Metabolism Reset - Eating at TDEE Support Thread

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  • SweatpantsRebellion
    SweatpantsRebellion Posts: 754 Member
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    Wow - this thread has really blown up since I started it. I'm so excited to see so many of us wanting to support one another through this! Thank you for posting and telling your stories. I wanted so badly to respond personally to people, but there's so many responses I can't remember who said what right now. :blushing:

    Well, I'm on day 2 of eating at TDEE. I actually was down a bit on the scale this morning. I think it's likely because I had some binge days last week. So I wonder if my weight will level off and then stay constant. If the loss continues over several days, I will increase calories. I admit that will be hard for me to do - someone might have to remind me that I'm supposed to be maintaining and I better up my calories some more. But despite my reluctance, I do think this is necessary given my history.

    I kind of feel like I have a vested interest to do this metabolism reset. I mean, maybe I could plug along at TDEE with a cut. But what if my body can actually handle a few more calories. Let's say doing this reset means I can maintain at 2600 vs. 2300. That's 300 extra calories that I get to live off of for the rest of my life. I am a bit of a foodie, so I get excited by things like that. I mean, that's two squares of dark chocolate and a glass of wine right there. :drinker:

    I'm not sure that I will need the full 8 weeks. I did a lot of splurging prior to joining MFP in February. I was lucky to learn about the concept of eating more at the beginning of April. So I was following MFP's recommendations for roughly 6 weeks. Back then I thought it was a "bad" day when I ate back all of my exercise calories. Now I'm thankful that I had so many "bad" days, so I'm hoping I didn't kill my metabolism too much.

    Anyways, I'm so glad everyone is here and I hope we can be encouraging to one another to stick it out!
  • SweatpantsRebellion
    SweatpantsRebellion Posts: 754 Member
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    Hey! I'm in!! Gotta go back later and read what everyone else has said, but here's my story:

    I've eaten anywhere from 1200 (or below) to 1800 for the past several years. I've been on and off diets for as long as I can remember. Succesfully lost 67 pounds, though I'm up a total of 13 since starting EMTWL. I started eating my cut on April 10. I ate my cut with no exercise that week, the next week I ate my cut with exercise, then the following week I started eating my TDEE (2700). Still up in weight, but with little change in my clothes (besides feeling a teeny bit squishier).

    Eating at TDEE/Metabolism Reset Start Date - 04/23/2012
    How long do you plan to eat at TDEE? - Eight weeks total - ending 06/18/2012
    Describe your reasons for doing a metabolism reset. - As I said above, I've been "dieting" for-ev-er! I've also been a binger for as long as I can remember. I've only had the urge to binge twice since eating more. I love it!! I am hoping that this 13 pounds comes off quick ... it's hard to see this number on the scale again. (lowest was 213, now up to 226) After the 8 weeks is up, I'll start with a 15 percent cut and go from there!

    Wow - you'll be done with your reset soon. Please please post back and let us know how things go after you start your cut. I think those of us who are in the midst of the reset will likely need the encouragement!
  • macnurseapril
    macnurseapril Posts: 53 Member
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    I'm in...a friend and I have agreed to go to TDEE for a week at least, and then go from there.

    stats:
    5'10
    264-267
    TDEE according to fitness frog 3049
    I had been eating near to 2900 for almost 3 weeks with a 1 lb loss each week. Then I adjusted cals to TDEE minus 10%. This week up 3 lbs. So...clearly my body is telling me something.
    First Slimfast shake? At 14!!
    Years abusing my body: 20

    So I've been EM2WL for almost 12 weeks. Increasing slowly from 1400 (or less) to 2900 (at the time TDEE minus 5%). I have only been TDEE minus 10% for 12 days. So I am committing to eating TDEE and not weighing or measuring for a week. Then I'll reassess on Tuesday.

    If I can claw back those 12 days I may only need 5 more weeks to reset. We'll see.

    So, I net TDEE on no work out days no problem.
    On work out days, no way. But if I get the whole process correctly eating TDEE includes work out day cals. I do make sure I eat back half my exercise cals (I burn a lot).

