TDEE 4339?! Wat?!
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joshualandin
Posts: 20
I am 6'1, 287lbs and I exercise every day. Even with an aggressive 30% reduction, I am suppose to be eating over 3000 calories to lose weight?! My doctor says I am morbidly obese and muscle is as bad as fat when it comes to the BMI (I don't think I am THAT fat). He says I should be eating 1400 calories a day. I am getting a bit confused about who to listen to!
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Did your doctor criticize BMI as a measure because it doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat, or did he really state that "muscle is as bad as fat?"
I seriously suspect the former, but if he actually did say the latter, I personally would find a new doctor.
What are your health issues? What else is going on? What type of activity level did you use for 4339 and which calculator? What are your daily activities? Is that an old picture?0 -
Did your doctor criticize BMI as a measure because it doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat, or did he really state that "muscle is as bad as fat?"
I seriously suspect the former, but if he actually did say the latter, I personally would find a new doctor.
What are your health issues? What else is going on? What type of activity level did you use for 4339 and which calculator? What are your daily activities? Is that an old picture?
^^^^ Dr.Beach is in0 -
Well your TDEE is somewhere in the neighborhood of 3500 calories per day.
So what's 75% of that? 2600 calories plus or minus?
That sound like a pretty reasonable number to begin eating better.
1400 is really aggressive.
if you ate 2600 calories a day and did 1000 calories worth of exercising that would get you down to a net of around 1600 calories.
Once again. Pretty aggressive. But people have done it.0 -
I'm 24 years old, 338lbs and 5'11. my TDEE is 3500 and thats a drastic cut. I've been doing 1,500 a day. I've been doing it for a week so I cant really give results yet.0
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I'm 24 years old, 338lbs and 5'11. my TDEE is 3500 and thats a drastic cut. I've been doing 1,500 a day. I've been doing it for a week so I cant really give results yet.
Feel free to add me if you like to watch the results.0 -
Well your TDEE is somewhere in the neighborhood of 3500 calories per day.
So what's 75% of that? 2600 calories plus or minus?
That sound like a pretty reasonable number to begin eating better.
1400 is really aggressive.
if you ate 2600 calories a day and did 1000 calories worth of exercising that would get you down to a net of around 1600 calories.
Once again. Pretty aggressive. But people have done it.
No. TDEE already accounts for exercise, so you don't decrease the "net" by exercising.
OP: If the profile pic is you, I would say you have a fair amount of muscle which makes BMI questionable. BF% would be a better measure.
Can you ask your doctor for a referral to a dietician? Would probably be a good idea, since dietitians specialize in helping patience find the right kind of diet.
But my first instinct is that starting at something like 2600 calories would be helpful … it would give you an idea of where you need to go from there. (If you're new to a workout program, especially lifting, give it a month at least, as the first few weeks can be thrown off by muscles retaining water). If you're losing well, then stick with 2600. If you aren't, consider changing the calories. 0 -
No. TDEE already accounts for exercise, so you don't decrease the "net" by exercising.
Just because TDEE accounts for exercise doesn't mean that TDEE is the bottom limit for calorie deficit. It also doesn't mean that he can't up his exercise level.
There's room here to eat less and exercise more I think.0 -
Ya, this is a current picture. I work agriculture, so I am pretty active, but I carry some belly fat that will not go away. I used the TDEE with heavy exercise (7 days a week, one hour a day, strength 3 days and light cardio 4 days). When I am not harvesting, I am in school so I am less active during the day than normal.
My health issues are mostly fatigue, nausea, and stomach issues. We are testing for gluten allergies and he did a blood test for glucose, thyroid, iron, and cholesterol , which came out normal.
Right now I am eating 1800 calories a day (up from 1400 because I thought that was ridiculously low).
As for the doctor and the BMI, when he said I was morbidly obese I told him I thought muscle was ok if I was over. He said the body (heart) does not care if the weight is muscle or fat, it is unhealthily. He said I should be well under 200lbs!
Last time I was under 200lbs, I was 12 years old!0 -
Ya, this is a current picture.
As for the doctor and the BMI, when he said I was morbidly obese I told him I thought muscle was ok if I was over. He said the body (heart) does not care if the weight is muscle or fat, it is unhealthily. He said I should be well under 200lbs!
Have you thought of getting a new doctor?
You're not obese.
In other words, you might want a second opinion.0 -
Ya, this is a current picture. I work agriculture, so I am pretty active, but I carry some belly fat that will not go away. I used the TDEE with heavy exercise (7 days a week, one hour a day, strength 3 days and light cardio 4 days). When I am not harvesting, I am in school so I am less active during the day than normal.
