TDEE

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mscote12
mscote12 Posts: 220 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I did a few different formulas (that included my BMR)...and came to the conclusion my TDEE is roughly 2280--that seems like ALOT to me. I just upped my calories from 1200 to 1400 (today being the first day at 1400) but from what I understand a "healthy" calorie deficit is -500 from your TDEE if you have a lot to lose...which then would bring me to 1780...which still seems like ALOT to me lol perhaps Im so used to eating so little...but then again, perhaps I am simply not eating enough to result in weight loss.
Its a really hard concept to wrap my head around....I'm just going to be super upset if I start eating 1700 calories a day only to gain weight.


*sigh*

Replies

  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
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    You would be fine eating 1700 cals. Maybe not the first week, but eventually you would start losing weight on that.
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
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    I have just done the same thing, because after losing steadily for the last 8 months, I have hit a heck of a plateau. But you should be okay. 1700 calories is not enough for you to gain weight, so the worst that can happen is you will slow your loss. But I really think that upping calories helps. The problem I am going to have is that using my TDEE, I should be eating around 1900 a day. I eat a plant based diet, and that is a LOT of food! Today I have eaten more than usual and I feel kind of ick. So I am not sure it is the answer for me
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
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    I don't think it'll really slow your loss. I upped my cals to 1500-1600 after being on a plateau at 1200, and I started actually losing quite rapidly again. Sounds odd, but it helps :)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,075 Member
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    Do the 1700. Give it a month. Don't freak out before then. It works.
  • Workinthis1
    Workinthis1 Posts: 24
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    I' m new...can you explain what TDEE is?
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Look at it this way, could you deal with eating really low for the rest of your life just to keep off what you lose?

    If the answer is no, probably better to jump up to 1700 or 1800, deal with the initial weight gain (there will probably be a little) and then get used to losing on that more moderate amount.

    BrettPGH put it better than I've ever heard before, so I'll steal it and reiterate here (totally paraphrased cos I can't find the post right now sorry): "There's very high cal (not healthy) and very low cal (not fun), the trick is finding something inbetween that you can live with."
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
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    I' m new...can you explain what TDEE is?

    TDEE Definition: The total number of calories you burn in a day. It is made up of your BMR and all other activities you perform throughout the day, including the thermogenic effect of food. This is the number of calories you need to eat each day to maintain your weight. They typically say eating 20% below it is a good number!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    So I did a few different formulas (that included my BMR)...and came to the conclusion my TDEE is roughly 2280--that seems like ALOT to me. I just upped my calories from 1200 to 1400 (today being the first day at 1400) but from what I understand a "healthy" calorie deficit is -500 from your TDEE if you have a lot to lose...which then would bring me to 1780...which still seems like ALOT to me lol perhaps Im so used to eating so little...but then again, perhaps I am simply not eating enough to result in weight loss.
    Its a really hard concept to wrap my head around....I'm just going to be super upset if I start eating 1700 calories a day only to gain weight.


    *sigh*

    It's *not* a lot, so don't sweat it. A TDEE of 2280 is actually not high at all. My lifestyle is sedentary, and I'm 5'4" and my TDEE is roughly the same as yours. I've been eating at 1800 calories and losing 2 pounds a week. I just increased my calories to 1900 recently. It's really not that much food.
  • Gapwedge01
    Gapwedge01 Posts: 494
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    From July 1 to October 24 I lost 30 pounds and dropped 10% in BF from 35 to 25%. From Oct 24 to Nov 28 I have completely stalled. My TDEE is 2488 (I used several formulas including Katch-McArdle, Miffin-St. Jeor (what MFP uses), and Harris Benedict) using the Katch-McArdle formula because I know what my BF% is.

    See my blog for links: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Gapwedge01

    Beginning July 1 I began at 1440 net calories to jump start my loss. Then in September I upped it to 1660 net calories. After reading several sites on weight loss I am beginning to believe that my calorie level is too low to continue to lose. Seems back-asswards but it makes sense. So beginning on 11/28 I have bumped my calories up to 1880 net, still well below my TDEE. 500 deficit calories from my TDEE would put me at 1988 (not too much higher than the 1880 I have chosen). My goal is to average 13,160 net calories per week. That way there will be days I will be over and days I will be under due to rest days vs. active days. I selected sedentary/no activity for my activity level so any recordable calorie burns I will eat some or most of that back because I want to net an average of 1880 calories per day.

    Since I am a cyclist it is not uncommon for me to burn 1500 calories on a good ride. On those days that would put my net daily calorie limit at 3380 calories. It is doubtful that I can fit 3380 good calories into that day. So on that day there is a good chance I will be under. But on a rest day I may go over 1880. That is why I want the average to be a weekly 13,160.

    I want this stall to end and I feel this may be the way to achieve it. I don't think I was eating enough to fuel my weekly activity level. I can always tweak it one way or the other if it does not work. I am in this for the long haul so a couple of months will not wreck what I have already achieved.

    If that sounds way off base feel free to PM me or reply to my blog. I am new to this site but am dead serious about getting fit and losing weight.

    Gary
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
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    Just make sure you give it time to even out. At least 4 to 6 weeks. One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to figure their TDEE out is not giving it long enough because of initial weight gain. Depending on how big of a jump in calories you make at a time, you may initially gain some weight. But you will eventually lose it.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    How active are you? All those numbers sound reasonable. It's not uncommon for people (especially women) to eat too little, to get used to eating too little, then to be skeptical that eating more can be healthy and lead to weight loss.
  • Gapwedge01
    Gapwedge01 Posts: 494
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    Just make sure you give it time to even out. At least 4 to 6 weeks. One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to figure their TDEE out is not giving it long enough because of initial weight gain. Depending on how big of a jump in calories you make at a time, you may initially gain some weight. But you will eventually lose it.
    Good point. I will remember that. Makes sense.

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