TDEE - 20% Method

kimf79 · November 2013

Hi guys,

I wanted to ask you about the TDEE-20% method. Does this work well for you all?

I started off on MFP eating 1200 calories a day, and this worked for awhile. I lost 20lbs. I'm 5'2' and now weigh around 115ish last time I weighed, but my weight might have crept up a bit since then. My goal weight is 110lbs, but 1200 calories is just seeming less manageable, even when I eat exercise calories back.

I'm kind of tired of feeling like I'm messing up for eating over this amount. Therefore I think its time for a change. I calculated my TDEE at 1,985 calories, and minus 20%, my daily intake could be up to 1,588. Do you think I will still lose weight with this method?

I think also the low calories keeps me on edge, and feeling hungry and can sometimes backfire. I don't want to cause myself to feel deprived and end up eating more than I would normally to make up for feeling hungry other days. What are your experiences with this? Any words of wisdom would be great!

Thanks all!

Ian_Stuart · November 2013

I think the first couple of sections of this FAQ answer your questions exactly!
http://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/faq

SuperCrsa · November 2013

Hi! I started TDEE -20% method in August, and I am loving it!
I also did the whole 1200 calories for a couple of weeks, lost a bit but was miserable and grumpy and HUNGRY! (Never mind the fact that way more binges happened!)

Since changing to my TDEE 1850 I feel great! I can actually EAT (Gasp) and I just know that this method is something sustainable, I can easily enjoy meals while still losing weight! Feel a lot more confident about the weight loss, as well as knowing that getting into maintenance will be a lot easier

Good luck!
I love this calculator because it gives exercise in minutes not intensity.. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

kimf79 · November 2013

I think the first couple of sections of this FAQ answer your questions exactly!
http://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/faq

Thanks for the link. I read it over, and it seems to make sense. I think I will give this a try and see how it works for me!!

kimf79 · November 2013

Hi! I started TDEE -20% method in August, and I am loving it!
I also did the whole 1200 calories for a couple of weeks, lost a bit but was miserable and grumpy and HUNGRY! (Never mind the fact that way more binges happened!)

Since changing to my TDEE 1850 I feel great! I can actually EAT (Gasp) and I just know that this method is something sustainable, I can easily enjoy meals while still losing weight! Feel a lot more confident about the weight loss, as well as knowing that getting into maintenance will be a lot easier

Good luck!
I love this calculator because it gives exercise in minutes not intensity.. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Thanks for your input. It sounds great. And just to verify are you steadily losing weight this way, just at a slower pace? I did the 1200 calorie thing for awhile, probably a year. But now I can barely keep it up, I eat over most days and I'm just not feeling satisfied. And yes like you say then I feel more vulnerable to binges on the weekends etc. Its just not really a stable place to be for the long term...

I will check out that website. Thanks again

SuperCrsa · November 2013

Yes I am losing weight,
I started a weight training program around the same time as TDEE so the scale didnt show any movement (except 1kgs upwards lol) for 6 weeks, then I dropped 2,5kgs after 6 weeks, which is right on the money for a .5kg loss per week.

I have lost 7,5kgs (about 16,5 pounds) since starting TDEE in August

I have noticed that the scale is an evil little *kitten* liar too! So I have been taking measurements and progress pictures, and there I can see a massive difference!

kimf79 · November 2013

Awesome! That's some great progress. I need to start adding in some weight training too, I do mostly cardio and I would like to tone up and strengthen.

Well I'm excited to get on this new path and still be able to lose weight!

KarenJanine · November 2013

Yes TDEE works for everyone - it is fact that if you eat less than you burn you'll lose weight.

The challenge comes in finding YOUR TDEE, and the numbers do take some fine tuning. So be prepared to adjust calorie goal slightly until you find your 'sweet spot' which has you losing around 0.5 to 1lb per week.

SuperCrsa · November 2013

Good luck! I am sure you will enjoy it

I agree with above poster @KarenJanine, sometimes it does take a little bit of tweaking, I didnt do much tweaking except to change my goals once I lost more than 2kgs. But remember to track your calories accurately, use a food scale and log everything.

A general guide to the deficit percentage (as far as I know, someone if I am wrong please correct me

)

15% when 15-20 left to lose, 10% when 10-15 and 5% till goal met and then normal.

