TDEE - 20% --- Not working?

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brittanylovex
brittanylovex Posts: 30
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been sticking to my TDEE-20% for a few weeks now and have not noticed ANY weightloss.

The question is...Do I lower the amount of calories I'm consuming based on this calculation or do I in fact up it?

I'm 5'2 (120lbs) and an currently consuming 1300 calories.

Replies

  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    Have you been measuring things other than scale weight? How have those factors changed? How much exercise are you doing? I don't know your personal numbers, but 1300 seems low...it's lower than my BMR and I'm not that much taller or heavier than you.
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
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    You need to up it. At 120 pounds you can't have much to lose. tdee - 10% would be more realistic. Close to goail weight it is really hard to lose weight so you have to be really on point with your calorie counting. Basically weighing and measuring everything.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    You need to up it. At 120 pounds you can't have much to lose. tdee - 10% would be more realistic. Close to goail weight it is really hard to lose weight so you have to be really on point with your calorie counting. Basically weighing and measuring everything.

    What he said....

    I am TDEE -20%, but I am also 154 pounds trying to get down to 120. I will be dropping down to -15% here in a few more pounds. Do what RunDoozer says and up it a little bit. You should be aiming for 1/2 pound a week.
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
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    Two weeks is not enough time because your weight is already so low. Losses will be small. That being said, I would up it a bit more(1400) or drop it to 1200 and throw in a caloric spike once a week around 2400 calories.
  • brittanylovex
    brittanylovex Posts: 30
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    You need to up it. At 120 pounds you can't have much to lose. tdee - 10% would be more realistic. Close to goail weight it is really hard to lose weight so you have to be really on point with your calorie counting. Basically weighing and measuring everything.

    What he said....

    I am TDEE -20%, but I am also 154 pounds trying to get down to 120. I will be dropping down to -15% here in a few more pounds. Do what RunDoozer says and up it a little bit. You should be aiming for 1/2 pound a week.

    I'm nowhere near where I want to be - I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'm more concerned about fat as opposed to 'weight'. I'm not toned; I have large (flabby arms), big wobbly thighs and not exactly the most attractive stomach. I don't look like your average 120 pounder!

    I know a lot of efforts should be put in more cardio and weight training to help sculpt and strengthen my body (which I'm trying to), but considering I'm not losing weight/inches at all, I'm expecting it is to do with calories.

    So, as you can imagine, I'm nervous to up my calories in case I put on more weight/fat.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    if you are already at a healthy weight which it appears you are and you want to "tone" then it is more likely to do with the training you are doing or not doing. "Toning" will require resistance training :smile:
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    As long as you are setting new PRs in the gym every week then youll lose the fat.
    Just eat slightly below TDEE, appx 10-15%, and lift in a heavy compound routine.
    Following a simple routine like Strong Lifts 5x5 will yield the results you need for at least the first year.
    If you arent squatting 200lbs in 12-14 weeks then something isnt adding up.

    The fat will come off and the muscle definition will happen.

    If you aren't setting new PRs every week then you just aren't working hard enough.
  • LauraW1219
    LauraW1219 Posts: 71 Member
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    You have to start weight training. Cardio worked for me for awhile, but I didn't get tone from it. I had to start lifting weights. My arms and my legs are tone. They said my stomach could take up to a year to see the full result. I'm not going for a "diet". This is a lifestyle change for me. I hope you get the answer you are searching for.
  • nguk123
    nguk123 Posts: 223
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    >>I've been sticking to my TDEE-20% for a few weeks now and have not noticed ANY weightloss.
    I'm guessing you are seeing a lot of variation from fluctuating water weight and can't tell what the trend if any is to your weight.
    Check out the 'hackers diet online' , it has good explanatory text, and you sign up free , log your weighin's into it, and it will help you see through the statistical fog.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    If you are trying to lose fat rather than scale weight, then you should be aiming for recomposition.

    Increase your cals to TDEE -10%, or even eat at TDEE (include your exercise in your TDEE calculation then you do not need to eat back your exercise calories on top of that). If you want to build more muscle then you will need to eat above TDEE.

    Weight train to preserve LBM. You should still lose fat, although the scale weight may not change so concentrate more on measurements and how your clothes fit and feel.
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
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    I agree with the other posters about working on more weight training. You can be a flabby 120lbs or a lean and "toned" 120lbs at your height. You are already at a healthy weight. You don't have a lot to lose . I was 118lbs at 5'0, so I was in a similar position.

    10 weeks later I'm at 113lbs and I can see my abs again. I'm using my husbands old weight bench and weights, and lifting pretty heavy. I lift 3 times a week and do cardio 3 times a week (45 min).

    I'm eating 1450 calories a day. This is actually way more than a 20% cut from my TDEE on some days and about a 10% cut on others. It all averages out though.

    And you really need to give it more than 2 weeks. I was stuck at 115lbs for at least a month. Just dropped 2lbs in one week.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    You need to up it. At 120 pounds you can't have much to lose. tdee - 10% would be more realistic. Close to goail weight it is really hard to lose weight so you have to be really on point with your calorie counting. Basically weighing and measuring everything.

    What he said....

    I am TDEE -20%, but I am also 154 pounds trying to get down to 120. I will be dropping down to -15% here in a few more pounds. Do what RunDoozer says and up it a little bit. You should be aiming for 1/2 pound a week.

    I'm nowhere near where I want to be - I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'm more concerned about fat as opposed to 'weight'. I'm not toned; I have large (flabby arms), big wobbly thighs and not exactly the most attractive stomach. I don't look like your average 120 pounder!

    I know a lot of efforts should be put in more cardio and weight training to help sculpt and strengthen my body (which I'm trying to), but considering I'm not losing weight/inches at all, I'm expecting it is to do with calories.

    So, as you can imagine, I'm nervous to up my calories in case I put on more weight/fat.

    what is your work our regimen like? It sounds like you need to get into a program that builds around bench press, squat, over head press, deadlifts, etc....

    Sounds like you need to change your work out routine and keep eating as is...

    Also, your diary is not public so can't see what you are doing on daily basis...
  • brittanylovex
    brittanylovex Posts: 30
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    what is your work our regimen like? It sounds like you need to get into a program that builds around bench press, squat, over head press, deadlifts, etc....

    Sounds like you need to change your work out routine and keep eating as is...

    Also, your diary is not public so can't see what you are doing on daily basis...

    I do 45 minutes of cardio 3 times a week (runnung and using my cross trainer) I have only just begun weight lifting and am still trying to figure out a good routine for myself (which is rather confusing, I must admit!)

    I have set my diary to open, so now anyone can view!
  • brittanylovex
    brittanylovex Posts: 30
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    And I REALLY appreciate everyone taking out the time to post a reply, I feel like I need all the advise that I can get! :heart:
  • ninavivi
    ninavivi Posts: 48 Member
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    bump
  • ashfuse
    ashfuse Posts: 224 Member
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    If you are trying to lose fat rather than scale weight, then you should be aiming for recomposition.

    Increase your cals to TDEE -10%, or even eat at TDEE (include your exercise in your TDEE calculation then you do not need to eat back your exercise calories on top of that). If you want to build more muscle then you will need to eat above TDEE.

    Weight train to preserve LBM. You should still lose fat, although the scale weight may not change so concentrate more on measurements and how your clothes fit and feel.

    what she said.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Your goal isn't realistic so you probably aren't going to get there without starving yourself. Work on strength training and building muscle instead of just trying to weigh less. I'm also 5'2" and 115 lbs with 19% body fat. 105 is stick thin at that height and without muscle would be really nasty.

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