Bumping from 1600 to 1200 calories?

swagtier

I am 22 years old, 5'2'', and 205lbs. I want to be 130lbs. I'm completely sedentary. I've weighed myself for the past 2 weeks and also recorded my intake. Doing a little calculation, I've figured out that my exact TDEE-- not just a calculator, but my personal exact TDEE based on this-- is 2045.

As we all know, losing 2lbs a week would be impossible for me (as it would have me eating 1045, which is below my BMR). But is it advisable to switch my calorie intake to 1295 if I wanted to lose 1.5lbs a week? (Right now, it's set to 1545/a pound a week). Or should I be more patient and stick with 1545?

All advice is welcome, thanks in advance.

LittleMissDover

Be patient.

ndj1979

how did you calculate your exact TDEE?

1.5 lb per week is not that drastic...if you want to do it then go for it ..just stick with it for 4-6 weeks and then reassess...

calibriintx

No.

likitisplit

Be patient for a month. If it's working for you at a pound a week, you will have plenty of opportunity to bump up your loss later. Small changes.

Calliope610

I'm completely sedentary.

How about getting un-sedentary.

swagtier

how did you calculate your exact TDEE?

1.5 lb per week is not that drastic...if you want to do it then go for it ..just stick with it for 4-6 weeks and then reassess...

Using this:

I do it the way any engineer would.

1) Weigh myself every day. Calculate a weighted moving average of that weight so I know what I actually weigh, not subject to all the quirky day to day fluctuations.
2) Sum up the calories I ate in the last two weeks, sum up the calories I spent in exercise in the last two weeks, and calculate my 2 week average net daily intake.
3) Calculate exactly what my metabolism was over the last 2 weeks by subtracting average daily weight change * 3500 to my average net daily intake.
4) Armed with the knowledge of precisely what my average metabolism was over the last 2 weeks, I can add or subtract calories as needed (500 cal/day = 1 lb) to create goals that can be achieved with precision.
5) Win
6) Profit

I use a spreadsheet and keep a continuous live calculation of this number. It is quite easy to do. Its intersting to watch how your metabolism changes over time. I’m not sure why more people don’t do this, the math isn’t hard at all, and unlike the formulas people use, it is not an estimate, it is a real number, and the way it is calculated cancels all the systemmic calorie counting errors you have. It allows for precision and easy troubleshooting, if you want to lose 24.6 pounds in the next 4 months, using this method will enable you to lose exactly 24.6 pounds in the next 4 months. Plus it pretty much eliminates the potential for plateaus, the only plateau you have to be wary of is the one that occurs when your deficit is too big.

swagtier

I'm completely sedentary.

How about getting un-sedentary.

I'm planning on joining a gym once I am able to get up a bit more money. As it is, I walk a mile or two every other day if I can. (I guess that doesn't mean I'm *completely* sedentary, but as someone who is unemployed, that is pretty much the equivalent to an employed person's sedentary rate.)

astrampe

It's a 'real" number if you accept that you will ALWAYS lose a pound for each 3500 calorie deficit...There a lots of factors that prove it does not always work that way...
As the others said, be patient....

swagtier

It's a 'real" number if you accept that you will ALWAYS lose a pound for each 3500 calorie deficit...There a lots of factors that prove it does not always work that way...
As the others said, be patient....

That is a very true point.

trogalicious

I'm completely sedentary.

How about getting un-sedentary.

I'm planning on joining a gym once I am able to get up a bit more money. As it is, I walk a mile or two every other day if I can. (I guess that doesn't mean I'm *completely* sedentary, but as someone who is unemployed, that is pretty much the equivalent to an employed person's sedentary rate.)

walking a mile or two every other day does not mean you're sedentary.

JeneticTraining

Try running that mile or two

swagtier

I'm completely sedentary.

How about getting un-sedentary.

I'm planning on joining a gym once I am able to get up a bit more money. As it is, I walk a mile or two every other day if I can. (I guess that doesn't mean I'm *completely* sedentary, but as someone who is unemployed, that is pretty much the equivalent to an employed person's sedentary rate.)

walking a mile or two every other day does not mean you're sedentary.

I guess that is true as well. I always thought it would just equal out to sedentary because I don't get a lot of exercise otherwise, especially since MFP's light activity description talks about working out 3x a week, if I recall correctly. (Sorry, I'm a bit ignorant on this topic, obviously.)

skinnydreams19

Stick to 1545

swagtier

Try running that mile or two

I read somewhere that running while morbidly obese can put unneeded stress on the joints/bones. Is this true?

257_Lag

Since you seem interested (nice word for obsessed) in the science of weight loss (as I am) you must realize that if your TDEE is accurate then TDEE-20% is 1636. 1200 sounds way to low! Stick with 1600 is my advice.

trogalicious

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

use that calculator.

set it to a 15% deficit.

trust it.

Try running that mile or two

I read somewhere that running while morbidly obese can put unneeded stress on the joints/bones. Is this true?

I started jogging at 330 lbs. No worse for wear here.

Melo1966

If you are unemployed why only walk every other day? Why not everyday? Try starting an intermitting walk/jog program like C25K. If you do not have a smart phone look online the schedule and time yourself. If you go with the lower calorie you might lose weight faster at first but then stall. 1 pound a week for 8 weeks is better than 1 1/2 for 4 and then nothing for 4 and then end up wondering what you are doing wrong. Good luck to you.:flowerforyou:

swagtier

@bgmgreg: Yes I am inerested (obsessed) with the science of weight loss hahaha. 1636 is a pretty close to the 1550 it has set now.

@trogalicious: 15% deficit using scooby's calculator is 1517, which is also pretty close to what I have now. I'll look into couch to 5k if it won't hurt me!

Thanks for all your advice. So far, it seems okay to just stick with what I have now.

swagtier

If you are unemployed why only walk every other day? Why not everyday? Try starting an intermitting walk/jog program like C25K. If you do not have a smart phone look online the schedule and time yourself. If you go with the lower calorie you might lose weight faster at first but then stall. 1 pound a week for 8 weeks is better than 1 1/2 for 4 and then nothing for 4 and then end up wondering what you are doing wrong. Good luck to you.:flowerforyou:

I have been very sedentary for years, I am trying to ease myself into getting more exercise. I've been thinking about starting C25K but I was slightly worried about my weight/height ratio and the damage that it may or may not do based on like one person saying that it might. Which is kinda foolish in retrospect. I'll start looking into it more aggressively. Thank you!

Mock_Turtle

I might as well be the contrarian:

I see no great harm in trying for 2 lb/week weight loss for 3-4 weeks to see how it goes. A 2 lb/wk weight loss at first when you have such a big amount of lbs to lose is not extreme.

Well the only downside is going to be if that low of a calorie amount is going to make you miserable - if you find that it is then of course you'd need to go back to the 1 lb/wk deficit to keep your sanity.

You could also try to maybe reduce another 250 /day in food and then add a little bit of walking per day for another 250/day, your heart will thank you for it.