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TDEE Question For the Experts

mgobluetx12
mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
My TDEE is 3062, so let's just say 3000 for the purpose of making this simple.

If I'm eating 1600 calories a day, so that's a 1400 calorie deficit.

1400 x 7 days a week is a 9800 calorie deficit. On top of that, I work out about 4 times a week and burn around 400 calories each time. This is being conservative. That's an extra 1600 calories.

9800 food calorie deficit + 1600 exercise calorie deficit = 11,400 calorie deficit per week. Divide that by 3500 and that equals about 3.25lb per week that I should be losing, am I right?

But I'm not even coming close. Most weeks I lose around 1.5-2, if that much. One week I gained 2lbs for no apparent reason.

Is my math right? Am I missing something or is this just not an exact science and TDEE doesn't really mean much at all because the body fluctuates?

Replies

  • FireBrand80
    FireBrand80 Posts: 378 Member
    or is this just not an exact science and TDEE doesn't really mean much at all because the body fluctuates?

    ^^that

    Another point to consider is that going into the most aggressive deficit possible may not be the best long term strategy. At some point, your progress will plateau, and you will need to cut calories and/or increase activity to reestablish a deficit. If you were eating, say 2500 cals, you could knock another 250 off that with relative ease to keep things moving. It's not so easy to cut calories once you're only eating 1600.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Most weeks I lose around 1.5-2

    which is absolutely fine, keep going.

    Weight loss is never completely linear, as the body is constantly changing both using and storing energy. Yes a 3500 cal deficit should burn 1lb of fat per week but that is almost never what happens in reality. Tdee is after all just an estimation, there is no way of tracking daily energy expenditure with 100% accuracy, even the nutritional info on food is can never be 100% accurate.

    A Good explanation of exactly what you are experiencing can be found in this article (plus it's a great article anyway}

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-energy-balance-equation.html
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
    It's not an exact science. I wouldn't be going that low under your TDEE. Especially if you are working out alot. I would do a 15-20% cut and try that out.
  • dewgirl321
    dewgirl321 Posts: 296 Member
    You're forgetting about your body's daily caloric needs to keep itself alive: BMR. You must be dipping below BMR if you're eating only half your TDEE. You won't lose according to the math if your body is storing calories due to being starved!
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
    My doctor actually told me to eat 1400 calories (I'm 6'2) and I recently decided to try to eat 1600 to see if that would make me lose a little faster. I need to lose 65lbs and I thought it'd be coming off faster.
  • dewgirl321
    dewgirl321 Posts: 296 Member
    Personally I would try eating BMR (1976 according to fitnessfrog.com) and see how that goes. That would still give you a pre-exercise deficit of about 1000, which should give you a loss of 2lb/wk. Are you feeling ok on 1600? I'm only 5' 0" and I would be starving at 1600/day. Everyone's different obviously so if you're feeling fine, that's great. If you're having trouble with energy, I would try the increase.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    r. I need to lose 65lbs and I thought it'd be coming off faster.

    you need to be realistic.

    I would like to lose 3-4lbs a week, hell I would like to lose 5, 10 , 15lbs a week but it's simply not going to happen.

    It takes time, 2lb a week is fine, that would be over 100lbs in a year.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    there's only so much weight/fat that the body can lose in a day or a week.

    you're essentially proving why it's ridiculous to eat so little when you're not getting the results you'd think you'd get. if you can use the same amount of weight eating more food then doesnt it make sense to eat more food ?
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    My TDEE is 3062, so let's just say 3000 for the purpose of making this simple.

    If I'm eating 1600 calories a day, so that's a 1400 calorie deficit.

    1400 x 7 days a week is a 9800 calorie deficit. On top of that, I work out about 4 times a week and burn around 400 calories each time. This is being conservative. That's an extra 1600 calories.

    9800 food calorie deficit + 1600 exercise calorie deficit = 11,400 calorie deficit per week. Divide that by 3500 and that equals about 3.25lb per week that I should be losing, am I right?

    But I'm not even coming close. Most weeks I lose around 1.5-2, if that much. One week I gained 2lbs for no apparent reason.

    Is my math right? Am I missing something or is this just not an exact science and TDEE doesn't really mean much at all because the body fluctuates?

    My experience is similar to yours. I had been doing net calories of 1300 plus not eating back all my exercise calories. According to that I should lose 3-4 a week but I've been averaging 2 lbs/week. I've recently changed MFP to 1800-2000 per day and that is much easier for me to track. At 1-2 lbs per week we are achieving success. Remember that BMR, TDEE, and exercise calorie burns are estimates and not written in stone.

    Your TDEE of 3000 + exercise sounds high to me unless you are very busy at work. I would review that calculation as TDEE typically includes your exercise calories. There is a lot of good references on MFP for that. However, I would just keep doing what you're doing as you are losing right in the recommended range.
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