Metabolism Reset - Eating at TDEE Support Thread

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  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I started eating at my sedentary TDEE last Friday (a week ago) which is I believe 1850. I also started NROLFW last Friday. Tomorrow will be my first week of 3 days of lifting approx. 25-30 minutes each time.

    I had been doing VLCD off and on for the last 2 years. Keep gaining 20 back, so I see the sense in this program. Wish I had seen it last summer when I ws 20lbs lighter and excercising more.

    I feel awfully "fluffy" bloated, I have moments throughout the day where I am hungry, but by evening I feel plump and I have only weighed 1 time this week to confirm I did go up in a week from 183 to 188 (coming off a VLCD with no dairy/carb)

    I am not sure when to weigh again, if I am working out MWF then the recovery days I may show water retention.

    I know at some point I will have to increase TDEE. I picked sedentary since I have an office job and the new rules is only taking the 25-30 minutes 3 times a week. So I really feel I am still at sedentary to base the TDEE on.

    How many hours would I need to be to go to the next level of moderate- 3hours a week? seems like thats a long way off and this reset will take forever before I get to cut. I figured I would probably have to do the rest for 8-12 weeks.

    Maybe someone could shed some light on these things. THank you

    If on Sat you ate normal sodium levels and not sore on Sun morning, then Sun morning is valid weigh-in. If sore still then Mon morning.
    Best time for measurements too.

    You are not sedentary, even with desk job vast majority that get FitBits BodyMedia's discover they are at MFP's Lightly Active level on non-workout days.

    Use this to get best estimates. Because indeed, 30 min of lifting does not equal 30 min of walking or 30 min of running.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/961054-spreadsheet-for-bodyfat-bmr-tdee-progress-tracker
  • Kristendcampbell
    Kristendcampbell Posts: 786 Member
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    Thank you I will check the link. I am in the process of moving, and I had inadvernently packed my fitbit. I am planning on getting the new one for my wrist and I will be able to start that hopefully by the end of August.
  • Kristendcampbell
    Kristendcampbell Posts: 786 Member
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    I filled in the chart with what my measurements are and then my level of activity. It says TDEE is 2121 but I dont really understand this TDEG which is 1473 and then it shows my future TDEG at 1935.

    Is that something I don't look at right now. I plan to follow the tdee but then it says to change my MFP settings to the TDEG. So I want to make sure. Since everything I am reading here and elsewhere seems to state I would put in the 2121

    Just want to confirm
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I filled in the chart with what my measurements are and then my level of activity. It says TDEE is 2121 but I dont really understand this TDEG which is 1473 and then it shows my future TDEG at 1935.

    Is that something I don't look at right now. I plan to follow the tdee but then it says to change my MFP settings to the TDEG. So I want to make sure. Since everything I am reading here and elsewhere seems to state I would put in the 2121

    Just want to confirm

    Alternate Use it says for the Future You method - if you want to use it. Future goal weight eating goal, with slight deficit.

    Less deficit, but eating just a tad below what you would at goal weight. Do you want to use it?

    If not - stay in the middle and follow the instructions.
    Now, when doing the reset right now, indeed TDEE instead of TDEG, you are correct.
    This is a weight loss calculator, not reset. So you have to know if you want to eat to TDEE right now, can't follow the instructions to the letter.
    So where it shows 1473 to enter, you enter 2121 right now. Macros stay the same for now, the extra protein will do you good.
  • DankaCibulka
    DankaCibulka Posts: 91 Member
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    Hey guys, I started reset metabolism 3 weeks ago. And I gained nothing. Started at 192,6 lbs. And this morning I am at 192,6, no gain. Yeah there were some gain 1-2 lbs but then back to 192,6 again - I guess it was water retention. I am eating around 2260 cal everyday, mostly little bit over. No workouts, just normal days - some walk to shop, with dogs, house keeping, etc...Is it okay?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Hey guys, I started reset metabolism 3 weeks ago. And I gained nothing. Started at 192,6 lbs. And this morning I am at 192,6, no gain. Yeah there were some gain 1-2 lbs but then back to 192,6 again - I guess it was water retention. I am eating around 2260 cal everyday, mostly little bit over. No workouts, just normal days - some walk to shop, with dogs, house keeping, etc...Is it okay?

    Sure, that's great sign it wasn't too suppressed.

    Strange though to gain water with probably glucose being topped back off, and lose it again, with that little of exercise.

    You didn't pick sedentary TDEE did you?

