In Place of a Road Map: Short N' Sweet

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Replies

  • SKAVY7178
    SKAVY7178 Posts: 165 Member
    I have not been losing any weight for the past 3 weeks!! Will try to do this method.

    On this site, www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ , the TDEE value is what is given on the chart ? right? (I chose lightly active since i plan to workout 3 times a week)

    One question, on the Net calories , do I put the TDEE-20% as my NET CALORIES CONSUMED or just the TDEE( value given against Lightly active?)

    thanks a ton and sorry for the confusion :P

    That chart is your TDEE when you put current weight as goal weight.

    You treat that net calories field now as gross calories, the TDEE deficit figure, your eating goal.

    Thanks a lot for your reply! Since this is new to me, would like to understand some points before going ahead.

    1) I have a TDEE of 2039 and I have a BMI of 31.3, so is it better a deficit of -20% or -30%?
    2) I shouldn't eat back the calories burned on those certain days right? Just follow the TDEE deficit goal.

    Thank you again for your help :)

    PS: i have a surgery in October 2013 and my BMI should be below 30. Before starting the weight loss I was breastfeeding(i never lost weight when i was bfeeding,even with a healthy diet and workouts) so I am trying my best to at least go below 30Bmi and then steadily and slowly lose the rest....

    Go -30 and see how you feel.
    About a month or so before your surgery, stop using fish oil.
    Fish oil thins the blood and could cause complications.

    Hi Dan !!

    So glad to get a reply from you !!! :flowerforyou:

    Thanks a lot, will do -30% TDEE and see for 2/3 weeks. FYI, I lave a lost 1lb as of today's scale! That just made my day LOL!
    Btw, I have never used fish oil(supplements) neither in cooking :) so I guess that's better... and thank you so much for your advice on this!

    Keeping fingers crossed!!

    edited : what about the days i workout?? i shouldn't eat back the calories right?
  • balancedbrunette
    balancedbrunette Posts: 530 Member
    thanks for this, bookmarked for again :).
  • ajcrain
    ajcrain Posts: 25 Member
    Bump
  • ashleyplus3
    ashleyplus3 Posts: 284 Member
    Okay, I am on week 3 here and have been losing steadily using the MFP settings. Is this method something I should do when I stall, or can I start now without negative results? I don't want to gain any weight but I am all about eating more - I think long term I would have a better chance of keeping my weight off if I'm not starving!!

    Also, this may seem like a stupid question because I'm sure it's been made very clear, but I want to be certain I have it right......

    When you figure your BMR using the fat2fit formula, do you eat at the calculation that uses your goal weight or current weight? I have 1903 if I put in goal weight and 2035 if I put in my current weight. If I read this post correctly, it says to use the BMR using current weight as your goal weight?! And then if that is true, I guess you would change it as you lost weight?!

    Sorry if I'm the only one that doesn't completely get it.
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
    :smile:
  • Seahawk27
    Seahawk27 Posts: 72
    Saving for later
  • kiku76
    kiku76 Posts: 352 Member
    bump so I can reread as needed
  • SKAVY7178
    SKAVY7178 Posts: 165 Member
    bump :)
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    I have not been losing any weight for the past 3 weeks!! Will try to do this method.

    On this site, www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ , the TDEE value is what is given on the chart ? right? (I chose lightly active since i plan to workout 3 times a week)

    One question, on the Net calories , do I put the TDEE-20% as my NET CALORIES CONSUMED or just the TDEE( value given against Lightly active?)

    thanks a ton and sorry for the confusion :P

    That chart is your TDEE when you put current weight as goal weight.

    You treat that net calories field now as gross calories, the TDEE deficit figure, your eating goal.

    Thanks a lot for your reply! Since this is new to me, would like to understand some points before going ahead.

    1) I have a TDEE of 2039 and I have a BMI of 31.3, so is it better a deficit of -20% or -30%?
    2) I shouldn't eat back the calories burned on those certain days right? Just follow the TDEE deficit goal.

