Opinions needed (well coveted, actually), please!!!!

VanderTuig1976

Hello!

Thank you in advance for bearing with this long post but I feel the information is necessary to provide context.

Background: I began a reduced calorie diet in January (around 700 cals per day) and dropped 20 pounds. Joined the gym in March and began working with a personal trainer. Based on his advice, I've upped my cals to 1300. Well, with doing strength training workouts 4x a week and jogging on 1-2 of my non-strength training days, I've found myself too, too hungry....so I upped again to 1500.

A week ago I was measured for progress and found that I had only lost 2 lbs. but had lowered body fat percentage and lost inches.

I really want to do things right....so, I checked my TDEE and daily caloric goals on Scooby's Workshop. I am female, weigh 155 and am 5'7. Based on my goal of losing fat (-20% cal deficit), my daily calorie allotment is 1771. If I adopt the same goal but reduce at 10%, daily allotment is 1993. When I selected goal of losing fat and building muscle, results told me to eat my TDEE (2214). These figures are based upon my inputting a total of 3-5 hours of moderate exercise per week; even though I have a desk job. So numbers may not be accurate....I don't know.

Question #1: Does Scooby's calorie allotments seem high? Any other similarly situated women care to share their daily caloric intake? The numbers seem high but maybe my body needs that amount in order to perform the type of exercises I am doing? Opinions, please!

Question #2: Weight loss has been stalled for two weeks. Granted, I have upped my cals to about 1500 on non-workout days and 1600 days when I burn more. Is it possible that I need to eat fewer calories to lose the additional weight? If so, this seems contrary to the daily calorie goals Scooby gave me. Or perhaps my difficulty lies in the fact that I'm close to my goal weight (150)? I've heard that the last five pounds are stubborn....any suggestions or input you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

madhatter2013

Everything seems to be computed correctly and you are absolutely correct when it comes to the last 5 lbs. I believe it's the last 10-15 actually that are stubborn. You want to shoot for .5 lbs a week. Keep your calorie intake around 1600 and you should see a couple lbs loss in a month. Two weeks is really nothing to call a stall. That close to your goal weight, if you don't see movement in 3 months THEN consider it a stall.

wolfsbayne

Personally, I would just look at BF% and inches lost. That's a better indicator than weight. I'm 5'7" and weigh 194.

I lift heavy 3 times a week and try to do cardio 2 days at least. My calories are set at 2000, but I eat around 1500-1700. I'm sure it may be higher due to under calculations, but I've started dropping about a pound a week since then. The only exercise I make sure to do is my lifting.

I think scooby has me at 1800-1900, but I adjust it. I hear the last 5 are stubborn also, so just make sure you're in a calorie deficit and accurately tracking your intake and it will come off.

econista

I suggest you eat at 300 cals every 3 hours all day long, focusing on low to moderate carbs, high fat and high protein. This will help get your metabolism going again since you are working out, but have put your metabolism into starvation mode by eating so little for so long.
look into paleo diets for ideas.

SezxyStef

I find scooby on the high side personally...for me my TDEE is about 2100...Scooby gives me 2250...I lift 3x a week and try to get 2 HIIT in a week with the weekend off...

I am 5 ft 7 as well and weight 158...my goal is 155...

I haven't found the last 5 that hard..I log everything, weigh my solids and measure my liquids...if you are finding it's not coming off double check your entries and if you don't weigh your food start.

tchell99

In to read later - our stats are similar.

prestonsnana

Hi I am 44 years old female and I am 5ft 9 in and it says I should be between 160-165. That is my goal, right now I am at 206 so I have around 42 pounds to get to where I want to be. My advice don't starve yourself and if you are losing inches don't pay attention to the scale, you are doing something correct :-) you got this chin up :-)

VanderTuig1976

Thank you so much for the advice!!! I appreciate it tremendously!
I think for now, I'll keep it at 1600 and be patient.
If I have damaged my metabolism, does anyone know how long it will take to speed it back up? BTW, I've never had a great metabolism....I've always had to be very disciplined with my eating.

prestonsnana

also my caloric intake for a day is right around 1460 with a goal of losing 2lbs a week and working out for 30 minutes at least 5 days per week, I hope that helps, I am also in a challenge for the month of April to do 210,000 steps by end of day April 30 I am already at 76,428 steps and 36.11 miles, walking is a great workout too. Keep plugging away and you WILL get there !!!

Velum_cado

I suggest you eat at 300 cals every 3 hours all day long, focusing on low to moderate carbs, high fat and high protein. This will help get your metabolism going again since you are working out, but have put your metabolism into starvation mode by eating so little for so long.
look into paleo diets for ideas.

1. You can eat whenever you like.
2. "Starvation mode" is a myth.
3. Paleo? Really?

JTick

I suggest you eat at 300 cals every 3 hours all day long, focusing on low to moderate carbs, high fat and high protein. This will help get your metabolism going again since you are working out, but have put your metabolism into starvation mode by eating so little for so long.
look into paleo diets for ideas.

No.

steph6467

Thank you so much for the advice!!! I appreciate it tremendously!
I think for now, I'll keep it at 1600 and be patient.
If I have damaged my metabolism, does anyone know how long it will take to speed it back up? BTW, I've never had a great metabolism....I've always had to be very disciplined with my eating.

You probably haven't damaged your metabolism, but your body has probably slowed many of your metabolic processes in response to the deficit and weight loss. If you take a diet break and eat at maintenance or even a small surplus for a week or two, you can probably reverse some of those effects. A deficit will be most effective when you start from a fed, non-depleted state. This is why fitness competitors do bulk/cut cycles. Build muscle while in a surplus, then cut fat in a deficit. Rinse, repeat. You won't be able to build muscle in any significant deficit, your body will be too busy using the reduced energy you are supplying it for more important metabolic functions then building muscle.

a_stronger_me13

I suggest you eat at 300 cals every 3 hours all day long, focusing on low to moderate carbs, high fat and high protein. This will help get your metabolism going again since you are working out, but have put your metabolism into starvation mode by eating so little for so long.
look into paleo diets for ideas.

So long? Two months is not "so long".

a_stronger_me13

1) Scoobys does seem a bit high. I have a desk job, lift 4 times a week, run once or twice a week, walk a lot and am really active on the weekends with hiking and snowboarding and at 5'8 165 I maintain at around 2400-2500 calories. Try out the TDEE-20% number for a while and see what happens. Adjust according to fluctuations in weight.

2) Most likely the "stall" is due to not being accurate enough with your tracking. If you don't own a food scale, I suggest buying one and at the very least weighing calorie dense foods like nut butter, nuts, cheese, chocolate, etc. Eye balling and even measuring cups can lead to an unintentional underestimating of calories.

Sounds like you're pretty solid on the workout schedule. Maybe tighten up the accuracy of your tracking and eat at the TDEE-20% cal goal and see how things go.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I'm 5'9" and 155lbs I eat at 2000 to lose about a half pound per week.