    You might test for 2 weeks to truly know.
    Eat 250 more daily for 2 weeks, that would equal 1 pound gained slowly over that whole time.
    If fast water weight gain, then you were still below TDEE.
    If nothing, then that wasn't TDEE you were at, and still may not be.
    If indeed 1 lb slowly, or some other weight amount less (which means go longer than 2 weeks until 1 lb full gain), then you can calculate what the real TDEE must be.

    Now, you aren't planning on doing exercise after the reset? Because you should be trying to nail down your TDEE with whatever your exercise routine is going to be, not skipping it.
  • DankaCibulka
    DankaCibulka Posts: 91 Member
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    Thank you for response.

    No, I choose Little active (1-3 hours a week - my weight is 87.4 kg and I am 161 cm tall)
    I want to workout after reset, I wanted to workout during reset but here is really unusually hot summer and I am literally dying right now. But I decided to start workout at least for 30 minutes everyday - Monday will be first day. Now my question is, Should I up my TDEE to Moderate excercise - eat more and workout for cca 2-3 weeks, and then if I wont gain eat more - 250 cal - for another two weeks like you suggest?
    Or up calories by 250 right now without workout?
    I am patient, so no problem to wait for another weeks to cut and start loosing for me:) This time I want to do it in right way:)

    p.s.: Find out that I can eat 2260 cal and won't gain is amazing:)) no more crazy 1200 cal diet:))
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Thank you for response.

    No, I choose Little active (1-3 hours a week - my weight is 87.4 kg and I am 161 cm tall)
    I want to workout after reset, I wanted to workout during reset but here is really unusually hot summer and I am literally dying right now. But I decided to start workout at least for 30 minutes everyday - Monday will be first day. Now my question is, Should I up my TDEE to Moderate excercise - eat more and workout for cca 2-3 weeks, and then if I wont gain eat more - 250 cal - for another two weeks like you suggest?
    Or up calories by 250 right now without workout?
    I am patient, so no problem to wait for another weeks to cut and start loosing for me:) This time I want to do it in right way:)

    p.s.: Find out that I can eat 2260 cal and won't gain is amazing:)) no more crazy 1200 cal diet:))

    Well, then it starts getting hard realizing over 2000 calories of healthy food can not only be filling but more expensive. $0.50 for a 500 cal Little Debbie! Who said that .....

    I'd suggest do the test after working out for couple weeks. If walking, only need a week. If something a whole lot more effort, could take 2-3 for body to settle down.

    Depends on what the workout is as to how much TDEE levels go up. 30 min of walking is of course not the same as 30 min running as 30 min yoga or kickboxing, ect.

    Try the spreadsheet on my profile page, topic link there describes it.
  • DankaCibulka
    DankaCibulka Posts: 91 Member
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    Okay, thank you for advices:) I will read it all.

    I wanna do workouts from Jillian - Body revolution:)

    I will see what will happen in another 3 weeks:)

    Have a wonderfull weekend:)
  • andreab213
    andreab213 Posts: 8 Member
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    bump
  • LH85DC
    LH85DC Posts: 231 Member
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    Hi everyone... I'm starting my first day of reset today, and I must admit I'm a little nervous, but know that I've been eating an unhealthily low amount of food and want to make sure that this journey is both sustainable and enjoyable! I'm so glad that I found this group.

    I just have one question for you. Based on some great advice that I was given when I started a new forum, I calculated my own TDEE based on my Fitbit calories burned counts to be 2209- right in the moderate activity level range that matches up with Scooby's calculators. My question is about exercise calories... what do I do about exercise calories that don't come from activities that I usually count with my Fitbit? i.e. stationary biking- which I do a fair amount of because I'm recovering from a knee injury and it's so low impact (plus I just hate running!!) Should I be eating back those calories ON TOP of my TDEE?

    If I'm going to do this, I want to be sure I'm doing it right. I tried to raise my calorie counts over the last few weeks to more sustainable levels, but felt uncomfortably full- yesterday I still didn't manage to get all the way to my goal. Starting fresh this morning (albeit with an even higher calorie count), and confident that I can figure this out! Thanks...
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I just have one question for you. Based on some great advice that I was given when I started a new forum, I calculated my own TDEE based on my Fitbit calories burned counts to be 2209- right in the moderate activity level range that matches up with Scooby's calculators. My question is about exercise calories... what do I do about exercise calories that don't come from activities that I usually count with my Fitbit? i.e. stationary biking- which I do a fair amount of because I'm recovering from a knee injury and it's so low impact (plus I just hate running!!) Should I be eating back those calories ON TOP of my TDEE?

    If I'm going to do this, I want to be sure I'm doing it right. I tried to raise my calorie counts over the last few weeks to more sustainable levels, but felt uncomfortably full- yesterday I still didn't manage to get all the way to my goal. Starting fresh this morning (albeit with an even higher calorie count), and confident that I can figure this out! Thanks...

