Questions after one week of MFP tracking

hannah_lillian
hannah_lillian Posts: 5 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

First of all, I am a total newbie here, so please let me know if I should post somewhere else or read other resources! I've done some poking around but didn't see these specific questions addressed.

My TDEE is 1612, so I've been eating my TDEE -17% for weight loss for a calorie goal of 1330 each day. I've been finding it really hard to make this goal and have gone over every day for a week, even with careful meal planning and lots of healthy foods. Even going over my goal, though, I'm finding that I have very low energy - is this normal?

I'm wondering if I metabolize more calories than average, since according to MFP I should be putting on weight even faster than I have been. In the last week my weight has gone down by a pound, but I know this could also be normal fluctuations.

Thanks!

Edit for clarification: The TDEE includes how much I exercise, which is 3x/week. Unfortunately I can't work out more than 3x/week or my energy takes a nose-dive (nothing wrong, just how I'm wired.)

Replies

  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    I guess my first question is..how did you calculate your TDEE to be 1612?

    If you used one of the online calculators - realize that they are merely estimates based on a broad population. Your specific TDEE may be somewhat higher or lower. They give you a good starting point, but you need to do trial & error to figure out more specifically what YOUR TDEE is.

    The other thing I'd mention is you prboably need to give it time. A week really isn't meaningful enough to draw accurate conclusions.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    It took me a couple weeks to adapt to a consistent calorie deficit. I found that exercise helped. If you increase your TDEE, you can eat more calories while maintaining the same 17% deficit, and in my personal, entirely unscientific anecdotal experience, that made a difference. It may also be that exercise improves one's ability to release and metabolize fatty acids from fat stores, which could make a big difference to your energy level.
  • hannah_lillian
    hannah_lillian Posts: 5 Member
    edited April 2015
    @ceoverturf Thanks for your response! You're right, I did use an online calculator (using age/gender/height/weight/activity level), and it makes good sense that they are giving an "average" picture and that it will vary from person-to-person. I'm wondering if the low energy I'm feeling is pretty normal, or if it's a sign to bump up my calories.
  • hannah_lillian
    hannah_lillian Posts: 5 Member
    @bwogilvie Thanks for your response! I work out 3x/week and unfortunately I've found that it's my personal max - more than that and my energy totally takes a nose-dive. (I've gotten it checked out, nothing wrong, just the way I'm wired). I also sleep a ton as-is and the more I work out, the more sleep I need (like 10 hours/night!) unfortunately.
  • Allelito
    Allelito Posts: 179 Member
    If you're fine with losing a bit slower, maybe you can try reducing your deficit by eating TDEE-10% or something instead and see if it feels more sustainable and if you get more energetic. You can still keep track of your weight and see how fast you're losing, and maybe you'll end up losing faster than you thought, meaning that your TDEE is higher than what was estimated.
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
    I went thru a thru a transition period after I started with my weight loss plan. My body rejected the idea and revolted against the practice of good nutrition. Give it more time and you may adjust. I would also check other calculators for your TDEE and then you have to do what's right for you.
  • bigd66218
    bigd66218 Posts: 376 Member
    After one week, I would focus on eating your calories that MFP has set for your height and weight. I cut my carbs the first 10 days and lost 10 pounds but had zero energy. Now after nearly 45 months, I'm still learning about the macro part but I've lost 41 pounds!!
  • futuremanda
    futuremanda Posts: 816 Member
    Are you sure you calculated your TDEE and not your BMR + lifestyle calories? Did you use a calculator that estimates lifestyle calories only (how much you move around while going about your day) or did you also factor in exercise burns?

    Basically:

    BMR (existing) + lifestyle (moving around, working, showering, making food) = MFP / NEAT method, which then + exercise when you log it
    (changes daily as your exercise changes)

    TDEE = BMR + lifestyle + exercise
    (averaged over time)

    TDEE is usually higher than 1600 because it includes exercise. NEAT numbers often look low, but that's because that's the number if you didn't exercise, the numbers bump up when you do. TDEE = TOTAL daily energy expenditure (ALL your burn), NEAT = NON Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.

    In terms of energy: If you've only been at it for about a week, you could give yourself more time if you like. Things feel more intense at first as your body adjusts to a deficit. But you can also try upping your calories some, or doing some exercise and eating that back (if you're using MFP and not TDEE -- if you're using TDEE, you'd have to do more exercise than you used when calculating your TDEE, to effectively raise it).

    Or look at your macros -- are you low on anything (fat, protein or carbs in particular)? Are you eating often enough, or too often? (Ex. did you used to skip breakfast but now you eat breakfast because you heard it was "healthy")
  • hannah_lillian
    hannah_lillian Posts: 5 Member
    edited April 2015
    @futuremandafuturemanda Thanks for your response! I'm short (5'2") and don't have a ton of weight to lose (my goal is 5 lbs) so that's why the TDEE looks so low. The calculator I used did account for the amount I exercise. I don't precisely remember my BMR but it was around 1150.

    I wonder if the macro adjustment could be part of it? I'm trying to eat fewer carbs + more protein, which for me = more homemade whole foods and less takeout/processed stuff. My goal for the last week as 30% carbs/30% fat/40% protein, but I actually ate 33% carbs/44% fat/23% protein. I know that's not good, and I'm working on getting better macros this week!
  • futuremanda
    futuremanda Posts: 816 Member
    hannah_lillian wrote: »
    @futuremandafuturemanda Thanks for your response! I'm short (5'2") and don't have a ton of weight to lose (my goal is 5 lbs) so that's why the TDEE looks so low. The calculator I used did account for the amount I exercise. I don't precisely remember my BMR but it was around 1150.

    I wonder if the macro adjustment could be part of it? I'm trying to eat fewer carbs + more protein, which for me = more homemade whole foods and less takeout/processed stuff. My goal for the last week as 30% carbs/30% fat/40% protein, but I actually ate 33% carbs/44% fat/23% protein. I know that's not good, and I'm working on getting better macros this week!

    Well that sucks. I was hoping we'd discover your TDEE was higher, to make things a bit easier!

    If you've been reducing carbs, that might contribute to a drop in energy. (Which you might adjust to, or you might not.) Also, if you used to be eating over maintenance (slowly gaining weight), then keep in mind that your body is used to eating more than your deficit. So if you were eating 2000, and now you eat 1300, that's actually a 700 cal a day drop from what you're used to!

    Could you walk more on the days you don't work out? I wouldn't underestimate the effect walking more can have!

    You have very little to lose though, so maybe you should focus on how you feel, and see how the numbers go. Five pounds isn't worth feeling crummy anyway, so might as well test and see if you can achieve it while eating a bit more. If 1500 gives you more energy, then your workouts will go better, your life will go better, and you'll know at least you won't be gaining. If you get lucky, and you do burn more than average, you'll lose 0.5 lb a week (on average) anyway. If not, you'd lose about 1 lb a month. And maybe in a few weeks, you'll feel like you can drop it to 1400, then 1330, to speed things up (either you'll have adjusted to a deficit, and then this is just a smaller extra adjustment, or you'll have worked out better macros for yourself).
This discussion has been closed.

Categories