TDEE over 2000 BMR 1200... I'm so confused!

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SeraFee
SeraFee Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've read about the TDEE and BMR and all these different things and I am so confused! I am 28 year old female. 5'7" SW175 CW 162 GW Around 135 My body fat % is 28,8. I have been eating around 1200 cals a day for the last few weeks. And most of the time I don't have that hard of a time with it. I lift 6 days a week and do cardio 4 days a week with one rest day. Please help. I don't want to starve myself but, like many other people I don't understand how UPPING my cal intake can help me lose weight faster?!?
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Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    It may not help you lose faster, but it will help your body retain it's lean muscle. When you eat at too great a deficit your body starts to break down muscle to get the energy it needs. When you lose enough of that muscle your metabolism slows and your weight loss stalls.
  • SeraFee
    SeraFee Posts: 52 Member
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    Okay so I have decided to try this out. A week or to can't hurt, right? (Nervously chews fingernails...) So I have set my daily calorie goal to 1569. I think that is correct??
    Thanks for your input.
    Sera
  • Keenasgettingfitnhealthy
    Keenasgettingfitnhealthy Posts: 169
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    You are going to gain - most likely - in the first few weeks. You need to try it for a bit longer than just one week. (So your body can adjust)

    the easiest way to understand the whole TDEE - 20% thing is to read "In place of a road map 2.0" and ask Dan any questions you have =) he's really nice and helpful and wants you to succeed =D
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
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    I was nervous too do it too, but its worth trying I am steady losing weight eating about 3-400 below my TDEE, the best way too lose weight is slowly. Congrats on all the workouts. Keep up the great work
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Punched in your numbers....

    Your BMI is 1535.

    Not sure how long you spend working out each day so will let you decide:

    3-5 hrs of moderate puts your TDEE at 2380
    5-6 hrs of strenuous puts your TDEE at 2649

    So based on a -20% that puts you between 1900-2100 intake (not eating back exercise calories a day) depending on what your activity level is.

    If you ate 1569 you would be just over BMR so yes it would work...though usually you want to be right in the middle between BMR and TDEE...that seems to be the general sweet spot for most people.
  • SeraFee
    SeraFee Posts: 52 Member
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    Thanks I read the "In place of a road map 2.0" I don't fully understand it though, That's what got me started on this. I have been working out eating well (for the most part) for going on 2 months and have not seen much of a difference scale wise. I only recently had my BF% checked so have nothing to compare it to.
    I find it interesting that after going years without watching what I eat, the thought of eating more scares the crap outta me!
  • reneecgc
    reneecgc Posts: 179 Member
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    I upped my calories and just like you I started at 1200. I always ate more on my exercise days but struggled on my rest days. Just upping my base calories to 1400 made a big difference on my rest days. During my whole weight loss journey I upped my calories slowly and gave my body some time to adjust. I maintain my weight loss with eating between 1800-2000 calories a day. I even changed my workout schedule from 5 days a week to 3 days. My phiolosphy is why eat less when you can eat more and lose just as much weight. You seemed to be doing everything right, so good luck on your journey.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Thanks I read the "In place of a road map 2.0" I don't fully understand it though, That's what got me started on this. I have been working out eating well (for the most part) for going on 2 months and have not seen much of a difference scale wise. I only recently had my BF% checked so have nothing to compare it to.
    I find it interesting that after going years without watching what I eat, the thought of eating more scares the crap outta me!

    It took me 3 weeks to fully understand...but when it clicks it will click.
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,612 Member
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    The easiest way for me to understand this is to think of a car. It will only hold so much gas, but won't run on empty. Your body needs fuel to work properly especially if working out. This site has helped me understand my eating habits and why I gained 30 lbs over the last few years. I know it wasn't much compared to some, but on my small frame it was a lot. Good luck on your journey. Remember it is not a diet but a lifestyle change. This site has helped me maintain the loss I have accomplished.
  • SeraFee
    SeraFee Posts: 52 Member
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    I just looked back over the last week of my food diary and it looks like in general I eat anywhere from 1300 to 1800 a day depending on how many cals i burn in the gym.
    If I up my cals to "somewhere between BMR and TDEE" (thank you rduhlir) I would NOT eat back my cals burned during workouts??
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    Punched in your numbers....

    Your BMI is 1535.

    Not sure how long you spend working out each day so will let you decide:

    3-5 hrs of moderate puts your TDEE at 2380
    5-6 hrs of strenuous puts your TDEE at 2649

    So based on a -20% that puts you between 1900-2100 intake (not eating back exercise calories a day) depending on what your activity level is.

    If you ate 1569 you would be just over BMR so yes it would work...though usually you want to be right in the middle between BMR and TDEE...that seems to be the general sweet spot for most people.

