If you raised your caloric intake for TDEE did it help?

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Hi everyone,

My weight loss has pretty much stalled the last three weeks so I decided to start eating at TDEE -15% since I'm eight pounds away from my goal. I should be eating about 1725 calories a day with that but I have been eating about 1500. Should I go up gradually or just go right up to 1700? Going up in calories is really scary for me but eating 1200 calories didn't help and now I'm stuck again at 1500 calories. Thank you!

Replies

  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
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    Bump to see answers.
  • DVaughan1975
    DVaughan1975 Posts: 158 Member
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    Bump.
  • arains89
    arains89 Posts: 442 Member
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    I was on 1200 cals (eating back my exercise cals as well) and stalled for close to two months. I just upped my cals to TDEE-20% at a sedentary level which is 1450 and will still eat back exercise cals. I added in the full 250 extra at once. I think this is gradual enough as I am 18 pounds away from goal. When I get even closer I may have to add again and then add at maintenance. But that's just my opinion and idk if I am seeing results yet I will weigh myself again next week. Good luck!
  • ajcmoran2005
    ajcmoran2005 Posts: 173 Member
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    Thank you for your response! Any others?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    I dropped my calorie intake to 1200-1400/day while exercising every day and stalled for two months. Raised it to 1500 and started losing again. Raised it again to 1700 and kept losing. Now I'm eating 1800-1900 a day and working out 5 days a week to lose.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    If done correctly, both methods should have you eating the same amount of calories. The MFP approach has you eat a smaller base number of cals + any exercise cals (so something like 1500 base cals + 300 exercise cals), while the TDEE method has you eating the same cals daily regardless of exercise (a flat 1800 cals per day).

    So in that regard, it doesn't matter as your overall intake shouldn't be changing much.

    If it is changing, I suggest increasing 100 cals per week until you get where you want to be.
  • pmur
    pmur Posts: 223 Member
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    I did the 1200 + exercise cals and was stuck in a plateau for three months. I have only 10lbs to go. I decided to give TDEE-10% a try and at 1770 cals per day I've started losing again in the past couple of weeks! Give it a try.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I've had my best success eating at TDEE minus 15-20%. Dropped the last 10lbs and lots of fat and inches.
  • melissadsims
    melissadsims Posts: 59 Member
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    So I'm at the point where my weightloss stalled and am going to do my TDEE (2247) -20% which is 1797 calories.

    Do I eat back the calories I burn in my work out?

    And this is a big increase in calories for me in general, so how do I up my caloric intake? With what kinds of foods? I try and eat clean. I could use more veggies as a whole probably. (Today was an odd day because of a work conference) but doi increase the percentage of all categories? (Carbs, fats, veggies, fruit, protein) or just certain ones?

    Also- I'm nowhere near my weight goal (don't even know if its feasible for me and my body shape) but I've lost inches and gained muscle. I'm much stronger than before and workouts are tough but sooooo good. Will I ever lose on the scale or just in inches?
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    Hi everyone,

    My weight loss has pretty much stalled the last three weeks so I decided to start eating at TDEE -15% since I'm eight pounds away from my goal. I should be eating about 1725 calories a day with that but I have been eating about 1500. Should I go up gradually or just go right up to 1700? Going up in calories is really scary for me but eating 1200 calories didn't help and now I'm stuck again at 1500 calories. Thank you!

    My opinion (not asked for): With less than 10 pounds to go, your deficit should probably be only 10%. It goes away slowly in the last 10...

    As for your question, When I increased calories, I did it all at once, but stayed off the scale for 6 weeks. It worked like a charm.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    So I'm at the point where my weightloss stalled and am going to do my TDEE (2247) -20% which is 1797 calories.

    Do I eat back the calories I burn in my work out?

    And this is a big increase in calories for me in general, so how do I up my caloric intake? With what kinds of foods? I try and eat clean. I could use more veggies as a whole probably. (Today was an odd day because of a work conference) but doi increase the percentage of all categories? (Carbs, fats, veggies, fruit, protein) or just certain ones?

