TDEE question

Lowfatlady

I know your supposed to do tdee minus 20% if you want to lose 2 pounds a week, 15% to lose 1.5 pounds, and 10% to lose one pound. However I also see people say that to lose a pound it should be tdee minus 500 calories so that you can lose up to 3500 a week. Are both ways right? You get different numbers doing it each way. I'm not sure which to follow.

EvanKeel

Well, the napkin math for calories goes:

3500 calories = 1lb of fat.
500 calories defict per day = a weekly loss of 3500 cal or 1lb of fat.

The TDEE -20% might be a 1lb loss, depending on what your TDEE is. For that to be true you'd have to do:

X (.20)= 500
X=2500

So, if your TDEE 2500 cal/day, then TDEE -20% would be a 1lb loss.

Whether or not you're supposed to do TDEE -20% or 10%, etc, probably depends more on what your current BF% is and what your goals are.

ETA: The closer you are to your goal, the closer to your TDEE, you'd want to eat.

3dogsrunning

Percentages don't necessarily equate to 1 or 2 lbs a week. But in general, 20% would be closer to 1 lb a week. 10% to .5 lb a week.

If you figure a TDEE of 2000 calories, 20% would be 400 less a day. A lb a week is roughly 500 less a day.
Of course with a higher TDEE you get a bigger deficit.
At least that was my understanding.

Mr_Knight

I know your supposed to do tdee minus 20% if you want to lose 2 pounds a week, 15% to lose 1.5 pounds, and 10% to lose one pound.

No. That's already not correct.

20% DOES NOT mean 2 lbs per week except for a small percentage of people.

Lowfatlady

OK enlighten me then. I am 5'2, 35 years old, moderately active and weigh 154. I want to weigh 140. What percentage cut should I be using?

editorgrrl

Set your goal to .5 lb. per week, which is a 250-calorie deficit.

When you're short (I'm 5'2"), you can't do TDEE minus a huge percentage. And the less you have to lose, the more slowly it comes off. That's just the way the human body works. The smaller deficit will help you transition to deficit.

Please, read the Sexypants post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants

Saramelie

To lose 0.5 per week, take your TDEE and subtract 250 calories per day. Recalculate every 5 pounds.

FrugalMomsRock75

OK enlighten me then. I am 5'2, 35 years old, moderately active and weigh 154. I want to weigh 140. What percentage cut should I be using?

TDEE=2093

-20%= 1674

-15%= 1779

-10%= 1883 (being closer to goal, probably where you would want to be).

According to http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/


There's also a group that helps with this. I think it's Eat More to Lose or something along those lines.