help to sum it all up
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angermouse
Posts: 102 Member
im so grateful i came across this forum, I originally came here about learning to add cals and bulk but realise I have been doing everything wrong! possibly due to over researching and information overload.
during my original thread one member made me see an error I've been making for years! it was like a penny drop moment and I feel so stupid.
I think I've been deficiting wrong, please help put it straight. when working out my TDEE which I also think is done wrong! comes out at 1830 maintenance so I've been in a 1530 deficit so I thought. I wear a fit bit HR which tells me cals i burn, so usually I will try to burn 1830 on my fit bit. then yesterday whilst on that thread it was blindingly obvious id been over deficiting haven't i? hope that makes sense lol I do tend to go long way round in explaining.
advice with the TDEE working out please. I'm not sure what activity level I should be adding ? I go gym 2-3 times a week, walk there which is roughly 35mins but bus back. I like to make sure I do at least 30-40min walk every day on non gym days and do light resistance training at home some days like light dumbbells and abs. I looked into the lifting 5x5 programme but it says not to do that on deficit. so cant really work this out. my main goal is to start going gym a definite 3 times a week and do the 3 x full body or split programme if that helps.
I came across the eating too less thread with Mildred pic and got confused with the NEAT stuff? but was a helpful read.
sorry this is long but everything I thought I knew is wrong and its more confusing then ever. i feel like I have to go back to basic and learn from scratch with the correct knowledge . people here have been more than helpful, I do struggle to take in info so bare with me if I repeat.
during my original thread one member made me see an error I've been making for years! it was like a penny drop moment and I feel so stupid.
I think I've been deficiting wrong, please help put it straight. when working out my TDEE which I also think is done wrong! comes out at 1830 maintenance so I've been in a 1530 deficit so I thought. I wear a fit bit HR which tells me cals i burn, so usually I will try to burn 1830 on my fit bit. then yesterday whilst on that thread it was blindingly obvious id been over deficiting haven't i? hope that makes sense lol I do tend to go long way round in explaining.
advice with the TDEE working out please. I'm not sure what activity level I should be adding ? I go gym 2-3 times a week, walk there which is roughly 35mins but bus back. I like to make sure I do at least 30-40min walk every day on non gym days and do light resistance training at home some days like light dumbbells and abs. I looked into the lifting 5x5 programme but it says not to do that on deficit. so cant really work this out. my main goal is to start going gym a definite 3 times a week and do the 3 x full body or split programme if that helps.
I came across the eating too less thread with Mildred pic and got confused with the NEAT stuff? but was a helpful read.
sorry this is long but everything I thought I knew is wrong and its more confusing then ever. i feel like I have to go back to basic and learn from scratch with the correct knowledge . people here have been more than helpful, I do struggle to take in info so bare with me if I repeat.
1
Replies
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If you have been dieting for a while then there's little benefit in going back to scratch with a estimated TDEE, use your own results and trends - the additional benefit is that your goal will also be adjusted for your personal level of logging inaccuracy.
If you really want to get a fresh estimate just go to a TDEE site and answer the questions as accurately as possible, it's still just a start point from where you may have to adjust over time. This site gives you a whole range of estimates using different formulae. https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/
Don't assume your Fitbit HR tells you an accurate number, there aren't a set number of heartbeats to a calorie and for some types of exercise HR is a particularly useless way to estimate calories anyway.
Yes you can do a 5x5 (or other) lifting routine while in a calorie deficit, it's an enormously helpful thing to do while dieting. Avoiding an excessive deficit is probably a good idea.5 -
this might seem a silly question but how do you know if you have burned more than cals in if not wearing a hr monitor. I know its only an estimate and not 100% accurate but I think id be worrying if I was burning enough.
you just go by weighing and tracking?
the excessive deficit has been accidental and now I know I will be only sticking to burning 1530 lol
if I do the 5x5 would it come under light activity? or with my walking on non gym would it be the one up. sorry if these seem dumb but im just learning all this the right way. gonna have a look at the sailrabbit link1 -
angermouse wrote: »this might seem a silly question but how do you know if you have burned more than cals in if not wearing a hr monitor. I know its only an estimate and not 100% accurate but I think id be worrying if I was burning enough.
you just go by weighing and tracking?
