trusting this new approach...

angelew

Hi everyone-
Over the last few years I've lost about 30 pounds...and would like to drop another 20. I've been on My Fitness Pal since last August but with no real lasting success. I was eating about 1100 calories a day (limiting processed foods, lots of veggies and lean proteins, severely restricting carbs) while rolling my eyes at the people proclaiming "eat more, lose more". It just seemed illogical to me. I had some metabolic testing done this week at my gym and learned that my RMR (resting metabolic rate) is 1484 calories and that I should be eating 1554 calories on non workout days. I was instructed to consume that amount each day, and to eat back all my exercise calories. I almost fell over. I've decided to join this group, and to try and trust this process. I'm nervous about it...but from reading the posts here everyone seems to be losing steadily, in a healthy way, with lots of energy and good health. Would love to become a "believer"!

lillebanon

Welcome! Be sure and read through all the stickies, especially the "what to expect" one. This can work for you!

angelew

Thank you- that was very helpful! Do you think I should follow the numbers I got from my RMR test? Or should I calculate my TDEE from the formula on the group page?

lillebanon

Did your RMR test give you a TDEE too? RMR and BMR are the same thing, so you should be able to take your RMR test results and go straight to multiplying by your activity factor to get your TDEE.

angelew

I used the Scooby's Workshop calculator and the numbers it gave me were almost identical to my New Leaf test results! My TDEE with a 20% caloric deduction is 1558. This would result in a loss of about 3 pounds per month...does this seem like an average monthly loss for people in this group? Do most stick with the 20% deduction?

ANewLucia

I used the Scooby's Workshop calculator and the numbers it gave me were almost identical to my New Leaf test results! My TDEE with a 20% caloric deduction is 1558. This would result in a loss of about 3 pounds per month...does this seem like an average monthly loss for people in this group? Do most stick with the 20% deduction?

Oh my we suggest a slower approach. You need to fuel and selecting sedentary is probably too low. What is your weekly workout routine? You should probaly go w moderate if you wokout at least 3times a week and only do a cut of 15%. Eat that everyday and on workout days be sure to at least net your BMR. Slow and steady wins the race. Drop it quick with too many cals cut means gaining it back even faster.

angelew

I did choose "moderate" because I work out at least three times a week...and the dietician who did my testing advised me to eat back exercise calories...so 1558 calories would be for days that I don't work out. Did I misunderstand the formula?I appreciate the feedback....

lillebanon

If you chose moderate, then your TDEE already includes your workout calories, so you won't eat them back, unless you net below you BMR. What is your RMR/BMR?

For instance, if your BMR is 1300 and your cut is 1558, and you exercise one day and burn 400 calories, your net is only going to be 1158, so you will need eat an additional 142 calories to net your BMR. Make sense? Although, I agree, 20% is a pretty steep cut. Maybe start out w/ 10 or 15% and see how it goes?

angelew

The equation that the trainer/dietician gave me at the gym was...
(RMR) 1484 + (lifestyle) 445 - (for a .75 loss per week) 375 + (workout calories) ? = 1554
So I'd eat 1554 calories plus whatever I burn off through exercise...which would probably come close to 1900 per day. The Scooby's Workshop formula gave me a TDEE of 1948. It looks like the formulas might be different, but the end result is pretty much the same. That's about 700 calories more per day than I've been eating.

angelew

I've been reading all the flagged posts trying to figure this formula out. I'm embarrassed at how long it took me! I THINK I get it now. On Lucia's advice, I changed my activity level to moderate with a 15% cut instead of 20%. According to the Scooby's formula my BMR is 1416 (pretty close to my New Leaf test result of 1484), My TDEE is 2196, with a 15% cut value comes to 1866. I customized my goals on MFP and now aim to consume 1866 daily, unless I burn a lot through exercise. On those days I plan on adding some calories to stay over my BMR. Ok...am I closer to getting this? I'd appreciate being corrected if I missed something or misunderstood a concept. I have a lot of metabolism repair ahead of me and the scale has gone up since starting this...I'm desperate to know that I'm doing this correctly. Thanks for any info or advice you can share!

knowak82

I've been reading all the flagged posts trying to figure this formula out. I'm embarrassed at how long it took me! I THINK I get it now. On Lucia's advice, I changed my activity level to moderate with a 15% cut instead of 20%. According to the Scooby's formula my BMR is 1416 (pretty close to my New Leaf test result of 1484), My TDEE is 2196, with a 15% cut value comes to 1866. I customized my goals on MFP and now aim to consume 1866 daily, unless I burn a lot through exercise. On those days I plan on adding some calories to stay over my BMR. Ok...am I closer to getting this? I'd appreciate being corrected if I missed something or misunderstood a concept. I have a lot of metabolism repair ahead of me and the scale has gone up since starting this...I'm desperate to know that I'm doing this correctly. Thanks for any info or advice you can share!

