Increase calorie goal to lose fat/maintain lean mass?

LoseYouself

I've been successful with weight loss in the past, and have maintained 90% of that loss for the past 4 years.

I've known all about BMR since the beginning of my journey. According the the Harris Benedict Equation, mine is 1770. I have always tried to lose weight faster (2 lbs per week) by creating a 1000 daily deficit with a combination of decreased calories + workouts, which was fine when I was 85 lbs heavier, but now it's not enough food when I do that. So finally after a year struggling with trying to lose that darn 2 lbs per week (and failing because not eating enough leads me to overeat or crave junkfood) I've accepted the fact that I will no longer lose 2-3 lbs easily like I did when I was 85 lbs heavier. So I should maybe aim for 1/2 pounds to 1 lb per week? Any less than 1 lb a week I struggle with patience for.. but I'm learning.

So lately I've read all about not eating below your BMR, but eating under your TDEE. I'm also new to the term TDEE, and have read some helpful posts lately about aiming for TDEE - 20% which usually is about 1 lb per week. Despite what I know, I still had trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that I can eat more, and lose more. I also workout 4-5 days per week, lift weights, and don't want to lose my lean mass.


My question basically is this. Is 2000 calories per day too high for results? Is this good? Should I do TDEE- 20% if I want to preserve as much of my lean mass as possible? Or is 15% safer for that and will still allow me to lose body fat? It seems really high to me, but I'd love to be able to eat this much and still lose fat. Any opinion of what YOU would do in this situation would be greatly appreciated! Here's my information:


I'm female, 5'4, 213 lbs, 38% BF, fair amount of lean mass for my weight and height.

My ideal lean weight is around 175 lbs / 20%BF according to a trainer.

My BMR is 1770
Sedentary TDEE is 2120
Workout days TDEE is 2520

My average weekly TDEE is 2350. TDEE - 15% = approx 2000 calories

My average TDEE does not include any workouts beyond 4 per week (sometimes it's more).

seena511

it seems counterintuitive, but if you're eating at a deficit you will lose, even if that deficit is 100 calories rather than 1000. try the search function to see more testemonials about this...a lot of people have said that a few weeks after increasing to TDEE - 20% (from say around their BMR) the weight just fell off. i may be doing the same thing soon here if i don't lose any weight the next couple of months.

LoseYouself

it seems counterintuitive, but if you're eating at a deficit you will lose, even if that deficit is 100 calories rather than 1000. try the search function to see more testemonials about this...a lot of people have said that a few weeks after increasing to TDEE - 20% (from say around their BMR) the weight just fell off. i may be doing the same thing soon here if i don't lose any weight the next couple of months.

Yeah, I've read about that and it seems exciting to eat more, feel better, and have the weight start dropping off again. It's just the mental part of it for me.. when I'm eating this much I feel as if I'm gaining weight, not losing. Sticking it out for a few weeks will be tough, so I sure hope I'm doing the right thing! It'll be worth it if the results eventually begin to show. It's better than eating less and also being plateaued.

myofibril

2000 seems a good starting point (which factors in reasonable activity levels so no need to eat back exercise calories.

Try it for 4 weeks and then tweak as necessary.

LoseYouself

I've been successful with weight loss in the past, and have maintained 90% of that loss for the past 4 years.

I've known all about BMR since the beginning of my journey. According the the Harris Benedict Equation, mine is 1770. I have always tried to lose weight faster (2 lbs per week) by creating a 1000 daily deficit with a combination of decreased calories + workouts, which was fine when I was 85 lbs heavier, but now it's not enough food when I do that. So finally after a year struggling with trying to lose that darn 2 lbs per week (and failing because not eating enough leads me to overeat or crave junkfood) I've accepted the fact that I will no longer lose 2-3 lbs easily like I did when I was 85 lbs heavier. So I should maybe aim for 1/2 pounds to 1 lb per week? Any less than 1 lb a week I struggle with patience for.. but I'm learning.

So lately I've read all about not eating below your BMR, but eating under your TDEE. I'm also new to the term TDEE, and have read some helpful posts lately about aiming for TDEE - 20% which usually is about 1 lb per week. Despite what I know, I still had trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that I can eat more, and lose more. I also workout 4-5 days per week, lift weights, and don't want to lose my lean mass.


My question basically is this. Is 2000 calories per day too high for results? Is this good? Should I do TDEE- 20% if I want to preserve as much of my lean mass as possible? Or is 15% safer for that and will still allow me to lose body fat? It seems really high to me, but I'd love to be able to eat this much and still lose fat. Any opinion of what YOU would do in this situation would be greatly appreciated! Here's my information:


I'm female, 5'4, 213 lbs, 38% BF, fair amount of lean mass for my weight and height.

My ideal lean weight is around 175 lbs / 20%BF according to a trainer.

My BMR is 1770
Sedentary TDEE is 2120
Workout days TDEE is 2520

My average weekly TDEE is 2350. TDEE - 15% = approx 2000 calories

My average TDEE does not include any workouts beyond 4 per week (sometimes it's more).

Here is a method i created that really helped me bust out of a plateau and many other people.

Eat TDEE 1 day, 60% of TDEE the next. So for you it would be.

2,350, day 1
1,410 day 2
repeat

That seems like an excellent way to break a plateau, however, whenever I eat below 1800, I seem to end up ravenous by evening and end up craving junk food, or else overeating on healthy food even. I work out fairly regularly, and that also increases my appetite so 1400 on those workout days would make binging much more likely to happen. That's why I've been stuck at this weight for so long.. I overeat to compensate for days with large deficits. Thats why I was leaning towards a steady higher calorie goal.. so I'm always satisfied, but with a small deficit still. I just wasn't sure if 2000 was too high for my specific goals/needs.