    I may get a bodymedia fit to see if I'm really burning what I think.
  • knitter96
    knitter96 Posts: 4
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    I'm new to MFP and just signed up to be part of this group. Since I've spent many years yo-yo dieting and can gain weight just looking at chocolate...I guess I'm in the right place...broken metabolism and all! :sad:

    I will commit to this reset for the next 8 weeks.
    age: 57
    stats: 5'6"
    wt: 194
    TDEE: 2111
    BMR: 1535
    CUT: 1794

    My initial calorie goal from MFP was just a little below my BMR! Today (I'm still working on it), I will reset my calories to be 2111. I'm a daily weight slave, but will try to stay off the scale until next Tuesday, June 5th. I'm looking for some friends to assist me with some mental support...in case of panic! :ohwell:

    Looking forward to interacting with you! Mary
  • pinkita
    pinkita Posts: 779 Member
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    Well, I think I might just start this today! (or tomorrow if I can't get all the calories in... I still have snack, dinner, and evening snack to work with today). I've only been doing TDEE -15% for about a week or so.

    I averaged out the last 7 days of my BodyMedia Fit data (5/22 to 5/28) and got 2117. I think I'll do 2100 for simplicity.

    So with that...

    1. Reset start date: 5/29/12
    2. How long I plan on doing TDEE: 8 weeks
    3. Reasons for doing TDEE: Several... I haven't had a period since Jan. 2012, my hair is all over the floors/sink from falling out, brittle/weak nails, I've had a cold about 4-5 times just this year (and I rarely got them before), felt cold all the time after eating, etc. I had blood tests because I thought I was becoming perimenopausal and also had my thyroid checked, but everything's normal, so it must be from not eating enough cals.

    I'm glad we're here to support each other! Feel free to send a friend request, I know I'll need some hand-holding during this process too! :flowerforyou:

    ETA: I've also been avoiding the scale (until this morning because the curiosity was unbearable!), and am considering weighing daily. My brother (who also lost weight and has been at goal for several months) is very much in favor of daily weighing and advocates it others. He said for him, it helped him realize that daily weight fluctuations are very normal. I might do that too.
  • Mommareed4
    Mommareed4 Posts: 144
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    uuuuuh so I ate 2494 calories today (TDEE has me at 2697) when I clicked the button to post my diary it says If every day were like today... You'd weigh 168.0 lbs in 5 weeks...I weight 165 now?!?!
  • Raynn1
    Raynn1 Posts: 1,164 Member
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    Id love to get a BFM but theres just no way I can justify the cost:(.. sucks, cause I think that would make me realize a lot more what my numbers are and why I need this..
  • Raynn1
    Raynn1 Posts: 1,164 Member
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    uuuuuh so I ate 2494 calories today (TDEE has me at 2697) when I clicked the button to post my diary it says If every day were like today... You'd weigh 168.0 lbs in 5 weeks...I weight 165 now?!?!

    Ignore that 5 week thing.. all it tells you is if you have a deficit on your cals, you will lose. it doesnt take into account those of us who custom set their cals..
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
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    I thought it was super scary at first, but even after just a few days I feel so much better. More energy, more flexibility day to day, more pep in my step. I'm excited about my WLJ for the first time in years!

    My only question: when you go into the cut phase, do you eat back exercise calories to net the TDEE -15%?
  • Mommareed4
    Mommareed4 Posts: 144
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    uuuuuh so I ate 2494 calories today (TDEE has me at 2697) when I clicked the button to post my diary it says If every day were like today... You'd weigh 168.0 lbs in 5 weeks...I weight 165 now?!?!

    Ignore that 5 week thing.. all it tells you is if you have a deficit on your cals, you will lose. it doesnt take into account those of us who custom set their cals..

    Ok thanks..Also my stomach looks like it is 6 months pregnant..is this normal?? My stomach was pretty flat before..I feel like I am going to explode
  • Mommareed4
    Mommareed4 Posts: 144
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    I thought it was super scary at first, but even after just a few days I feel so much better. More energy, more flexibility day to day, more pep in my step. I'm excited about my WLJ for the first time in years!

    My only question: when you go into the cut phase, do you eat back exercise calories to net the TDEE -15%?

    from my understanding no you dont eat back your exercise cals because they were already factored into your TDEE
  • Raynn1
    Raynn1 Posts: 1,164 Member
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    uuuuuh so I ate 2494 calories today (TDEE has me at 2697) when I clicked the button to post my diary it says If every day were like today... You'd weigh 168.0 lbs in 5 weeks...I weight 165 now?!?!

