Folks who have lost 50+ pounds

perseverance14

I started lifting weights and eating my TDEE minus 20%, and I am losing. When I was eating 1400-1500 I wasn't losing as much, lower calories might be good to get out of obese range, but then you should workout and eat more.

missylectro

How would you calculate it based on actual progress?

If you're accurately logging calories, then you know how much you are eating every day.

If you're weighing yourself regularly (at the same time of the day), you know approximately how much weight you've lost over a given period. (It can be more accurate to use an exponentially smoothed weighted average - see John Walker, The Hacker's Diet, http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/)

With those figures, you can calculate your actual TDEE as follows:

Add up the number of calories you ate in the period. To that number, add 3500 times the weight you have lost in pounds. That will be your Total Energy Expenditure for the period. Divide by the number of days in the period to get TDEE.

Example: My weight on March 31 was 163.18. On April 30, it was 162.11, so I lost 1.07 lb. in April. I logged 63,203 calories in April. So my total energy expenditure for April was 63203 + 1.07 * 3500 = 69948. April has 30 days, so my TDEE was 69948/30 = 2231.6. Of course that's a daily average. I logged 14424 exercise calories, using fairly accurate HRMs, for an average 480.8 exercise calories a day, so my NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) was about 1750.8.

According to a few TDEE calculators, my NEAT should be around 1950. That suggests one of two things: (1) I've been missing up to 200 calories a day, which is entirely possible (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160), or (2) I'm experiencing adaptive thermogenesis--but 200 calories a day is a pretty big AT effect. It's probably a mixture of both.

It doesn't really matter, though, as long as I am consistent in logging, and use my results to adjust how much I eat.

Ok so I did the calculations and I got 2,544 which is very close to what the calculators on IFFYM tell me. That means in order to lose weight I should be eating around 1900... Really???

perseverance14

How would you calculate it based on actual progress?

If you're accurately logging calories, then you know how much you are eating every day.

If you're weighing yourself regularly (at the same time of the day), you know approximately how much weight you've lost over a given period. (It can be more accurate to use an exponentially smoothed weighted average - see John Walker, The Hacker's Diet, http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/)

With those figures, you can calculate your actual TDEE as follows:

Add up the number of calories you ate in the period. To that number, add 3500 times the weight you have lost in pounds. That will be your Total Energy Expenditure for the period. Divide by the number of days in the period to get TDEE.

Example: My weight on March 31 was 163.18. On April 30, it was 162.11, so I lost 1.07 lb. in April. I logged 63,203 calories in April. So my total energy expenditure for April was 63203 + 1.07 * 3500 = 69948. April has 30 days, so my TDEE was 69948/30 = 2231.6. Of course that's a daily average. I logged 14424 exercise calories, using fairly accurate HRMs, for an average 480.8 exercise calories a day, so my NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) was about 1750.8.

According to a few TDEE calculators, my NEAT should be around 1950. That suggests one of two things: (1) I've been missing up to 200 calories a day, which is entirely possible (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160), or (2) I'm experiencing adaptive thermogenesis--but 200 calories a day is a pretty big AT effect. It's probably a mixture of both.

It doesn't really matter, though, as long as I am consistent in logging, and use my results to adjust how much I eat.

Ok so I did the calculations and I got 2,544 which is very close to what the calculators on IFFYM tell me. That means in order to lose weight I should be eating around 1900... Really???

I am eating 1600 and am thinking about upping it as I lost 2.8 lbs. this week, and that is too much. Giving it another week or so to see how it goes, but why don't you just raise it 200 every other week, give it a couple of weeks, and see the difference it makes, you don't have to do it all at once.

missylectro

How would you calculate it based on actual progress?

If you're accurately logging calories, then you know how much you are eating every day.

If you're weighing yourself regularly (at the same time of the day), you know approximately how much weight you've lost over a given period. (It can be more accurate to use an exponentially smoothed weighted average - see John Walker, The Hacker's Diet, http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/)

With those figures, you can calculate your actual TDEE as follows:

Add up the number of calories you ate in the period. To that number, add 3500 times the weight you have lost in pounds. That will be your Total Energy Expenditure for the period. Divide by the number of days in the period to get TDEE.

Example: My weight on March 31 was 163.18. On April 30, it was 162.11, so I lost 1.07 lb. in April. I logged 63,203 calories in April. So my total energy expenditure for April was 63203 + 1.07 * 3500 = 69948. April has 30 days, so my TDEE was 69948/30 = 2231.6. Of course that's a daily average. I logged 14424 exercise calories, using fairly accurate HRMs, for an average 480.8 exercise calories a day, so my NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) was about 1750.8.

According to a few TDEE calculators, my NEAT should be around 1950. That suggests one of two things: (1) I've been missing up to 200 calories a day, which is entirely possible (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396160), or (2) I'm experiencing adaptive thermogenesis--but 200 calories a day is a pretty big AT effect. It's probably a mixture of both.

It doesn't really matter, though, as long as I am consistent in logging, and use my results to adjust how much I eat.

Ok so I did the calculations and I got 2,544 which is very close to what the calculators on IFFYM tell me. That means in order to lose weight I should be eating around 1900... Really???

I am eating 1600 and am thinking about upping it as I lost 2.8 lbs. this week, and that is too much. Giving it another week or so to see how it goes, but why don't you just raise it 200 every other week, give it a couple of weeks, and see the difference it makes, you don't have to do it all at once.

That's a good idea thanks

themedalist

You don't change your caloric intake to meet your psychological needs. You body is a fuel burning factory. It has needs. And if you deprive it of those needs it will not be kind to you. Don't further exacerbate your metabolic syndrome which I'm sure you have some of at least.