The particular exercise you do to determines the best way to estimate calories. HR may be good for some people doing some exercise, but the reverse can also be true and it can be wrong by a massive margin.
But with a TDEE estimate you don't need to estimate your exercise on an individual basis anyway - that is taken care of in the general estimate which works out an average for you. You don't need to seek complication.
Keep it simple (that's the main benefit of using the TDEE method)...…- Get a number.
- Eat that number for an extended period of time.
- Adjust the number if you need to based on your results over that extended period of time.
9 -
angermouse wrote: »this might seem a silly question but how do you know if you have burned more than cals in if not wearing a hr monitor. I know its only an estimate and not 100% accurate but I think id be worrying if I was burning enough.
you just go by weighing and tracking?
The particular exercise you do to determines the best way to estimate calories. HR may be good for some people doing some exercise, but the reverse can also be true and it can be wrong by a massive margin.
But with a TDEE estimate you don't need to estimate your exercise on an individual basis anyway - that is taken care of in the general estimate which works out an average for you. You don't need to seek complication.
Keep it simple (that's the main benefit of using the TDEE method)...…- Get a number.
- Eat that number for an extended period of time.
- Adjust the number if you need to based on your results over that extended period of time.
thanks I guess I have been over complicating things. its my damn drive for perfection, i need to step back and chill abit haha6 -
angermouse wrote: »angermouse wrote: »this might seem a silly question but how do you know if you have burned more than cals in if not wearing a hr monitor. I know its only an estimate and not 100% accurate but I think id be worrying if I was burning enough.
you just go by weighing and tracking?
The particular exercise you do to determines the best way to estimate calories. HR may be good for some people doing some exercise, but the reverse can also be true and it can be wrong by a massive margin.
But with a TDEE estimate you don't need to estimate your exercise on an individual basis anyway - that is taken care of in the general estimate which works out an average for you. You don't need to seek complication.
Keep it simple (that's the main benefit of using the TDEE method)...…- Get a number.
- Eat that number for an extended period of time.
- Adjust the number if you need to based on your results over that extended period of time.
thanks I guess I have been over complicating things. its my damn drive for perfection, i need to step back and chill abit haha
Easy to do. My mind is my own worst enemy sometimes 🙂3 -
angermouse wrote: »angermouse wrote: »this might seem a silly question but how do you know if you have burned more than cals in if not wearing a hr monitor. I know its only an estimate and not 100% accurate but I think id be worrying if I was burning enough.
you just go by weighing and tracking?
The particular exercise you do to determines the best way to estimate calories. HR may be good for some people doing some exercise, but the reverse can also be true and it can be wrong by a massive margin.
But with a TDEE estimate you don't need to estimate your exercise on an individual basis anyway - that is taken care of in the general estimate which works out an average for you. You don't need to seek complication.
Keep it simple (that's the main benefit of using the TDEE method)...…- Get a number.
- Eat that number for an extended period of time.
- Adjust the number if you need to based on your results over that extended period of time.
thanks I guess I have been over complicating things. its my damn drive for perfection, i need to step back and chill abit haha
I think this happens to everyone when they first start using numbers to lose weight. I mean, all our lives Math has been something that's predictable and there-is-one-answer. Weight loss is a little fuzzier as far as the Exact Numbers.
The things I can control: Tracking my food intake as accurately as I can. Using a food scale and eating 90% of my meals prepared by me, therefore eliminating most errors in logging.
Weighing my body. Keeping in mind the general trend and not worrying so much about the daily fluctuations. Weight-trending apps are good for this.
