Quick question about TDEE deficit %

Dedshot

Hi all, just a quick question I was hoping I could get some guidance on. I am beginning the TDEE method today, and I'm unsure of whether to cut at -20%, -15%, or -10%.

19, Female
5' 3"
105lbs
Small-framed and "apple" shaped

I do not have a lot of fat to cut because of my size, but my bf% estimation is somewhere around 24%, and I'd like to see myself at 18% and begin maintaining there. I have a pretty good indication of what I will look like at 18% because my mother and I are built the exact same, as in she is also small and we store fat in the same places, and 18% bf suited her very well back when she was working out.

Which percentage do you think I should cut at? Because of my size and my body composition overall I was thinking -10%.

Thanks!

SezxyStef

well I would say no deficet.

At 5 ft 3 and 105lbs you are already in the low normal range for a healthy weight.

At 24% BF again in a normal range but I can understand why you want it lower.

At this point I would suggest a very low to no deficet (TDEE-5% at most) and start resistence training and do a recomp instead of losing anymore weight.

Branstin

What is your ultimate goal because I am having trouble with you cutting body fat at your current age and height?

TavistockToad

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

kjo9692

You are almost at the underweight category IMO. But I'd say 10% is better in your case, and you should also consider lifting heavy to preserve muscle mass while losing fat and just have a better overall body composition.

ETA: Like others have said, consider eating at maintenance, or even at a small surplus while lifting heavy. But since I don't know how you look or how you carry your weight, can't really give much of an opinion based on BMI alone. Good luck OP! :flowerforyou: Consider reading The New Rules of Lifting for Women if you decide on lifting heavy or following a program like Strong Lifts 5x5.

Dedshot

well I would say no deficet.

At 5 ft 3 and 105lbs you are already in the low normal range for a healthy weight.

At 24% BF again in a normal range but I can understand why you want it lower.

At this point I would suggest a very low to no deficet (TDEE-5% at most) and start resistence training and do a recomp instead of losing anymore weight.

I didn't say I was losing weight. I'm cutting fat. I've actually gained weight since I began strength training. I lift heavy 4x/week, and am currently doing a recomp. I didn't add those details in my original post because I didn't think it'd be necessary, but I guess it would have been helpful.

Dedshot

What is your ultimate goal because I am having trouble with you cutting body fat at your current age and height?

You're having trouble with it?
My "ultimate goal" is to be lean and maintain the muscle I built with my noob gains. Not to be skinny, not to lose weight, to be fit and healthy and maintaining my muscle. Why can everyone else do that but me just because of the way I'm built?

psuLemon

well I would say no deficet.

At 5 ft 3 and 105lbs you are already in the low normal range for a healthy weight.

At 24% BF again in a normal range but I can understand why you want it lower.

At this point I would suggest a very low to no deficet (TDEE-5% at most) and start resistence training and do a recomp instead of losing anymore weight.

I didn't say I was losing weight. I'm cutting fat. I've actually gained weight since I began strength training. I lift heavy 4x/week, and am currently doing a recomp. I didn't add those details in my original post because I didn't think it'd be necessary, but I guess it would have been helpful.

So are you bulking and then doing a cut... or just have some water retention from weight training? Body fat is an issue because of poor body composition. It's actually not uncommon with those low in weight or under weight. Adding mass (bulk), followed by a short cut will help decrease overall body fat % and give you the results you want.

Dedshot

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

TavistockToad

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

Great, then you don't need a deficit, carry on with your recomp.

heybales

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

Sure you did.

You were wondering what % deficit to take.

A deficit to your daily burn in what you eat is losing weight.

Or did you mean % increase actually, not deficit?

Everyone is just going off the words you used.

sijomial

well I would say no deficet.

At 5 ft 3 and 105lbs you are already in the low normal range for a healthy weight.

At 24% BF again in a normal range but I can understand why you want it lower.

At this point I would suggest a very low to no deficet (TDEE-5% at most) and start resistence training and do a recomp instead of losing anymore weight.

