What works for you?

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Wefita
Wefita Posts: 91 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Alright all you sexy people I need some constructive criticism, and advice, and opinions! Okay. So I am confused on what I should be doing for the most successful weight loss. I WILL hit my goals and I will never go back, but I am on the fence about what plan to follow, as they seem contradictive. Anyone, please feel free to give me your opinion on this matter, because I have tried both ways, and both ways have worked for me. The problem is I find it contradictive and that is unsettling for me, because I am a why and how come type of girl. I want to know the ins and outs of this healthy lifestyle. I want to continue losing 1.5-2 pounds a week. I don’t want to plateau again; I don’t have time for that!

Some of my friends eat above their BMR, some of my friends only eat 1200 calories, and some of them go off the guided MFP settings and eat back their calories. Everyone has their own opinion but I personally have NEVER ate just 1200 calories! That is just not enough for me, I don’t like to go to bed starving or feeling hunger pains. I have however; tried eating above my BMR (which was successful but then I was stuck at the same weight for a month so I cut my calories a bit, and that worked.) I also have tried the guided setting and ate back exercise calories (I do use a heart rate monitor).

This is what confuses me. Based off of my calculations my BMR is 1840. From what I have researched I should always be eating above the BMR, and NEVER under, and I should be taking my TDEE and subtracting 15% for a healthy weight loss. My TDEE is 2853 and based of the TDEE calculations I should be eating 2140 calories! In my opinion that is just way too high for me, so from what I have read, as long as I eat over my BMR then I should be good. The problem and confusion for me is when I go by the guided MFP goals, my calorie goal is only 1260 but I am supposed to eat back the calories I burn (which are usually 400-500, depending on what I am doing). This is what seems contradictive to me. If my goal is 1260 calories and I burn 400 calories that means I only get 1660 calories, which is STILL below my BMR. I came across this thread, and it seems very informative, but I don’t get how following MFP’s goals is the same as following the TDEE -15%.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/976981-welcome-to-mfp-don-t-worry-there-s-cliff-notes

Here is my question.

I am 5’7 and my starting weight was 290 I am now 236. (It took me about 6 months to lose 54 pounds). My goal is to be 165-170, depending on how I look and feel. Eeek, puttin it ALL out there! I am very active, I work out at the gym with cardio and low weights, high repetitions at least 3 days a week. I jog, walk, swim, and I am constantly changing it up, but I do keep my body moving almost every single day.

I honestly just want people’s opinion on this matter. I am genuinely confused. For the past 6 months I have been going back and forth with following MFP and the TDEE-15% rule. What do you guys do? What works for you?

I just want to be successful, and I want to lose this extra baggage the RIGHT way and I want to KEEP it off and be the best, healthiest me possible!!!

Thank you for reading :)

-Stephanie

Replies

  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    Well, I calculated my TDEE and subtracted a percentage from that. Greater than 20% as I have a lot to lose, but leaving myself enough calories per day that I don't feel deprived.

    I do not restrict ANY food, sugars, fats, processed, alcohol, etc. I consume it all. Look at my diary and you will see that it is mainly fast food (traveling). I just focus on hitting my calorie goal first, my protein goal second, and my fat goal third. Carbs fall where they may.

    I also strength train in the form of heavy weight lifting.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Well, I calculated my TDEE and subtracted a percentage from that. Greater than 20% as I have a lot to lose, but leaving myself enough calories per day that I don't feel deprived.

    I do not restrict ANY food, sugars, fats, processed, alcohol, etc. I consume it all. Look at my diary and you will see that it is mainly fast food (traveling). I just focus on hitting my calorie goal first, my protein goal second, and my fat goal third. Carbs fall where they may.

    I also strength train in the form of heavy weight lifting.

    This except I use 20% as I don't have a lot to lose.

    ETA I am 5 ft 7 as well started at 178 appx I started with a net goal of 1360 (which ended up being 1600 usually) then switched to TDEE-20% which funny enough is 1600 and sometimes go over if I am hungry.
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
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    Well, I calculated my TDEE and subtracted a percentage from that. Greater than 20% as I have a lot to lose, but leaving myself enough calories per day that I don't feel deprived.

    I agree. I'm trying to eat cleaner, but I'm FAR from being there.

    I workout in the AM, (currently doing T25) do what I can with my food. I get home and we have to get dinner ready, feed two kids, ages 4 and 6, and do all the homework, bedtime stuff. I don't do a lot of food prep like I 'should' but I've lost most of the weight, not I need to tone more. That's what has worked for me so far.

    Nancy
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    You can take a 20% deficit off of TDEE because you still have quite a bit to lose.

    A properly set TDEE -% goal should be somewhere in the same vicinity as a properly set MFP + exercise calories goal.

    The benefit of doing a TDEE-% goal is that you eat the same amount every day. With MFP + exercise you won't eat as much on days you don't exercise.
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
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    I currently use the MFP meathod and eat my calories back because I'm marathon training and I need to make sure I'm eating enough... But I do have my MFP goal set to .5 lbs per week and sedentary so that it gives me more daily calories. I think it errors on the low side. It gives me 1230 daily...

