Big guy, low caloric needs?

Bappelman

Hello all,

I come looking for your accrued wisdom.

I am a large guy - 6'4, 267 lbs. I am also 42 years old.

A few years ago I lost 48 lbs while doing Nutrisystem. On their plan I was eating @ 1750 to 1900 calories per day. I worked out constantly, but mostly cardio and body weight exercises (Push ups, dips, sit ups...) I never felt sick or weak, and I did their meal plan for a full year.

Fast forward to 2014. I start P90X - much heavier weight lifting than before. Still a good bit of cardio.

I sign up with MFP and it sets me at 1900 cals per day, with me adding workout calories on top, and eating them back. After research into heart rate monitors and their non-ability to assess weight lifting calories, I change over to TDEE. I averaged a number of sites and came up with eating 2,500 a day, to lose 2 lbs a week.

Almost 2 months later I have not lost a pound. I fluctuate between 4 lbs OVER my starting weight and 3-4 lbs under. While I have put on some muscle, it is not enough to claim I haev lost any more than a few lbs of fat.

I do not want to under eat, so I am doing more research. I tried out eating 2,300 cals last week and felt pretty good working out, and had no ill effects. Is it possible that I just need less calories than the average? Might 2,300 or be enough at my size?

Any help is appreciated.

McCluskey1128

It's always hard to figure out what works and what doesn't. I've been in the same boat as you for awhile now. I've been on TDEE and the scale isn't budging. I have clearly put on muscle, but not enough to say that I haven't lost fat.

I lost 30 pounds several months ago using MFP (1200 cal + eating what I burned) and lost a lot of weight. So, I think if that worked, then go back to it. If you were eating 1750-1900 while moderately exercising then eating 1900 + what you burn now should work. It could also be that we're over estimating our activity level when calculating TDEE calorie intakes.

I know this isn't a definitive answer, but I just feel like if you've lost weight in the past, you know what works. Doing that again should work this time as well.

TeaBea

MFP gives you a calorie determination

1. Based on "I want to lose XX pounds per week"
2. Before any exercise

If you are going to be working out regularly (anyway) .....TDEE less a percent might work better for you

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

This includes exercise up front and you take a percentage off. Make sure you have the lowest end (BMR) covered.

Eating too little doesn't support lean muscle mass.

davidykay

"Might 2,300 or be enough at my size?" -> YES.

So many factors go into your daily maintenance calories, it's really hard for anyone to be able to generate a one-size-fits all calorie calculator. Some of the more accurate ones take into account body fat percentage, but even those need to be tuned a bit. Add in metabolism, insulin sensitivity, etc, and any formula always needs to be fine-tuned in the real world.

My one biggest recommendation for you is to trust what works for you, because everyone is slightly different. If 2300 is your number, great!

Hope this was helpful,
David

P.S. Diet tip: if you have been carrying around the extra weight for a while, you may be "insulin resistant" and may benefit from a lower-carb, higher-fat diet as your body comes back into balance.

ChrisM8971

2300 doesn't sound too bad for your weight, I was 238 lbs sedentary and was set 1800 to start with for a 1.5 lbs per week loss and didn't have to calculate exercise because I didn't do any back then.

I think the first question that you would need to answer is how are you logging your calories?

You have to be sure that you are eating what you think you are eating so need to be weighing all solids and measuring all liquids before you can get an accurate picture of your calorie intake

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

Are you weighing, measuring and logging everything? Are you doing so honestly? Nutrisystem would have taken care of this for you so if you are "eyeballing" your portions now, you could be drastically underestimating your true intake.

Chances are very likely it's something along these lines that is happening.

ruffnstuff

I think the first question that you would need to answer is how are you logging your calories?

You have to be sure that you are eating what you think you are eating so need to be weighing all solids and measuring all liquids before you can get an accurate picture of your calorie intake

THAT right there. Be sure you are extremely accurate with logging, first. Then see if for some reason you need fewer cals than the average person your size.

dlionsmane

Weighing everything you eat is important. It really truly is the only way to be sure that you are actually in a deficit. Having said that sometimes it takes trial and error to find 'your' deficit. Not everyone fits nicely into these calculators, sometimes you have to play with the numbers.

Personally I would go with TDEE minus 15-20% (depending on how much you have to lose) choose the option that already calculates your exercise level and eat at that number (you would not eat exercise calories back at this number) Try it for a few weeks before you make adjustments.

Bappelman

Thanks to you all for your input and help.

The 2500 cals a day was my TDEE - losing 2 lbs a week. My full TDEE was @ 3450 a day.

I am getting a good bit stronger, and feel good on 2, 500 a day, I am just not really losing the fat amount that I would like to lose.

I have a degenerating disc in my back and have had 3 knee surgeries, all in the last 10 years. My doctor wants me to be lighter, says my knee and back simply cannot take the weight, whether its muscle or fat. I love lifting, but I also simply need to weigh less than I do now.