I didn't say I was losing weight. I'm cutting fat. I've actually gained weight since I began strength training. I lift heavy 4x/week, and am currently doing a recomp. I didn't add those details in my original post because I didn't think it'd be necessary, but I guess it would have been helpful.

You confused people because you asked advice how much percentage deficit to eat under TDEE - that would be losing weight!
So the answer is to eat at TDEE and lift weights.

psuLemon

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

You implied weight loss by asking about the deficit. But its good to see you are trying to recomp.

Hi all, just a quick question I was hoping I could get some guidance on. I am beginning the TDEE method today, and I'm unsure of whether to cut at -20%, -15%, or -10%.

Dedshot

well I would say no deficet.

At 5 ft 3 and 105lbs you are already in the low normal range for a healthy weight.

At 24% BF again in a normal range but I can understand why you want it lower.

At this point I would suggest a very low to no deficet (TDEE-5% at most) and start resistence training and do a recomp instead of losing anymore weight.

I didn't say I was losing weight. I'm cutting fat. I've actually gained weight since I began strength training. I lift heavy 4x/week, and am currently doing a recomp. I didn't add those details in my original post because I didn't think it'd be necessary, but I guess it would have been helpful.

So are you bulking and then doing a cut... or just have some water retention from weight training? Body fat is an issue because of poor body composition. It's actually not uncommon with those low in weight or under weight. Adding mass (bulk), followed by a short cut will help decrease overall body fat % and give you the results you want.

I had water retention from weight training when I began... not anymore.
I know I'm thin (small framed, born this way, once again) but before I began strength training I did not have any considerable muscle strength/mass, and I hardly ever exercised, let alone lifted heavy. I did not bulk before this because I made the gains I wanted to in the very beginning. There's your "adding mass" part; it may not be as significant as you'd prefer, but I don't want to gain more mass than I have because I am happy with the amount I've put on. In the future, I'll decide what I want to do, whether it be bulking or maintaining.

dont_tap_my_aces

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

people get SUPER upset on MFP if they think you are already skinny! haha... so for my advice i'd take it like so:

how much lbs do you want to lose? (fat lbs) and how long until you hit goal? that will determine your deficit if any. and i'd probably eat at maintenance on your training days, and eat an an appropriate deficit on rest days to match the weekly loss/goal. so if your TDEE looked like 1800 kcals a day, and you wanna lose .5lbs of fat a week, eat 1215 kcals on rest days and maintenance (TDEE) on training. that sets you up for a weekly deficit of 1750 kcals or about .5 lbs. If you stay consistent with your protein (try and get at least 80g a day) and training you will most likely not lose any scale numbers but you will see a major change in the mirror and that's what it sounds like you're goal is.

Greenrun99

You confused people because you asked advice how much percentage deficit to eat under TDEE - that would be losing weight!
So the answer is to eat at TDEE and lift weights.

Thread Closed.. Your skinny enough, lift weights and EAT.

Dedshot

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

Sure you did.

You were wondering what % deficit to take.

A deficit to your daily burn in what you eat is losing weight.

Or did you mean % increase actually, not deficit?

Everyone is just going off the words you used.

Are you mad about something?

I was under the impression that in order to cut fat I needed a deficit, in my case, a small one. Maybe I am horribly misinformed about how to cut fat while maintaining muscle mass. Maybe someone could enlighten me?

TavistockToad

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

people get SUPER upset on MFP if they think you are already skinny! haha...

There was no upset in my post at all! I was answering the question and trying to help the OP...

heybales

I had water retention from weight training when I began... not anymore.
I know I'm thin (small framed, born this way, once again) but before I began strength training I did not have any considerable muscle strength/mass, and I hardly ever exercised, let alone lifted heavy. I did not bulk before this because I made the gains I wanted to in the very beginning. There's your "adding mass" part; it may not be as significant as you'd prefer, but I don't want to gain more mass than I have because I am happy with the amount I've put on. In the future, I'll decide what I want to do, whether it be bulking or maintaining.

Doesn't sound like you've figured out what you want ...

or ...

You don't realize the implications of what you are saying.

You want to drop bodyfat, fine.