    If I were exercising at lesser rate with more consistent daily burns I might be more inclined to the TDEE-% method but what I don't understand about that is how it configures exercise. I did a test and it gave me 1950 calories for TDEE maintenance with 5 days of exercise and then it gave me 1850 for TDEE maintenance with 4 days of exercise... so I only burn 100 calories in a day of exercise?!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    but I don’t get how following MFP’s goals is the same as following the TDEE -15%.

    It's not the same...TDEE - 15% isn't a very big deficit...someone needing to lose a handful of aesthetic Lbs would do TDEE - 10-15%...for most it would be in the neighborhood of 1/2 Lb per week loss...MFP's calorie goal that you are looking at I'm sure is based on 2 Lbs per week lost...huge difference in calorie intake...you're comparing apples to oranges.

    TDEE - 20% is usually in the neighborhood of 1 Lb per week loss for most people...roughly 500 calories (give or take) deficit from TDEE.

    Really, the two methods are 6 of 1 if you're doing them right. When I did MFP my net calorie goal to lose 1 Lb per week was 1850...on average my calorie burn was 300 - 400 calories so my gross consumption was basically 2150 - 2250 calories. My TDEE is roughly 2750...so less 20% for a roughly 1 Lb per week loss gives me 2200 calories. As you can see, it's pretty much 6 of 1.
  • Wefita
    Wefita Posts: 91 Member
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    Thank you guys!!! That helps so much! I appreciate it :D
  • VeganAmandaJ
    VeganAmandaJ Posts: 234 Member
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    I have the same question and we are the same height and started at about the same weight but I'm losing a lot slower which I don't mind and been sick and haven't really lost much weight in the past month+ but still losing inches, losing that much in 6 months is actually a lot but it's awesome for you. I hope you get some more responses!
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
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    As long as you're eating at a calorie deficit, you'll lose weight.

    If you want to exercise, that's fine, but it's not the be-all-end-all for weight loss. It's for "health" or whatever, I don't know, I don't do it. :flowerforyou:

    Basically if you create any lifestyle that includes a calorie deficit, you'll lose all the weight you want to lose. You can create a super-specific plan with certain foods and lots of vigorous exercise, or you can just eat whatever and not exercise, but keep to your calorie limit. I did the latter, because I suck at adopting completely new lifestyle philosophies. :bigsmile:
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
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    Forget about the number, they can only take you so far as they are theoretical only and based on assumptions that might not be true for you. If you have found something that works in the past, go with that. Stick with it until it stops working and then make adjusments accordingly. Personal experience always trumps theory
  • Wefita
    Wefita Posts: 91 Member
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    I have the same question and we are the same height and started at about the same weight but I'm losing a lot slower which I don't mind and been sick and haven't really lost much weight in the past month+ but still losing inches, losing that much in 6 months is actually a lot but it's awesome for you. I hope you get some more responses!

    When did you start? I noticed that we are very similar in our bodies, which is really cool to compare!!! Another thing, I used to be a HUGE drinker. I drank beer, sugar mixed cocktails,and soda pretty much almost every day…That is how I packed on A LOT of weight. I was going through a rough time in my life and chose the bottle over myself. Anyway, 6 months ago I changed. I decided I had enough. So when I first started my journey I quit drinking completely for 30 days straight, which caused me to lose almost 20 lbs the first month. Since then I have been pretty consistent at about a 1 pound a week. So I know not drinking at all for 30 days really gave me that push start! I am so excited to be friends with you through this, because we are very similar in weight and height. What is your ultimate goal weight? I am starting to think 165 still may be too high. In my mind it would be awesome, because I haven’t been under 200 pounds in many many years!
  • 43932452
    43932452 Posts: 7,246 Member
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    Stephanie,
    The amount you dropped in the past year is about right. Slower is best,
    research shows those whom lose over a lengthier time generally have
    greater success in keeping it off.
    In reference to your inquiry, it depends on you .. you said you prefer not to
    be hungry. Believe me, eating lowish is hard on those of us like that.
    I found on my vacation, I let myself eat everything, mostly within reason
    but my calories did bounce higher. (guilty that I didn't log a lot of it too).
    After returning home, I not only severly cut back on my cardio, I also am
    on many days allowing myself about 1500ish per day. I watch my carbs
    often though. You know me, I have generally been a closer to 1200k per
    day but since making these changes, I lost a lot of inches and 3 additional
    pounds (besides the 6 or so added on vacation). So now I kind of cycle
    my days .. between 1200-1600 .. maybe will even take a shot at higher too!

    All this being said .. you might find eating more on some days and less on others,
    your body just might respond favorably. We get to tinker with things until
    our bodies reveal what they need to relinquish the unwanted. I think
    you have done a fabulous job …. waiting for the time/results is the hardest
    but you're getting there!! :wink:

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