My health issues are mostly fatigue, nausea, and stomach issues. We are testing for gluten allergies and he did a blood test for glucose, thyroid, iron, and cholesterol , which came out normal.
Right now I am eating 1800 calories a day (up from 1400 because I thought that was ridiculously low).
As for the doctor and the BMI, when he said I was morbidly obese I told him I thought muscle was ok if I was over. He said the body (heart) does not care if the weight is muscle or fat, it is unhealthily. He said I should be well under 200lbs!
Last time I was under 200lbs, I was 12 years old!
If it was me, I'd be getting a second opinion. I checked your stats using the scooby calculator and you should be able to lose weight at 3000. Your BMI is likely somewhere around 2500.0 -
Technically, you're obese if your BMI exceeds 30. By the chart, you're actually borderline "extremely obese". But due to difference in frame size, etc. you need to get a bodyfat analysis to arrive at a proper weight for your frame size, which BMI does not account for.
At 6'1" height, you are indeed likely overweight by 40-50 lbs or so. Schwarzenegger is 6' 2" and I believe his contest weight was 230-240.
If your doc is telling you to shed muscle, get a new doc. A 1400 calories a day regimen will likely cause you to drop a lot of muscle , especially if you are doing physical labor. You would probably look really good at 240 if you maintain your muscle, but if you go ultra low cal and drop muscle you'll have to get to 210 to get the same effect.0 -
I lost weight at 2100 calories daily and I'm a 5'7" woman. I'd definitely consider a second opinion... or invest in a DEXA scan to get a highly accurate picture of your body fat percentage and distribution.0
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Thanks for the feedback, I think I would be happy at 240 and would really like to keep as much muscle as I can.
I will make an appointment with a nutritionist and try to get a more accurate measure of bf%.
It really brought me down after listening to that doctor and it is nice to have some positive feedback! Thanks again!0 -
please get a second opinion! muscle is not bad for you.0
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noo. you are still eating too small for your exercise level. you should be eating over 2000 or your body can't even keep up with you job.BMI doesn't take into account lots of factors so it not accourate. In your case only a body fat test can tell you how much you should lose. However you don't seem obese just overweight and not even that much!
Once you get all your tests just go somewhere else and get another opinion! you know it is ridicoulus what he told you! muscles helps you to burn more calories and go through a day like yours! if you lose muscles your job will be more demanding and you will find it hard to keep up. Best of Luck0 -
No. TDEE already accounts for exercise, so you don't decrease the "net" by exercising.
Just because TDEE accounts for exercise doesn't mean that TDEE is the bottom limit for calorie deficit. It also doesn't mean that he can't up his exercise level.
There's room here to eat less and exercise more I think.
I didn't say there wasn't. But calling his net after exercise 1600 is misleading when he's using TDEE … that's all I meant.
Sorry it wasn't clear. I should have just kept the part I was contradicting, or bolded it. I did agree that 2600 is a good place to start, and he can work from there.0 -
Ya, this is a current picture.
As for the doctor and the BMI, when he said I was morbidly obese I told him I thought muscle was ok if I was over. He said the body (heart) does not care if the weight is muscle or fat, it is unhealthily. He said I should be well under 200lbs!
Have you thought of getting a new doctor?
You're not obese.
In other words, you might want a second opinion.
This.
Pardon the rudeness, but it sounds like your doctor is one of the following:
- a drone, who can't see past the numbers on the first page
- a tool, who is paid to not see past the numbers on the first page
- phoning it in
- graduated from med school last in his class0 -
Thanks for the feedback, I think I would be happy at 240 and would really like to keep as much muscle as I can.
I will make an appointment with a nutritionist and try to get a more accurate measure of bf%.
It really brought me down after listening to that doctor and it is nice to have some positive feedback! Thanks again!
Um....positive feedback from this corner. I think you're on the right track with this post and I don't believe you have that far to go. Looking forward to hearing how things turn out.0 -
I think you should trust yourself on this and not go on such an aggressive cut. It's great that you have so much muscle and you are so active. You just need to lose a little fat (like you said), but you shouldn't be trying to lose your muscle and you obviously need all your muscle for everything you do. I am extremely a lot smaller than you, and even I would not eat such a small amount because I would have no energy. I can't even imagine how you could do what you do and eat that small amount. It's good that you asked for advice on this.0
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BMI can be a helpful general indicator for obesity, but, like anything it's not universally applicable. It has some serious shortcomings when used for individuals with anything other than "average" frames and builds.
Hope the link attached will explain the applicability of BMI...but just keep in mind that NFL and rugby players are considered "obese" by BMI standards, so you're in great company!
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/publications/nutritioninsights/insight16.pdf0
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