Any success stories using the TDEE-20% (15%) method?

shst07

Hi.

I'm just starting to do this and was wondering if people could share their success stories with me. Did you start using MFP settings and then start doing this instead and are having good results with it? And do you do resistance training?

Thanks.

lovinlandl

great question-- I know there are a lot out there so can't wait to read about it.

heidi555

I just started a couple weeks ago and am having success you should check out the em2wl group here there are many great stories there and helpful people good luck to u

shannonsky

I did TDEE-20% on and off around the holidays, and finally buckled down in the last few weeks and have lost great each time I did it. Usually works out to about 1-2lbs/week on average, I think. And I love that it doesn't feel restrictive, at all. I can easily see myself keeping these habits the rest of my life, which is really the most important thing. I've been lifting heavy M/W/F and running T/Th/Sa, and I think joining the gym has really helped me step up my game.

BurtHuttz

I started in January 2012. I was at around TDEE - 30%. I found myself pretty hungry most of the time and not really satisfied and prone to binges. I increased my calories to hit around TDEE - 20% organically, without knowing what that value was. I've met my goals.

taylorwaylor

15%! YES

Jemmuno

I'd like to know the same thing. I've started doing this the past couple of weeks. I've found my bmr as 1600 and my TDEE at 2300 and did a 20% deficit, so I try to eat no less than 1850 cal. I've been doing insanity and I've definitely noticed that I'm getting stronger. I'm going to weigh myself after I'm done with the first month which is in a week, so we'll see if I've lost weight. I'm also going to measure too. I have noticed on the day after I eat between 1850-2000 cal I feel like I do way better in my workouts than in the days I get between 1600-1800 cal, so I do feel like its a healthy way to eat.

Anyways it will be interesting to see other people's stories.

vzryder

i have been doing pretty well, slowly and that is the way to do it!
Lost 13kg so far in 6 months but plateaued for 4 weeks, then gained last week!
This was despite doing everything correctly, so a MFP advised me to do TDEE -20%, INCREASING my calorie intake and viola, I lost:bigsmile:

Lovestoscrapbook

For me, it's nearly an identical number. MFP set my calories at 1200 and my TDEE -20% is 1223. I've been told I should eat more to lose weight but what do you do when even the TDEE is set this low? Had my calories figured another way on Lifestrong and it came out even less than 1223 so I think for me that is pretty much what my calorie intake should be...

auddii

I only started December 11, and I got a little side tracked with the holidays. But, started taking progress pics once a month in January. I also started stronglifts in January. I'm currently eating at TDEE-25%

3dogsrunning

I started out with MFP setting and lost a couple of pounds. Then I went to a trainer who did who own calculations (basically TDEE -20%). She Gave me a meal plan too and i followed her but kept logging. I basically came out at the same place.
After I came off her plan I did MFP and still am but I know my TDEE number. I am pretty much always in the same spot regardless of how I figure it. A few days I might be a little high or a little low but I average the same.
So long as you use the right numbers and goals you will end up on the same spot. It's merely a preference of eating more on some days you workout out more or the same evey day.

susheetush

I'm subbing this as I am now increasing my cals, and I'm interested in how this works.

mommamellymac

I have a question!

If my TDEE is 2276 and MFP is telling me to eat 1620, how much % is that? I'm having trouble figuring it out.
I think 20% is 1820 and it is advised not go to more than 20%.... since I'm breastfeeding, with the extra calories (300 for 6mo+) I'm bumped up to 1920....so is that fine then? should I just leave it as is? Or should I eat 1820 and THEN add the extra 300?

If someone could message me that would be great...

ecw3780

Yes...and no. I am not active every day, so for me my TDEE varies quite a bit. So some days I would have been eating too much, and some days not enough. However, I have started eating 20% less than my total daily burn. Since I work out at night, this means I end up eating 1200-1460 (1460 is my MFP suggested intake) by dinner, and then I eat back any additional exercise calories.

