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in need of a little guidance

victoriannsays
victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
edited January 11 in Social Groups
right now Im lifting 3x weekly and doing 45 mins of cardio 3x week. Also, Im at school(in the hospital at least 4x week) running around like a crazy person for 8+hours. How should I incorporate this when calculating my TDEE? I have it now as active 3-5 times a week and it gives me 2200. Is this number accurate considering my increase in activity since this semester began? I'm messing around with my caloric intake due to plateau and I'm not sure where to go from here.

Replies

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Has your activity been relatively consistent over the last 4 - 8 weeks?
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    yes and will be the same for the rest of winter, spring and summer.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    What has your weight loss been over say the last 8 weeks and what were your average gross calories?
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    I weighed in on the 24th and lost 2 pounds after not leaving my bed for a week due to the flu. Before that - I hadn't lost any weight in months.

    I haven't gained it back. I eat roughly 12000 calories a week.. average of 1600-1700 daily.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I weighed in on the 24th and lost 2 pounds after not leaving my bed for a week due to the flu. Before that - I hadn't lost any weight in months.

    I haven't gained it back. I eat roughly 12000 calories a week.. average of 1600-1700 daily.

    If you are maintaining at 1,600 - 1,700 then that is your TDEE.

    How long have your been eating at this or a lower caloric intake?
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    Ahh probably since the beginning of october
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    What is your height and weight?
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    5'5 132lbs
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Sorry for all the questions..

    I take it you want to lose about 7lb from your ticker. Do you have any other goals?
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    I'm really not worried about losing 7lbs as I am about losing some more inches. 4 more pounds would be more like it.

    Every tdee calculator says I am 2200. How come its so much lower than estimated? Even with all of my increased activity?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    There can be a number of reasons. The calculators have a wide range of variability with activity levels and are based on averages. However, specific reasons can include:

    1) Lack of accuracy of logging. Which can include not weighing everything, allowable errors in nutrition labels. Not logging the small items such as gum, coffee, sweeteners that can add up
    2) Adapting to your activity level - when you have been doing something for a while it becomes easier and therefore less energy is exerted.
    3) Adaptive thermogenesis - if you have been calorie restricting for a while, it can, and usually will suppress your metabolism. The calculations are based on people in maintenance.
    4) Medical issues that may impact your metabolism such as PCOS and thyroid issues
    5) Lower LBM than average (which is taken into account with some of the calculators where BF% is one of the inputs)

    Do you have a history or losing and gaining weight? Have you only been dieting since October?
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    I have only been trying to lose since this fall. The only other time I've lost weight is with my pregnancy 5 years ago where I gained just shy of 72lbs. I lost all of it.

    I do measure all of my food except coffee. I only have 1 cup of coffee a day and log my creamer/sugar.

    I guess If I want to lose a few more pounds I'd have to eat around 1400?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    What lifting routine are you doing?
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    stronglifts 5x5 three times a week.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Sorry for the delay in responding..I really wish there was a follow up tag I could flag or something as they tend to get lost when new threads get started.

    Anyway, I think you will need to go lower unfortunately. You have not been dieting that long and do not have a history of yo yo dieting and so should not have much AT.

    From your pics you are pretty lean so I would actually suggest incorporating a refeed into the week (try to sync it with a lifting day).

    So, my suggestion is to try for 1,400 calories a day (no eating of exercise calories back) with one day a week at 1,800.

    Macros should be:
    Protein: 106g - 30%
    Fats: 46g - 30%
    The rest where you wish, but try to get as many as carbs as possible.

    Also, try increasing your NEAT (non exercise activity)


    If your gym performance or energy levels get sucky, get back to us via this thread or PM.
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