    So good that you want to understand the principle, which you must.

    TDEE is your daily burn from all activity.
    You are using a device that is badly underestimating some of that activity, therefore your TDEE is actually higher than what it says.

    If you based your avg TDEE to use on unadjusted FitBit TDEE estimates, than that is an incorrect TDEE. You would need to log the cycling calorie burn and eat that back.

    Or correct the FitBit for whatever time period you are using to get avg TDEE, and then see what the more correct TDEE avg actually is.
    Then base TDEE on that corrected figure.
  • LH85DC
    LH85DC Posts: 231 Member
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    I just have one question for you. Based on some great advice that I was given when I started a new forum, I calculated my own TDEE based on my Fitbit calories burned counts to be 2209- right in the moderate activity level range that matches up with Scooby's calculators. My question is about exercise calories... what do I do about exercise calories that don't come from activities that I usually count with my Fitbit? i.e. stationary biking- which I do a fair amount of because I'm recovering from a knee injury and it's so low impact (plus I just hate running!!) Should I be eating back those calories ON TOP of my TDEE?

    If I'm going to do this, I want to be sure I'm doing it right. I tried to raise my calorie counts over the last few weeks to more sustainable levels, but felt uncomfortably full- yesterday I still didn't manage to get all the way to my goal. Starting fresh this morning (albeit with an even higher calorie count), and confident that I can figure this out! Thanks...

    So good that you want to understand the principle, which you must.

    TDEE is your daily burn from all activity.
    You are using a device that is badly underestimating some of that activity, therefore your TDEE is actually higher than what it says.

    If you based your avg TDEE to use on unadjusted FitBit TDEE estimates, than that is an incorrect TDEE. You would need to log the cycling calorie burn and eat that back.

    Or correct the FitBit for whatever time period you are using to get avg TDEE, and then see what the more correct TDEE avg actually is.
    Then base TDEE on that corrected figure.

    Thanks! So, the last time that I was cycling (Weds- only once this week because my knee has been sore), I logged it on MFP as exercise, and it turns out that it synched with my Fitbit- raised the calories burned for that day to nearly 2600. That means that when I calculated my average burn over the last 30 days, the cycling was already averaged in? So then I wouldn't need to add any exercise calories back unless I did some really extreme exercise, because my intake/outtake will average out over the course of the week if I eat at TDEE? Or will the Fitbit still be underestimating? I know that the calorie burn calculators on MFP aren't perfect, unfortunately a HRM for exercise to supplement my Fitbit just isn't in the budget right now...
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Thanks! So, the last time that I was cycling (Weds- only once this week because my knee has been sore), I logged it on MFP as exercise, and it turns out that it synched with my Fitbit- raised the calories burned for that day to nearly 2600. That means that when I calculated my average burn over the last 30 days, the cycling was already averaged in? So then I wouldn't need to add any exercise calories back unless I did some really extreme exercise, because my intake/outtake will average out over the course of the week if I eat at TDEE? Or will the Fitbit still be underestimating? I know that the calorie burn calculators on MFP aren't perfect, unfortunately a HRM for exercise to supplement my Fitbit just isn't in the budget right now...

    If you have been doing that for the whole time period you are basing the FitBit TDEE on, then you are using adjusted FitBit TDEE, because when you log on MFP and sync, your calorie burn replaces (not adds) what FitBit already had for that time.
    That's why you enter in start time and length of workout.

    Don't need HRM doing TDEE deficit method really, since you are spreading it out like you say.

    So if you did something outside of normal routine, then indeed you'd eat it back. Now, you can't go by the FitBit adjustments to MFP, that's not the same thing.
    You could enter 500 cal burn, but only an extra 100 comes back as positive adjustment for that day.
    Usually why you either need to set stuff up differently, or unsync accounts.

    Or just remember that if you log a 500 cal ride that was totally extra compared to normal routine (or a longer ride than normal), you eat that all back if eating at TDEE for reset, or take off the same 15% if eating at deficit.
  • LH85DC
    LH85DC Posts: 231 Member
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    If you have been doing that for the whole time period you are basing the FitBit TDEE on, then you are using adjusted FitBit TDEE, because when you log on MFP and sync, your calorie burn replaces (not adds) what FitBit already had for that time.
    That's why you enter in start time and length of workout.

    Don't need HRM doing TDEE deficit method really, since you are spreading it out like you say.

    So if you did something outside of normal routine, then indeed you'd eat it back. Now, you can't go by the FitBit adjustments to MFP, that's not the same thing.
    You could enter 500 cal burn, but only an extra 100 comes back as positive adjustment for that day.
    Usually why you either need to set stuff up differently, or unsync accounts.