From what I can tell, the big difference between MFP calories + exercise calories and TDEE-20% is that the TDEE takes into account your regular activity calories AND exercise. Since I can burn between 200-400 calories extra in my daily life, that can be a big difference than if I just ate the 1460+ exercise calories.

If you have the same activity level every day, I think the TDEE system is great. If you don't, I would wear some sort of activity tracker (I use Fitbit) that will sync with MFP to tell you how many calories you are actually burning (Total Daily Expenditure)

ecw3780

I have a question!

If my TDEE is 2276 and MFP is telling me to eat 1620, how much % is that? I'm having trouble figuring it out.
I think 20% is 1820 and it is advised not go to more than 20%.... since I'm breastfeeding, with the extra calories (300 for 6mo+) I'm bumped up to 1920....so is that fine then? should I just leave it as is? Or should I eat 1820 and THEN add the extra 300?

If someone could message me that would be great...

20% of the 2276 would be 455. So, you should subtract 455 from 2276 and eat that...1821. Or, 1620+ exercise. MFP wants you to add in exercise and then eat those calories back.

I think breast feeding counts as exercise calories, so I believe it would be 1620+ exercise+breast feeding or 1820+ breast feeding...unless you figured you TDEE with the breast feeding.

vschwgrt1

I'm new. Can some tell me what this means TDEE-%(15%).

Flowers4Julia

Me! I lost 35 pounds doing the (insane) 1200 MFP way.....then at "maintenance " started gaining! No wonder since my TDEE is 1700.

Now, I do TDEE minus 10% since it is really only a 5 pound range I play with. And, I say play because a lot or most could be water weight.

:bigsmile:

3dogsrunning

I have a question!

If my TDEE is 2276 and MFP is telling me to eat 1620, how much % is that? I'm having trouble figuring it out.
I think 20% is 1820 and it is advised not go to more than 20%.... since I'm breastfeeding, with the extra calories (300 for 6mo+) I'm bumped up to 1920....so is that fine then? should I just leave it as is? Or should I eat 1820 and THEN add the extra 300?

If someone could message me that would be great...

1. MFP assumes you will log exercise calories and consume the extra
2. MFP assumes you will log breast feeding (found under yor food log will give you a minus value depending on what you choose).

I don't know who advised you and will not speak over a professional. But if you are going by calculators alone, I haven't seen a TDEE one that includes breast feeding so I would go with the 1820 (for what you need normally with a 20 % deficit) plus the -300 for breast feeding which brings you up to 2120.

sum1serin

I have a question!

If my TDEE is 2276 and MFP is telling me to eat 1620, how much % is that? I'm having trouble figuring it out.
I think 20% is 1820 and it is advised not go to more than 20%.... since I'm breastfeeding, with the extra calories (300 for 6mo+) I'm bumped up to 1920....so is that fine then? should I just leave it as is? Or should I eat 1820 and THEN add the extra 300?

If someone could message me that would be great...

Right now you're looking at a 28-29% deduction from your TDEE with 1620.

lina011

im slightly confused, my road map thingy was 1800 cal per day to lose weight i think that was -20% i did not eat back my exercise calories so i was averaging 1300 cal net a day. Now im MFP its set at 1600 cal a day and i eat back my calories and net 1600cal or over so why would the road map one be like this i eat less on this one then i do on MFP. maybe i did it wrong

rachaelheaney

Bump for later.

Jemmuno

im slightly confused, my road map thingy was 1800 cal per day to lose weight i think that was -20% i did not eat back my exercise calories so i was averaging 1300 cal net a day. Now im MFP its set at 1600 cal a day and i eat back my calories and net 1600cal or over so why would the road map one be like this i eat less on this one then i do on MFP. maybe i did it wrong

TDEE includes exercise depending on what you set it as. Sedentary, moderatly active, active etc... So if you found ur TDEE is 2250 (which is what it would have been if it told you 1800 with a 20% deficit), Then that includes exercise and you shouldn't log your exercise and should be eating 1800 cal a day. Also, always make sure to eat above your BMR.

missmidge84

I've lost 46 pounds since October using my TDEE -20%. I run 3x a week, work with a trainer, and lift weights. I'm not hungry, have enough energy for my workouts, and am still losing 1 or 2 pounds a week.

bren3345

So if you're using the TDEE method, you shouldn't log your exercise?

