Beginning My Cut Next Week: Questions
abrnchood
Posts: 29 Member
Hi again,
I have been doing a reset for the past 8 weeks and think I am ready to begin my cut. I just want to make sure I am heading in the right direction with things based on what I have learned here and at the EMTWL site.
Basic stats: 48 yo female, 65 inches, 155 pounds (put on 8 pounds during reset).
Exercise during reset: weight lifting, 45 -60 minute heavy lifting sessions three days a week. Walk most days, light on lifting days, 3-5 mile walks on non-lifting days.
Current calorie stats, moderate activity, using scooby
BMR :1403
TDEE: 2175
10% cut: 1957
15% cut: 1848
I also have been using a FitBit which, I know, does not calculate weight lifting activities. However, on non-lifting days it seems to fairly accurately reflect the Scooby calculator.
Here are my questions:
Do I set my calorie intake in MFP to 1950, if I take the 10% cut?
If I set my calorie intake in MFP to the cut specified in Scooby and I have a day that exceeds my cut by a few hundred calories (say, I walk and lift and I can see I am really burning more than my TDEE) do I eat the extra? If I don't, what happens (long term)?
How long would you give to assess whether it is working or not? I feel ready to go to cut but, if I find after a few weeks that my measurements stay the same, would that be a time to reassess TDEE and either go back to reset for a bit longer or just try upping my calories a little?
Sorry for the long post and questions, but I would like to approach this, as much as possible, in the healthiest and most accurate way possible. While I grew to enjoy the reset (food!) I also want my renourishment to be worth the effort for the cut!
Thank you.
I have been doing a reset for the past 8 weeks and think I am ready to begin my cut. I just want to make sure I am heading in the right direction with things based on what I have learned here and at the EMTWL site.
Basic stats: 48 yo female, 65 inches, 155 pounds (put on 8 pounds during reset).
Exercise during reset: weight lifting, 45 -60 minute heavy lifting sessions three days a week. Walk most days, light on lifting days, 3-5 mile walks on non-lifting days.
Current calorie stats, moderate activity, using scooby
BMR :1403
TDEE: 2175
10% cut: 1957
15% cut: 1848
I also have been using a FitBit which, I know, does not calculate weight lifting activities. However, on non-lifting days it seems to fairly accurately reflect the Scooby calculator.
Here are my questions:
Do I set my calorie intake in MFP to 1950, if I take the 10% cut?
If I set my calorie intake in MFP to the cut specified in Scooby and I have a day that exceeds my cut by a few hundred calories (say, I walk and lift and I can see I am really burning more than my TDEE) do I eat the extra? If I don't, what happens (long term)?
How long would you give to assess whether it is working or not? I feel ready to go to cut but, if I find after a few weeks that my measurements stay the same, would that be a time to reassess TDEE and either go back to reset for a bit longer or just try upping my calories a little?
Sorry for the long post and questions, but I would like to approach this, as much as possible, in the healthiest and most accurate way possible. While I grew to enjoy the reset (food!) I also want my renourishment to be worth the effort for the cut!
Thank you.
0
Replies
-
I just finished the first week of my cut after an 8 week reset (gained 7.5 pounds). Our exercise routines are similar. I also have a fitbit, but it is not synced to MFP account. This past week I had calorie deficits as low as 200 one day and 500 the next day. It averaged out to a weekly deficit of 3846 calories. I am trying not to stress about the numbers too much. As Anitra says, stress is not a friend of weight loss. Just relax and give it time.
I am sure someone with more knowledge will come along and answer your other questions.
Congratulations on completing your reset! You have done something wonderful for your body.0 -
I am thinking of unsyncing my FitBit to MFP...I just get confused between the numbers. Do you find it helpful like that? It seems like I could just use MFP to log my calories and workouts (but just give one calorie for the workout burn result) and use the FB to see calories burned.0
-
I am thinking of unsyncing my FitBit to MFP...I just get confused between the numbers. Do you find it helpful like that? It seems like I could just use MFP to log my calories and workouts (but just give one calorie for the workout burn result) and use the FB to see calories burned.
This is how I do it....^^ I have a BodyMedia Fit, but use it to gather TDEE info only. Every month or so, I run a 30 day report and figure out my average TDEE. I don't pay any attention to burns for any individual exercise burns. I don't like getting overly wrapped up and stressed over the numbers (or I become obsessed :-) I record my exercise on MFP and just change the calories burned to 1 so that it does not change my daily goals.
Sounds like you are on the right track in terms of how to proceed with the cut. Starting off with that 10% cut is perfect. Personally, I would just start with that 10% and if you do have a higher burn day that will just create a little more of a deficit. As long as it averages out (between 10 and 15%) over the week (or month), it's all good! And so true, stress is not our friend with regards to weight loss, so just relax and enjoy the process.
