Using TDEE minus 20% method

filligen19
filligen19 Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a 5'5", 160-pound female. I'd like to lose about 20-25 pounds. I've been using the TDEE minus 20% method for about ten days now, and have noticed a 2 or 3 pound weight gain since I started. I've read that your body has to take some time to adjust to the calorie intake, but how long does this adjustment period last and how long before I start losing weight? I'd just like to make sure that this is normal and that I'm not accidentally overeating or something. If you've used the TDEE minus 20% method before, I'd love to hear your experiences. Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • dlionsmane
    dlionsmane Posts: 674 Member
    Whatever method you use the important thing is are you weighing solids and measuring liquids? If you guesstimate your intake that may be a problem.

    -20% may be too aggressive as well. I am not expert but you may want to only to 15 with only 20-25 pounds to lose. and be honest with the level of activity.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    Im seeing results but I put my activity at sedentary …then i put the amount of caloires I need to lose into mfp and then i add my exercise caloires when I exercise. This way I don't cheat myself by eating too much and not following t hrough on the exercise.
  • jmmurray203
    jmmurray203 Posts: 13 Member
    Be careful with those calories from exercise things. It can be very inaccurate.
  • filligen19
    filligen19 Posts: 4
    I'll give it another week, and if I continue to gain or stay the same, I will go down to a 15% deficit.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Really you should give it about 4-6 weeks before making changes - it can take that long for the body to adjust and for you to know for sure if it is, or isn't working. A gain when you first start TDEE is normal - give it time, and if your numbers are right, you'll start to see losses. If not, then adjust cals by 100 or so and go from there.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    i've been losing on a 20% deficit, although depending on the calculator it's closer to 15-20%. Have you been eating at a low deficit for a while before this? If your old deficit was lower t han what you eat now, then yes you will gain a bit. Wait a few weeks and see if you notice losses. It only took me a few weeks to start losing weight, even when I started at too low of a deficit (~1800) and increased to an appropriate deficit.
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
    Why not just go with what MFP says?
    I didn't know what a t-dee was until after I reached my goal.
  • filligen19
    filligen19 Posts: 4
    i've been losing on a 20% deficit, although depending on the calculator it's closer to 15-20%. Have you been eating at a low deficit for a while before this? If your old deficit was lower t han what you eat now, then yes you will gain a bit. Wait a few weeks and see if you notice losses. It only took me a few weeks to start losing weight, even when I started at too low of a deficit (~1800) and increased to an appropriate deficit.

    Yeah, I've before I was eating about 400 calories less than what I'm aiming for now.
  • filligen19
    filligen19 Posts: 4
    Why not just go with what MFP says?
    I didn't know what a t-dee was until after I reached my goal.

    I don't have a heart rate monitor to accurately measure my calories burned, and the numbers MFP are giving me for exercise seem very exaggerated. Thus I have no idea how to eat back my exercise calories using the MFP system.
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
    No HRM for me, either.
    Not needed.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    i've been losing on a 20% deficit, although depending on the calculator it's closer to 15-20%. Have you been eating at a low deficit for a while before this? If your old deficit was lower t han what you eat now, then yes you will gain a bit. Wait a few weeks and see if you notice losses. It only took me a few weeks to start losing weight, even when I started at too low of a deficit (~1800) and increased to an appropriate deficit.

    Yeah, I've before I was eating about 400 calories less than what I'm aiming for now.

    In that case yes, it will take time to see actually results, and this is liekly why you've gained. Give it a good month of consistently eating the amount you've placed as your goal. If you are still gaining, lower by 100, monitor for a few weeks or longer.

    It's all a guessng game. No website is 100% accurate for you, you nee to just try numbers and be consistent for a while, see what works.

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