You don't want to add more muscle mass, happy with that where it's at, fine.

You don't want to lose weight, fine.

Sadly - those 3 things don't go together.

To lose BF%, you either have to keep weight the same and increase muscle mass.
Or lose weight and it being all fat.

You can NOT accomplish what several of your comments have stated at the same time.

heybales

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

Sure you did.

You were wondering what % deficit to take.

A deficit to your daily burn in what you eat is losing weight.

Or did you mean % increase actually, not deficit?

Everyone is just going off the words you used.

Are you mad about something?

I was under the impression that in order to cut fat I needed a deficit, in my case, a small one. Maybe I am horribly misinformed about how to cut fat while maintaining muscle mass. Maybe someone could enlighten me?

Not at all. Not sure where mad could have been gotten from there. Don't read emotion in to forum posts, it'll start skewing things.

Dedshot

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

people get SUPER upset on MFP if they think you are already skinny! haha... so for my advice i'd take it like so:

how much lbs do you want to lose? (fat lbs) and how long until you hit goal? that will determine your deficit if any. and i'd probably eat at maintenance on your training days, and eat an an appropriate deficit on rest days to match the weekly loss/goal. so if your TDEE looked like 1800 kcals a day, and you wanna lose .5lbs of fat a week, eat 1215 kcals on rest days and maintenance (TDEE) on training. that sets you up for a weekly deficit of 1750 kcals or about .5 lbs. If you stay consistent with your protein (try and get at least 80g a day) and training you will most likely not lose any scale numbers but you will see a major change in the mirror and that's what it sounds like you're goal is.

I have noticed that, haha. People get so mad.
I don't have any amount in my head of what I want to lose, because I imagine (since muscle weighs more) that I may well end up at the same weight I am now when I have less fat on me. It could be as little of a difference as a couple pounds, who knows. I don't have a number in my head, or a timeline I'm sticking to. I'm just doing what I'm doing with no deadline.
I feel like your suggestion would be too extreme for me, without a lot of fat to lose, and I don't want to risk losing LBM. .5lbs of fat/week just seems fast to me, I'd be afraid that would hard to maintain because it'd be lost so quickly. I was planning on eating the same amount every day. Isn't that how TDEE works? Maybe I'm just misinformed again.
I do get at least 80g of protein a day, though. So I have that going for me. Thanks!

Dedshot

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

Sure you did.

You were wondering what % deficit to take.

A deficit to your daily burn in what you eat is losing weight.

Or did you mean % increase actually, not deficit?

Everyone is just going off the words you used.

Are you mad about something?

I was under the impression that in order to cut fat I needed a deficit, in my case, a small one. Maybe I am horribly misinformed about how to cut fat while maintaining muscle mass. Maybe someone could enlighten me?

Not at all. Not sure where mad could have been gotten from there. Don't read emotion in to forum posts, it'll start skewing things.

I was just messing with you, I know you're not mad. You just doubted my muscle gains, which I found funny, because it was a totally unnecessary thing to add to your post. I promise, I'd never lie to you.

psuLemon

well I would say no deficet.

At 5 ft 3 and 105lbs you are already in the low normal range for a healthy weight.

At 24% BF again in a normal range but I can understand why you want it lower.

At this point I would suggest a very low to no deficet (TDEE-5% at most) and start resistence training and do a recomp instead of losing anymore weight.

I didn't say I was losing weight. I'm cutting fat. I've actually gained weight since I began strength training. I lift heavy 4x/week, and am currently doing a recomp. I didn't add those details in my original post because I didn't think it'd be necessary, but I guess it would have been helpful.

So are you bulking and then doing a cut... or just have some water retention from weight training? Body fat is an issue because of poor body composition. It's actually not uncommon with those low in weight or under weight. Adding mass (bulk), followed by a short cut will help decrease overall body fat % and give you the results you want.

I had water retention from weight training when I began... not anymore.
I know I'm thin (small framed, born this way, once again) but before I began strength training I did not have any considerable muscle strength/mass, and I hardly ever exercised, let alone lifted heavy. I did not bulk before this because I made the gains I wanted to in the very beginning. There's your "adding mass" part; it may not be as significant as you'd prefer, but I don't want to gain more mass than I have because I am happy with the amount I've put on. In the future, I'll decide what I want to do, whether it be bulking or maintaining.

