TDEE, calorie questions, please help!

Ritzbrit

Ok, so I'm thinking about upping my calories and eating my TDEE - 25%, it seems to work for a lot of people. I have 54lbs left to lose maybe more for toning. I'm 28, 5'6" currently weigh 194. I've lost 31lbs thus far but it's been almost a month and no loss. I am currently eating just above my BMR. I have a sedentary job M-F's but I workout 5-6 days a week and strength train at least 3 times a week. I try and change up my workouts so I don't get bored and my body doesn't get use to it. I'm obviously doing something wrong since no movement on scale or tape measure. I'm getting frustrated because I work hard and it's not paying off. I stay within my calorie range and almost eat completely clean. Maybe I'm not eating enough? Or too much? I do eat back most, if not all my exercise calories but that's because I burn anywhere from 600-1,000 in a workout. I'm stuck. I need help. And obviously I'm not getting it. I even thought about trying 1200 calories again and eating back exercise calories. I guess my question is, if TDEE for working out 6 days a week for me is 2884 - 25% is 2163. Do I eat just 2163 and no exercise calories? If so, what if I have a high calorie burn, do I not eat back any calories? I may not even net 1200 then? Do I net my BMR there then? So confused. Please help!

walleyebob977

I figured out my TDEE and eat 20% less and i dont eat back my exercise, unless i feel hungry on days I burn alot. Since I have started doing this the weight has been coming off. Once I figured out my TDEE I was able to up my intake by 250 calories. Change it up.

Mokey41

IF you do TDEE then you don't eat any exercise calories back. How are you getting your calorie burns for your workouts?

cmriverside

What were you eating when you stalled?

2100 should be about right, don't worry about exact numbers from exercise. You can overthink this. Usually an hour of intense exercise will be about 500 cals. You're stressing yourself out. Do the 2100 for two weeks, see what happens. Don't eat more for more exercise . Just do your exercise and don't stress the exact numbers.

2100. Done and done.

rileysowner

I do eat back most, if not all my exercise calories but that's because I burn anywhere from 600-1,000 in a workout.

As others have stated this is where you are going wrong. You include you intended exercise in you TDEE calculations which is then averaged over the week. You take your percent off, and that is the amount you eat. You do not eat additional calories for exercise because they are already included.

Ritzbrit

Thanks for the responses! Very much appreciated! I should also state I measure all food and use an HRM. I know I'm over thinking it all and stressing out, you nailed that on the head. It's what I do I'll try 2100 total and see what happens. Thanks again!

Timshel_

I figured out my TDEE and eat 20% less and i dont eat back my exercise, unless i feel hungry on days I burn alot.

Be careful. TDEE includes the caories for your exercise, as well as all general activity. The big catch with using TDEE is if you DON'T exercise in a day it effects the deficit.

rileysowner

I figured out my TDEE and eat 20% less and i dont eat back my exercise, unless i feel hungry on days I burn alot.

Be careful. TDEE includes the caories for your exercise, as well as all general activity. The big catch with using TDEE is if you DON'T exercise in a day it effects the deficit.

That is not quite accurate. If you don't exercise as much as you planned to, it effects your deficit. If a person sets up a TDEE for 3 or so ours of exercise a week, not exercising a certain day makes no difference since they are averaged over the week. Missing the 3 hours does.