low tdee, trying to lose weight?

typicallystrange
typicallystrange Posts: 29
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm quite sedentary (spend most of the day sitting at the computer) and when I calculated my TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and it came to 1576 calories,
In order to lose a measly 1lb a week it's suggested that I cut 500 calories from my intake, but if i do that, i'd only be eating 1076 calories a day, which is far too low, and i'm ravenous enough even at 1200-1400. do I just grit my teeth and only cut 200 or 300 calories from my intake and deal with the slow weight loss or is there something i'm missing here? do most sedentary women also have low energy requirements like me?
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Replies

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,283 Member
    You only have 4 kg to lose - according to your other post.

    Set it at 0.5lb per week.

    Also I havent done the TDEE method but I thought the general idea was to cut 20% from your TDEE - now my maths isnt brilliant but even I can see that 20% of 1576 is not 500.

    I think you should be cutting about 300 from 1576 (ie roughly 20%) and that would give you a daily amount of 1276.
    (assuming that is correct TDEE in first place, of course)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    First, how did you come up with your TDEE? What are your stats. Second, you don't need to set your goal so aggressively.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    Is that really your TDEE or your BMR? I had foot surgery when I was 54 and had to spend two weeks in bed with my foot elelvated 24/7. I have a BodyMedia Fit, and it showed a usual daily burn of around 1500. If you get up and walk around at all, you're probably burning more than you think.
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    i used the TDEE calculator at http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/, and i've used other calculators, they all come up with a similar number.

    stats? um i'm 122-123lbs, 5'7, 21.7% body fat (using a hand-held measure-er thing.. not especially accurate but gives me some idea)
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    it's my TDEE, my BMR using mfp's calculator is 1,365 calories.
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  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I'm sorry, you should not be posting here. You won't see support for losing weight with your stats. Why do you want to lose weight?
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    thank you, paperpudding, i'll set my goal to 0.5lbs a week. hehe sorry, i'm kind of new to this and i wasn't sure what kind of calorie deficit....method? to use
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  • nicoleagafitness
    nicoleagafitness Posts: 100 Member
    i used the TDEE calculator at http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/, and i've used other calculators, they all come up with a similar number.

    stats? um i'm 122-123lbs, 5'7, 21.7% body fat (using a hand-held measure-er thing.. not especially accurate but gives me some idea)

    A better goal might be to lose body fat and gain muscle. You won't get bulky, but toned. Losing to be underweight really is terrible. It's not healthy, or attractive. Please consider redefining your goals.
  • 7aneena
    7aneena Posts: 146 Member
    This is concerning, your goal stats would be under weight and that is not healthy, you also have a normal bf% why would you want to lose anything?
    Also, most importantly, on your profile you say you're recovering from an eating disorder, why are you here looking to lose weight? wouldn't that mean regressing to your ED?
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  • nicoleagafitness
    nicoleagafitness Posts: 100 Member
    Not at the same time, but overall goals.
    i used the TDEE calculator at http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/, and i've used other calculators, they all come up with a similar number.

    stats? um i'm 122-123lbs, 5'7, 21.7% body fat (using a hand-held measure-er thing.. not especially accurate but gives me some idea)

    A better goal might be to lose body fat and gain muscle. You won't get bulky, but toned. Losing to be underweight really is terrible. It's not healthy, or attractive. Please consider redefining your goals.
    Losing fat and gaining muscle is highly unlikely.
  • nicoleagafitness
    nicoleagafitness Posts: 100 Member
    After reading your profile, I retract my advice. i don't think you're actually recovering at all. I know you want to do it on your own, but clearly it isn't working. I say that from a concerned place. Please don't lose anymore weight. You need to start living. You're so young.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    So basically you want to be ~100 pounds at 5'7"?

    Why?
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    In a thread from earlier this year you said your do for wanted you at 134 lbs, but settled for 121 lbs for recovery. Based on that information you are right where you should be at 122 lbs so you really should not lose any more weight. It sounds like you have slipped out of recovery and are reverting back to bad patterns.

    In your profile you say a goal is to not pass out. Well if you lose weight when you should not, that is a very real possibility. You should talk to your doctor.
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    i was only looking to lose 4kg, not 8 kg
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    115lbs is a lot different than 100lbs
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    honestly i think i may be regressing a little, but until you guys said it, i didn't view it as such (thinking i'm trying to be 'healthy') i'm going to try to re-evaluate my goals and focus on gaining muscle instead of losing weight, thank you
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    i'm sorry anybody giving me advice did not know my weight and height until i mentioned it
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    115lbs is a lot different than 100lbs

    Its still unhealthy. Its a solid 15 pounds or more under what your doctor suggested you weigh.

    Please, seek professional guidance.
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    i just wanted to lower my body fat % to below 19%
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Gain muscle then and start lifting.
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    i just wanted to lower my body fat % to below 19%

    That is going to be tough to do in a healthy manner without a) adding weight and b) exercising.

    Read this blog post - it is pretty inspiring and right along the line of what you want:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    i used the TDEE calculator at http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/, and i've used other calculators, they all come up with a similar number.

    stats? um i'm 122-123lbs, 5'7, 21.7% body fat (using a hand-held measure-er thing.. not especially accurate but gives me some idea)

    How on earth do you weigh so little if you eat 1200-1400 calories a day, and still feel hungry, and sit on your backside all day? Do you do any exercise?

    As others have said, get lifting if you want to lower your body fat percentage. You definitely don't need to lose weight.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Gain muscle then and start lifting.

    what? you can't gain muscle without lifting...

    To the OP...we are the same height and as of my last recorded weigh in I am 147.7lbs...I wear a size 4 (Canadian size 4)

    I lift weights at least 3-4x a week...not sure of my BF% atm but it's coming down.

    Just a little perspective for you...you don't need to weigh 110lbs to be "small"

    ETA: when I started my TDEE was 1995 it is now 2267 and I work in an office at a desk but still manage to get in 10k steps without exercise most days...
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    i have been lifting for 6 weeks, (and using heavy weights, to the point where i can't do another rep, focusing on negatives as well)
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    i tried to eat 1200-1400 calories a day but that normally turned into 1500-1900, 6 weeks ago i started to weight train once a week, but before that i did practically no exercise and and at the moment, i'm 5lbs off the highest weight i've ever been
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    Just a little perspective for you...you don't need to weigh 110lbs to be "small"

    thank you, i'll keep up the weight lifting and stop trying to lose weight
  • typicallystrange
    typicallystrange Posts: 29
    i just wanted to lower my body fat % to below 19%

    That is going to be tough to do in a healthy manner without a) adding weight and b) exercising.

    Read this blog post - it is pretty inspiring and right along the line of what you want:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    haha, actually i've read that article before, but i think this time i'll pay it more heed, thank you

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