3 weeks change in abs... opinions?

mareeee1234

I'm 5'1 or 5' ish. So yeah, pretty short.

And what is TDEE? :blushing:

PLEASE watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYi9xjIRvbY
It explains it all

And I am only 5'0.5
Currently re-setting my metabolism by eating at tdee (2000 cals) for 8 weeks, before eating -10% of my tdee (1800 cals)
You should be eating -10% or -15% or -20% of your tdee, for safe/sustainable/healthy weight/fat loss!!

ecw3780

Why such a low calorie intake? Aren't you concerned about catabolilzing muscle?

Should I be? I really don't know much about building muscle, so any help/advice would be appreciated

1200 is the calorie intake suggested by MFP, and I'm not hungry on it... yet...

Well if you're diligently logging your exercise as accurately as possible and "eating back those calories" so that you net 1200, then it's a wash. But if you're taking in a flat 1200, I would be concerned about muscle loss, fatigue, burnout stuff like that

Another approach, which is my preferred approach right now, is to find your TDEE, then take out a modest deficit and use that as a fixed calorie target. My favorite TDEE calc is this nice simple one: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html. There are more elaborate ones that take a whole bunch of inputs, but I don't find the particularly more accurate.

In the end, they should work out about the same with either method; I just find the TDEE approach simpler to manage and simpler to make changes to (for example, you can go 4 weeks then decide you need to increase or decrease cals by 100 or 200; and you don't have itemized exercise as yet another variable to worry about.)

More info here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

After I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how much to eat, which method to follow (BMR or TDEE- 20%), I finally realized that my fitbit works off the TDEE system and when it syncs with MFP (both set to lose 1 pound per week) it gives me back exercise calories and the two match up pretty well. So, I would set your goals to 1 pounds loss per week, eat back your exercise calories and you will probably be close to what you should be doing regardless of what system you are following. Once you cross over into the 2 pound loss per week though, it starts to get messy. Also, if you are lifting a lot I recommend changing your goals to 30% protein. It helps.

babydiego87

I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

when will people stop assuming that people want to look like the above? your fiancee looks great, for herself. not everyone wants that look.

sarahstrezo

I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

when will people stop assuming that people want to look like the above? your fiancee looks great, for herself. not everyone wants that look.

What look would that be?

Matt_Wild

I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

when will people stop assuming that people want to look like the above? your fiancee looks great, for herself. not everyone wants that look.

Think about this logically. I am talking about FAT BURNING, not muscle gain.

You may NOT want that look, fine. Do you think she went straight to that look without burning fat and looking differently in between? When you get to the level YOU want you stop the calorie deficit and good to maintenance.

Unless you suggesting burning your lean body mass is a good idea and putting fat back on again easily is a good thing by eating 1200 calories?

Then carry on and gain fat back easily!

peachfigs

I give you opinion based on the fact I coach people for getting into shape for comp's etc. 1200 is not enough. You WILL go catabolic. You will burn muscle. You will put weight back on much more easily. 1200 will be below your BMR, which is never good to go beyond.

My fiancee did this from September til end of Jan (with most of October off), an hour or so in the gym and zero cardio, there or there abouts... bar a few sessions.

when will people stop assuming that people want to look like the above? your fiancee looks great, for herself. not everyone wants that look.

Think about this logically. I am talking about FAT BURNING, not muscle gain.

You may NOT want that look, fine. Do you think she went straight to that look without burning fat and looking differently in between? When you get to the level YOU want you stop the calorie deficit and good to maintenance.

Unless you suggesting burning your lean body mass is a good idea and putting fat back on again easily is a good thing by eating 1200 calories?

Then carry on and gain fat back easily!

Your fiancee looks amazing! I love what she's achieved, but I'll probably stop long before achieving that kind of look, I'd prefer to look a little softer.

There's been some great information on here, but I'm going to see how I go with 1200 calories. If I need to eat more then I do, but most of the time, it's fine, and I can see that I am gaining some muscle.

taso42

Your fiancee looks amazing! I love what she's achieved, but I'll probably stop long before achieving that kind of look, I'd prefer to look a little softer.

There's been some great information on here, but I'm going to see how I go with 1200 calories. If I need to eat more then I do, but most of the time, it's fine, and I can see that I am gaining some muscle.

peachfigs

Your fiancee looks amazing! I love what she's achieved, but I'll probably stop long before achieving that kind of look, I'd prefer to look a little softer.

There's been some great information on here, but I'm going to see how I go with 1200 calories. If I need to eat more then I do, but most of the time, it's fine, and I can see that I am gaining some muscle.

All I want to do is lose the excess amount of fat that I've got and tone the muscle underneath it. I don't want to look like a body builder.

jennifer907

You really won't gain if you go above 1200. I'm only 5 ft 2 and I have lost all of my weight on 1500 a day. Now I'm eating at 1600 a day and still losing. The idea isn't to eat as low as possible to lose as fast as you can. It's important to take your time and really commit to it so it will stick with you as a lifestyle change. If 1200 is working for you, I guess keep doing it (though a lot of people end up plateauing at 1200), and don't be scared of eating more if it stops working.

peachfigs

You really won't gain if you go above 1200. I'm only 5 ft 2 and I have lost all of my weight on 1500 a day. Now I'm eating at 1600 a day and still losing. The idea isn't to eat as low as possible to lose as fast as you can. It's important to take your time and really commit to it so it will stick with you as a lifestyle change. If 1200 is working for you, I guess keep doing it (though a lot of people end up plateauing at 1200), and don't be scared of eating more if it stops working.

Thanks! That's what I'm going to do. And next time I'll take better photos on an actual camera, rather than a phone :laugh: