TDDE -20%...Does this really work???

It is working for me. I wasn't budging at the automatic 1200 my fitness pal puts all women at. So I'm now eating 1500 or so. I don't usually eat my exercise calories back. It's been working the last few weeks for me. Down 1-2 lbs a week.

It works. My TDEE is around 2500ish, I eat 1768 per day (TDEE-30% because I am very heavy, see the roadmap thread) and have lost 7lb in 5 weeks.

works for me
I'm doing TDEE -20% right now (1800 kcal)
before I was even doing TDEE -10% (2000 kcal - 250 kcal deficit) and I was losing EXACTLY 0.5 lbs per week
(not every week, but if I take data from any 3 months, then it was exactly the loss that I should expect)

smaller deficit = less stress put at your body = less metabolism damage = losing what you are supposed to, not stalling

According to a lot of people on this site, this works. As you get closer to your goal, so about less than 15-20lbs away, it's TDEE -10%.

Some people eat all their exercise calories back, some eat none, this actually varies.


(Please don't post the roadmap, people).

Sorry to hijack but I've just started today on tdee -20%. My question is that I only have 13lbs to lose anyway. I haven't lost a whole load of weight and now I'm down to my last 13lbs, I only have a small amount to lose to begin with.

So should I be doing tdee -10%? Or is that for people who have lost a lot and are now preparing to be at maintenance?
Should I do tdee -20% for say my first 5lbs then reduce it to -10%?

Thanks. And sorry again for the thread hijack!!

It works. Make sure you're calculating your TDEE correctly, and actually log everything and weigh/measure everything honestly, and it will work for you.

As for exercise calories, the way MFP is designed to work is that you put your activity level in without counting exercise and then add exercise on top of that and eat those calories back. The other option is to put your real activity level in and NOT eat your exercise calories back.

So for example, I work out hard 4 times a week. On MFP I still list my activity level as "sedentary" and then I add in my exercise days individually and eat my exercise calories back. I could have also chosen to list my activity level as more active, but then it'd give me more calories and it already takes into account the amount I burn so I wouldn't add those exercise calories back in again. It's really pretty simple.

^^^ This is exactly how I do it. I set MFP to lose 1# a week, which gives me 1400 calories base. Then I set my activity level at sedentary and add in my exercise for the day. I almost always eat back my exercise calories (at least 90% of them).

My TDEE-sedentary is 1758. Minus 20% gives me 1407, which is about what MFP suggests. I have a sedentary job and work out hard 3x a week (heavy lifting and sprints). I do moderate intensity exercise (yoga, cardio) 2-3 other days a week. Based on that, I'm on the higher end of lightly active (BMR x 1.4). TDEE is 2051, less 20% is 1641. On my workout days, my calorie goal is 1600-1700, which is just what MFP suggests when I enter my exercise calories.

TEST IT FOR 4 WEEKS. If it doesn't give you at least a pound a week, tweak your calories up or down. I just started this a couple of weeks ago and I didn't weigh in last week because I was out of town. If it doesn't hold up in a few weeks, I'll likely add more calories because, most likely I'm working out more than I think I am LOL.

It does, I am 5"3' and have been the same weight for months, I finally figured out my TDEE (using the roadmap) and less 20% which is 1700 calories. I work out about 1.5 hrs a day x5 days. And today the scale went down!! Plus I feel so much better,
Look I have been on WW and eating 1200 calories or less than that, since I never ate my excercise calories back and that was not working, so why not try something new.
Give it a try and see, I bet you will like it.
Feel free to add me if you like.

Q: Are you using TDEE for moderately active?

what is this roadmap ya'll are talking about?

Okay thank you

I have my goal set to 2000 regardless of exercise. I'd done the research before I came to MFP so I already knew whereabouts I was supposed to be eating. It is very customizable and just requires a little patience to work out what is best for you since the calculators give general estimations.

calculate - track for 4 to 6 weeks - adjust kcal goal according to how much you've lost or gained - track again - adjust again


You can try the spreadsheet that a very helpful member created. It's a little complicated, but he answers questions.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm

*my spelling errors annoy me

what is this roadmap ya'll are talking about?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

To OP, I'd pretty much stalled at 1600 calories, did TDEE and currently losing exceptionally well on 1810 cals

Fitness pal doesn't put all women at 1200 by a long shot. I'm still above 1700 according to fitness pal (at sedentary) then as I add my exercise in it can be much more (on an hour-swim day it can be close to 3000).

It works if you're honest with your TDEE numbers. A lot of people like to think that they're a lot more active than they really are so they get a higher TDEE number. If you cheat on your TDEE and deduct 20% you may not even really be creating a deficit.

It is working for me. I like it because I don't have to fluctuate my calories from day to day...I just eat 1800 across the board. Do what works for you though. If you want to give it a try then do it, just make sure you stick with if for a month before you decide whether you like it or not.

I've been looking at TDDE and mine has been calculated at 2347. So if I followed recomendations and cut this by 20%, I should be eating 1877-1878kcal a day. I just cant see how I wouldn't gain weight by eating this much. Has anyone followed this rule...any advice please???

Also keep in mind, you won't eat your calories back....I have about the same TDEE as that, and I eat 1800....rounding it down makes it easier. Some days I am a little over some I am a little under. But it is working for me.