eat more to weigh less folks

BaconMD

I missed a lot in this thread, apparently, so here are some replies..

Problem for me is that my TDEE is over 3000 based on how much I workout and that just feels so difficult to eat without eating crap.

This is the tiniest bowl I own. Inside of it is 600 calories of cashews.



I would probably eat 10 of these bowls in one sitting if I didn't restrain myself.

You can find lots of other nutritious foods to make up a healthy diet.

I love almonds and other nuts...but how do you keep all your columns (fat, sat. fat, protein, sugar, etc.) in check without going over? I'm eating 1,300-1,500 calories per day before exercising off anywhere from 500-900 calories/day 6x per week. Even at that low calorie amount I'm over in several columns. My TDEE - 20% = 2,465.6

My diary is open. I'm not a "clean eater"...too picky(!) but I do try to eat good snacks. I've been losing an avg. of 2-2.5 lbs per week. BTW...Today was not an average day...BK turkey burger was not so "lower-calorie" after all, lol!! I usually research ahead if I eat out...and I try to avoid BK, etc. altogether.

I am not saying eat only nuts, just that the "oh my, it's so hard to choke down another bite so I can't fathom raising my calories" is ridiculous. For me, I don't track sugar - I looked and I often get over 100g a day. What I honestly strive for MOST days is to get over 40g of fiber (I often break 100g), try to get protein up but I don't stress it like many here do, try to keep my sodium under 2500mg, and the rest falls where it may. I feel way better when I eat beans and legumes and vegetables, compared to when I eat a lot of protein from meats. I don't know why that is. I eat at home, fresh prepared meals, the majority of the time. I use coconut, peanut, and olive oils... I try to keep my trans fat as close to 0 as possible, but other than that, I don't stress about fat.

Problem for me is that my TDEE is over 3000 based on how much I workout and that just feels so difficult to eat without eating crap.

This is the tiniest bowl I own. Inside of it is 600 calories of cashews.



I would probably eat 10 of these bowls in one sitting if I didn't restrain myself.

You can find lots of other nutritious foods to make up a healthy diet.

Awesome point made!!

Yummmm...but what about the fat macro?

What about it? Fat is not the devil.

TDEE-20% + eating back exercise calories works for me.

TDEE already includes exercise calories.. The T stands for Total.

One thing you all have to remember. If your TDEE number is 2500 then you have to eat a caloric diet less then that if you want to lose weight. If your body burns a total of 2500 calories per day and that is what you eat, then your weight will stay steady - YOU WON"T LOSE....

Nobody who suggests the TDEE-% method didn't already know that... Hence why we say to subtract a healthy percentage, typically 10-20%.

My TDEE is 2516 per day so I eat 1500 calories per day. This allows me to burn 1000 calories of fat per day or 2 pounds per week.

So you're at a 40% deficit, which is very likely too high, and putting your intake under your BMR... Do you know what your BMR is?

To lose weight healthily, you eat X calories, where X is somewhere under TDEE and somewhere over BMR.

JLHNU212

Bumping it!! GREAT INFO!!

djack18

BUMP

ColleenRoss50

I've been intimidated by it also. I just went to the link ( http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator) and found that mine is 1379 and MFP has me at 1200. How do I reset MFP for a higher amount?

I already have it set at 1 lb a week. I started at 1230 and when I had lost around 30 lbs, it lowered me to 1200. But I still almost always go over because I was losing at 1230 and I was ticked to lose those 30 calories! LOL

What you've been doing seems to have been working very well for you. Congratulations on the weight loss. Fantastic!

Edited to add: If you do want to customize your calorie goals and macros, just click on the "My Home" tab, then click on "Goals", then click on "Change Goals", then change the radio button to "Custom: Manually set my own custom fitness goals" and continue. You will then arrive at the screen where you can customize your calorie goals and macros.

thinagain2014

I tried the Scooby calculator and it did not work for me to eat -20% TDEE. I maintained so I bought a Body Media Fit and now I eat 2250 calories and my total burn for the day is 3250 which is 1000 cal deficit. I am losing at 2lbs per week consistently now. What I learned is that my body actually burns about 2200 calories per day just laying around doing nothing but some days it's more. It's nice to not have to worry about and wonder what I'm doing wrong. The numbers are there.

I can definitely say that I am much happier now that I can eat basically what I want and still lose weight. I am able to still be social with my friends etc. I know that as I get smaller, I will have to gradually make some changes which is fine with me. I am 272lbs and I think many of us with lots to lose get discouraged when we have to drastically cut out a lot of things at once, plus learn how to incorporate exercise. It can be a little overwhelming.

Btw- my exercise for now is spinning daily. I sometimes take a rest day depending on how my body feels.

1223345

This has never, ever worked for me. When I have tried it I either stopped losing any weight altogether, or I gained. I have tried as many different increases as I can think of as well. Maybe I increased too much? Maybe too little? Nothing ever changed trying this. And I was eating healthful food. Not man made garbage from a bag or box. Is there something else to this that I am missing?

Sunny_fit4life

Just posting to say eating about TDEE -20% after netting 1200 for some time and then giving up because 1200 calories isn't sustainable for me I gained 5 lbs in the first 2 weeks. I was pretty upset. This morning I found the scale finally going in the other direction (down!)

I know it's only one day, but I think if you're in it for the long haul this is the way to go. I seriously don't want to go back to 1200 calories, always being hungry, not getting enough nutrients. Most importantly, I don't want to go back to not having the energy to work out or the space in my calorie "budget" to allow for pre and/or post workout shakes and/or snacks.

Getit_Simpson

Bump

c_faulkenburg

So question for you all.. My husband is a big guy. He's 6 foot 4 and currently right about three hundred pounds, he works at a desk job and has a long commute. I set his activity levels as very light, and came up with a Tdee of 4343! That sounds outrageous to me. In order to lose he'd be right at about 3000? Am I doing this right?

feelthelove1964

just checking if my ticker counter works lol

it doesn't

rosiereally2

Like a boss!

257_Lag

So question for you all.. My husband is a big guy. He's 6 foot 4 and currently right about three hundred pounds, he works at a desk job and has a long commute. I set his activity levels as very light, and came up with a Tdee of 4343! That sounds outrageous to me. In order to lose he'd be right at about 3000? Am I doing this right?

Even 3400 would be right but 3000 is ok too.