    *BMR (sorry I had too)

    What she came up with seems reasonable (I didn't check her math)
    My numbers are fairly similar, Helloitsdan (the creator of IPOARM) will answer your questions if you PM him.
    I'm not nearly as knowledgeable as Dan is but I've read IPOARM a few times and I rework my numbers every month to make sure I'm on track, but I'll help you out if you'd like.

    You're going to have to give it more than just a week as a test, at least a month. Maybe 6-8 weeks. But in the grand scheme of your life, 8 weeks is nothing. And if you're lifting 4-6 days a week, you definitely want more than 1200cals.
    My friends list is full of lovely lady lifters and they eat more than 1200 cal, and follow TDEE - 20% (or so)
  • SeraFee
    SeraFee Posts: 52 Member
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    The easiest way for me to understand this is to think of a car. It will only hold so much gas, but won't run on empty. Your body needs fuel to work properly especially if working out. This site has helped me understand my eating habits and why I gained 30 lbs over the last few years. I know it wasn't much compared to some, but on my small frame it was a lot. Good luck on your journey. Remember it is not a diet but a lifestyle change. This site has helped me maintain the loss I have accomplished.

    Thanks! Its been a long time coming but I'm ready to get my health under control!
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I just looked back over the last week of my food diary and it looks like in general I eat anywhere from 1300 to 1800 a day depending on how many cals i burn in the gym.
    If I up my cals to "somewhere between BMR and TDEE" (thank you rduhlir) I would NOT eat back my cals burned during workouts??

    If you take your TDEE as sedentary (which it's suggested you don't), you'd eat them back.
    If you take your TDEE number from lightly or moderately active (I'm going with you're moderately active), you do NOT eat your exercise cals back.
    And to keep it from confusing you, I would log your exercise cals as "1 calorie burned" then it won't add those calories to your goal & change your macro settings.
  • lousoulbody
    lousoulbody Posts: 663 Member
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    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    This help to take out the guess work, and don't forget when you figure it all out you DONT eat your work out cal's back, you add what type of weekly work out you do on the calculator. Good luck…BTW i upped my cal's after a 7 week plateau and now I'm starting to loose again. I was stuck on the 1200cal's a week, it worked for awhile, even with my 7wk plateau i have managed to loose 1lb a week.

    Cheers!
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    I don't know either. My tdee was over 2000 too and my bmr is like 1400
  • SeraFee
    SeraFee Posts: 52 Member
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    Thanks for all the help. It still blows my mind that I can eat MORE and still lose. But I will give it a shot at least until the end of my current workout program (7 more weeks). If anybody would like to add me as a friend please do so! I am always looking for more support and you all seem so knowledgeable!
    Thanks
    Sera
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    I used to weigh 175lbs.. I was eating 1670 cals everyday. You have to eat more but kudos for being able to maintain 1200 cals a day, I can't do that!
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    Punched in your numbers....

    Your BMI is 1535.

    Not sure how long you spend working out each day so will let you decide:

    3-5 hrs of moderate puts your TDEE at 2380
    5-6 hrs of strenuous puts your TDEE at 2649

    So based on a -20% that puts you between 1900-2100 intake (not eating back exercise calories a day) depending on what your activity level is.

    If you ate 1569 you would be just over BMR so yes it would work...though usually you want to be right in the middle between BMR and TDEE...that seems to be the general sweet spot for most people.

    Great advice!
  • krhn
    krhn Posts: 781 Member
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    Regarding upping your calories...
    If someone has been on a plateau with their weight loss for some time, by increasing the amount of calories, they are trying to temporarily shock the body by giving it plenty of nutrients before lowering the calories back down to further shed off excess weight!

    However, the method mentioned above is only a viable option if you HAVE been on a plateau for around 2-3 weeks. Also many only increase their calorie intake up to their BMR to temporarily pause the weightloss regime - any higher than the BMR, you'll start gaining weight again. :noway:
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Just a warning...

    I have seen a lot of people change to the TDEE/BMR method and put on a pound or two until their body adjusted to the increase. THIS IS NORMAL! I stalled for a week, then started to lose again.

    Also...you don't want to switch up very often. If you are calculate say for moderate, don't change or play with numbers for about 4-6 weeks. If you have any questions at all ask Dan...he is really good at explaining and helping you to understand even better.

    On a side note....I need input from my peeps here doing TDEE....

    Having issues figuring out my activity level...simply because of my work schedule.

    Work: 3-4 days a week, 12 hour desk job
    Exercise: 30 minutes (at least) 6 days a week (whoever says they can't get in a work out working 12 hour days...its lies, LIES I tell you...yes I am this crazy in real life...feet talk to me, muscles scream...very scary), alternating weight lifting with running....and days off I usually take the dogs to the dog park and hike about 2.5-3 miles.

    Moderate right? Just trying to be sure on this lol...

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