:flowerforyou: ENJOY all the foods!!

loneaffliction · November 2013

Using the TDEE method versus MFP's calculations absolutely works because it's a more accurate representation of your weight and activity levels. It is breaking it down to the simplest principle. Calories in, calories out. But TDEE - 20% is an aggressive method geared towards those losing 75 pounds or more.

As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

It will lay out how to properly set your goals using your TDEE, which for you, should be something like TDEE - 5% as you don't have much to lose. You are approaching maintenance, where you will need a certain amount of calories to maintain your desired weight (your TDEE at goal weight). You want to start decreasing your deficit and eating closer to that number to make the transition from "dieting" easier. You're not going to be cutting calories forever, right? Start working towards a calorie goal that is sustainable long term. If you eat at an extreme deficit, like 20%, and suddenly up your calories by, say 300, you'll most likely gain a few pounds back. You should probably gradually increase your calories until you reach the TDEE - 5% mark, and from there, as you reach your goal weight, you would gradually increase to your TDEE.

You can definitely afford to eat more, just be careful in how you approach this and be patient. The last few pounds are the hardest to lose. You should be focused on losing about 0.5 pound per week. Also, keep in mind that TDEE is a calculation that can be subject to error. There are different formulas for obtaining it, numbers can vary from one to the next, and it is very easy to underestimate or overestimate your calorie intake and activity level. You need to be especially accurate in your logging, weighing everything, if possible, even if it is prepackaged, because 50 or 100 calories can make a big difference when you have a smaller deficit. People tend to overestimate their activity level using TDEE, so be careful about what setting you choose. I use the "Sedentary" setting and eat back exercise calories, rather than letting the calculation determine this for me as activity can vary greatly from day to day.

Some additional reading:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it?hl=the+basics+keep+it+simple
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/841305-corn-used-my-man-parts-as-a-speedbag

Also, I would recommend reading anything provided by this group:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

ETA: When I calculated your TDEE, I didn't get anywhere near 1900 calories. Unless you're exercising a great deal, it should probably be lower than that. Even exercising five days a week, I got in the neighborhood of 1700-1800 calories. Be very careful about estimating your activity level. You may want to choose a lower setting to start and adjust as necessary.

ETAA: I love cardio, but weight training, it is your friend. Start doing some, even if it's just bodyweight exercises. http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

kimf79 · November 2013

Using the TDEE method versus MFP's calculations absolutely works because it's a more accurate representation of your weight and activity levels. It is breaking it down to the simplest principle. Calories in, calories out. But TDEE - 20% is an aggressive method geared towards those losing 75 pounds or more.

As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

It will lay out how to properly set your goals using your TDEE, which for you, should be something like TDEE - 5% as you don't have much to lose. You are approaching maintenance, where you will need a certain amount of calories to maintain your desired weight (your TDEE at goal weight). You want to start decreasing your deficit and eating closer to that number to make the transition from "dieting" easier. You're not going to be cutting calories forever, right? Start working towards a calorie goal that is sustainable long term. If you eat at an extreme deficit, like 20%, and suddenly up your calories by, say 300, you'll most likely gain a few pounds back. You should probably gradually increase your calories until you reach the TDEE - 5% mark, and from there, as you reach your goal weight, you would gradually increase to your TDEE.

You can definitely afford to eat more, just be careful in how you approach this and be patient. The last few pounds are the hardest to lose. You should be focused on losing about 0.5 pound per week. Also, keep in mind that TDEE is a calculation that can be subject to error. There are different formulas for obtaining it, numbers can vary from one to the next, and it is very easy to underestimate or overestimate your calorie intake and activity level. You need to be especially accurate in your logging, weighing everything, if possible, even if it is prepackaged, because 50 or 100 calories can make a big difference when you have a smaller deficit. People tend to overestimate their activity level using TDEE, so be careful about what setting you choose. I use the "Sedentary" setting and eat back exercise calories, rather than letting the calculation determine this for me as activity can vary greatly from day to day.

Some additional reading:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it?hl=the+basics+keep+it+simple
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/841305-corn-used-my-man-parts-as-a-speedbag

Also, I would recommend reading anything provided by this group:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

ETA: When I calculated your TDEE, I didn't get anywhere near 1900 calories. Unless you're exercising a great deal, it should probably be lower than that. Even exercising five days a week, I got in the neighborhood of 1700-1800 calories. Be very careful about estimating your activity level. You may want to choose a lower setting to start and adjust as necessary.

