Add 100 calories to your daily calorie allowance, eat that way one week, then add another 100 for a week, etc.
Pretty sure that's what heybales was saying.

Thanks.. I had already started moving towards TDEE-20% a few weeks back so was targeting about 2500 the last few weeks, but was still seeing rather light results. So thought that maybe a reset and realistic long term workout schedule was in order. So I think by the time we leave I should be targeting about 3000 calories per day and then just enjoy the vacation. I am not going to go to the places we are going and worry about what about what I eat. If I gain some that is OK. That was the plan all along after all. Not to mention one of the buildup of cardio was for endurance to be able to walk around all day (not that my kids wont complain still).

I've been working on a reset for about 4 weeks...or so I thought. I can't get MFP and bodymedia to sync up, so often times MFP says I burned 100-200 calories less than my BMF did. Because I use MFP to log, I often don't see that I ate 150-200 calories less than my TDEE until the next day. I'm eating more now than ever, I think my BMF said my average is like 2500 calories/day (I was eating 1500 in March/April).

So my question is, is this a problem? Is this really a reset if I'm still eating at a deficit, albeit small? I wouldn't be that concerned if it weren't for the fact that 5/7 days it seems like I'm at more than a 100 calorie deficit. Any tips on how to get the two programs to sync up? I'm looking forward to going on a cut because I really want to go back to making progress losing weight. I actually don't mind eating this much food, although it can be difficult eating a very healthy 2500-3000 calories/day and hitting macros. What I'd really like to hear is that I only have 8 weeks left to my reset, but I'm in this for the long haul so I want to do what's right.

100 cal is within the range of error anyway, when you think you are hitting right.
Now, couple that with potential of BMF underestimating anyway, the both lower may be bad combo.

But if deficit was really so minor and not causing stress, some loss should be showing up.
If it's because your body really needed the reset, just means it may take longer.

As to why not syncing, I'd check the BMF forums for suggestions.

What do you mean by "not causing stress"? How will I know when I'm done with the reset? I figured I would just try to eat as close to my TDEE as possible for at 8-12 weeks and that would be it. I haven't lost any weight since starting the reset. I've gained about 4 lbs, which I'm not happy about but I am dealing with it.

A diet is a stress to the body, as is lack of sleep, slight food allergy, frequent intense exercise, daily life, ect.
Too much stress for your system, and messed up hormones and adaptive metabolism will fight fat and weight loss.

So my point was if eating that close to what you think is TDEE, there should already be a deficit in place and you should be losing weight or inches over a 2 wk time frame.

If not, your metabolism is likely still suppressed, so of course you don't lose weight, and don't gain any either except the initial water weight gain.

But you take a deficit eventually from an already suppressed metabolism because it's stressed, and you may get a deficit for a little while, but not for long.

So say you estimated your TDEE to be 2000 to be on the safe side, but it really could be 2400 in reality.
You keep eating more getting up to that 2000 level from 1200 or 1400 or 1600 where you also were not losing weight, nor gaining.
So why is 2000 any different than 1200 at that point? Is it really potential TDEE? Was 1200 the real potential TDEE, even though you didn't gain or lose at that point?

How do you confirm?

Eat 250 more calories daily for 2 weeks without changing exercise routine (that adds water weight) but using whatever you will normally plan on doing.
You should slowly gain 1 lb of weight over that 2 weeks.

Fast water weight gain means glucose stores topped off. Now why would the top off if already eating at TDEE? Because you really were not.

So if you have fast gain, skip that week because you weren't at TDEE. Now spend 2 weeks again eating at 250 more, and should see no gain. If you see 1 lb only slowly, you are indeed 250 over true TDEE.
If you see 1/2 lb, you are 125 over true TDEE for that activity routine.

"So my point was if eating that close to what you think is TDEE, there should already be a deficit in place and you should be losing weight or inches over a 2 wk time frame."

I think I understand everything you're saying, except for that ^. If I'm eating close to or at TDEE, why should there be deficit already in place? Isn't the point of eating TDEE closing the gap between calories consumed and calories burned? Sorry, I'm just confused by what you said.

