Over/Under/At TDEE and Results

a_vettestingray

Hey Everyone,

I am just curious what everyone was eating while doing SL, since Mendhi's eating plan is very vague. I would like to know what your average intake is and what results you have seen. I am currently eating at 20% under TDEE and haven't lost any weight or inches, closing up my second week on SL.

_lizzie_

I'm going to be honest, I dont worry about this at all, I just eat when Im hungry. I found I dont need to worry about it as much since I started lifting, I eat primal, mostly, with a weekly cheat (pizza last night). I try to make my meals revolve around protein. I've lost a pant size doing this. Since then, I've lost half an inch on my waist and rib cage, though my hip measurement hasn't budged. If you don't like the idea of paleo, I think yo could get the same results just restricting carbs to under 150 a day. I try to keep it at about 100, but I dont sweat it as long as its under 150. Thats still a lot of carbs. My tdee is about 2000 calories. Some days a go over by a few hundred, sometimes I don't eat anywhere near it. On average Id say I get pretty close to that. Im trying to get stronger though, not lose fat, though I wouldn't mind if I continued to do so

tameko2

I have done maintenance and a deficit - its just HARD on a deficit, so much harder and I'm so much weaker.

You've only been at it 2 weeks - that's way too soon to expect results and you're probably retaining a lot of water and glycogen right now since its new to you. Give it about 6 weeks before you go back to measurements.

For the record my measurements and weight don't change much at all, and haven't since I started, but my clothes fit looser and some styles/brands that I was sort of in-between sizes on. I'm basically just crap at measurements.

a_vettestingray

Tameko,

Thanks for the input but I have been lifting and eating like this for a while - I am a NROL4W transfer, finished up Stage 1 and ate at fat loss. So that puts me 8 weeks into heavy lifting and eating at a deficit. I stil lhave been able to make strength gains, but I don't know if its just because I started too light or what.

a_vettestingray

Lizzie,

Thanks - I don't know if I could do paleo though.

If you take a peak at my diary, I seem to keep my carbs under 150 on most days already, just eating how I normally eat. I do focus on my protein and find it very easy to get my daily protein goal, most of the times going over.

juliebeannn

I have done maintenance and a deficit - its just HARD on a deficit, so much harder and I'm so much weaker.

You've only been at it 2 weeks - that's way too soon to expect results and you're probably retaining a lot of water and glycogen right now since its new to you. Give it about 6 weeks before you go back to measurements.

For the record my measurements and weight don't change much at all, and haven't since I started, but my clothes fit looser and some styles/brands that I was sort of in-between sizes on. I'm basically just crap at measurements.

what she said. i started SL while at TDEE and it was great. when i started to cut, i saw a clear decrease in strength. i'm not lifting as much weight, but still getting great workouts.

oh and i just started eating primally, also.

a_vettestingray

So, I am an idiot. It was pointed out to me that NROL4W's "fat loss" calories are pretty much equal to maintenance calories. So, I thought I was eating at a large cut, when in reality, its a 5% deficit. Mystery solved.

I am still interested in everyones' results though!

tameko2

So, I am an idiot. It was pointed out to me that NROL4W's "fat loss" calories are pretty much equal to maintenance calories. So, I thought I was eating at a large cut, when in reality, its a 5% deficit. Mystery solved.

I am still interested in everyones' results though!

are they? I think I did them for myself and they worked out more or less the same. If you aren't sure, you might try some other calculators.

But yeah NROL4W's stage one is a lot more higher rep work, if I recall? 10-12 range for reps? I wouldn't count those 6 weeks in with these 2, give this program its own 6 weeks before you change anything.

michellekicks

I'm just one month into lifting... and only 3 1/2 weeks into SL 5x5... I'm eating at right around maintenance I think - 2200 calories/day. My weight has stayed stable and I've lost about 1" off my waist. I'm still progressing with my lifts each workout and feel good. I'm hoping to stay close to maintenance and shed the last few lbs of fat. I'd like to gain a few lbs of muscle at some point, but I'm not ready to eat over TDEE. Too scared for now. Maybe next winter haha.

nexangelus

I don't count calories, honest...I have six meals per day when lifting heavy and now have reduced it to four and have lost some poundage. I can still lift heavy and am progressing with a different programme on less food per day. I have no idea of the calorie difference or how many calories I eat per day...(recovering from eating disorder) So estimated would be 2000 at most...sorry to be so vague...

LorinaLynn

When I first started, I was around 2000 calories (with TDEE at about 2300) then bumped it to 2100, then 2200, and this week I'm just not counting calories at all. My weight has stayed the same, and I'm finishing week 6 tomorrow, but I'm getting leaner... but I don't want to get any leaner. I mean... I'm happy my waist is smaller and my thighs are thinner, but I'm getting a little too bony in the ribs and chest.

So I'm going to just eat for a while, cut back a little on cardio, and see how it goes. I'm not the least bit worried about gaining weight, because I know if I do, I know how to take it off.

ErinRibbens

I'm eating at maintenance plus my exercise calories, have gained 3 lbs in 12 weeks of heavy lifting but measurements have stayed the same but I feel like I look very different- much more muscular and less flabby. I was already at my goal weight anyway. I've tried cutting back on calories while lifting but I just get too hungry and feel weak and miserable! I do make sure to get close to my body weight in grams of protein a day- so around 120 or so. I feel better when I do.

hesn92

I haven't been counting my calories very well lately..... I don't binge and eat whatever I want all the time or anything. I still try and get plenty of protein and not much junk. But I do track every few days... I try to get around 2000 calories which is around maintenance for me. Sometimes I eat more. Depends how I feel. I don't think this is a good program to do on a deficit. The whole point is to gain strength and it's a lot harder to do that when you're eating at a deficit.