Personally, I just have to keep tweeking my numbers. Currently I am cutting in preparation to do a 3 month bulk over the winter. Since the weather has been so nice, and we have been doing tons of hiking, I am just eating at the same level (2,200ish), but since my TDEE burns are now higher (like 2,400 to 2,500/day) I have created my deficit that way. Instead of eating less, I am just burning more.
Once the weather turns cold and snowy, I will start my bulk. I hope to continue to eat at the same level (2,200) but the decrease in outdoor activities should reduce my TDEE resulting in no deficit. I will try to do some cardio a few times a week as the weather allows, but will concentrate on lifting (repeating STS).
Sounds like your head is in a great place and you are all prepared with a plan!0 -
Quick follow up: I got a surprise in my weekly weigh in yesterday of another increase of a pound. After being stable for a few weeks, I was a little surprised by this! My measurements are shifting around a bit, some down, some up.
Question: should I stay at TDEE for another week or so versus starting the cut? I looked at my eating over the last week and actually found that I was ending up a little under my TDEE most days, not by intention, it just happened. I usually find there are one or two things I forget to log, so I always look at my total and add a 100 or two. But I am wondering if there was some underrating, even slightly, if that would have an effect. I feel like my head is in a good place with the eating, I have gone through the phases that have been talked about, but not sure if 8 weeks was enough if I am up a pound. NOT that I want to weigh in next week and see another pound up?
Also: I unsynced my FitBit from MFP. Much, much easier for my brain to work with the two separate figures than putting them together. Thanks AnitraSoto and GoGoGadgetMum for the tips--that really helped me out.0 -
So helpful to me....I was wondering about the working out hard, if I actually needed to add that in to the cut amount and you just explained it perfectly, no need to, it creates the deficit!I am thinking of unsyncing my FitBit to MFP...I just get confused between the numbers. Do you find it helpful like that? It seems like I could just use MFP to log my calories and workouts (but just give one calorie for the workout burn result) and use the FB to see calories burned.
This is how I do it....^^ I have a BodyMedia Fit, but use it to gather TDEE info only. Every month or so, I run a 30 day report and figure out my average TDEE. I don't pay any attention to burns for any individual exercise burns. I don't like getting overly wrapped up and stressed over the numbers (or I become obsessed :-) I record my exercise on MFP and just change the calories burned to 1 so that it does not change my daily goals.
Sounds like you are on the right track in terms of how to proceed with the cut. Starting off with that 10% cut is perfect. Personally, I would just start with that 10% and if you do have a higher burn day that will just create a little more of a deficit. As long as it averages out (between 10 and 15%) over the week (or month), it's all good! And so true, stress is not our friend with regards to weight loss, so just relax and enjoy the process.
Personally, I just have to keep tweeking my numbers. Currently I am cutting in preparation to do a 3 month bulk over the winter. Since the weather has been so nice, and we have been doing tons of hiking, I am just eating at the same level (2,200ish), but since my TDEE burns are now higher (like 2,400 to 2,500/day) I have created my deficit that way. Instead of eating less, I am just burning more.
Once the weather turns cold and snowy, I will start my bulk. I hope to continue to eat at the same level (2,200) but the decrease in outdoor activities should reduce my TDEE resulting in no deficit. I will try to do some cardio a few times a week as the weather allows, but will concentrate on lifting (repeating STS).
Sounds like your head is in a great place and you are all prepared with a plan!0 -
I did a 12 week, with some mishaps on the TDEE my last 4 weeks (causing an un needed 15lb gain), so I am week 2 in my TDEE cut (meaning cut back to REAL TDEE for 2 weeks), heading into a 200 cal cut next week. I am also wondering, should I gain do I go back to TDEE or lower/raise cals......will be watching this post
Quick follow up: I got a surprise in my weekly weigh in yesterday of another increase of a pound. After being stable for a few weeks, I was a little surprised by this! My measurements are shifting around a bit, some down, some up.
Question: should I stay at TDEE for another week or so versus starting the cut? I looked at my eating over the last week and actually found that I was ending up a little under my TDEE most days, not by intention, it just happened. I usually find there are one or two things I forget to log, so I always look at my total and add a 100 or two. But I am wondering if there was some underrating, even slightly, if that would have an effect. I feel like my head is in a good place with the eating, I have gone through the phases that have been talked about, but not sure if 8 weeks was enough if I am up a pound. NOT that I want to weigh in next week and see another pound up?
Also: I unsynced my FitBit from MFP. Much, much easier for my brain to work with the two separate figures than putting them together. Thanks AnitraSoto and GoGoGadgetMum for the tips--that really helped me out.0