Recomp will definitely work, but it takes a lot of time and dedication. I worked with a woman for over a year to recomp from 26% body fat to 14.1%. Honestly, the best and fastest approach is a few bulk cut phases. You would be surprised at how lean you would become by doing so. Just look at the below. Staci had a few bulk phases and became even more lean each time.


http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

heybales

Given your size I would go for maintenance and a recomp rather than cutting calories. It's not really that you have too much fat, just not enough muscle!

I am recomping, as I said in another one of my replies. Nowhere in my OP did I say I was trying to lose weight! I know I am underweight, I have been in the 25% percentile my entire life. I put on a few pounds of muscle from my noob gains and I am satisfied with the amount I have right now.

Sure you did.

You were wondering what % deficit to take.

A deficit to your daily burn in what you eat is losing weight.

Or did you mean % increase actually, not deficit?

Everyone is just going off the words you used.

Are you mad about something?

I was under the impression that in order to cut fat I needed a deficit, in my case, a small one. Maybe I am horribly misinformed about how to cut fat while maintaining muscle mass. Maybe someone could enlighten me?

Not at all. Not sure where mad could have been gotten from there. Don't read emotion in to forum posts, it'll start skewing things.

I was just messing with you, I know you're not mad. You just doubted my muscle gains, which I found funny, because it was a totally unnecessary thing to add to your post. I promise, I'd never lie to you.

May be confusing posts, I never doubted muscle gains, newbie gains totally possible.
I don't even see where I added anything about muscle gains to my post. Huh.

Edit to add:
Rereading, now I see where you thought I was talking about muscle gains.
But you need to reread the lines - they are all in context.
"sure you did" is followed by ..... ?
Therefore it was referring to the comment about ..... ?

There ya go.

Branstin

What is your ultimate goal because I am having trouble with you cutting body fat at your current age and height?

You're having trouble with it?
My "ultimate goal" is to be lean and maintain the muscle I built with my noob gains. Not to be skinny, not to lose weight, to be fit and healthy and maintaining my muscle. Why can everyone else do that but me just because of the way I'm built?

I am sure that didn't come across correctly as I was multi-tasking. I should have stated that your age and weight seemed appropriate. Now that you have posted additional details I agree with the recomposition of your weight as opposed to more weight loss. There isn't anything wrong with your built. You can do this with the correct method.

Dedshot

I had water retention from weight training when I began... not anymore.
I know I'm thin (small framed, born this way, once again) but before I began strength training I did not have any considerable muscle strength/mass, and I hardly ever exercised, let alone lifted heavy. I did not bulk before this because I made the gains I wanted to in the very beginning. There's your "adding mass" part; it may not be as significant as you'd prefer, but I don't want to gain more mass than I have because I am happy with the amount I've put on. In the future, I'll decide what I want to do, whether it be bulking or maintaining.

Doesn't sound like you've figured out what you want ...

or ...

You don't realize the implications of what you are saying.

You want to drop bodyfat, fine.

You don't want to add more muscle mass, happy with that where it's at, fine.

You don't want to lose weight, fine.

Sadly - those 3 things don't go together.

To lose BF%, you either have to keep weight the same and increase muscle mass.
Or lose weight and it being all fat.

You can NOT accomplish what several of your comments have stated at the same time.

Alrighty.

When I say I don't want to lose weight, I follow it by saying "I just want to cut fat". Now, I know that cutting fat = losing weight. However, if I came right out and said "hey everyone I want to lose some weight", can you imagine the responses I would get? Even I would be concerned for myself. When people say "lose weight", a lot of the time they aren't distinguishing between fat and LBM. THAT is why I stay away from that phrase and instead use "cutting fat".

So, I know that in order to lose bf% I need to lose "weight", but that is all going to be fat, like you said in your post.
I know I very well may see a couple pounds lost on my scale weight, but it will all be fat.