You didn't gain the weight in a short period of time and you can't lose it long term that way. Your body knows what it is doing. It has stalled at this weight for a reason. When it has accomplished it's goals your weight loss will resume. And you will be healthier for it.

There are no shortcuts. Not ones that lead to a lifelong positive result for you anyways.

This was a wonderful and eloquent explanation-- needed to hear this, thank you! :flowerforyou:

+1. Successful weight loss always involves two "people". You and your body. Your body doesn't care one iota that you want to lose weight. That's your problem. People who work with their bodies and not against them (through moderation in a caloric deficit, exercise, stress, and enough sleep) are more successful in meeting their weight loss goals, IMO.

BreeJaxon

I've lost 60 lbs, and I'm now maintaining around 1800 cals a day or at least I try, that's a lot of food for me. Right now I'm just trying to eat toward my macros so I can get stronger. I don't think you're eating enough personally!

Tedebearduff

Hi, I am posting here because I need to talk to people who have reached their goal weight and have lost 50 or more pounds.
I'm about halfway to my goal and find it's getting harder and harder to lose weight. Which is natural. So far I've been eating over 1200 calories a day (anywhere from 1300-1500, sometimes more which I found was hindering my weight loss). Now I want to try eating 1200 calories.

So I have a question, did eating 1200 calories a day help you when you stalled?

Increase your activity level instead of decreasing what you eat.

sfbaumgarten

No. I lost over 70 pounds and each time my weight loss started to drastically slow, I'd INCREASE my intake and the weight would start dropping again.

svsl0928

I have lost 53 pounds. I have set-up MFP to lose 1 pound a week. Without exercise I eat around 1400 a week. When I exercise, I eat between 1500 - 1800. I try to eat only half my exercise calories. I have had moments where I didn't lose for several months. I keep following my plan and then the weight lose would start again. They key is to stick with your plan. Eating less is not always the answer. If you are exercising and not eating enough the body will go in a starvation mode and hold on to the weight instead of losing.
Anything below 1200 is too low. It may help to change you workout routine. Add weights if you don't.

carliekitty

I met my original goal and decided I needed to loose more. I just have one or two pig out days when my weight loss stalls. I've managed to take off a good amount of weight that way. I eat 1700-1900 calories a day. Make sure to do somehiil training to keep your metabolism going, and weights. Don't cut down your calories to low you need fuel!

wampahoofus

I was eating 1200 calories for a few weeks and continued losing weight. My consumption was between 1200-1500 with only a few exceptions. My base level of exercise was 10,000 steps a day.

My weight loss seemed to come in steps. I would stay the same weight for a few days and then my weight would go down for a few days. The plateaus could be frustrating from time to time but would end if I stuck to the plan without wavering.

I have heard people that have had success with a bigger day of eating each week in an attempt to fool their metabolism into a higher gear.

logiatype

No. I lost over 70 pounds and each time my weight loss started to drastically slow, I'd INCREASE my intake and the weight would start dropping again.

Probably needed to read something like this.
Started at around 240 and have been at 190 for 3 months. I'm 6'2" and work out (strength and cardio) at least 3 days week. Maybe I need to up my intake for a little while... I do struggle to eat up to my current goal at 1900 though and trying to cut down on sugar intake is making it even more difficult

missylectro

No. I lost over 70 pounds and each time my weight loss started to drastically slow, I'd INCREASE my intake and the weight would start dropping again.

I really hope the same thing happens to me

Zelinna

You definitely need to figure out your BMR and TDEE and then go from there.

When I was losing, I used my BMR as my base calories and then would eat back all my exercise calories. I ended up eating 2000-2200 total (~1500 Net).

I also used the calculator on Fat to Fit Radio. It told me my TDEE at goal and I would use this as my daily max.

My weight loss was not fast, it took me a year and a half to lose 60 lbs, but eating at my goal TDEE really helped me transition into maintenance.

ahviendha

"did eating at 1200 calories help me when i stalled?"

nope.

SezxyStef

I've never eaten less than 1600.

This...why because I weigh my food...

based on your diary you don't. I suspect you are eating more than you think. As well some of your entries are suspect...homemade stuffed pepper soup? did you make it? if you didn't don't use that entry...create a recipe.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1186508-weighing-food-vs-measuring-wow?hl=Wow&page=4#posts-18526270
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=Logging+accurately&page=3#posts-19337078

impromark

I've lost 50 pounds in the past year and am also looking at figuring out maintenance. However, after well over a year at 1200 cals plus up to 800 cals of exercise, I've found out that:

a) I *like* the exercise and won't be stopping anytime soon, and

b) I definitely prefer the smaller portion sizes.

What I'm doing is setting more fitness goals: a 5k race, a jeans size, etc. I'm now working towards THAT, now that I've attained the number on the scale that I've been chasing. However, so far I've kept to the 1200+exercise number on my MFP, and am simply not worried whenever I go over by a few hundred. I hope to use this to gain a useful baseline while I change my workouts to get going on these NEW goals.

Three weeks in my 145-150 pound range and counting...

Mark

missylectro

I've never eaten less than 1600.

This...why because I weigh my food...

based on your diary you don't. I suspect you are eating more than you think. As well some of your entries are suspect...homemade stuffed pepper soup? did you make it? if you didn't don't use that entry...create a recipe.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1186508-weighing-food-vs-measuring-wow?hl=Wow&page=4#posts-18526270
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=Logging+accurately&page=3#posts-19337078

In that case I picked whatever seemed closest to what I was eating. I do a lot of approximation.

mamadon

I also increased my calories the further I got along. I actually started out at 1200 which I eventually realized was probably too low. After several months, I slowly started increasing my calories and still lost weight. The loss did slow down, but i did still lose and I was not in any hurry.

w2bab

Absolutely.