Eat More 2 Weigh Less

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Do I HAVE to reset?

tsta1350
tsta1350 Posts: 28
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Hi all,

After plateauing for a couple months and doing some research I have decided to start eating more.

For the past four months I have been eating 1200 calories (pretty consistently). While at first I started loosing weight, I am noticing that my progress has stalled. I am not new to myfitpal and yoyo dieting. I lost weight last year (although not as much as I wanted to as I also hit a plateau then) but then went on holiday, sprained my ankle and gained it all back again. So I started here again in August this year. While I’m very accustomed now to eating this much I don’t want to damage my metabolism any more and would love to find a weight loss solution which is sustainable for the long haul. Thus, I am going to start eating more! I have enjoyed reading through these forums and just wanted to get everyone’s opinion on how much I should be eating and whether I need to do this ‘reset’ thing, or if I can just start eating at a smaller deficit (TDEG). Here is my info:

Current Weight: 67kgs (150ibs)
Goal Weight: 60kgs (130 ibs)
Height: 169cm (5.6 ft)
BMR: 1465
TDEE: 1831
TDEG: 1596
(I calculated this at sedentary as I have a desk job, and figure my workouts 3-4 times a week I will just account for and eat back)
Questions:

1. So I am basically just wondering if I am doing the right thing by aiming to eat 1596 (plus workout calories) a day? It does seem like a lot and I’m struggling to eat it but I know that I must have been eating this much (and more) for me to get out of shape in the first place, and that the fact I am struggling to eat it is an indication I have damaged my metabolism.

OR

2. Should I start by eating 1831 (plus workout) in order to reset my metabolism first? Is this something I have to do considering my eating history? If I have to reset how long for? Or will I be ok to just start by eating at the smaller deficit at 1596 (and not eating below my BMR)?

Appreciate your help!!

Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Hi all,

    After plateauing for a couple months and doing some research I have decided to start eating more.

    For the past four months I have been eating 1200 calories (pretty consistently). While at first I started loosing weight, I am noticing that my progress has stalled. I am not new to myfitpal and yoyo dieting. I lost weight last year (although not as much as I wanted to as I also hit a plateau then) but then went on holiday, sprained my ankle and gained it all back again. So I started here again in August this year. While I’m very accustomed now to eating this much I don’t want to damage my metabolism any more and would love to find a weight loss solution which is sustainable for the long haul. Thus, I am going to start eating more! I have enjoyed reading through these forums and just wanted to get everyone’s opinion on how much I should be eating and whether I need to do this ‘reset’ thing, or if I can just start eating at a smaller deficit (TDEG). Here is my info:

    Current Weight: 67kgs (150ibs)
    Goal Weight: 60kgs (130 ibs)
    Height: 169cm (5.6 ft)
    BMR: 1465
    TDEE: 1831
    TDEG: 1596
    (I calculated this at sedentary as I have a desk job, and figure my workouts 3-4 times a week I will just account for and eat back)
    Questions:

    1. So I am basically just wondering if I am doing the right thing by aiming to eat 1596 (plus workout calories) a day? It does seem like a lot and I’m struggling to eat it but I know that I must have been eating this much (and more) for me to get out of shape in the first place, and that the fact I am struggling to eat it is an indication I have damaged my metabolism.

    OR

    2. Should I start by eating 1831 (plus workout) in order to reset my metabolism first? Is this something I have to do considering my eating history? If I have to reset how long for? Or will I be ok to just start by eating at the smaller deficit at 1596 (and not eating below my BMR)?

    Appreciate your help!!

    Since you've been at 1200 for so long, here's another route.

    This is base calories, you'll still eat back your workout calories with correct deficit the MFP Tweak tab gives you through this whole time.

    Eat at BMR for 2 weeks. If you gain on second week, spend another 2 weeks.
    Then eat at TDEG for 2 weeks. See if you get any loss. If none, your metabolism just raised actual TDEE up to this level. If you gained, your metabolism is still rising. Spend more weeks here until no gain.
    Then eat at estimated TDEE for 2 weeks. No matter what happened at TDEG level. Should maintain, should not lose or gain. If you gain, metabolism still rising. When it tapers off to no gain for 2 weeks. Then back to TDEG.

    That's 6 weeks if everything goes great and metabolism shoots back up. Closer to 8-10 weeks if it's slow to move.

