Confusing myself with TDEE

HRLaurie614
HRLaurie614 Posts: 260 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi...

I've been on here since March 2013. I'm just under 5'1" and was at 114lbs. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but I hadn't been working out and was all squishy.

I started working out (walking mostly) and tracking calories,. My goal was 103 lbs. I ended up getting down to 97/98 lbs by mid-June and stayed there until the holidays. I didn't really eat all that much over the holidays, but my weight jumped from 97 to 100 and then a few weeks later to 103. I didn't want to restrict my eating too much b/c I do work out a lot and I'm still "think", but I am trying to figure out the weight gain. I've asked this before and people have commented that my protein is low, so I am working on that.

Here's the thing...I thought my shape had started to come back (my stomach had gotten poochy)....and I weighed myself this morning and I was up another lb. I joined a new gym and went for the first time this morning and someone commented that I looked great even though I was just joining.

Anyway, I want to reset my macros and stats based on 103lbs. So I did using Scooby's workshop. I'm 45 years old and at my height and weight, my BMR is a whopping 1045. I have my profile there set to working out 5-6 days a week and to gain muscle/lose fat. It has my TDEE at 1803. So, is that net or actual calories. I'm assuming that is actual calories and I would NOT eat back exercise cals.

Any guidance, confirmation, redirection would be great. Thanks in advance. After liking being 98ish, I realize that is pretty light for a 45 (almost 46 year old), even at 5'1". My boyfriend has commented that my legs look much more muscular, so perhaps that's part of the uppage in my weight.

I like food, so I don't want to be too restrictive, but I am trying to eat cleaner on the whole.

THanks.

Replies

  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
    I would suggest looking into strength training and how women who are the same weight manage to look so much slimmer and tighter with a greater ratio of lean mass.

    Chances are whatever extra 10lbs you manage to lose, around half of that (or slightly less) will come from lean mass... so your body fat percentage won't change as much as you'd like it to.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    When you do TDEE estimates, it includes your exercise already. So you don't eat them back.
  • HRLaurie614
    HRLaurie614 Posts: 260 Member
    Thanks. I do strength training as well. I work out with a personal trainer twice a month (all I can fit into my schedule). She's virtually the same size/age as I am which is good...but she's solid muscle.

    Also, thanks for confirming that if I use the 1800 that I shouldn't eat back calories.

    I certainly don't want to lose 10lbs...98 would be the lowest I would want to go, but I'm basically looking to tone. All my close still fit even with the 6 lb gain from the 97lbs...
  • Bocch
    Bocch Posts: 191 Member
    You might have to look at other things besides the scale. For example you stated you felt squishy. So, when you do your training measure your success by how your clothes fit. Remember muscle is denser then fat and that will make it appear on the scale as you gained weight. So, remember if your six pack abs are showing at 103 pounds your are doing great.
  • HRLaurie614
    HRLaurie614 Posts: 260 Member
    Thanks. All my clothes still fit which is why I'm not overly concerned. I just want to make sure I'm eating enough so I don't slow down my metabolism. I also think that some of the squishiness may be a result of food intolerances/sensitivites, so I'm sort of exploring that.

    I had an endoscopy in July (after an overnight ER stay that turned out to be a stress induced GERD attack);. The GI doc looked for celiac and gluten allergies, but didn't find anything.

    I am also starting to vary my workouts other than just walking and the elliptical (and some strength straining). I joined a gym and went to a zubma class today and will go swimming tomorrow.

    Thanks again!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    TDEE is TOTAL Daily Energy Expenditure...it includes your exercise. You eat back calories with MFP because you aren't supposed to include exercise in your activity level...with TDEE you do. It all comes out in the wash and the two methods are 6 of 1 when you do them right...just two methods of arriving at the same destination.

    I would also recommend doing some resistance work and trying to get some lean mass...just dieting and cardio isn't going to do much for body comp. Even at your height, 100 Lbs is pretty small and if you're still squishy you need to put on some muscle.
  • HRLaurie614
    HRLaurie614 Posts: 260 Member
    Thanks Wolfman...yes, I've known that I can either look at total cals that I eat based on TDEE or what I put into MFP and then eat back cals. I just got myself confused. In the end, the way I have MFP set up and then with exercise cals factored in, it comes out to roughly my TDEE, so the math works.