Getting some exercise. It's not really possible to calculate exactly how many calories per day I'm expending with my exercise, but I can get close enough if I log it the same way each time and use the results of my weight changes as a guide.
The rest of the minutiae I had to let go.0 -
Let’s start with questions to make sure everything is clear.
What are your stats and your goal?
What does your FitBit day your total calories burned average is, for the last month, 3 months, etc.
How many calories have you been eating? How accurate has your logging been?
What’s your weight actually been doing during that time - up, down or the same?
4 -
cmriverside wrote: »angermouse wrote: »angermouse wrote: »this might seem a silly question but how do you know if you have burned more than cals in if not wearing a hr monitor. I know its only an estimate and not 100% accurate but I think id be worrying if I was burning enough.
you just go by weighing and tracking?
The particular exercise you do to determines the best way to estimate calories. HR may be good for some people doing some exercise, but the reverse can also be true and it can be wrong by a massive margin.
But with a TDEE estimate you don't need to estimate your exercise on an individual basis anyway - that is taken care of in the general estimate which works out an average for you. You don't need to seek complication.
Keep it simple (that's the main benefit of using the TDEE method)...…- Get a number.
- Eat that number for an extended period of time.
- Adjust the number if you need to based on your results over that extended period of time.
thanks I guess I have been over complicating things. its my damn drive for perfection, i need to step back and chill abit haha
I think this happens to everyone when they first start using numbers to lose weight. I mean, all our lives Math has been something that's predictable and there-is-one-answer. Weight loss is a little fuzzier as far as the Exact Numbers.
The things I can control: Tracking my food intake as accurately as I can. Using a food scale and eating 90% of my meals prepared by me, therefore eliminating most errors in logging.
Weighing my body. Keeping in mind the general trend and not worrying so much about the daily fluctuations. Weight-trending apps are good for this.
Getting some exercise. It's not really possible to calculate exactly how many calories per day I'm expending with my exercise, but I can get close enough if I log it the same way each time and use the results of my weight changes as a guide.
The rest of the minutiae I had to let go.
thanks, I do burn myself out mentally with it all. I have body dysmorphia so its a constant thing in my mind to get it right and perfect. worrying if my macros are correct especially.
I do weigh/log everything, even down to lettuce!! yes I know silly.
I cook everything from scratch also so I know whats in it. 2 -
angermouse wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »angermouse wrote: »angermouse wrote: »this might seem a silly question but how do you know if you have burned more than cals in if not wearing a hr monitor. I know its only an estimate and not 100% accurate but I think id be worrying if I was burning enough.
you just go by weighing and tracking?
The particular exercise you do to determines the best way to estimate calories. HR may be good for some people doing some exercise, but the reverse can also be true and it can be wrong by a massive margin.
But with a TDEE estimate you don't need to estimate your exercise on an individual basis anyway - that is taken care of in the general estimate which works out an average for you. You don't need to seek complication.
Keep it simple (that's the main benefit of using the TDEE method)...…- Get a number.
- Eat that number for an extended period of time.
- Adjust the number if you need to based on your results over that extended period of time.
thanks I guess I have been over complicating things. its my damn drive for perfection, i need to step back and chill abit haha
I think this happens to everyone when they first start using numbers to lose weight. I mean, all our lives Math has been something that's predictable and there-is-one-answer. Weight loss is a little fuzzier as far as the Exact Numbers.
The things I can control: Tracking my food intake as accurately as I can. Using a food scale and eating 90% of my meals prepared by me, therefore eliminating most errors in logging.
Weighing my body. Keeping in mind the general trend and not worrying so much about the daily fluctuations. Weight-trending apps are good for this.
Getting some exercise. It's not really possible to calculate exactly how many calories per day I'm expending with my exercise, but I can get close enough if I log it the same way each time and use the results of my weight changes as a guide.
