4 Weeks In at Maintenance Cals...

lillebanon

Tomorrow will be 4 weeks since I started eating more. I have been eating what I calculated as my FULL maintenance TDEE plus an addiitonal 200 calories for the small amount that my toddler still breastfeeds in an effort to reset my metabolism after a very long time of eating 1200 cals while training for a half marathon! I had my math a little off the first week, so the last 3 weeks I have been eating 200 calories more than I was the first week. Anyway, I think I am ready to take my 15% cut now!

But.... I've LOST 5 lbs this first 4 weeks! I've also lost an inch in my waist (maybe more, since I waited a couple weeks in to take my first measurements), 1/2" in my thigh, 1/2" in my neck, and 1/2" in my bust. I'm not complaining, believe me, but now I'm worried that my calcs were off and maybe I was already eating at a cut? Or maybe it was just water...? Or the weight training??

I have been so anxious to get to my "cut phase", but I don't want to mess with a good thing either....

What do you think?

angelina2585

I'm really tempted to say just stick with what you're doing with results like these! It sounds as if your body like the extra so I personally wouldn't drop calories unless the weight loss stalls.

zaithyr

I'm really tempted to say just stick with what you're doing with results like these! It sounds as if your body like the extra so I personally wouldn't drop calories unless the weight loss stalls.

I agree with this! Sounds like you are probably getting plenty of exercise too. If you are happy eating where you're at and your body is responding well, why drop? As you lose weight your bottom line numbers will change though so keep that in mind. Sounds like you're doing well though!

jj3120

Congrats on doing so well without even trying!! I would stick with what your eating now if it's working : )

ANewLucia

Tomorrow will be 4 weeks since I started eating more. I have been eating what I calculated as my FULL maintenance TDEE plus an addiitonal 200 calories for the small amount that my toddler still breastfeeds in an effort to reset my metabolism after a very long time of eating 1200 cals while training for a half marathon! I had my math a little off the first week, so the last 3 weeks I have been eating 200 calories more than I was the first week. Anyway, I think I am ready to take my 15% cut now!

But.... I've LOST 5 lbs this first 4 weeks! I've also lost an inch in my waist (maybe more, since I waited a couple weeks in to take my first measurements), 1/2" in my thigh, 1/2" in my neck, and 1/2" in my bust. I'm not complaining, believe me, but now I'm worried that my calcs were off and maybe I was already eating at a cut? Or maybe it was just water...? Or the weight training??

I have been so anxious to get to my "cut phase", but I don't want to mess with a good thing either....

What do you think?

I would say 4 more weeks at TDEE and then cut by 10%. See how the loss goes cause then you have another 5% wiggle room.

31prvrbs

Yep. I'd agree w/staying at TDEE. Your body is showing obvious signs that it's happy with you right now, so... don't upset it , lol... How awesome is it when your body rewards you for giving it what it needs?!

So amazing what proper fuel can do :bigsmile:



Kiki

lillebanon

Thanks for the input! I will just keep eating (no complaints here)...

Here is what my 4 week trend looked like:

Week One (2000 cal): Down 5 lbs
Week Two (2200 cal): Up 4 lbs to -1 net
Week Three (2200 cal): Stable at -1 net
Week Four (2200 cal): Down 4 lbs to -5 net

Week one I was too stuffed to really exercise. Week 2 was a chaotic travel-for-work week, but I was on my feet and moving pretty constantly. I was back at my desk week 3 and 4 but I started lifting at the beginning of week three, and I started lifting heavy at the beginning of week 4.

I measured at the end of week two and at the end of week four (I was trying to go by memory in my original post and had some of these wrong...sorry):

week2 week 4
neck 13.5 13
waist 30 29
naval 34.5 33
gut 35.75 35.5
full hips 43.5 43.5
left bicep 12 11.75
left forearm 10.5 10.25
chest high 33 32.5
below bust 30.5 30
bust 39 38
left thigh 24.25 24.25
wrist 6.375 6.375
ankle 8.75 8.75

Soooo.... That's 5.75"!!!! across the million points that I measure. Holy cow! Right now is the first time I've been able to sit down and tally that up.

It seems I'm only losing from my upper body, but I guess that doesn't really surprise me. My lower body is already very muscular and strong (not that there isn't still some fat there I'd like to lose) from my half marathon training, and from months of physical therapy for my hip. I would like to thank my physical therapist for my amazing glutes.

lillebanon

On a depressing side note, the Covert Bailey calculator says that I lost 4 lbs of lean mass and 1 lb of fat, so my body fat % went up 0.5%. Hopefully that doesn't mean I lost 4 lbs of muscle?

twinmomtwice4

You've gotten amazing results!!! Sounds like your body is very happy!!!!! Congratulations!!

harlanJEN

I'm really tempted to say just stick with what you're doing with results like these! It sounds as if your body like the extra so I personally wouldn't drop calories unless the weight loss stalls.

I agree with this! Sounds like you are probably getting plenty of exercise too. If you are happy eating where you're at and your body is responding well, why drop? As you lose weight your bottom line numbers will change though so keep that in mind. Sounds like you're doing well though!

My thought too ..... Eating well, exercising ,losing inches and lbs, strength training. I don't think I'd drop cals ..