TDEE

carlyjaner

Hi All,

I need help, I started 5x5 2 weeks ago on the calorie goal of 1200 plus my exercise calories, however when I had a looked at my TDEE it says I should be eating 1961 calories. This seems wayyyyy to much as I am also trying to loose a bit of weight.

Can someone explain what the best thing is for me to do. Do I keep my calories low and keep lifting or up my calories and risk not losing any of my weight.

I am 5ft 6in and weight 142 pounds. If that helps.

Thanks.

rps67

If you go by TDEE, you should use that but not eat back your exercise calories. I think it's essentially the same thing but eating TDEE makes life a little easier because your target calories every day is the same.

katro111

ETA: Mis-read your original post about your TDEE... Disregard this!

husseycd

I'm 5'5" and 130 lbs and my TDEE is about 2200 calories/day. 1960 sounds perfectly reasonable for someone of your height/weight. In fact I'd lose at that amount. Try grossing 1700/day and see if you start dropping. That allows for a modest deficit, which is appropriate for someone with a small amount to lose.

BTW, I've been lifting for almost a year now and while my weight hasn't changed, I have lost about 0.5" off my thighs and hips and you can now see my upper abs, so there is that to keep in mind.

KaterinaTerese

You're my height at my goal weight! Yay! 145lbs is right smack in the middle of healthy for our height, so I'm going to assume you need to mostly just lose fat, not much scale weight, and gain some muscle. A calorie level of 1200 is not a good idea for having so little to lose. You will stall quickly on your lifts (I speak from experience, lol), and never have enough calories to build up that muscle you'll want to look strong or "toned."

Where did you calculate your TDEE? Is that your estimated maintenance levels or TDEE - %? If you use TDEE - %, you will NOT eat back exercise calories, just eat the same level every day. The exercise calories are averaged out through the week.

I strongly encourage you to read this (actually, I think a lot of women should read Amber's blog; so awesome): https://gokaleo.com/2012/09/19/body-composition-that-last-five-pounds-and-how-to-deal-with-problem-areas/

You may choose to stop losing weight and concentrate on just looking your best! Get out there and lift, girl! :drinker:

p.s., sorry if I sound preachy, I was just in your place a few months ago, and switching my focus to eating more and looking better has been so mentally and physically beneficial, I just want to tell everyone!!!

rps67

You may choose to stop losing weight and concentrate on just looking your best! Get out there and lift, girl! :drinker:

p.s., sorry if I sound preachy, I was just in your place a few months ago, and switching my focus to eating more and looking better has been so mentally and physically beneficial, I just want to tell everyone!!!

I don't mean to hijack, but I appreciate your posting this. I've been frustrated that I've been working HARD (lifting and running) to lose the weight from this past pregnancy and the scale isn't changing. When I got home from the hospital, I weighed around 164 or so. Up until 2 weeks ago, I weighed...164 or so. I had been watching what I ate (not logging until a few weeks back but eating well and not a ton). A few weeks ago, I started logging everything (and weighing with a scale). Then I started fasting 2 times a week. After the first week, I had lost like 6 lb.

I had ONE day where I ate a lot of what I'd call junk food (lunch at Red Lobster and a chicken sandwich from Burger King for dinner). ONE day. I got on the scale this morning and guess what? I'm almost back to 160.

I can't live like this so I'm thinking of just eating normally and continuing to exercise as I have been because I enjoy that. I'm nursing the baby and don't want to mess with that, either (although I don't include calories burned for that and still eating below TDEE hasn't caused me to lose weight). I'd much rather be in good shape than skinny fat, but I am sad that it looks like I won't be in my old size 2s any time soon.

Gen2703

I think the ladies gave really good advice. 1200 calories at your height and weight seems too low. if your TDEE is 1960 you should set a goal of around 1600-1700 and see how that goes. you will lose fat (you are creating a deficit) providing you are logging correctly. And if you lift heavy, you do need lots more than 1200 for your body to recover properly. The last think you want is to injure yourself of be extremely tired and grumpy all the time!

KaterinaTerese

edit: double post

KaterinaTerese

You may choose to stop losing weight and concentrate on just looking your best! Get out there and lift, girl! :drinker:

p.s., sorry if I sound preachy, I was just in your place a few months ago, and switching my focus to eating more and looking better has been so mentally and physically beneficial, I just want to tell everyone!!!

I don't mean to hijack, but I appreciate your posting this. I've been frustrated that I've been working HARD (lifting and running) to lose the weight from this past pregnancy and the scale isn't changing. When I got home from the hospital, I weighed around 164 or so. Up until 2 weeks ago, I weighed...164 or so. I had been watching what I ate (not logging until a few weeks back but eating well and not a ton). A few weeks ago, I started logging everything (and weighing with a scale). Then I started fasting 2 times a week. After the first week, I had lost like 6 lb.

I had ONE day where I ate a lot of what I'd call junk food (lunch at Red Lobster and a chicken sandwich from Burger King for dinner). ONE day. I got on the scale this morning and guess what? I'm almost back to 160.

I can't live like this so I'm thinking of just eating normally and continuing to exercise as I have been because I enjoy that. I'm nursing the baby and don't want to mess with that, either (although I don't include calories burned for that and still eating below TDEE hasn't caused me to lose weight). I'd much rather be in good shape than skinny fat, but I am sad that it looks like I won't be in my old size 2s any time soon.

I'm glad you enjoyed her take on recomp!
I completely understand the size thing -- all I want is to fit into all my size 6 dresses again (because I just like them, damn it!). Especially during breast feeding, I'm sure you'll have to be more patient, because you need the calories for that. The thing I like about the article is that I feel as though I'm not just "spinning my wheels" when I stop dieting, but actually caring for my body and growing stronger. Eventually we can choose to begin dieting again or not, depending on where our life stands.

Gen2703

That article was gold!!!