The rest of the minutiae I had to let go.
thanks, I do burn myself out mentally with it all. I have body dysmorphia so its a constant thing in my mind to get it right and perfect. worrying if my macros are correct especially.
I do weigh/log everything, even down to lettuce!! yes I know silly. I cook everything from scratch also so I know whats in it.
I dont think this is silly. I weigh absolutely everything that goes into my mouth from lettuce to peanut butter to chocolate chips to goldfish force fed from my toddler
I've had my fitbit (versa) for a year and my calorie burn is basically spot on. I've lost 60lbs now and I use the burn to tighten up my calorie goals now that I'm down to the last 15ish lbs.4 -
angermouse wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »angermouse wrote: »angermouse wrote: »this might seem a silly question but how do you know if you have burned more than cals in if not wearing a hr monitor. I know its only an estimate and not 100% accurate but I think id be worrying if I was burning enough.
you just go by weighing and tracking?
The particular exercise you do to determines the best way to estimate calories. HR may be good for some people doing some exercise, but the reverse can also be true and it can be wrong by a massive margin.
But with a TDEE estimate you don't need to estimate your exercise on an individual basis anyway - that is taken care of in the general estimate which works out an average for you. You don't need to seek complication.
Keep it simple (that's the main benefit of using the TDEE method)...…- Get a number.
- Eat that number for an extended period of time.
- Adjust the number if you need to based on your results over that extended period of time.
thanks I guess I have been over complicating things. its my damn drive for perfection, i need to step back and chill abit haha
I think this happens to everyone when they first start using numbers to lose weight. I mean, all our lives Math has been something that's predictable and there-is-one-answer. Weight loss is a little fuzzier as far as the Exact Numbers.
The things I can control: Tracking my food intake as accurately as I can. Using a food scale and eating 90% of my meals prepared by me, therefore eliminating most errors in logging.
Weighing my body. Keeping in mind the general trend and not worrying so much about the daily fluctuations. Weight-trending apps are good for this.
Getting some exercise. It's not really possible to calculate exactly how many calories per day I'm expending with my exercise, but I can get close enough if I log it the same way each time and use the results of my weight changes as a guide.
The rest of the minutiae I had to let go.
thanks, I do burn myself out mentally with it all. I have body dysmorphia so its a constant thing in my mind to get it right and perfect. worrying if my macros are correct especially.
I do weigh/log everything, even down to lettuce!! yes I know silly. I cook everything from scratch also so I know whats in it.
Oh, I weigh low calorie foods like lettuce and broccoli in order to eat MORE of them
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WinoGelato wrote: »Let’s start with questions to make sure everything is clear.
What are your stats and your goal?
What does your FitBit day your total calories burned average is, for the last month, 3 months, etc.
How many calories have you been eating? How accurate has your logging been?
What’s your weight actually been doing during that time - up, down or the same?
@angermouse you may be over-thinking again - do answer these questions.1 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Let’s start with questions to make sure everything is clear.
What are your stats and your goal?
What does your FitBit day your total calories burned average is, for the last month, 3 months, etc.
How many calories have you been eating? How accurate has your logging been?
What’s your weight actually been doing during that time - up, down or the same?
sorry I hadn't seen this post.
im not sure of my goal, I originally, as most people. always thought that the skinnier I get the better I will look. my goal once used to be 50kg! but when I got there I was devastated with what I see in the mirror and realised I didn't want to be skinny. I decided I wanted to get strong and defined instead. but its been a journey mentally.
im 5'5'' 53kg
I eat 1530 give or take abit.
my logging is on point. I weigh everything and cook meals from scratch. I don't eat out either.
my weight has been dropping, went up over xmas period though. but since mid jan ive been back to healthy eating and regular gym.0 -
angermouse wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Let’s start with questions to make sure everything is clear.
What are your stats and your goal?
What does your FitBit day your total calories burned average is, for the last month, 3 months, etc.
How many calories have you been eating? How accurate has your logging been?