I think you got it!

rebekahgo

yep, that sounds right. go ahead and take your measurements too. it's really weird, but most people go up in weight initially but down in measurements. seeing those measurements go down can really keep you from freaking out over the scale saying you're getting bigger.

rotnkat

You've got it down!!!!!

angelew

Thanks everybody! A trainer at my gym is going to do my measurements and body fat %...now, to just be PATIENT and TRUST the process!

jackiecroberts

I am in as well. My sister and I both have been scratching our heads wondering, how are we functioning if we consume less than our bmr's? I am going on maintenance, at Lucia's suggestion for about 8 weeks. My tdee is 2265!! Wow, I go from eating hardly anything to eating. Will I expect to see a gain initially? Has anyone out there done this? Good luck to you my friend, know I am there with you!,

rubybeach

Hello and welcome! Out of curiosity, did you have your RMR tested via the breathing tube or a different method?

fiveohmike

I am in as well. My sister and I both have been scratching our heads wondering, how are we functioning if we consume less than our bmr's? I am going on maintenance, at Lucia's suggestion for about 8 weeks. My tdee is 2265!! Wow, I go from eating hardly anything to eating. Will I expect to see a gain initially? Has anyone out there done this? Good luck to you my friend, know I am there with you!,

I went from eating 1200 calories a day to eating my TDEE - 20%

So I went from 1200 calories a day to 3200 calories a day. My TDEE is 3974, my cut is 3164 ish.

I gained an initial 4 lbs the first week, maintained the second week, fluctuated wildly the 3rd week, and now at the end of my 4th week, I am 2.2lbs lower than when I started.

But the results are in the measurements....1.75" off my belly, 1.5" off my neck ect....plus im on the next belt loop hole down ...so I am shrinking.

ANewLucia

I am in as well. My sister and I both have been scratching our heads wondering, how are we functioning if we consume less than our bmr's? I am going on maintenance, at Lucia's suggestion for about 8 weeks. My tdee is 2265!! Wow, I go from eating hardly anything to eating. Will I expect to see a gain initially? Has anyone out there done this? Good luck to you my friend, know I am there with you!,

I went from eating 1200 calories a day to eating my TDEE - 20%

So I went from 1200 calories a day to 3200 calories a day. My TDEE is 3974, my cut is 3164 ish.

I gained an initial 4 lbs the first week, maintained the second week, fluctuated wildly the 3rd week, and now at the end of my 4th week, I am 2.2lbs lower than when I started.

But the results are in the measurements....1.75" off my belly, 1.5" off my neck ect....plus im on the next belt loop hole down ...so I am shrinking.

ohhh just a few more days until pictures...YAY!

angelew

Hello and welcome! Out of curiosity, did you have your RMR tested via the breathing tube or a different method?

The test was done with a breathing tube, first thing in the morning after a 10 hour fast....did it at Lifetime Fitness.

angelew

I am in as well. My sister and I both have been scratching our heads wondering, how are we functioning if we consume less than our bmr's? I am going on maintenance, at Lucia's suggestion for about 8 weeks. My tdee is 2265!! Wow, I go from eating hardly anything to eating. Will I expect to see a gain initially? Has anyone out there done this? Good luck to you my friend, know I am there with you!,

I went from eating 1200 calories a day to eating my TDEE - 20%

So I went from 1200 calories a day to 3200 calories a day. My TDEE is 3974, my cut is 3164 ish.

I gained an initial 4 lbs the first week, maintained the second week, fluctuated wildly the 3rd week, and now at the end of my 4th week, I am 2.2lbs lower than when I started.

But the results are in the measurements....1.75" off my belly, 1.5" off my neck ect....plus im on the next belt loop hole down ...so I am shrinking.

Wow! That is so great to hear! Your pictures really show your progress- it's so encouraging to all of us just starting out to see how well you've done. Congrats!