Finding your TDEE can often be lots of trial and error. The on-line calculators can give you an estimate and get you in the ballpark, but you just have to keep adjusting the numbers until you find your sweet spot.

When you initially up your calories, your weight will often fluctuate for several weeks, then eventually stabilize. At that point, you can either go to your 10- 15% cut, or try to push it higher and go up another 100 calories or so and see what happens. Again, you may have some fluctuations followed by stabilization. If your weight climbs slowly, and continues to climb without stabilizing, chances are, you have over-shot your TDEE...

Remember that your TDEE number is not a constant... It will change based on activity, weight, body composition...etc. I know that in my case, I thought I had found my TDEE (2,300) as I maintained there easily for several months. At one point, I reduced my cardio as I got more into weight lifting and started a new program (STS). Apparently this lowered my TDEE (actually, I *know* it did, because I have a BodyMedia Fit, and ran a report...) as I started to feel more "fluffy". I then dropped my calories by 100 to 2,200 and now the "fluffiness" has disappeared. You just have to pay attention to the signals your body sends you...

Sounds like you are off on the right foot! Just work your way up to what you have calculated to be your TDEE and stay there for 8 - 12 weeks while your body adjust and acclimates. As long as you don't continually gain through the whole process, you are most likely at or under your TDEE. If your weight fluctuates and then finally stabilizes, you are on the right track.

You are going to do great. Combine this with some weight lifting, and you will love the way to start to look and feel!