Problem please need opinions!

lyttlewon

This is what I do, I have my MFP calories set for my TDEE so I know my max. I strive to eat the same amount each day, my cut from TDEE works out to be about 1800 calories. I don't eat more on exercise days per se, but some days I might eat up to TDEE. I think yesterday I went over it by like 100 calories. I am also using a small cut percentage, I think I am at 15%. I steadily lose about .5-1 lb a week, but I have had weeks where I went up and then lost like 3 lbs the next week. Because of that I only track my losses, and I don't start changing things if my weight goes up or stays static.

psuLemon

Anytime a person increase calories, they generally gain weight. But guess what, it's water. In order for you to gain a lb of fat, you need to eat 3500 calories more than your tdee.

So basics. TDEE - is the total daily energy expended or all the calories you burn from your metabolic rate (BMR), your daily lifestyle (cooking, going to the bathroom, walking, etc..) and then your exercise. Generally, 75% of your calories you burn in a day is from your metabolic rate. So if your BMR is 1400, you exercise that day and burn 500 calories and otherwise sedentary that means your TDEE is:

1400 * 1.2 + 500 = 2180.

This means, you can NOT gain fat unless you eat more than that and you have to do that consistently for a week. In fact, you would have to eat 2680 calories daily for a week (if you burnt the same thing daily) to gain a lb of fat.


It is not uncommon for a person to gain water but most of that is associated with your body adapting to the additional calories, and more importantly, the increase in carbs (storing more glycogen/water). Generally, when you tell someone to increase calories, they are increase carbs and sodium as well. But over time, say a few weeks, your body will adapt and start to lose again. Also, since weight loss isn't linear, you should never expect it to always go down. If you think it will, then you only set yourself up for failure. The bigger thing to do is look at trends (over a month), look at pictures, or take measurements (inches and body fat). If the trend is good, then you will be on the right track. Let me emphasize that understanding body fat is the most crucial. This allows you to understand your weight goal and can help you understand if you are losing the right kind of weight (you want to lose fat not muscle).

So do yourself a favor, slowly increase your calories by 200 until you hit your goal Also, if you follow my method, you should aim to eat the same amout each day; coming within 100 +/-. You do this on non workout days too so your body can repair itselfs. This is critical so you can push harder on your workouts.

birdieaz

This is what I do, I have my MFP calories set for my TDEE so I know my max. I strive to eat the same amount each day, my cut from TDEE works out to be about 1800 calories. I don't eat more on exercise days per se, but some days I might eat up to TDEE. I think yesterday I went over it by like 100 calories. I am also using a small cut percentage, I think I am at 15%. I steadily lose about .5-1 lb a week, but I have had weeks where I went up and then lost like 3 lbs the next week. Because of that I only track my losses, and I don't start changing things if my weight goes up or stays static.

Yes this..I love this^

By far going with TDEE is so much simpler.

fitgirlcookie

I highly appreciate every ones input. I will starting tomorrow up my calories at least to the 1750 to start and see where that goes. Again thank you everyone for your encouraging words and great advise!