Any Success using the TDEE Formula

RetiredAndLovingIt · February 2013

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hsmart603 · February 2013

Thank you everyone!!!! I definatly think I am gonna give it a try. I am honestly excited and looking forward to eating a bit more calories. With my grumpy-ness hopefully at bay lol

giag09 · February 2013

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reneeot · February 2013

original 1200 calorie dietary
current 1700 caloric dietary

31 days results:
+.04 lbs increase
1/2 inch off belly and hips

YAYJules · February 2013

My story:

I lost 35 pounds on the 1200 calorie starvation plan (LOL) that MFP gave me. I upped cals to maintenance....and started GAINING!

Why? Because the body adapts and learns to live with what you give it ~~~~~ even if it is not enough.......

I gained 5 pounds back "maintaining", researched the whole TDEE minus a small deficit way of doing things and viola! Losing the last 5 pounds again S L O W L Y.....the way it should have been in the first place.

If you've got a hundred to lose, then maybe the "starvation" plan won't take it's toll too soon....smaller losers are better off with TDEE - minus 10-20%.

Slow and steady not only wins the race, but it lets you eat and not feel hungry, grumpy, deprived, sleepy, low energy. AND, it gives you a fighting chance to make a lifestyle out of this new way of being!

It works. Period!

J

Maybe not the case. I have close to 100 to lose, and ate the 1250 MFP asked of me for roughly a month. I exercise religiously, eat back those calories, and I noticed myself becoming more sluggish and foggy, and fighting the urge to constantly sleep. I did some reading on my own, learned how to calculate TDEE, and adjusted my calories accordingly. I feel like a new person now that I am eating more appropriately.

Just a testimony on TDEE - 20% on behalf of the non smaller members. The scale did not move for me at all until I increased calories. I'm still a novice to MFP, but I will check back with an update after more time passes.

kaaabney · February 2013

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abbyy182 · February 2013

I switched to it almost 2 weeks ago and I have lost 3lbs ! I wasn't losing anything before, I was on a plateau for 4 weeks, so I am very happy

I was on 1400 and quite hungry, to now 1700 and satisfied, also upped my protein, too ! I am so so happy I found this post, it has really helped me understand.

JennKie1 · February 2013

I love TDEE - 20% !! MFP's 1200 calories did nothing for me. After being "stuck" for quite awhile, I switched to TDEE -20 and it started coming off again. Yay for being able to eat more and lose weight! I have so much more energy to exercise, and I'm not hungry or grumpy all the time. Most days I don't eat the whole amount (my calories are actually set at about 200 below that number) - I'm eating about halfway between MFP's recommendation and TDEE - 20. But, what's nice about that is if I have a "bad" day, and go over my calories, I'm actually still probably under my TDEE & don't have to worry about it resulting in a gain.

Rhonnie · February 2013

I've only been on it a week, but I find it much easier to stick too and I've seen the scale move the right direction again.

calibriintx · February 2013

I switched a few weeks ago and LOVE it! When I signed up, MFP had me at 1200 calories and I was miserable. Tired, hungry and in a bad mood. I was really discouraged and felt pretty hopeless. Then I found IPOARM (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12) and started eating more. I moved up to 1800 calories/day and I feel awesome. I've lost a pant size, I'm down 5 lbs and I've lost 4.5". Feeling satisfied AND losing weight is the best!

marjoleina · February 2013

I just started this week, and even though I have not lost sofar, I was not losing on the 1100 calorie plan. I feel so much better, and I am still working out, but dropped my cardio to 30 min x3 and am lifting more. I finally feel like I may be able to stick to this, I have lost weight in the past with a VLC diet, but I was never able to maintain, and I am tired of that. Since my old method was not working, I figure I might as well try this method. It seems to work for other people. Look for In place of a roadmap thread

And just to update, I had a loss on the scale today, first time in weeks

DiannaDC · February 2013

So probably a stupid question, but when using this formula on MFP does it mean that the TDEE is the amount I eat (net) after exercise? Or is it TDEE regardless of how much I burned in exercise that day?

mumreeder · February 2013

Hi
I am starting today to eat TDEE - 20%. A little apprehensive as I find it hard to get my head around eating more to lose weight - but all the science definitely makes sense to me. I haven't got anything to lose as eating fewer calories has helped me get rid of my first
11 lb but I have stalled for the last 4 weeks or so and I am getting increasingly fed up with restricting myself and still not losing. I am hoping this is going to give me the incentive I need to keep going and not give up.
I have also joined the group - eat more to lose weight - they are very helpful and all following this idea of losing weight.

sdurrahMpls · February 2013

I've lost 80 lbs in the last year eating above my BMR and below my TDEE - for me that means 1700-1900 calories per day (and lots of times I've eaten much more than that).

cunnart · February 2013

anymore? I still have my doubts since it seems to good to be true, especially since I sit at a desk 8 hours a day and drive in a car for another 2 so once you add in 8 hours of sleep that leaves me with 6 hours to do other stuff which is usually doing homework. So i'm really sedentary since I haven't found the time to exercise.

jessifreehugs · February 2013

So probably a stupid question, but when using this formula on MFP does it mean that the TDEE is the amount I eat (net) after exercise? Or is it TDEE regardless of how much I burned in exercise that day?