    Yes, I am generally small, it's just the belly squishiess...so I do need to do more resistance work.

    Thanks!!!!
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
    yes, TDEE 1800 includes your exercise calories. But in order to get a nice shape, you will need to do more strength training than twice a month with a trainer. Learn some free weight exercises from your trainer or online and do them 3-5x a week. Walking will not change your shape.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Agree with doing more resistance.

    The cardio is understandable for smaller gal, it's about the only way you are going to get to eat more with a higher TDEE.

    But resistance needs to be at least 2-3 times a week if you want your body to feel the need to get stronger and add more.
    Too infrequent and it's just a blip, something to get sore about, but nothing to get stronger about.

    Classes are set times, but don't add cardio after them, add strength training. Actually, at this point, do the lifting first so you get the best effect from it. Lifting with potentially tired muscles will mainly be a waste of time for your goal of increasing. Failure on tired muscles just means you need more glucose to go longer, not more muscle to go stronger.

    You could add in a mere 15-20 min prior to the class, a good split routine with the basics covered.
    2 sets x 8 - 12 reps. 1 warmup set on the first lift at 50% working weight.
    Squat & Straight-leg deadlift
    Bench & Bent-over row
    Pullups & Overhead Press
    6 days a week means repeat that twice in the week.
  • HRLaurie614
    HRLaurie614 Posts: 260 Member
    yes, TDEE 1800 includes your exercise calories. But in order to get a nice shape, you will need to do more strength training than twice a month with a trainer. Learn some free weight exercises from your trainer or online and do them 3-5x a week. Walking will not change your shape.

    Yeah...I know...i do some of the exercises a couple of times a week. I need to do more. I just need to get into the routine of doing it. It's funny, cardio is no prob for me. But, motivating to do the strength stuff on my own is a challenge. (insert ashamed face)
  • HRLaurie614
    HRLaurie614 Posts: 260 Member
    Agree with doing more resistance.

    The cardio is understandable for smaller gal, it's about the only way you are going to get to eat more with a higher TDEE.

    But resistance needs to be at least 2-3 times a week if you want your body to feel the need to get stronger and add more.
    Too infrequent and it's just a blip, something to get sore about, but nothing to get stronger about.

    Classes are set times, but don't add cardio after them, add strength training. Actually, at this point, do the lifting first so you get the best effect from it. Lifting with potentially tired muscles will mainly be a waste of time for your goal of increasing. Failure on tired muscles just means you need more glucose to go longer, not more muscle to go stronger.

    You could add in a mere 15-20 min prior to the class, a good split routine with the basics covered.
    2 sets x 8 - 12 reps. 1 warmup set on the first lift at 50% working weight.
    Squat & Straight-leg deadlift
    Bench & Bent-over row
    Pullups & Overhead Press
    6 days a week means repeat that twice in the week.

    Thanks, good advice. Now, I just gotta do it. I know I have to do it. Sigh
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
    yes, TDEE 1800 includes your exercise calories. But in order to get a nice shape, you will need to do more strength training than twice a month with a trainer. Learn some free weight exercises from your trainer or online and do them 3-5x a week. Walking will not change your shape.

    Yeah...I know...i do some of the exercises a couple of times a week. I need to do more. I just need to get into the routine of doing it. It's funny, cardio is no prob for me. But, motivating to do the strength stuff on my own is a challenge. (insert ashamed face)

    haha don't feel bad. When I started I did cardio only, having no idea what I wsa doing. 1 hour on the elliptical 5 days a week, cringing at the thought of approaching a machine, let alone picking up a dumbbell. Now I am in the free weights section, cringing at the thought of spending more than 10 minutes warmup on the elliptical. It just makes me brain dead haha.

    It's all about getting into it, once you start I'm fairly sure you'll get hooked. Look up how each exercise is to be performed with correct form before you start though. bodybuilding.com is a good place to start, they even have free programs you can join that will tell you what to do and how if you're not confident in that area.

    Half the fun of fitness is pushing your boundaries:)

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