    Also- I'm nowhere near my weight goal (don't even know if its feasible for me and my body shape) but I've lost inches and gained muscle. I'm much stronger than before and workouts are tough but sooooo good. Will I ever lose on the scale or just in inches?

    here's my two cents: if you can deal with the scale potentially climbing while your body adjusts, then do it all at once (or stay off the scale for 4-6 weeks like I did). If you can't do either of those things, then increase by 100 calories every couple of days until you get to your target. As for what to add to your diet? Anything you want.

    I am of the mind that I will not make any change during the losing phase that I will not do forever (maintenance). So, I eat whatever I like in moderation, keep my protein levels high (30% on average = 150 grams per day) and let the rest fall where it may.
  • stagingfirstplace
    stagingfirstplace Posts: 49 Member
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    i think that increasing the calorie goal is a good idea for you. whether it be by eating back your exercise calories on top of 1500 or just eating 1700 per day. your body needs fuel to burn! as everyone else said just increase slowly. adding extra things to your current meals to keep any routine going smoothly. adding more fruit and veg cant hurt either!
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I was eating at 1500 calories for about a year or so until I stalled back in late April. My TDEE-15% is around 1800 calories, so I decided to bump my intake to that. On last Saturday, I weighed in at 5 pounds less than I did in April right before upping my calories. Basically, I've been steadily losing about 1/2 pound since increasing my calories. Of course, I don't weigh in all the time. Once a week is my max. And all through May, I only weighed in once. So as far as how much I lost week to week, I have no real idea. But, overall, the weight has gone down, my body fat has gone down, and I am able to wear size 4 (US) clothes now whereas back in April, a size 6 was tight on me.

    I bumped my calories up all at once. I didn't do it gradually since I only had 300 calories to add. That was my choice, though. Most people recommend slowly adding because most other people will cry if the scale goes up since they weigh in daily or weekly. I am not scale obsessed and I wanted to start eating properly right *now* so that's just what I did. I couldn't be happier about that decision, and since I have added an extra workout day (I do 6 days a week now instead of 5) I have been considering increasing calories again. But I plan on waiting until the 1800 calories doesn't work anymore, because I don't try to fix what isn't broke.
  • melissadsims
    melissadsims Posts: 59 Member
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    Thanks! I'm also trying got make this a lifestyle change and not a one time thing so trying to make long term choices.
    It's all just so confusing! 1700 seems like soooo many where I would feel like I'd have to eat crap to get that high! But I will try to get the calories that high with healthy options. Bread and baked goods are my weakness!

    Also what is your favorite cardio? And how many calories on average is good to burn a day? (I do 30 mins of cardio 5x a week and 30 mins or a bit more of strength training 5x a week and occasionally add a 6th day)
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    Thanks! I'm also trying got make this a lifestyle change and not a one time thing so trying to make long term choices.
    It's all just so confusing! 1700 seems like soooo many where I would feel like I'd have to eat crap to get that high! But I will try to get the calories that high with healthy options. Bread and baked goods are my weakness!

    Also what is your favorite cardio? And how many calories on average is good to burn a day? (I do 30 mins of cardio 5x a week and 30 mins or a bit more of strength training 5x a week and occasionally add a 6th day)

    It's easier to get those calories than you might think. :wink: Slightly larger portions of meat...a little extra cheese...a tablespoon of peanut butter... :flowerforyou:

    I do 4 days of weight lifting each week which lasts about 45-60 minutes per day. I also do 2 days of cardio. My favorite cardio is kickboxing, but if I have to go to the gym for cardio I get on the step mill because I detest the elliptical (boring is too nice a word, lol) and if I wanted to run, I wouldn't bother with a treadmill I would go outside. I like Turbo Kick (not Turbo Jam, but the pro version of the workouts...I am an instructor for it) as well as other fast paced kickboxing workouts. I actually use to do real kickboxing, but that was when I was in college and had more time to dedicate to it (no job and all...).