How to find my magic #!!

CampinGal34 · June 2012

Quick clarificaton question (hope it hasn't been answered, although I'm sure it has....somewhere ). Do you know you've hit your magic maintance # WHEN you start seeing a real gain?? I've been a159-162 for 7 months....whether I ate at 1200, tried 1800 and now day 4 of 2288 (my Tdee # from scooby--I don't have fitbit). So, when I say "real gain" I mean over 162. Do I continue to wait and see for at least a week and then maybe up by 100 a week until I start gaining??? I assume this means I've probably underestimated my activity level. I thinking a fit bit with an instant # is looking better and better... Any ideas my friends? Thanks!
Jamie

jyska · June 2012

Everyone is different...I assume you are doing a reset now? My suggestion to you is two fold...
1. make sure you are as accurate as possible in your activity level. I have a body media fit and found that scooby gave me a tdee pretty much the same as I'm getting from my bmf. Getting a device to help you determine your tdee is very relieving stress wise, because it tells you what you can only guess for now, but scooby will be pretty accurate too if you are accurate about your activity level. If you are stressing over the numbers, and can afford to get a fit bit (or other device) i recommend it (strictly for the peace of mind it can offer!!)
2. If you are certain your tdee/activity level are correct, then eat at tdee for at least 4 - 6 weeks. If you gain in the next few weeks, then stay at tdee for 8 weeks before dropping down to your deficit. If you don't gain or lose in 4- 6 weeks at tdee, then drop back down into your deficit a little sooner and see what happens. If you start to lose, then stay there until you either plateau or it's time for a scheduled diet break. If you plateau very quickly or start to gain, then go back up to tdee and add a 100 cals or so and try that for a few weeks. It's really trial and error, but make sure you give things enough time each time you change things up. Don't change things every week or two.