Jemmuno

So if you're using the TDEE method, you shouldn't log your exercise?

Nope, not unless you calculated it as sedentary, then on the days you do exercise I would put in my calorie burn and eat those calories back. All the other levels include exercise. I think slightly active is 1-3 times a week, and active is 3-6. If you calculated your TDEE with one of the latter two then your deficit already includes exercise calories.

bren3345

So if you're using the TDEE method, you shouldn't log your exercise?

Nope, not unless you calculated it as sedentary, then on the days you do exercise I would put in my calorie burn and eat those calories back. All the other levels include exercise. I think slightly active is 1-3 times a week, and active is 3-6. If you calculated your TDEE with one of the latter two then your deficit already includes exercise calories.

Sorry not trying to hijack this thread...but I'm super confused! Right now I have my calories set at 1,550 even though MFP suggests 1,200 (1,550 is based on a TDEE of around 2,000). Today I ran 10 miles and I ate back all the calories burned plus the 1,550. Is that incorrect? I honestly don't feel like I overate at all.

Jemmuno

What's your age, height, weight? If your running that much I think you have your activity level set wrong. MFP always puts ppl at too low of calories, assuming that they will workout and eat back their calories. Also, most people say they are sedentary when they are not.

bren3345

What's your age, height, weight? If your running that much I think you have your activity level set wrong. MFP always puts ppl at too low of calories, assuming that they will workout and eat back their calories. Also, most people say they are sedentary when they are not.

I'm 27, 5'1, 120. I have it set on sedentary because I have a desk job. But I'm very active so maybe I should change it.

Jemmuno

What's your age, height, weight? If your running that much I think you have your activity level set wrong. MFP always puts ppl at too low of calories, assuming that they will workout and eat back their calories. Also, most people say they are sedentary when they are not.

I'm 27, 5'1, 120. I have it set on sedentary because I have a desk job. But I'm very active so maybe I should change it.

Yea I think you should!

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

go here and plug in your info. When you calculate remember your TDEE is the most you should be eating and BMR is the least you should be eating. I always try to attain what I calculated as my deficit, so for example I eat no less than 1850 (my 20%deficit) and no more than 2300 (my TDEE).

You should calculate how many hours on average you work out a week and pick your activity level based on that. Then you don't have to worry about keeping track of exercise calories. I think they are a pain to keep track of.

Hope this helps!!

bren3345

What's your age, height, weight? If your running that much I think you have your activity level set wrong. MFP always puts ppl at too low of calories, assuming that they will workout and eat back their calories. Also, most people say they are sedentary when they are not.

I'm 27, 5'1, 120. I have it set on sedentary because I have a desk job. But I'm very active so maybe I should change it.

Yea I think you should!

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

go here and plug in your info. When you calculate remember your TDEE is the most you should be eating and BMR is the least you should be eating. I always try to attain what I calculated as my deficit, so for example I eat no less than 1850 (my 20%deficit) and no more than 2300 (my TDEE).

You should calculate how many hours on average you work out a week and pick your activity level based on that. Then you don't have to worry about keeping track of exercise calories. I think they are a pain to keep track of.

Hope this helps!!

Thank you so much! It finally clicked! My BMR is 1,330, TDEE is 2,294 and my daily calories are 1,835 so I will try to stay around that. I appreciate you explaining it to me!

Xiaolongbao

So if you're using the TDEE method, you shouldn't log your exercise?

I'm using the TDEE but then logging (and eating back) my exercise calories as well. I know it's not exactly how it's designed to be used but it seems to be working ok so far (it's only been 2 weeks since I changed this). I figure that if I build enough movement into my every day life then I can afford to log the actual exercise.

Every body is different, I think the best thing to do is experiment and figure out what works for you. For me I enjoy the motivation of knowing I can eat back my exercise calories.