found that was getting very hard. While I continued to lose weight, I felt like I was not able to recover from my workouts and I was tired. Fortunately by then I had lots of data about my calories in and my calories burned. I looked at the TDEE formulas and found a range of values, but based on my actual weight loss I determined my TDEE is about 2800. No wonder I was tired, I was eating less than half the calories I needed. So I decided to up my calories to 1800 per day by adding 100 calories per week.

    That has been a scary process. The first several weeks I did not see the losses my deficit predicted. However last week, when I was on 1500 calories the weight loss started again. I'm still increasing and I check my actual TDEE by looking at rolling 21 and 28 day averages. I'm still working my way up to 1800 calories per day.

    Trust the math. If you are honest in your TDEE calculations and accurate in logging your food, then the math works. Be patient and work your way gradually up to the recommended amount.
  • MaeHills
    MaeHills Posts: 17 Member
    This may be a stupid question but when you do you TDEE you know you're not supposed to eat exercise calories back right... just wanna make sure you know that..

    If i put in to the TDEE calculator that I exercise 3 times per week and it gives me a goal of 1600 (after taking the 20% off the 2000 it gave me as my TDEE), then I just eat 1600, right? So I wouldnt then eat above that if I exercised because that has already been accounted for...is that what you mean? Hope that is right as that's how I understood it! :smile:
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    This may be a stupid question but when you do you TDEE you know you're not supposed to eat exercise calories back right... just wanna make sure you know that..

    If i put in to the TDEE calculator that I exercise 3 times per week and it gives me a goal of 1600 (after taking the 20% off the 2000 it gave me as my TDEE), then I just eat 1600, right? So I wouldnt then eat above that if I exercised because that has already been accounted for...is that what you mean? Hope that is right as that's how I understood it! :smile:

    Yes. Eat the 1600, and don't add more if you exercise.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    This may be a stupid question but when you do you TDEE you know you're not supposed to eat exercise calories back right... just wanna make sure you know that..

    If i put in to the TDEE calculator that I exercise 3 times per week and it gives me a goal of 1600 (after taking the 20% off the 2000 it gave me as my TDEE), then I just eat 1600, right? So I wouldnt then eat above that if I exercised because that has already been accounted for...is that what you mean? Hope that is right as that's how I understood it! :smile:

    exactly right! :flowerforyou: but a lot of people try to mix the two methods and so it never hurts to double check what people are thinking :)
  • MaeHills
    MaeHills Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks so much Phrick and WBB55! And everyone else...I will up my calories but it's going to be hard to see my weight go up for a while before I start losing again! I guess I will just have to trust the formula.. :happy:
  • VanillaSmile427
    VanillaSmile427 Posts: 45
    Yes.! Even if you're not loosing for a week or so.. stick with it! You will see results but you just gotta be patient! :D

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