Please help get my numbers (TDEE) right!

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Shalini_15
Shalini_15 Posts: 160 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know there is a lot of information available out there, but I nothing so far has worked for me :(. I have set my cals to TDEE-20% - 1850 cals, but it is not working. I thought let me check with all you guys and know what worked for you.

I have Hypothyroidism and I realise this slows down weight loss and my metabolism. My all test numbers are fine (T3, T4, Free T3, Free T4, Estrogen, Iron, Vit B12 etc)

Below are my stats:

Age - 29
Height - 163cms / 64.2inches
SW - 94kgs / 207 lbs
CW - 78.5kg / 173lbs --> Stuck here for last 8 months :frown:
GW - 58kgs / 128lbs

Workout - I try to workout 5 days per week and this is generally 90mins session. I end up burning close to 500 cals (more or less). This includes 3days lifting (2 days Lower body n 1 day upper body) and 2 days cardio (cross fit exercises or on weekends badminton)

TDEE calculation:

Used the formulas as per this link:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974889-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

I use activity level as 1.5 and below are my numbers:

Harris-Benedict formula:
BMR - 1562
TDEE - 2343
TDEE-20% - 1874

Mifflin-St Jeor:
BMR - 1494
TDEE - 2240
TDEE-20% - 1793

From last 7 to 8 months my cals is configured to 1850 cals with macros - 40% - carbs, 40% - protein n 20% fats

I fail to understand why this is not working for me :(

Request you all to please guide me though this.

Thank you :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    IMHO, if it's not working then there's something wrong and it's time for a shake up.

    If I were you I would cut to 1600 average calories per day, try that for 2 weeks and see what happens. I'd be setting my macros at Protein 40%, Carbs and Fat both 30%. Drink water.

    I would also keep to 3 x 60 minutes weights and 2 x 20-30 minute HIIT sessions, seems plenty. Aim for 10,000 steps a day and have a rest day, at least one a week.

    Review in a fortnight.
  • eatonize
    eatonize Posts: 6 Member
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    I was following all the standard calculations for the first 5 months of my weight loss journey and it worked fine but as I got leaner it stopped working. It took me about 3 months of experimenting with increasing and decreasing calories, in the end a larger calorie deficit was what got me moving again.

    There is a lot of fear about starvation mode, metabolic damage, muscle loss etc. but for the last few months I have been drastically cutting my calories and have not experienced any loss of strength or energy during my workouts. I have just concluded that I am in the lower bracket of what is average in regards to metabolism.

    It's a long process but the only way to really work out what works for you is to try a certain diet for maybe three to four weeks, weighing and documenting every day then make adjustments accordingly.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Well you certainly seem very knowledgeable and I can't find a mistake anywhere in your post. Fact is though if you have been doing this consistently for 8 months and your weight has not changed then whatever you are eating that is your maintenance level. It is possible that you are logging incorrectly and are eating more than you think you are but regardless of whether or not that is true whatever you are eating right now seems to be at your maintenance level.

    If I was to guess I'd guess that your calorie counting is off and you are eating more than you think or because of your thyroid condition your rates of burn and metabolism are actually lower than predicted. In either case it spells out eat less.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    A lot of round numbers in your logging. 1 cup of that, half cup of this, one banana. Do you have and use a food scale? It will get you more accurate logging so you can better determine your intake

    Tell us about the half day and full day of no logging - was this just a day that got away from you but you didn't eat much, or a tasty 3000 - 5000 calorie day that you didn't feel like logging? Because if it was the latter, when you average things out, you could find your explanation right there

    The deal with TDEE method is if you're not having results, you need to reduce daily calorie intake by about 100 calories, try for a few weeks again and re-assess. You're either eating too much or not burning as many calories as you think from exercise, and would need to adjust for this

    By comparison, let's see what the traditional MFP method would give you. Plugging in your numbers I am told to eat 1370 calories plus exercise to lose 1 lb a week, and 1620 plus exercise calories to lose 1/2 per week. If you're eating 1800 I would probably put you at the 1/2 lb per week based on the exercises you mentioned. Perhaps I'm not too familiar with them, but I envision lot of rest periods during the exercises which may or may not give you the higher burn numbers you cite. Plus if you're not logging your food accurately, you may actually be eating more like 2000 or more calories, which puts you at maintenance.

    You seem to meet your target most days but some days go over. I don't know what the current average is , but that's something to keep an eye on. If the bad days are more than the good days, you're not just maintaining - it'd be lucky you're not gaining.

    These are just my attempts to fill in the blank so please excuse any incorrect assumptions, and good luck!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Well you certainly seem very knowledgeable and I can't find a mistake anywhere in your post. Fact is though if you have been doing this consistently for 8 months and your weight has not changed then whatever you are eating that is your maintenance level. It is possible that you are logging incorrectly and are eating more than you think you are but regardless of whether or not that is true whatever you are eating right now seems to be at your maintenance level.