    Or just remember that if you log a 500 cal ride that was totally extra compared to normal routine (or a longer ride than normal), you eat that all back if eating at TDEE for reset, or take off the same 15% if eating at deficit.

    Ok, thanks, I think I've got it! I have been tracking everything on MFP and letting it sync to my Fitbit. But I can see how the Fitbit syncing back to MFP now, while I'm resetting would be problematic. I'm unsyncing the two, and will log my exercise on Fitbit, and keep track of TDEE and whether I'm going over my usual exercise amounts that way. My goal will be to make sure that my net calories don't go under my BMR (1440ish) on days where I do extra exercise!

    You're amazing Heybales, thanks for the help!

    [edited- because I decided it makes more sense to unsync the accounts for now, use Fitbit for calories burned and MFP for calories in]
  • kimmyt4
    kimmyt4 Posts: 18
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    Do you have to do a reset? I have been "trying" to get rid of this excess weight for a few years. I would try doing the LCD but I could NEVER stick to them... too little food for me lol.

    Now I have decided to just dive into a 20% cut. I have only done 1 week and I am maintaining my weight within .6 of a pound.

    my BMR is 1547
    TDEE is 2128
    20% cut is 1702
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Do you have to do a reset? I have been "trying" to get rid of this excess weight for a few years. I would try doing the LCD but I could NEVER stick to them... too little food for me lol.

    Now I have decided to just dive into a 20% cut. I have only done 1 week and I am maintaining my weight within .6 of a pound.

    my BMR is 1547
    TDEE is 2128
    20% cut is 1702

    Not if you've been eating at maintenance for a long time, that's what a reset is anyway, remove the stress of a diet.
    How recently and for how long on a VLCD last time?

    You do have enough weight to lose to support 20%, up until 40 lbs to lose anyway.

    Lightly Active TDEE sounds right if 40 hr daily life was sedentary desk job. You doing anything at home with that child, or kindergarten now for daily activity for you?
    If home with kid running around, that by itself puts you at lightly active, exercise bumps you up to next level.
  • kimmyt4
    kimmyt4 Posts: 18
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    So I definatly have more than 40 pounds to lose, my CW is 192.4. I am 34 years old and 5' 4". I would like to be around 130lbs.

    So do I stay at the 20% cut until I only have 40 pounds to lose and then switch to 15%?

    I haven't really been doing the LCD for any length of time, on and off for a few years, more off than on lol... I try to stick to it, but it is so hard to follow I just totaly go off and don't even care for a while. I try to make healthy choices most of the time in that period but I wouldn't ever say no to the extras as to why I never dropped down in weight. I have maintained my weight within about 5 - 10 pounds for about 4 years.

    I have two kids age 8 and 5, and my job is mostly sitting at a desk, a few hours of walking at work but nothing too exciting!

    I do also do a 30 - 40 minute elliptical 4 times per week and do some kettle bell exercises. I break it up so i do 15 - 20 minutes, do some kettle bell and then repeat.

    my BMR is at 1548 with activity set as lightly active 1.375 so my TDEE is set at 2128 with a 20% cut. giving me 1702. is this high enough for my activity?

    I hope so lol
  • kimmyt4
    kimmyt4 Posts: 18
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    Next question.... Should I put my activity level in between lightly active at 1.375 and moderate active at 1.55?
    This is what I did for the first week I took 1548 x 1.42 and my TDEE was 2198. Then a 20% cut was 1760. I just changed it to the lower activity level of 1.375 yesterday. I guess it really doesn't make that much of a differance just being shy of 60 calories more per day.

    I read the information for insanity, however I will hold off on this until I have lost quite a bit weight in fat! but the guide tells you if you are doing this program which is 6 days per week you should multiply your BMR by 1.55 and 1.7. There is no way that I burn that many calories to even multiply my activity by 1.55, at least I would say not!

    What should I be putting as my activity level? Like I said earlier, I sit at my desk most of the day, I do walk around the floor at work, however its not even at a brisk walk, more of just wondering around, watching people. Not a fast pased job at all lol.
  • kimmyt4
    kimmyt4 Posts: 18
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    Maybe I need a hand calculating my correct TDEE? I am just worried that I may not be doing this right?

    Female
    CW 192.6
    hight 63 inches
    age 34
    activity I work 40 hours a week, more than half I sit at a desk, I do wonder around on the floor, not at any amount of pace though.
    I have two kids at home. ages 5 and 8.
    I work out on my elliptical 4 x per week at about 30-40 minutes and I also do some kettle bell exercises at that time as well.