Watched the EM2WL Videos

kmcosgrove115

And I get BMR and TDEE and I know you must eat BMR at the minimum each day.....................but this "activity" question still comes into play - one post (roadmap one I think) commented that unless you are literally in bed all day, to always select light activity. But the EM2WL video says to be very honest with activity - I work at desk all day but I can walk 5-7K steps from work, kids, etc - they are not me walking or biking a trail, but I am moving.

Here is my dilemma - my BMR is 1529 - at my desk job with little exercise from the link off of EM2WL, I get an 1835 TDEE. If you less 20% from that # I am now BELOW BMR at 1468 - which as we have learned, is a "no no".............................

So what # do I eat at?

I know 1529 is a must - how much do I give my body to start burning and to trust I am not starving it, without gaining?

And the dilemma I still am in, if I select "lt activity" to account for the walking at work, stuff with the kids b/c despite desk job, I am not "sedentary" in bed, then the TDEE goes to 2116, 20% off that is 1690 something................which is now ABOVE BMR but less then TDEE..............for light activity.............but is "lt activity" truly the accurate thing to pick???

Question is do I select desk job or light? Desk gives me 1835, lt gives me 2116. This is kind of important I think b/c it will really accurately target where I should eat.

I got out of the 1200 cal / day mode on 3/7 - so I am 12 days in at the new 1600 cal / day level and lost maybe one lb. I see again, varying time frames to wait before adjusting - 2 weeks, some say 6 weeks - which is it?

Any help / input would be great.............

Grognit

I set my activity for lightly active. I am an Executive Assistant and pretty much sit all day. I have a fit bit and my recorded calories burned at the end of the day is lightly active. I don't have a ton of weight to lose so I am eating at 15% below my tdee at lightly active.

I recently upped mine from 1450 to 1600 and I am not weighing myself. My clothes feel better and my measurements are changing. I don't like the scale LOL so I will weigh maybe once a month and not beat myself up if it hasn't changed.

RekindledRose

I'm interested in this question too. I was eating at the 1200 calories a day and eating back my exercise calories, and losing about 1-2 pounds a week. Then I upped my calories for the NROL4W, which follows the EM2WL idea. I upped my calories to fit this and it's at 1683 right now.

The problem is that in the last month I've packed on the pounds. It's not muscle either; the measurements are getting bigger and the body fat % is not getting any better.

I'm almost ready to go back to 1200 calories a day.

kmcosgrove115

bump

kmcosgrove115

Admin here too - in HUGE company - just walking to parking garage is movement let alone walking around work. Wonder which time frame to go with here? The EM2WL begs us to wait, wait, wait and be patient b/c eventually the body learns to let go of the fat - is that 6 weeks? 2? Or varies by the person?

I think this exercise piece bugs me b/c there are diff opinions on "desk job" and "light activity" - and if I should be desk, then 1600 may be too much - to me the pedometer that logs the steps per day is 5-7K - seems like I should be "light" - looking for way to confirm it to feel ok about wait, wait, wait - then I can say its ok, the body is re-learning to burn and let go of fat so just wait.........