Settings....what should mine be set at???

hilarysgiants
hilarysgiants Posts: 132 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Did you set up your settings for your BMR as your lowest calorie intake and then eat back your exercise calories or did you set them at your TDEE (-20%) and eat back your exercise calories? Right now, I have mine set at my BMR of 1386 and usually eat back some of my exercise calories. However, I keep gaining weight, so this obviously is not working!! Am I doing it wrong, should I set it at my TDEE (-20%) and eat back my exercise calories? Currently I am doing Insanity (on my 2nd week) and ordered the New Rules for Lifting for Women (will start when done reading and Insanity!). Any help/advice would be appreciated! I am 5'3", 34 yr old female. Started on here at 130 and now 138 :( Measurements have gone up too :(

Replies

  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    Since you don't have much to lose, it will be better if you set your calories at TDEE -20%. Eat back your exercise calories only of you feel hungry. Let your body be the guide as to how many extra calories you want add beyond TDEE -20%.

    Unless you have a medical condition that prevents it, try eating at least 30% of your calories from protein. Try to get most of that early in the day, as this will help you feel more full and satisified and less likely to snack on junk in the evenings. I shoot for 30 grams of protein at breakfast and lunch, with snacks and dinner filling in the rest.

    If you peek at my diary today, I am getting ready for 100 mile bike race on Sunday, so my diary is not typical this week. But if you go back to last week Thursday and earlier, that is my usual eating pattern. I haven't been losing pounds, but I have been losing inches. I'm down to a size 4 pants from a size 12 last April. I think this is more typical when you only have a small amount to lose (less than 20% of your overall body weight).
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,352 Member
    If you set your goal at TDEE -20%, you do not eat back your exercise calories. Those are already factored in.

    How long have you been doing this? What does your diet/exercise routine look like? What is your goal? Are there any medical conditions/medications that could potentially inhibit your progress?

    **Looked at your diary. I think it looks ok so it's going to be more of a numbers game, trying to find what works for you. If you don't have a lot to lose, make your defict small. Progress will be slow but it can be harder to lose weight when you don't have a lot to lose.
  • hilarysgiants
    hilarysgiants Posts: 132 Member
    I have been doing this for months!! I started at the MFP setting of 1200. After reading more about BMR, TDEE, etc, I bumped it up to my BMR. Then I was doing 30 DS and treadmill. Now I am doing Insanity. I just recently added on the 8 lbs within the past 5 weeks. I will bump it up to my TDEE (-20%) and see if that helps. I want to lose weight and see some muscle definition. My goal weight is 120. I am not sure if that is feasible, but that is what I am aiming for. My pre-pregnancy weight was 130. I was back at that point, but my weight shifted and didn't look as good as I did before my pregnancies!

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