    Thank you again for your help :)

    PS: i have a surgery in October 2013 and my BMI should be below 30. Before starting the weight loss I was breastfeeding(i never lost weight when i was bfeeding,even with a healthy diet and workouts) so I am trying my best to at least go below 30Bmi and then steadily and slowly lose the rest....

    Go -30 and see how you feel.
    About a month or so before your surgery, stop using fish oil.
    Fish oil thins the blood and could cause complications.

    Hi Dan !!

    So glad to get a reply from you !!! :flowerforyou:

    Thanks a lot, will do -30% TDEE and see for 2/3 weeks. FYI, I lave a lost 1lb as of today's scale! That just made my day LOL!
    Btw, I have never used fish oil(supplements) neither in cooking :) so I guess that's better... and thank you so much for your advice on this!

    Keeping fingers crossed!!

    edited : what about the days i workout?? i shouldn't eat back the calories right?

    dont eat back.
    ;D
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    AWESOME, thanks!!!
  • ChristineLavi
    ChristineLavi Posts: 62 Member
    *Bump*
    Perfect thank you :)
    Just met you but you ROCK already :)
  • cmmdance
    cmmdance Posts: 45 Member
    Okay, so I was one those people that thought they should eat only 1200 calories. I have since upped them to 1700 after figuring my BMR and TDEE. But I am not sure if it enough. I am reading don't eat back exercise calories and then I read eat back exercise calories. This is all confusing. Can anyone look at my diary and let me know your thoughts?
  • christy7322
    christy7322 Posts: 31
    bump
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Another question, but maybe a goofy one: If I sit around all day and walk for 45 minutes daily does that make me 'lightly active'? How much activity does it take to move between the levels, or is it more 'go with your gut?'

    I'm about to start doing some lifting (following the NRoLfW) with some light cardio on non-lifting days and I'm not sure what to take my calories up to, or if I should leave them as they are.
  • Resa52
    Resa52 Posts: 182 Member
    The number I'm pulling for my husband seems absolutely nuts.

    He's currently about 250 lbs, is at 39% BF, and is currently eating about 1600 calories a day and is very lightly active (maybe 2-3 half an hour walks a week, otherwise at a very sedentary 12 hour a day desk job) He's lost 35 lbs in the 100 days we've been doing this, but his weight loss is really slowing down and has had 0.2 - 0.8 lbs each week for the past several weeks, despite sticking to his calories, doing healthy snacks, staying fairly low in sodium, etc.

    TDEE minus 20% puts him at 2400 calories. Going up nearly 1000 calories a day seems like there is no way on earth it could be productive to his weight loss. Am I missing something here?!
  • kiku76
    kiku76 Posts: 352 Member
    The number I'm pulling for my husband seems absolutely nuts.

    He's currently about 250 lbs, is at 39% BF, and is currently eating about 1600 calories a day and is very lightly active (maybe 2-3 half an hour walks a week, otherwise at a very sedentary 12 hour a day desk job) He's lost 35 lbs in the 100 days we've been doing this, but his weight loss is really slowing down and has had 0.2 - 0.8 lbs each week for the past several weeks, despite sticking to his calories, doing healthy snacks, staying fairly low in sodium, etc.

    TDEE minus 20% puts him at 2400 calories. Going up nearly 1000 calories a day seems like there is no way on earth it could be productive to his weight loss. Am I missing something here?!
    I'm no expert but that sounds reasonable.
    I'm only 5'2", and a 142 lbs and my TDEE is 2181, my cut TDEE is 1700. Honestly, I can't imagine a grown man living off 1600 calories a day. Heck, even I couldn't do that. Well, I could but I'd go insane
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    I'm trying to accurately determine my activity level. I've always had it set to sedentary, but when using the spreadsheet, it asks for additional hours of walking throughout the day.

    I drive to work and start at 8:30 am. I sit at my desk pretty much all day, and leave usually around 3:30 pm to drive home.
    When I get home, I do some stuff around the house -nothing strenuous, cook dinner, etc. Then I'm usually on the couch from about 7:30 pm until 12 midnight. But that time between like 4pm and 7pm I'm usually doing something moving around a bit.

