I think I'm done?

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alcon79
alcon79 Posts: 193 Member
I've been following EM2LW since June and have been eating at a 10% cut of 1880 (with the occasional diet break week). The last month or so I've been hovering around 125 pounds (even with 1 break), plus or minus 1-2 depending on the day. Since my weight has been pretty stable since early October, is it safe to say I've most likely reached my goal weight in terms of a number?

I'm still working on toning up and there are some loose areas to work on (hello tummy pooch & triceps wiggle), and I also know that I'll never fully be happy with the way that I look, but is it safe to say I'm ready to move to eating at TDEE permanently? And is my TDEE still 2080, the scooby number recently calculated, even if I've been maintaining on the 10% cut? Thanks to everyone in this forum for all the help and motivation and the permission to eat!

Replies

  • amanda_gent
    amanda_gent Posts: 174 Member
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    Congratulations! Sounds to me like you're done and just working on body recomp. Enjoy eating at TDEE and thanks for sharing your success!
  • CanGirl40
    CanGirl40 Posts: 379 Member
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    I've been wondering the same thing...been on EM2WL program since August 13th so 3 months.

    BMR = 1300
    TDEE = 2000
    Been eating 1700 on nonworkout days; 2100 on workout days

    August 13th weight - 126
    November 13th weight - 126

    Does that mean my TDEE is actually 2000 and won't I gain weight if I up my cals? or should I keep doing what I'm doing...? I've also been doing NROLFW so a pound or two may actually be muscle...?

    I'm interested to hear responses to your question...
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    That sounds like a good plan to me. I stopped losing at my cut value and went up to TDEE on 01 October. I haven't lost or gained since but I'm seeing strength gains week on week and increased muscle definition so I seem to be still recomping at TDEE. So I wuold recommend eating at TDEE for a while. You can always go back to a cut later if you still feel you want to lose more weight.

    Congratulations on your EM2WL success!
  • ANewLucia
    ANewLucia Posts: 2,081 Member
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    Wow that is just awesome. Sounds to me you can rock TDEE...now something else to think about when you are comfy at TDEE for a bit. At some point to gain muscle which will help you lose more fat, you may want to think about bulking. Yes, adding 100, 200 calories to TDEE while lifting heavy to put on some muscle mass and then go back to cut to take off the fat gained during bulk.

    If it seems overwhelming right now, don't give it another thought....something for the future.
  • alcon79
    alcon79 Posts: 193 Member
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    Thanks for all of the responses! Yeah it is excited to feel like I accomplished my goals. I could probably go down a few more, but I also think if I work on building muscle, some of the softer areas will get smaller that way instead. I also just bought all new pants and jeans and can't imagine having to buy another whole round!

    I'll keep the bulking in the back of my mind - maybe something to consider after my wedding in April :) I also want to make sure that I figure out my TDEE accurately, which I know will take a little trial and error.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I've been following EM2LW since June and have been eating at a 10% cut of 1880 (with the occasional diet break week). The last month or so I've been hovering around 125 pounds (even with 1 break), plus or minus 1-2 depending on the day. Since my weight has been pretty stable since early October, is it safe to say I've most likely reached my goal weight in terms of a number?

    I'm still working on toning up and there are some loose areas to work on (hello tummy pooch & triceps wiggle), and I also know that I'll never fully be happy with the way that I look, but is it safe to say I'm ready to move to eating at TDEE permanently? And is my TDEE still 2080, the scooby number recently calculated, even if I've been maintaining on the 10% cut? Thanks to everyone in this forum for all the help and motivation and the permission to eat!

    Big congrats.

    If you haven't seen weight OR inches lost, then you were eating at TDEE already, there was no cut.

    But if inches being lost, and your workouts feel strong enough, might as well keep at it, keep gaining LBM and losing fat.

    increased LBM, even if not muscle, increases metabolism - at some point you may lose more weight too, in which case increase the calories.

    Or, you could go up to estimated TDEE, really see improvements from the lifting, and probably the same effect anyway, inches gone.
  • woodsygirl
    woodsygirl Posts: 354 Member
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    Awesome for you! That is quite an accomplishment!

    I agree with Lucia about building muscle, especially if there are parts of your body you are not happy with. If you don't want to bulk before your wedding, at least give strenth training a try, because if your wedding is in April, you can definately change your arms a bit before then and you'll be so proud in your photos (heck, i'd bet money you'd even have a photo of yourself flexing your biceps in your wedding dress!). ;)
  • CanGirl40
    CanGirl40 Posts: 379 Member
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    So Alcon, does that mean your maintenance weight is 1850?
  • alcon79
    alcon79 Posts: 193 Member
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    So Alcon, does that mean your maintenance weight is 1850?

    Haha now I'm not so sure thanks to haybales comment. I haven't measured so I don't have a definite set of inches that I lost, but I have bought an entire new set of pants/ jeans (size 2! Which is so absurd I can't even tell you. Vanity sizing has gone cray-cray!) and a lot of the new pants I bought in late spring are slightly big already, so I definitely have felt a change in that sense.

    If 1850 is my maintenance, then scooby is way off, putting it at 2080 for moderate activity. I think I'll set my cals to 1920 or so and see what happens over the next few weeks to see where my maintenance really lies.

    woodsygirl, I have seen muscle definition in my shoulders, biceps and abs so the body pump classes, bodyrock and supreme 90 have been doing their job. My goal is to start the heavy lifting soon - it's just so hard for me to go to the gym for an hour with my current work schedule, so during the week I've been working out at home so we can eat dinner before 930pm. But NROLFW is definitely is my 2013 goal!
  • kels136
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    Hey just wanted to say congratulations!!! That is awesome!

    My start weight and goal weight are the same as yours. Do you mind me asking your height? And also what dress size are you UK or US?

    I still have 13 lbs to lose until I reach my goal but I am not letting that worry me now as I can see my body changing all the time. xxx
  • alcon79
    alcon79 Posts: 193 Member
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    Thank kels and congrats to you on your progress - read your post and looks like you're kicking butt! I'm 5'4" and I'm generally a 4 for dresses in the US, but I find the vanity sizing to be a little ridiculous and hard to believe.
  • kels136
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    Hey thanks for replying. I’m 5ft 6” so maybe I should aim for 130 lbs instead as a more realistic goal? Size 4 in US is 8 in UK, I am currently a UK 12 wanting to get down to UK 10…I’m quite broad on top so that might stay as a 10/12.

    Vanity sizing???
  • alcon79
    alcon79 Posts: 193 Member
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    Vanity sizing is a US phenomenon to make people feel good about themselves. Sizes have basically changed, so what was a size 8 is now a size 4 in most standard mall stores. It's a little ridiculous, because it doesn't fool most people. And I have no idea what actual size 2 people wear if everything is so big. Add to that the fact that all pants have stretch to the point that you put them on in the morning and they fit and by noon they're a size larger, and shopping has become annoying. Even at stores where I know my size more or less.

    Rant over :)

    I think weight really depends on your body type, plus if you're building muscle the number becomes slightly irrelevant if you have awesome muscles to show off :)