    I'd suggest it beats just jumping to estimated TDEE where it obviously isn't right now. But some like to jump in head first.

    Your choice. Think about how long on a plateau with no weight or inches lost, indicating you were eating at TDEE. And how long was previous plateau before you got discouraged?

    Oh, on that MPF Tweak tab, confirm you have good calorie burn estimates that are getting the deficit off of. If walking jogging, treadmill is most accurate. Classes or elliptical, HRM. If strength training, MFP.
  • tsta1350
    tsta1350 Posts: 28
    Thanks heybales! I think that sounds like a really good plan. I was actually thinking of doing something like this myself, so it's good to hear from someone else (who I assume is more experienced) that this might be a good way to approach it.

    I am ok with the idea that I might have to face putting on a bit of weight in order to reach more permenant weight loss. So basically what you are saying is that I need to keep eating a bit more gradually, week by week, until I reach my TDEE and don't gain weight? This will indicate that my metabolism is now set at the correct level (is burning energy correctly and not holding on to fat). And then, once I have not gained any weight in 2 weeks I can start eating at TDEG, to make a deficit and start loosing weight the healthy way?

    Can I ask what everyone else's experience has been with loosing weight with this method? Does it really stop the dreaded plateau???
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Thanks heybales! I think that sounds like a really good plan. I was actually thinking of doing something like this myself, so it's good to hear from someone else (who I assume is more experienced) that this might be a good way to approach it.

    I am ok with the idea that I might have to face putting on a bit of weight in order to reach more permenant weight loss. So basically what you are saying is that I need to keep eating a bit more gradually, week by week, until I reach my TDEE and don't gain weight? This will indicate that my metabolism is now set at the correct level (is burning energy correctly and not holding on to fat). And then, once I have not gained any weight in 2 weeks I can start eating at TDEG, to make a deficit and start loosing weight the healthy way?

    Can I ask what everyone else's experience has been with loosing weight with this method? Does it really stop the dreaded plateau???

    One adjustment.

    You do need to reach the point you gain weight.

    Otherwise, your lack of gaining could be due to metabolism raising up to a now higher level, but not as high as it could be.
    Just as you could eat at BMR and not gain weight. Does that mean that's the TDEE level? No, still suppressed.
    Then you eat at TDEG and not gain weight. Is that real TDEE then? No.
    Now you eat at estimated TDEE and not gain weight. Is that real TDEE then? Unknown. Still suppressed or not? Can't know until you eat over the estimate and actually gain weight.

    You'd hate to be slightly suppressing a metabolism that could be higher than estimated.

    I'm not really sure why almost everyone seems to believe their metabolism is lower than expected. I guess the same way almost everyone assumes MFP calorie burn must be inflated for them. Bad assumption. Avg means some below, some above, some at the level.
  • tsta1350
    tsta1350 Posts: 28
    Ok thanks for clarifying. That makes sense..

    So gradually I will increase my calorie intake- first BMR, if I don't put on weight in two weeks doing this I can raise calories again to TDEG. If at any point I put on weight eating BMR or TDEG this suggests my metabolism is still slow and so I should stay eating this amount until I start maintaining at these calories. Once I am maintaining at TDEG then I will eat at TDEE (and slightly over this amount?) and if my body starts putting on weight this will indicate that I have exceeded my body's natural TDEE. SO my TDEE must be somewhere slightly below the number I am eating when I gain weight? Once I have started gaining weight I should eat slightly less and find the number which I can eat without putting on weight (maintainence) and then once I have maintained eating at TDEE for a couple weeks I can start eating at a 15% deficit of my TDEE (TDEG).

    SO basically this method allows me to accurately find my maximum TDEE (maintainence calories) and once I have found this number I can then go ahead and start loosing the healthy way. Is this right??
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Ok thanks for clarifying. That makes sense..

    So gradually I will increase my calorie intake- first BMR, if I don't put on weight in two weeks doing this I can raise calories again to TDEG. If at any point I put on weight eating BMR or TDEG this suggests my metabolism is still slow and so I should stay eating this amount until I start maintaining at these calories. Once I am maintaining at TDEG then I will eat at TDEE (and slightly over this amount?) and if my body starts putting on weight this will indicate that I have exceeded my body's natural TDEE. SO my TDEE must be somewhere slightly below the number I am eating when I gain weight? Once I have started gaining weight I should eat slightly less and find the number which I can eat without putting on weight (maintainence) and then once I have maintained eating at TDEE for a couple weeks I can start eating at a 15% deficit of my TDEE (TDEG).