    If I was to guess I'd guess that your calorie counting is off and you are eating more than you think or because of your thyroid condition your rates of burn and metabolism are actually lower than predicted. In either case it spells out eat less.

    all of this!
  • Shalini_15
    Shalini_15 Posts: 160 Member
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    Bumping for more replies!!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Bumping for more replies!!!

    what other information do you want?
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Are you weighing your food with a food scale?

    If not, this could be where your problem is, because if you're not weighing (AKA logging accurately), then you're probably eating more than you think.

    The other problem being the hypothyroid.

    If it's not a food weighing problem, then it's the thyroid... in which case, as Aaron said, you have to eat less.
  • SuperC_85
    SuperC_85 Posts: 393
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    A lot of round numbers in your logging. 1 cup of that, half cup of this, one banana. Do you have and use a food scale? It will get you more accurate logging so you can better determine your intake

    This
    I noticed in your diary there are some entries of 6 grams, 0.175 cup etc etc
    These dont sound correct to me?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Bumping for more replies!!!

    what other information do you want?

    Exactomondo! It would have been more useful for OP to answer any questions asked. I'm guessing with the TDEE recommendation , she may not really have discussed it properly with the folks who recommended it to her. TDEE method won't fix poor logging; it's just a tool for people who don't like the hassle of eating different calories everyday!
  • Rainboots80
    Rainboots80 Posts: 218 Member
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    I am close to same height as you and my maintenance is 1900 so I think you need to cut back quite a bit more on your calories. I would try 1600 and see if that gets you losing.
  • Shalini_15
    Shalini_15 Posts: 160 Member
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    Thanks everyone!! As you all said, I lowered my intake to set to 1700 cals. Will observe for 2-3 weeks how it goes.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Thanks everyone!! As you all said, I lowered my intake to set to 1700 cals. Will observe for 2-3 weeks how it goes.

    What is your aversion to getting a scale? You were told to get one in your previous thread. If I assume correctly, you do not know which food is being logged incorrectly, and you don't know if you're off by 20 calories or 200 calories per serving. Is it an access issue with getting a food scale?
  • Shalini_15
    Shalini_15 Posts: 160 Member
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    What is your aversion to getting a scale? You were told to get one in your previous thread. If I assume correctly, you do not know which food is being logged incorrectly, and you don't know if you're off by 20 calories or 200 calories per serving. Is it an access issue with getting a food scale?

    I live with a group of friends and we share the house/kitchen etc. Getting a food scale might not be feasible unless everyone is ok with it. It is time consuming in terms of measuring the food every single time. I feel I will not have much time to do that. Not sure yet, but analysing whether to buy or not.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    What is your aversion to getting a scale? You were told to get one in your previous thread. If I assume correctly, you do not know which food is being logged incorrectly, and you don't know if you're off by 20 calories or 200 calories per serving. Is it an access issue with getting a food scale?

    I live with a group of friends and we share the house/kitchen etc. Getting a food scale might not be feasible unless everyone is ok with it. It is time consuming in terms of measuring the food every single time. I feel I will not have much time to do that. Not sure yet, but analysing whether to buy or not.

    You'll need to consider what's more important - the comfort of your unmeasured community approach of eating with your group of friends or your own weight loss. I do not see how you can be successful without really knowing how many calories you are putting into your body, since you have selected a calorie counting approach. You can still cook with your friends while measuring the food. Just have to buckle down and put in the WORK

    Or just post again in six months somehow expecting different magical answers.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Do you really have to get every kitchen item approved by everyone??? And using a food scale is no more time consuming than a measuring cup, or wasting time wondering why you're not losing weight
  • SuperC_85
    SuperC_85 Posts: 393
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    Do you really have to get every kitchen item approved by everyone??? And using a food scale is no more time consuming than a measuring cup, or wasting time wondering why you're not losing weight

    QFT
    You arent really going to be 100% accurate if you are not measuring your food accurately.
    Its your choice.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Do you really have to get every kitchen item approved by everyone??? And using a food scale is no more time consuming than a measuring cup, or wasting time wondering why you're not losing weight

    QFT
    You arent really going to be 100% accurate if you are not measuring your food accurately.
    Its your choice.

    Yeh, I agree with this. Weighing my food takes MAYBE 1 extra minute when I'm cooking, and it's way better than using measuring cups (which you'll have to wash). After a while it just becomes second nature.

    Not sure why you need your friend's approval, even if it's a shared kitchen. They should understand it's a tool and you're using it for something that's important to you. If they can't accept that, they can suck it. Just sayin'.

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