For everything else, if I'm understanding you correctly, I should add 250 calories per day and weigh myself every day or at least weekly to see how quickly or if I'm gaining weight if at all, and increase my calories on week to week basis until I find that I gain 1 lb per week. At that point, I should reduce my calories back by 250 and eat at that level for 8 weeks? Does it matter if I eat a different amount of calories every day?

Well, you pointed out initially you hadn't reached TDEE eating level and thought just a little below, but if really below, you'd lose weight, slowly, but you would. So I'm betting you are farther away from TDEE then you think.

Only weigh on valid weigh in days - morning after rest day eating normal sodium levels and not sore from last lifting workout.
You can weigh other days, but it doesn't count except for perhaps noticing a 2 lb gain was overnight and then stuck with you.
So just note which weigh-ins are valid.

Oh, and you add 250 calories daily for 2 weeks to gain 1 lb. Yes, that's how slow it would be if truly in excess.

If that 4 lb gain was rather fast, it was water weight, carb refill mostly. If really suppressed TDEE, then eating in excess while lifting caused some great gain there too, perhaps some fat if it was not fast.

But I'm betting you are far enough under body is still stressed out, hasn't raised metabolism fully, and therefore no deficit really in place, despite what the numbers say.

Do you feel like you have energy outside your workouts? Making improvements in them still?

Good, that sounds much more positive. I'd still test the upper reaches once you hit an exercise routine you are likely to keep, so very useful having a tested TDEE value that can adjust downward with BMR going down.

Hi,

first of all - I apologize for my English - just learning:) I read almost whole thread. I hope I get it:). I will eat my TDEE for cca 8 weeks. Working out like always. I will be carefull to won´t go under my BMR.
BMR - 1644
TDEE - 2260 (1-3 hours of week)
TDEE - 2548 (3-5 hours of week)
But I still have to question. If someone will have a time to answer it would be great:)
1. Can I start with less excercise and eat TDEE - 2260 and then when I will increase time of excersice I will increase also TDEE - 2548? Or still eating 2260 cal, and if my NET calories will be under my BMR (let say aroun 200 cal under) I will just eat those 200 cal?
2. How I will know that my reset was succesfull and I can cut my calories? long plateau, no gain, no loss? If I will still losing while reseting should I up my calories?

thank you for reading:)

p.s.: as everyone who started reseting I am so scared.

[/quote]

1 - So if this is during reset, you want to be eating your avg TDEE, so if exercise increases, you increase TDEE, you eat to higher number. During reset you should never have to worry about going under BMR. Probably rarely while in a cut too.
2 - No gain. No loss is bad indicator, because if your metabolism is suppressed, you may not lose at that eating level. And you may not lose when you lower it either.

Ultimate confirmation is at 6 weeks, for last 2 weeks to reach 8 weeks, eat 250 more calories daily. If that is truly over your real TDEE, you would gain exactly 1 lb. Only. Slowly, not fast water weight.
If you don't increase, you weren't really eating at TDEE that whole 6 weeks. And if not losing eating below TDEE by 250 calories, then your system must still be stressed, and likely that 250 more isn't even enough.
So increase again for another 2 weeks.
[/quote]

Thank you so much:) I am going to start my reset tomorrow:) really thank you:flowerforyou:

I started eating at my sedentary TDEE last Friday (a week ago) which is I believe 1850. I also started NROLFW last Friday. Tomorrow will be my first week of 3 days of lifting approx. 25-30 minutes each time.

I had been doing VLCD off and on for the last 2 years. Keep gaining 20 back, so I see the sense in this program. Wish I had seen it last summer when I ws 20lbs lighter and excercising more.

I feel awfully "fluffy" bloated, I have moments throughout the day where I am hungry, but by evening I feel plump and I have only weighed 1 time this week to confirm I did go up in a week from 183 to 188 (coming off a VLCD with no dairy/carb)

I am not sure when to weigh again, if I am working out MWF then the recovery days I may show water retention.

I know at some point I will have to increase TDEE. I picked sedentary since I have an office job and the new rules is only taking the 25-30 minutes 3 times a week. So I really feel I am still at sedentary to base the TDEE on.

How many hours would I need to be to go to the next level of moderate- 3hours a week? seems like thats a long way off and this reset will take forever before I get to cut. I figured I would probably have to do the rest for 8-12 weeks.

Maybe someone could shed some light on these things. THank you