Sorry to be so confusing! The last thing I needed was more accusations of unhealthiness, so I tried to use better wording for my goals. I'll keep in mind to be more clear next time.

frood

I think what you want is to eat AT TDEE and continue to lift. If you eat under TDEE you would probably lose LBM as well as fat.

heybales

Hi all, just a quick question I was hoping I could get some guidance on. I am beginning the TDEE method today, and I'm unsure of whether to cut at -20%, -15%, or -10%.

19, Female
5' 3"
105lbs
Small-framed and "apple" shaped

I do not have a lot of fat to cut because of my size, but my bf% estimation is somewhere around 24%, and I'd like to see myself at 18% and begin maintaining there. I have a pretty good indication of what I will look like at 18% because my mother and I are built the exact same, as in she is also small and we store fat in the same places, and 18% bf suited her very well back when she was working out.

Which percentage do you think I should cut at? Because of my size and my body composition overall I was thinking -10%.

Thanks!

Ok, try this again.

You do want to lose weight, because you do want to lose fat.

You do not want to gain any more muscle mass.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

You want to eat TDEE style, same goal daily.

Use the calc on the right method 2, with retaining LBM.

And yes, 10% deficit is about what you'd need to retain existing muscle mass, that's not a problem with minor deficit, enough protein, and lifting - you got the trifecta.

Dedshot

well I would say no deficet.

At 5 ft 3 and 105lbs you are already in the low normal range for a healthy weight.

At 24% BF again in a normal range but I can understand why you want it lower.

At this point I would suggest a very low to no deficet (TDEE-5% at most) and start resistence training and do a recomp instead of losing anymore weight.

I didn't say I was losing weight. I'm cutting fat. I've actually gained weight since I began strength training. I lift heavy 4x/week, and am currently doing a recomp. I didn't add those details in my original post because I didn't think it'd be necessary, but I guess it would have been helpful.

So are you bulking and then doing a cut... or just have some water retention from weight training? Body fat is an issue because of poor body composition. It's actually not uncommon with those low in weight or under weight. Adding mass (bulk), followed by a short cut will help decrease overall body fat % and give you the results you want.

I had water retention from weight training when I began... not anymore.
I know I'm thin (small framed, born this way, once again) but before I began strength training I did not have any considerable muscle strength/mass, and I hardly ever exercised, let alone lifted heavy. I did not bulk before this because I made the gains I wanted to in the very beginning. There's your "adding mass" part; it may not be as significant as you'd prefer, but I don't want to gain more mass than I have because I am happy with the amount I've put on. In the future, I'll decide what I want to do, whether it be bulking or maintaining.

Recomp will definitely work, but it takes a lot of time and dedication. I worked with a woman for over a year to recomp from 26% body fat to 14.1%. Honestly, the best and fastest approach is a few bulk cut phases. You would be surprised at how lean you would become by doing so. Just look at the below. Staci had a few bulk phases and became even more lean each time.


http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

I find Staci to be a good source of inspiration when it comes to lifting heavy, however, I don't desire her physique. I find her slightly too muscular for my liking, and it is not a look I'd want on myself.

I understand the bulking being something that works, though, and of course if I did bulk I would tailor it to my needs and I am sure I wouldn't end up looking like her. In the future I may try this, but right now, I feel as though what I am doing has been working for me. I've made some muscle gains and shed a little bit of fat. Just as an example, I can begin to see my abs showing, and I totally love that, and I love how much stronger I am now. I measure myself and I see myself becoming leaner and stronger.

I was thinking of continuing with all the work I've been doing because if I'm this close to looking at the desired leanness now, I must be doing at least *something* right. That's why I was here asking about my TDEE and deficit, not about whether I should bulk or not.

I appreciate the advice, though. I'm going to keep it all in mind for the future if I end up wanting more muscle.

marathonmom72

If you're wanting to lower your body fat and still build/maintain muscle then the lower the deficit the better. Slow and steady results at this point in the game. If you are wanting to build some more muscle, at some point, you may find that you need to do a bulk, followed by another cut.

MistyMtnMan

USE THIS


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