    On the weekends, I'm usually up around 9am and go to bed around midnight. During the day, I typically do whatever around the house, or run errands, grocery shopping, etc. Again, nothing strenuous, but still moving around. Then, probably sitting for at least 4 hrs at night.
    At the present time, I am not doing any exercise though.

    On the spreadsheet, I've been using 7 hrs of walking/moving around per week but I'm guessing it should be more.

    Figure 3 hrs per day x 5 days = 15 hrs plus another 20 hrs or so on the weekend, so that's like 35 hrs of doing something other than sitting/doing nothing.

    With my current settings, it says my TDEE is 1917.
    If I change that to an additional 35 hrs of moving around, it says my TDEE is 2043.

    Should I use the higher TDEE, or a number between the two to be safe?
  • LesaLu4
    LesaLu4 Posts: 83
    bump
  • rld84
    rld84 Posts: 11 Member
    BUMP :)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Okay, so I was one those people that thought they should eat only 1200 calories. I have since upped them to 1700 after figuring my BMR and TDEE. But I am not sure if it enough. I am reading don't eat back exercise calories and then I read eat back exercise calories. This is all confusing. Can anyone look at my diary and let me know your thoughts?

    Depends on if your TDEE contains your exercise or not.
    Many leave it out and eat it back, either because variable exercise, or they like the reward, or other reasons.
    Many include it because easier planning, easier to maintain if workout is regular.

    Only you can decide if you were honest with activity level. Know that non-sedentary day really bumps you up a level right at the start, exercise adds even more.

    Might use this to help.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Another question, but maybe a goofy one: If I sit around all day and walk for 45 minutes daily does that make me 'lightly active'? How much activity does it take to move between the levels, or is it more 'go with your gut?'

    I'm about to start doing some lifting (following the NRoLfW) with some light cardio on non-lifting days and I'm not sure what to take my calories up to, or if I should leave them as they are.

    Put it this way, the vast majority that start using FitBit and BodyMedia, discover their sedentary non-exercise desk job days are actually at MFP's Lightly Active level, which is 1.35 x BMR.

    Use the spreadsheet topic link right above this post.

    Because indeed, walking doesn't count as much as lifting, which doesn't count as much as running.

    But it does count, and if that was all your activity, it would actually be Lightly Active on TDEE levels at 1.38, as long your day was sedentary desk job type.
    Lifting would increase it of course - but just use the spreadsheet linked above.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    The number I'm pulling for my husband seems absolutely nuts.

    He's currently about 250 lbs, is at 39% BF, and is currently eating about 1600 calories a day and is very lightly active (maybe 2-3 half an hour walks a week, otherwise at a very sedentary 12 hour a day desk job) He's lost 35 lbs in the 100 days we've been doing this, but his weight loss is really slowing down and has had 0.2 - 0.8 lbs each week for the past several weeks, despite sticking to his calories, doing healthy snacks, staying fairly low in sodium, etc.

    TDEE minus 20% puts him at 2400 calories. Going up nearly 1000 calories a day seems like there is no way on earth it could be productive to his weight loss. Am I missing something here?!

    Seems nuts compared to ..... ?
    Do you have any idea how much he used to eat before? Or like vast majority, that 1600 and probably 1200 for women is the only calorie levels you've ever seen and heard of, and that is minimum safe levels merely for getting nutrition in for sedentary.
    So you really have nothing objective to compare 2400 calories too for knowing if that sounds high or low.

    Yes, you are missing some things though that may help understand better.

    First, with BF% there, the BMR you are basing the math on is greatly inflated, so inflated TDEE, likely smaller goal than that if you use better BMR.
    Katch BMR is 1864. TDEE around 2400. Eating goal would likely be closer to 2000.

    Second, he is probably undereating by too great a deficit and is seeing the effects of suppressed metabolism, meaning the deficit is disappearing as you've seen. Too much stress on body.

    Third, recovery takes longer than doing it right in the first place (meaning 6-9 months of plateau makes 35lbs in 100 days not that great of an overall avg, besides frustration level that usually occurs). Because at this rate, how long until no losses? And then eating lower yet, how long until it happens again. You can read the forums for what usually happens.