    Ignore that 5 week thing.. all it tells you is if you have a deficit on your cals, you will lose. it doesnt take into account those of us who custom set their cals..

    Ok thanks..Also my stomach looks like it is 6 months pregnant..is this normal?? My stomach was pretty flat before..I feel like I am going to explode

    Water retention can be a biotch:) In time it will go back down
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
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    Ok thanks..Also my stomach looks like it is 6 months pregnant..is this normal?? My stomach was pretty flat before..I feel like I am going to explode

    How long have you been doing it? The first couple weeks you can be bloaty from the added food. Are you watching sodium and fiber? 2500g and 30g respectively.

    Try adding some lemon and/or cucumber to your water for the next few days. They will help de-bloat.
  • curiousheathy
    curiousheathy Posts: 108
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    I am so glad this became a thread. I love the positivity and support this group has!

    I will be starting my full reset come Sunday. I will probably be eating at TDEE for at least 4-6 weeks. If I feel like I need to stay there for a while longer, I will.

    :) Let's do this!
  • Mustangsally33
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    Bump, want to read more later when the kids are in bed !
  • MrsKosal
    MrsKosal Posts: 415 Member
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    I'm sorry let me clarify, I've been eating at my cut for the past 6-8 weeks and only maintaining.

    Then your cut rate is actually your tdee. I would try cutting 15% of that

    I was thinking the same thing! I just reset mine to 15% of what I was just eating, which is roughly 1600. So we'll see how that goes.
  • lillebanon
    lillebanon Posts: 214 Member
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    I went ahead and ate full TDEE for the first 6 weeks after finding EM2WL to do a metabolic reset, since I had been eating 1200 calories (while half-marathon training AND breastfeeding) for soooo long. Then I tried to cut 15%, and couldn't cut it...haha... backed off to 10%, and some days I still end up closer to full TDEE. I've started to love eating too much. :)
  • pinkita
    pinkita Posts: 779 Member
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    I went ahead and ate full TDEE for the first 6 weeks after finding EM2WL to do a metabolic reset, since I had been eating 1200 calories (while half-marathon training AND breastfeeding) for soooo long. Then I tried to cut 15%, and couldn't cut it...haha... backed off to 10%, and some days I still end up closer to full TDEE. I've started to love eating too much. :)

    How did it help with your weight loss?
  • pinkita
    pinkita Posts: 779 Member
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    For those who can't get a BodyMedia Fit to track cals burned, I ran my numbers on fat2fitradio.com and it gave me just 48 cals over what I have my TDEE set to (according to an average of 7 days' worth of data). So the numbers were very close!
  • lucyhoneychurch
    lucyhoneychurch Posts: 576 Member
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    I've been reading the posts/watching the videos and trying to absorb for some time, but I am ready to join the metabolism reset!

    Stats:
    Age: 39
    Ht : 5'2"
    CW: 128
    GW: 123-125 - or whatever it takes to whittle down the muffin top!!!
    BMR: 1323
    TDEE: online calcs put me around 2000, but my BMF averages between 2200-2400

    Last year I lost 37 pounds and by Sept. 2011 I had hit my goal weight range of the low 120's. But the muffin top remained. I was eating around 1800 cals and doing lots of HIIT throughout the fall/winter but the weight was creeping up. I did a mini-reset by eating around 2000 for three months and less exercise. Weight was stable between 126-127 but not going down. In March I started lifting weights, but also did a month-long cut in May, probably -20% off my TDEE. I lost maybe one pound. So I've been stuck at 128 and need to TRUST THE PROCESS.

    I wanted to start my metabolism reset this week, for the next four weeks and then reassess, but even today I underate (approx. 1760 cals?). I think it is poor food planning, and I need to eat more earlier in the day so I don't cram bad-for-you cals late in the evening just to get my numbers up. Bad habit!

    I am HATING the belly bloat, but will keep moving forward with exercising as much as I can while eating more. Like someone else said before, I don't want my body to accept 1800 as its maintenance number!!