ETAA: I love cardio, but weight training, it is your friend. Start doing some, even if it's just bodyweight exercises. http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Hi! Hmm. I 'm confused wonder why you got a different calculation for my TDEE. I checked 3 different websites and it came up the same. I put moderate exercise for each which is 3-5 days per week, and I am closer to 5 days. Now I'm worried my calculation isn't right. Do you think if I'm going up to eating 1500 or so per day that this will cause me to gain weight IF I've been eating less.

Well one thing I have to do is get a scale. I've kind of lost most of my weight without even checking scale. I lost about 20 lbs and 2 sizes but I didn't want to get all neurotic about the day to day fluctuations like I have in the past. But in order to figure out what kind of progress I'm making I guess I should start weighing 1x per week.

I think for me doing TDEE-20% is a good method, even if its aggressive, because its a lot less aggressive than what I had done to lose this weight. Thanks for all the info links I will definitely read up more. And I do want to start some weight training. I don't really know where to start but maybe I can ask staff at my gym if there's a circuit of machines I can go through!

Thanks!

FerretBuellerr · November 2013

I'm with the poster that said doing TDEE - 20% could be too aggresive and that doing it -5 or even -10% would be much better (plus you'll get to eat more :happy:). You're already so close to goal, so you should be moving closer to your maintenance calories so the jump in the end isn't as great.

loneaffliction · November 2013

Hi! Hmm. I 'm confused wonder why you got a different calculation for my TDEE. I checked 3 different websites and it came up the same. I put moderate exercise for each which is 3-5 days per week, and I am closer to 5 days. Now I'm worried my calculation isn't right. Do you think if I'm going up to eating 1500 or so per day that this will cause me to gain weight IF I've been eating less.

Well one thing I have to do is get a scale. I've kind of lost most of my weight without even checking scale. I lost about 20 lbs and 2 sizes but I didn't want to get all neurotic about the day to day fluctuations like I have in the past. But in order to figure out what kind of progress I'm making I guess I should start weighing 1x per week.

I think for me doing TDEE-20% is a good method, even if its aggressive, because its a lot less aggressive than what I had done to lose this weight. Thanks for all the info links I will definitely read up more. And I do want to start some weight training. I don't really know where to start but maybe I can ask staff at my gym if there's a circuit of machines I can go through!

Thanks!

I used http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/.

Other good ones are:
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Those two are a little more specific, taking activity into account, but in the end, TDEE is just a guideline. No online calculator is going to give you an absolutely precise measure. That's why I go by the sedentary setting and account for my own exercise, usually only eating back half of my exercise calories because MFP tends to overestimate.

When I use http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ to find your TDEE, I find a BMR of 1176 (You should eat no less than this every day), and a TDEE of 1411 at the sedentary setting. Using this, your deficit at 5% would put you at 1340 calories a day + exercise calories. I can't see your diary, so I can't speak to what you generally burn in a day. If you prefer to gauge it by your activity level, 3 days a week gives me 1617 calories, 4 days a week gives me 1668, and 5 days a week gives me 1720. The only calculation I found in the neighborhood of 1900 was exercising every day. Again, calculations are going to vary, but you may be overestimating your activity, so you'll probably do better choosing a lower setting so that you don't eat so much that you decrease your deficit. If I went middle ground and chose the 4 days a week setting, I find a TDEE - 5% to be 1584. Me, personally? I go with sedentary and stick to my goal on days I don't workout and eat more on the days I do. That simple.

If we're nitpicking...I find a cautious deficit at exercise 4 days a week with TDEE - 5% to be a calorie goal of 1584. If you think your TDEE is better represented (based on your activity level) at 1985 and use TDEE - 20%, it comes to 1588. Either way, we come to the same conclusion. I would say, regardless, it's better than 1200 if that is not working for you, as it is likely too large of a deficit than is necessary.

At 110 pounds (your GW), using the IIFYM calculator as before, exercising 5 days a week, I come to a TDEE of 1687. This is what you will ultimately eat to maintain, given the increase in exercise calories is accurate. So, hopefully you will see, if you work from a much larger deficit, you'll be increasing your calories quite a bit when you meet goal. Try to make it a smooth transition so that you'll know what works best for you to keep your weight at a comfortable level.

