TDEE

Sweettart
Sweettart Posts: 1,331 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been seeing a lot about eating your TDEE -20% to help you lose weight. I am scared to eat that many calories in a day. I am looking to lose 65lbs.

Any suggestions or success stories with the TDEE.

Thanks!

Replies

  • soldier4242
    soldier4242 Posts: 1,368 Member
    Well the logic behind it seems to make sense. If fat is stored energy that it has left over then you will want to know how much you burn in a day and then make sure that you take in less than you burn. Why are you worried about eating that much? If you are always eating less than you burn over time you will lose body fat. If you keep the deficit from being too large and you exercise then you will be burning mostly fat. Over time that will equal differences in your appearance and health.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    I think if you look around the site you can find plenty of people who have done the TDEE-20 and the just plain ole 1200 calories and different people have had differing degrees of success with each method. 1000 foot view pros and cons of each.

    1200:
    - Faster initial results
    -Faster time to goal
    - Less sustainable
    - Higher hunger
    - Less/no wiggle room for treat calories
    - Higher risk of muscle of loss

    TDEE - 20%
    - Slower but consistent results
    -Mind games at the beginning because you may have a higher start rate (due to water weight and other issues, but still difficult to deal with mentally)
    - More sustainable / enjoyable
    - Able to meet all nutritional needs and still have some higher cal snacks you enjoy on a daily basis.
    - Less Hunger


    Either one you need to be engaged in a strength training program. If you are one that has followed the path of diet extreme to diet extreme and than bouncing back to binging, the TDEE-20% is definitly recommeneded. It's more of the change of lifestyle approach.
  • BikerGirlElaine
    BikerGirlElaine Posts: 1,631 Member
    I've been using it and have lost 24 pounds since January 1. You can look at my diary if you want.
  • spirit05
    spirit05 Posts: 204 Member
    Bump
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    I'm using it and lost 16 pounds in 3 month! I eat a ton of food and feel super good and healthy! I'd say go for it!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    What would you rather do if not TDEE - 20%?
  • Sweettart
    Sweettart Posts: 1,331 Member
    I would just do what Im doing now. Eating about 1300-1500 calories a day
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I would just do what Im doing now. Eating about 1300-1500 calories a day

    Are you eating back exercise cals? So 1300-1500 + exercise, or just 1300-1500 regardless? If you did TDEE - 20%, what would that calorie goal give you?
  • lovinmomma
    lovinmomma Posts: 77
    Are you eating back exercise cals? So 1300-1500 + exercise, or just 1300-1500 regardless? If you did TDEE - 20%, what would that calorie goal give you?
    [/quote]
    very important thing to know! I eat 1800-1900 cals daily with no eatting back of calories and I have not gained I am losing slowly and keeping it off. I have done the 1200 cal thing before lost wieght then gained MUCH more back and i wasnt even eatting that much... slow and steady is better and you will be able to stick with it
  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
    As said above, do the math. What would be the calorie difference? Remember to include your exercise calories averaged over the week. TDEE includes exercise when calculating the calories. The weekly calculation should be approximately the same no matter how you calculate it.

    The disadvantage of TDEE -20% is that if your maintenance calories are below 2,500 then your weight loss will be less than 1 lb per week (i.e. daily deficit below 500/weekly deficit below 3500). You may need to bump up to TDEE-25% or higher to achieve an average 1 lb. loss.

    Is what you've been doing working for you? If so, why change?
  • Sweettart
    Sweettart Posts: 1,331 Member
    My TDEE would be 1909.

    I only workout for roughly a half hour a day right now. I do a jillian michaels workout dvd 3 days a wk then alternating days im doing c25k.

    I would eat the 1300-1500 regardless but I was always under my calories for the day.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    deleted... stupid phone browser.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I am currently at 212 ( started at 232 in December 2012). I'm eating 1800cals/day (TDEE-25%), exercising daily (2 1.5mile walks/day) and losing 1-1.5 lbs per week.

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