TDEE figures your exercise into the calories you should consume each day (assuming you choose the correct activity level), so you would NOT eat back exercise calories when using the TDEE method. TDEE calories often times end up being similar to if you set MFP to "lose 1 pound per week", or at least that's been my experience.

MFP gave me 1350 calories to lose 2lb/week in the beginning. I was starving all the time, had massive headaches, and was an uber B****! Oh, and I only lost about a pound over 3 weeks time. Once I switched to TDEE - 20% (works out to be about 1700 cals for me), I'm MUCH happier, more satiated, energetic, and I've lost almost 20 pounds over the last 2 months!! I say, if you're happy with the cals MFP has given you, then stick to what's working for you. But, if you're stalled out or just aren't feeling right, then try out TDEE - 20%. What can it hurt?

ETA: I've had an account here for like forever, but I've only really been trying to get healthy for the past few months.

Neria1235 · February 2013

I've lost 80 lbs in the last year eating above my BMR and below my TDEE - for me that means 1700-1900 calories per day (and lots of times I've eaten much more than that).

That's fantastic and gives me hope! That's about the range I got after reading the roadmap thread; I realized I needed to eat between 1700 - 2000 depending on workout days. I also used the IF Calulator (http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/) which confirmed my caluculations from the roadmap. I just started doing this last week and have already seen the scale drop 3 lbs (but I guess this could be other factors too as I haven't been doing it long). It does give me hope though and the 1340 MFP had me on left me starving and tired!

Gerald_King · February 2013

I was stuck for 4 months but after using TDEE the scale is now moving

Pigbear · February 2013

I was using the MFP Calories (2 pound a week = 1300) for about 4 months loss a load (30 pounds) then stalled till christmas, after christmas I went to daft place in my brain which was telling me 'eat less lose less' (food in 700 net 200), starting feeling weird about 4 weeks ago and realised where I was heading so I have now upped calories to 1.5 pounds loss a week according to MFP (1500) which actually translates to TDEE - 34% which has meant in the last 2.5 weeks I have actually lost 5.2 pounds and I I feel great with the increase of calories.

I know, I know, this is still not enough but after 6 weeks of starvation I need to allow my body time to adjust to increases in calories so next week I am upping them to 1750. I thought 3 week intervals was a length of time for adjustments.

SRH7 · February 2013

anymore? I still have my doubts since it seems to good to be true, especially since I sit at a desk 8 hours a day and drive in a car for another 2 so once you add in 8 hours of sleep that leaves me with 6 hours to do other stuff which is usually doing homework. So i'm really sedentary since I haven't found the time to exercise.

TDEE is not too good to be true - you just need to ensure you set your activity level right from the outset.

I am currently what I would consider to be sedentary (sat at a computer all day) but do try to exercise up to five times a week - sometimes once, sometimes five.

Because the exercise I do changes week to week I calculate my TDEE based on a sedentary lifestyle then eat back any calories earned (I use a HRM to make sure they are fairly accurate). I would really advise you to do the same.

BUT... and it's a big BUT... with the TDEE method you have to be patient. It does work but I have found it very slow and steady. I'm losing an average of 1lb a week. Some weeks I lose 2lb others I lose nothing. In total I have lost 9lbs in 9 weeks. I have also lost an inch off my neck and two inches off my waist.

After years of trying quick-fix diets where you lose massive amounts of water and lean tissue, having faith that on the weeks the scale doesn't move using the TDEE method that your body is still responding is not always easy. But the science is there - eat fewer calories than your TDEE and you will gradually lose weight.

For me it's a choice between two methods:

1. Quick-fix 1200 crash diet: Lose 2lbs a week, feel hungry and narky all the time, put it back on as soon as I eat normally (been there, done that)
2. TDEE-20%: Lose 1lbs a week, never feel deprived, still drink alcohol and eat sugar, carbs, food I love, keep the weight off long-term

A great upside of eating more is that I have more energy to exercise. And it is the changing shape of my body through exercise that keeps me going on the weeks that the scale doesn't budge (I see it as a sign that the muscles are repairing and getting stronger and retaining water, hence the slowdown in weight loss).

And for those who don't have time to exercise - I prefer exercise that either doesn't feel like exercise or that gets maximum results for minimal efforts:

1. Hiking: Going for a walk at the weekend with your partner, friends or family instead of traipsing round the shops or watching TV turns exercise into a social event. One that I usually reward myself with with a trip to the pub for a few pints afterwards!

2. Running: I've got osteoarthritis in my knees, I'm pushing 40, was rubbish at sport at school and I run like a girl (well, I am a girl!) but I've managed to start running using the C25K programme (there's a good group on MFP). My legs have become stronger and slimmer, my waist is getting smaller, I have better flexibility and feel better overall wellness. Best of all, it only takes 30 minutes three times a week - just get up half an hour earlier, go straight out for a run, home, shower, breakfast, work.

3. Strength trainining: Using big dumbbells and a list of exercises someone on MFP passed to me from the Internet. 15 mins three times a week - big weights = fast results. And increased muscle mass = fat burning machine!

So, yes, you could say that I believe the TDEE formula works!

Any Success using the TDEE Formula

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