    Fourth, get good figures and get started now right. If metabolism is going down, that usually means muscle mass loss is going on too, part of the reason metabolism goes down.

    Use spreadsheet link in couple posts above this one. Get measurements down, get best estimates, track progress, get macros to suggested amount, follow eating recommendation.

    Since he is seeing slowdown already, I'd suggest 1 week eating at estimated TDEE. Let body see there is no concern allowing a deficit, get rid of one stress for a week. If work is that long, I'm betting slightly stressful. Stress on body is fight against fat and weight loss. Remove as many as you can.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I drive to work and start at 8:30 am. I sit at my desk pretty much all day, and leave usually around 3:30 pm to drive home.
    When I get home, I do some stuff around the house -nothing strenuous, cook dinner, etc. Then I'm usually on the couch from about 7:30 pm until 12 midnight. But that time between like 4pm and 7pm I'm usually doing something moving around a bit.

    On the weekends, I'm usually up around 9am and go to bed around midnight. During the day, I typically do whatever around the house, or run errands, grocery shopping, etc. Again, nothing strenuous, but still moving around. Then, probably sitting for at least 4 hrs at night.
    At the present time, I am not doing any exercise though.

    I'd say your daily routine is already covered by the base level assumed sedentary level of 1.25 x BMR.

    This is what the spreadsheet says for sedentary level:
    "Sedentary is base activity that is built on, which already includes weekly - 40 hr work sitting, 56 hr sleeping, 65 hr sitting/standing, 7 hr slow walking"

    Only thing to add, probably under exercise, is if you mow the lawn, if really doing no other exercise.
  • michelegreen99
    michelegreen99 Posts: 28 Member
    SO glad someone reposted this link today! I read it when I first joined and then forgot to "bump" it.

    Thank you for taking the time to share all of the knowledge you have gathered!
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    Bump
  • Evotchka
    Evotchka Posts: 144 Member
    Perfect!! Just what I was looking for! Thanks a million for this post.

    One remark about eating back exercise calories. I am following the TDEE -20 method which brings me around 1600 cals per day with a moderately active lifestyle (working out 3-5 times a week). Now I like logging my workouts on here because I can track them and I can feel proud that I did them. I am not eating back my workout calories since they are already in the calculation. But I didn't like how I had to be careful about eating my calories on a day where I worked out because the front page of MFP wouldn't show my actual remaining calories, but my remaining calories plus my burned calories. So now I set my MFP calorie settings to about 1300 calories (approx. 300 cals less than I am "allowed" to eat, which is around what I burn when working out) and I eat my calories back completely on workout days and I don't freak out if I go over on non-workout days. That's just a personal preference but it has worked well for me :drinker:
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    I drive to work and start at 8:30 am. I sit at my desk pretty much all day, and leave usually around 3:30 pm to drive home.
    When I get home, I do some stuff around the house -nothing strenuous, cook dinner, etc. Then I'm usually on the couch from about 7:30 pm until 12 midnight. But that time between like 4pm and 7pm I'm usually doing something moving around a bit.

    On the weekends, I'm usually up around 9am and go to bed around midnight. During the day, I typically do whatever around the house, or run errands, grocery shopping, etc. Again, nothing strenuous, but still moving around. Then, probably sitting for at least 4 hrs at night.
    At the present time, I am not doing any exercise though.

    I'd say your daily routine is already covered by the base level assumed sedentary level of 1.25 x BMR.

    This is what the spreadsheet says for sedentary level:
    "Sedentary is base activity that is built on, which already includes weekly - 40 hr work sitting, 56 hr sleeping, 65 hr sitting/standing, 7 hr slow walking"

    Only thing to add, probably under exercise, is if you mow the lawn, if really doing no other exercise.
    Thanks, I didn't see that note about sedentary at first.. I was hoping I could bump it up a bit, but I'm happy eating where I'm at now anyway :)
  • kateauch
    kateauch Posts: 195 Member
    bump for later
  • accedere
    accedere Posts: 4
    Going to use this, as of now! Thank youuuuu vey much
  • keiko
    keiko Posts: 2,919 Member
    :happy: saving!