As long as you are eating at a deficit, you should lose weight. You can choose to eat at a larger deficit, but keep in mind, again, that you are approaching maintenance, in a matter of pounds. You may want to rush the process, but you'll likely have more success if you make the transition gradual. Find that happy place when it comes to calories that you can sustain long term.

Don't overcomplicate it. Eat at a reasonable deficit, and you'll meet your goal.

Note:
It is important to not to have too large of a deficit to minimize the negative impact of weight loss, that may include risk of loss of LBM (which can be mitigated to a large degree with strength training and adequate protein), hormonal disruption, metabolic adaptation, lower gym performance, possible lack of sufficient nutrients, lack of adherence and generally being grumpy. As noted above however, the ‘best’ deficit for an individual will depend on personal circumstances and also their sensitivity to large deficits.

cwolfman13 · November 2013

TDEE - 20% if too aggressive for 5 cosmetic Lbs. You need to have a smaller deficit...better yet, stop worrying about some arbitrary number on the scale...5 Lbs isn't going to make a bit of difference in the way you look...if you have body comp issues then work on that...but cutting more isn't the way to go about that.

kimf79 · November 2013

Yes you could be right on this. I've had a hard time losing the last few lbs. I would say I have 7-10lbs to lose to get there. Maybe I will subtract a smaller percentage. But all in all glad I decided to eat more. I was feeling too deprived and now I'm ready to lose weight but be more satisfied! Thanks!

kimf79 · November 2013

TDEE - 20% if too aggressive for 5 cosmetic Lbs. You need to have a smaller deficit...better yet, stop worrying about some arbitrary number on the scale...5 Lbs isn't going to make a bit of difference in the way you look...if you have body comp issues then work on that...but cutting more isn't the way to go about that.

Yeah could be. I'm actually thinking what I need to lose to get to my goal weight might be closer to 10lbs. I haven't weighed in awhile and I kinda felt like I might have gained a bit lately - in my struggle to eat this low level of calories and then having it backfire and eating too much at other times. So yes I want to lose 10lbs. But anyways maybe I will subtract a smaller percentage. I know I am close to goal, and there is no immediate rush to get there. Thanks!!

Docpremie · November 2013

Just posted this on another thread, it gives you the deficit based on amount of weight to use. I also use Haybales' Excel spreadsheet, which makes all the calculations easy to use & always you to track over time:

"If you prefer a more constant daily calorie goal, then you can switch to the TDDE-deficit method. The following I just posted in another thread:

If you let MFP set your calories, then yes, you eat back exercise calories. I decided to use the TDEE method mostly, because I didn't like the constantly changing calorie goal. ... If you want a more constant calorie goal, then I'd switch to the TDEE-deficit method & self-set your calorie & macro goals. For protein, ensure you are getting AT LEAST 1 gram/pound lean body mass--for most women that's 100-125 grams/day. Your fat should be set at 0.4 grams/pound of lean body mass. Carbs are whatever is left. ... meet your calorie goal most every day!!! If after 3-4 weeks, you're not losing then adjust your daily calorie goal by 100 calories & watch for another 3-4 weeks. You may need more calories or less calories, it can be a little trial & error from the TDEE-deficit calculation. If you need to lose >20 pounds, set your deficit at TDEE-20%. If your need to lose 10-20 pounds, then TDEE-10 to 15%, and once you're down to <10 pounds to lose, set your goal to TDEE-5-10%.

Meeting your macros, especially protein, is very important! You want to lose fat not muscle (lean body mass), so protein intake is very important. The more lean body mass you lose, the lower your BMR will be. That's where folks get lost in the "starvation mode" idea. It's not so much borderline/low calories cause "starvation," as it robs you of your lean body mass, and as the lean body mass drops, so does your BMR (i.e. daily basal calorie burn). Resistance training/heavy lifting is also essential for maintaining lean body mass/muscle as well."

Here's a link to Heybales TDEE calculator: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/heybales

"Go to heybales profile page & look for the link to his Excel spreadsheet. It's a few lines down from "About Me." The spreadsheet is great! I've been using it for 8 months now & have lost tons of weight, as has my family. The instructions are at the top of the document. You change the values in "yellow" & the others will adjust to give you your %BF, BMR, TDEE & macro goals. It also allows you to enter your activity in "hours." I redo my numbers monthly or after I've lost 5 pounds. The second tab also allows you to track your values over time, so everything is in one simple spreadsheet!"

Hope this helps! Good luck!!!

TDEE - 20% Method

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