Ok ok I concede but I am confused about TDEE

Ok so I have been reading around the boards for a short while and I concede and will drop the 1200 cal a day, who am I trying to kid, the 600-700 cal a day way of doing things.

I spent ages last night trying to work out this TDEE thing and I think I have worked out that is 1885 then minus 20% would be 1508 calories a day. Does that sound right? Then I get really confused cos people talk about macro nutrients and i'm lost.

I am doing 30 day shred and have been for 15 days (thats how long have been very low cal) but having to take a couple of days off now as a twist to my knee 4 days ago has got too painful to work out through. But this is my only current work out.

Any help or advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • JustMQ
    JustMQ Posts: 63 Member
    Ok, we need a little more information... Age? Gender? Height? Weight?

    Also, if you open your diary that will help too.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Here is a great link to explain in simple terms
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

    But agree with above poster. Without knowing your age, height weight and activity level we can't tell if that is right or not.
  • siany01
    siany01 Posts: 319 Member
    Sorry didnt' think about that

    Female
    35
    5'6 (or 67.2 inches)
    179lb (hoping less tomorrow)

    I could open my diary but you'll shout at me cos its really really bad. I'm not lying about the seriously low cal thing.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Sorry didnt' think about that

    Female
    35
    5'6 (or 67.2 inches)
    179lb (hoping less tomorrow)

    I could open my diary but you'll shout at me cos its really really bad. I'm not lying about the seriously low cal thing.


    What is your daily activity level and how often/intense do you exercise?
  • siany01
    siany01 Posts: 319 Member
    I have been doing 30 day shred for 15 days but have a knee injury that is going to stop me for a couple of days but that is all I do workout wise.

    I am a stay at home mum so busy in the house during the day.

    I plan on getting started in the gym in the next couple of months.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I figured your exercise level at both light and moderately active (you said you do 30DS) and your TDEE- 20% should be higher.

    At lightly active you should be around 1716. Closer to 1900 if moderately active.
  • siany01
    siany01 Posts: 319 Member
    My diary would show you

    breakfast - nothing
    lunch - nothing
    dinner - chicken breast, pan fried in seasoning and 1 tsp of olive oil, with white pitta. Muller light low fat yoghurt, 2 low cal ice lollies (50 cal each)

    Thats pretty much it. On an odd day I might have a bowl of cereal to.

    And yep thats the same every day.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    My diary would show you

    breakfast - nothing
    lunch - nothing
    dinner - chicken breast, pan fried in seasoning and 1 tsp of olive oil, with white pitta. Muller light low fat yoghurt, 2 low cal ice lollies (50 cal each)

    Thats pretty much it. On an odd day I might have a bowl of cereal to.

    And yep thats the same every day.

    You definitely need to eat more.
    Read the link I posted above, use the numbers (if you are doing no exercise use sedentary, when you start exercising again re calculates your goals). I would ignore the scale for awhile. Since you are eating so little you may see an increase at first but the long term benefits will outweigh that.
  • ChrissieP80
    ChrissieP80 Posts: 112 Member
    Hi you need to eat more but you already know this.
    I also do workout DVDs at home (finished 30DS now doing RI30) and started out on 1200 cals (more than you) but weight loss stalled eating too little. Feel free to friend me if you'd like to see my diary. I'm 5ft 3 and my TDEE is less than yours and I eat ~1400-1600/day. If you are a stay at home mum I doubt you are sedentary...I thought I was too until I bought a fitbit.
  • JustMQ
    JustMQ Posts: 63 Member
    There are a few sites you can visit to find out your TDEE and BMR. I personally went to about 5 and used the average. I know a favorite with MFP users scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Using this site, and based on a a lifestyle of light exercise, your BMR is 1579 and TDEE is 2171. Minus 20%, your TDEE is 1737. You can adjust the activity level when you get your gym membership.

    You should never go below your BMR.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    Please eat. Shredding does not mean starve yourself.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    I could open my diary but you'll shout at me cos its really really bad. I'm not lying about the seriously low cal thing.

    hey, you came to this forum acknowledging that what you have been doing is crap and you can't keep it up, and you asked for help... tell anyone who looks at the diary and gives you hell for it to kiss your *kitten*!!! good on you for coming to find a more sustainable answer.
  • siany01
    siany01 Posts: 319 Member
    I know I am not eating enough. I know that it is detrimental to my health and I want to start doing it the right way

    I know the scales might go up, I am prepared to face that. I need to learn and new way to eat better.

    Will go and have a read through that post. I have been reading through the road map post and a couple of others along a similar thread but my brain is struggling to take it in. And yep, I know thats cos my brain is struggling due to a lack of fuel.

    I want to do this right. I want to be healthy, not just thin.

    Thank you for helping me.
  • 2stepscloser
    2stepscloser Posts: 2,900 Member
    My diary would show you

    breakfast - nothing
    lunch - nothing
    dinner - chicken breast, pan fried in seasoning and 1 tsp of olive oil, with white pitta. Muller light low fat yoghurt, 2 low cal ice lollies (50 cal each)

    Thats pretty much it. On an odd day I might have a bowl of cereal to.

    And yep thats the same every day.

    You also need to eat something early in the day to get your metabolism going!
  • graciepecie
    graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
    Don't worry much about your macro nutrients. First eat up to your calorie goal for a while. When you notice after a while that your weight loss is not going as hard as before, than you can start to look at macro nutrients.

    But... first things first. Get used to the idea of eating your TDDE-20%

    Good luck!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I know I am not eating enough. I know that it is detrimental to my health and I want to start doing it the right way

    I know the scales might go up, I am prepared to face that. I need to learn and new way to eat better.

    Will go and have a read through that post. I have been reading through the road map post and a couple of others along a similar thread but my brain is struggling to take it in. And yep, I know thats cos my brain is struggling due to a lack of fuel.

    I want to do this right. I want to be healthy, not just thin.

    Thank you for helping me.


    This one is a simpler form of the roadmap.

    Glad to hear you are looking to do I the healthy way. Good luck.


    ETA - breakfast doesn't boost metabolism.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Yeah I agree with others, focus on your calorie intake. Once you get that squared away, then shift to focusing on your macros (and all that basically is, is hitting your protein, carb, and fat goal so do not worry about that yet).

    Also, you don't -have- to eat breakfast. If you aren't hungry in the morning then don't force it. Just make sure you are hitting that calorie intake by the end of the day.
  • siany01
    siany01 Posts: 319 Member
    Also, you don't -have- to eat breakfast. If you aren't hungry in the morning then don't force it. Just make sure you are hitting that calorie intake by the end of the day.

    Thats really good news because even eating whatever I wanted I am not a breakfast person, before 11am I have to force it in and it makes me feel sick.

    Having done a few calculators I think my level should be around the 1700 mark or a few cals over so I am going to set that as my goal for the next 2 weeks to get used to eating to that and in a healthy way.

    Thank you so much for your help.
  • marshallexi
    marshallexi Posts: 162 Member
    Sorry didnt' think about that

    Female
    35
    5'6 (or 67.2 inches)
    179lb (hoping less tomorrow)

    I could open my diary but you'll shout at me cos its really really bad. I'm not lying about the seriously low cal thing.

    You're pretty much the same height/age/weight as me and I am STUCK at plateau and have been since the start of March, and I was undereating too.

    I've been upping my calories by 100 per week (so I'm averaging around the 1650 mark now) in hopes that the scales will move one way or another soon (nothing as of yet, I shall persevere!).

    Anyway, you can feel free to add me if you'd like. :)