    SO basically this method allows me to accurately find my maximum TDEE (maintainence calories) and once I have found this number I can then go ahead and start loosing the healthy way. Is this right??

    That's right. Plus, for that workout routine, you have a personal multiplier that can be used as weight drops. Real TDEE / BMR for current weight.
    Lose 5 lbs, get new BMR, x your multiplier = new TDEE. Take the deficit.

    One little snitch to above. If it took 4 weeks eating at BMR to stop gaining, and 4 weeks at TDEG, then you got a slow moving metabolism.
    So if you gain initially at TDEE, still gotta wait a bit, at least the same 4 weeks.

    And then recalc your BMR and your TDEE for your now possibly slightly larger weight, and see if that TDEE is actually maintenance.
  • tsta1350
    tsta1350 Posts: 28
    Hey heybales (and anyone else reading!),

    So I have now been eating more for the last 3/4 weeks in an attempt to reset my metabolism. I was trying to follow your advice, heybales, and eat BMR first and then gradually increase calories until I gain weight at my maximum TDEE and then start eating at a deficit again....

    But then I went back home over Christmas for a week and relaxed a bit and ate at about 1600 a day (I was meant to be eating at BMR so about 1450) and got home expecting a gain, but actually got a loss of half a kilo.

    1600 is basically what I got when I calculated my TDEG so I was thinking that this might indicate that my metabolism is still running ok (in that I didn't gain weight when I increased calories). But I know that you did stress I should make sure I get to the point where I am maintaining on my TDEE before going back to eating a deficit..

    SO

    I just wanted to ask whether you think I should still keep upping my calories slowly until I get to my true TDEE (and then some) and gain weight, and only then start restricting calories? aka stick to my original plan
    OR
    Keep eating at 1600 while I continue to loose weight, and once/if I get to my goal using this method I can gradually start increasing up to my TDEE (adjusted to my new weight) to maintain?

    Thanks again for all your advice!
  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 Member
    bump
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Hey heybales (and anyone else reading!),

    So I have now been eating more for the last 3/4 weeks in an attempt to reset my metabolism. I was trying to follow your advice, heybales, and eat BMR first and then gradually increase calories until I gain weight at my maximum TDEE and then start eating at a deficit again....

    But then I went back home over Christmas for a week and relaxed a bit and ate at about 1600 a day (I was meant to be eating at BMR so about 1450) and got home expecting a gain, but actually got a loss of half a kilo.

    1600 is basically what I got when I calculated my TDEG so I was thinking that this might indicate that my metabolism is still running ok (in that I didn't gain weight when I increased calories). But I know that you did stress I should make sure I get to the point where I am maintaining on my TDEE before going back to eating a deficit..

    SO

    I just wanted to ask whether you think I should still keep upping my calories slowly until I get to my true TDEE (and then some) and gain weight, and only then start restricting calories? aka stick to my original plan
    OR
    Keep eating at 1600 while I continue to loose weight, and once/if I get to my goal using this method I can gradually start increasing up to my TDEE (adjusted to my new weight) to maintain?

    Thanks again for all your advice!

    So you have started losing weight eating at a deficit to estimated TDEE.

    But it is the amount of weight the deficit would indicate?

    Is it still suppressed?

    Just as you could get metabolism slower and lose nothing on 1200. You could have raised it to 1400 and not gained but not lost either.

    So is that 1600 safe enough for your body to fully raise metabolism?

    Keep eating there and see if the weight loss amount matches what the deficit could be. If decently lower, then metabolism may not have raised fully, just a tad more to allow a deficit, but you could still be missing better loss.

    Then again, maybe your system isn't so abused and is genetically going to do great and you are recovered.

    Great work not getting stressed about it.
  • tsta1350
    tsta1350 Posts: 28
    Thanks heybales!! You save me again, thanks for all your time and advice on this!

    Ok I think that's a good plan. I haven't weighed in this week yet to check whether I am still loosing at the pace I should for this deficit.
    But I think I'll stick to 1600 for a couple more weeks and watch my weight loss progress, if I stall in progress again (or loose less then I should for this deficit) I will continue to raise calories and get up to my maximum TDEE, and then start decreasing again.

