Success with TDEE -20%

BUZZIEST

Your TDEE factors in your exercise level. So you should not eat your exercise calories back as they are already factored in.

saraovoxo

I've lost 30 odd lbs doing TDEE -20%, no you don't eat back the exercise calories because that is factored in already. The basics are...either eat your BMR (if not a bit more) + all your exercise calories OR eat your TDEE - something % (usually 20%) and don't eat back your exercise calories.
It really is that simple, don't over think it don't over complicate it...it works.

I think you explained it best!
I just so feel really scared eating at 1800+ cals :noway: it just seems so much! Being vegetarian I find it hard to reach that goal with out relying on loads of carbs

Arwhite1865

I've gone from 220 lbs to 158 lbs (current) doing this. It did feel weird and wrong to be eating over 1,800 calories and think that I could still lose weight, but that's exactly what happened. The reality is that I was eating more than that to maintain my 220-pound self. It's slow weight loss (1-2 lbs/week), but it's steady and consistent. It's also the *only* way I've ever been able to keep any amount of weight off. I've been overweight since I was about 7-years-old and have never, ever lost anything close to this much weight to begin with. Only 18 more lbs to go.