Maintaining weight at 20% cut from TDEE

funkyspunky872

I've been eating at a 20% cut from my 'lightly active' TDEE for the past month and haven't lost a single pound. I'm 5'8'', 18 years old, and 180.2 pounds as of this morning. I recently got a fitbit, so I'm trying to get it work right and give me a more accurate TDEE. I shoot for over 10,000 steps a day. It usually gives me a TDEE even higher than the Scooby's Calculator, and I've started cutting from that number instead. My daily deficits are between 250-650. I should be losing a pound a week, right? Not.

Suggestions? I've been eating as healthy as possible. 100+ grams of protein, 30+ grams of fiber, my plates are always at least half vegetables, and I eat mostly whole grains. I indulge in dark chocolate every now and then or a cup of no sugar added ice-cream. I aim for strength training at least 3x a week, but I'm only up to 4 and 8 pound weights.

geekyjock76

Formulas for TDEE are merely predictions. For some people they are dead on, but others they can be off.

I always tell people not to purely rely on such formulas. The best way to establish your true TDEE is to accurately measure and log everything you eat and record reasonably "accurate" exercise calories and do this for at least one to two months. Since you have a log of what you've been eating, and you have not been losing at 20% below your predicted TDEE, but maintaining throughout the entire month - end the exact same weight you have started - you may currently be eating at you true TDEE.

You can ride it out a little longer if you wish, but I'm just tossing out the possibility your actual TDEE is what you currently are assuming. But do not just use the scale as your sole means of assessment - use girth measurements or calipers since you could be gradually reducing body fat, but increased gains in water retention and glycogen refeeding may be masking any change. One last note: even though newbie gains in muscle are possible while on a deficit, I doubt you gained 1 lb in your first month of lifting.