    THANK YOU!
  • jmzz1
    jmzz1 Posts: 670 Member
    good advice heybales really helpful for me also
  • erincampbell9
    erincampbell9 Posts: 62 Member
    bump
  • tsta1350
    tsta1350 Posts: 28
    BTW- for those interested... I weighed in again this morning and lost another half a kilo (2.2 ibs)!!!

    Based on my suggested TDEG of 1600 (20% off TDEE) the calculator suggests I should loose 0.3 of a kilo a week. It's been three weeks now since I started eating this amount and I've lost a total of 1 kilo (4.2 ibs). So this is even a little more than suggested by my weight loss calculator. I will still keep watching my progress closely and if I stop loosing consistently I will consider doing the proper reset.

    Just thought I'd share for those following this, or interested in knowing how upping calories has worked for someone else.. So far really enjoying being able to eat more but still loose! This is SO much easier than trying to eat 1200 a day and feeling guilty about going over and the scale not moving. Now my only worry is not eating enough! Can't believe I can be worried about not eating enough in order to loose weight!
  • LBNOakland
    LBNOakland Posts: 379 Member
    So glad you posted. I was out of control when my dad died. Hubby realized it and got me to a personal trainer/ strength coach. I have known him for years and he knew of my asthma. He told me to avoid grians. This was mid-november. I lost 5 lbs the first week doing no grains and 1200cals. The next week, he told me I needed to eat more cals. I have read NROL but it is hard to change your mind. I ate more of Thanksgiving but in ccontrol and lost 2 more pounds. Over Christmas, I went way over because of the Holiday so not very healthy foods. i gained 2 pounds. Since then, I stuck to 1650 which is rigt at BMR. I finally lost 3 pounds this week. So happy! Hope I am doing this right!!
  • faeriewings1
    faeriewings1 Posts: 98 Member
    BTW- for those interested... I weighed in again this morning and lost another half a kilo (2.2 ibs)!!!

    Based on my suggested TDEG of 1600 (20% off TDEE) the calculator suggests I should loose 0.3 of a kilo a week. It's been three weeks now since I started eating this amount and I've lost a total of 1 kilo (4.2 ibs). So this is even a little more than suggested by my weight loss calculator. I will still keep watching my progress closely and if I stop loosing consistently I will consider doing the proper reset.

    Just thought I'd share for those following this, or interested in knowing how upping calories has worked for someone else.. So far really enjoying being able to eat more but still loose! This is SO much easier than trying to eat 1200 a day and feeling guilty about going over and the scale not moving. Now my only worry is not eating enough! Can't believe I can be worried about not eating enough in order to loose weight!
    [/quot

    Thank you for sharing. Great to hear it's working for you
  • trixiemou
    trixiemou Posts: 554 Member
    It is good to hear this as I have been increasing my daily cals to get to TDEE since December and am now just about ready to get down to TDEG. maybe another week to go to see if the balance is right.

    BTW your kg / lb ratio is off I kg is aprox 2.2lbs.

    Cheers
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    BTW- for those interested... I weighed in again this morning and lost another half a kilo (2.2 ibs)!!!

    Based on my suggested TDEG of 1600 (20% off TDEE) the calculator suggests I should loose 0.3 of a kilo a week. It's been three weeks now since I started eating this amount and I've lost a total of 1 kilo (4.2 ibs). So this is even a little more than suggested by my weight loss calculator. I will still keep watching my progress closely and if I stop loosing consistently I will consider doing the proper reset.

    Just thought I'd share for those following this, or interested in knowing how upping calories has worked for someone else.. So far really enjoying being able to eat more but still loose! This is SO much easier than trying to eat 1200 a day and feeling guilty about going over and the scale not moving. Now my only worry is not eating enough! Can't believe I can be worried about not eating enough in order to loose weight!
    [/quot

    Thank you for sharing. Great to hear it's working for you

    3 weeks at .3 kg per week = .9 kilo so darn near perfect.
  • Melarie59
    Melarie59 Posts: 44
    bump
  • Gapwedge01
    Gapwedge01 Posts: 494
    This is a great real life example. Thanks for sharing and having others learn from it.

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