What’s your weight actually been doing during that time - up, down or the same?
sorry I hadn't seen this post.
im not sure of my goal, I originally, as most people. always thought that the skinnier I get the better I will look. my goal once used to be 50kg! but when I got there I was devastated with what I see in the mirror and realised I didn't want to be skinny. I decided I wanted to get strong and defined instead. but its been a journey mentally.
im 5'5'' 53kg
I eat 1530 give or take abit.
my logging is on point. I weigh everything and cook meals from scratch. I don't eat out either.
my weight has been dropping, went up over xmas period though. but since mid jan ive been back to healthy eating and regular gym.
Ok so your goal is to lose weight. A small amount, meaning you can expect loss to be slow. Roughly 0.25 kg/week would be reasonable.
You didn’t answer the question about what FitBit says your total calorie burn is. Not what you’re eating but what the device says you burn - which is an estimate of your TDEE or maintenance cals.
You’ve been losing steadily —at what weekly rate?2 -
WinoGelato wrote: »angermouse wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Let’s start with questions to make sure everything is clear.
What are your stats and your goal?
What does your FitBit day your total calories burned average is, for the last month, 3 months, etc.
How many calories have you been eating? How accurate has your logging been?
What’s your weight actually been doing during that time - up, down or the same?
sorry I hadn't seen this post.
im not sure of my goal, I originally, as most people. always thought that the skinnier I get the better I will look. my goal once used to be 50kg! but when I got there I was devastated with what I see in the mirror and realised I didn't want to be skinny. I decided I wanted to get strong and defined instead. but its been a journey mentally.
im 5'5'' 53kg
I eat 1530 give or take abit.
my logging is on point. I weigh everything and cook meals from scratch. I don't eat out either.
my weight has been dropping, went up over xmas period though. but since mid jan ive been back to healthy eating and regular gym.
Ok so your goal is to lose weight. A small amount, meaning you can expect loss to be slow. Roughly 0.25 kg/week would be reasonable.
You didn’t answer the question about what FitBit says your total calorie burn is. Not what you’re eating but what the device says you burn - which is an estimate of your TDEE or maintenance cals.
You’ve been losing steadily —at what weekly rate?WinoGelato wrote: »angermouse wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Let’s start with questions to make sure everything is clear.
What are your stats and your goal?
What does your FitBit day your total calories burned average is, for the last month, 3 months, etc.
How many calories have you been eating? How accurate has your logging been?
What’s your weight actually been doing during that time - up, down or the same?
sorry I hadn't seen this post.
im not sure of my goal, I originally, as most people. always thought that the skinnier I get the better I will look. my goal once used to be 50kg! but when I got there I was devastated with what I see in the mirror and realised I didn't want to be skinny. I decided I wanted to get strong and defined instead. but its been a journey mentally.
im 5'5'' 53kg
I eat 1530 give or take abit.
my logging is on point. I weigh everything and cook meals from scratch. I don't eat out either.
my weight has been dropping, went up over xmas period though. but since mid jan ive been back to healthy eating and regular gym.
Ok so your goal is to lose weight. A small amount, meaning you can expect loss to be slow. Roughly 0.25 kg/week would be reasonable.
You didn’t answer the question about what FitBit says your total calorie burn is. Not what you’re eating but what the device says you burn - which is an estimate of your TDEE or maintenance cals.
You’ve been losing steadily —at what weekly rate?
it was to lose weight at one point but now Im aiming for more tone but wanted to get my bf down to 20% before maintaining, but another member says recomp can be done now.
sorry I thought id put fitbit burn in top post. I aimed and mostly did burn above 1800 but as I say id been over burning.3 -
You do need to concentrate on @WinoGelato 's questions!
Last 30 days from your Fitbit stats... what is your Fitbit daily burn (last 60/90 would be good data too but maybe harder to get)
Do you log food every day? What did you eat during the same time period in terms of total calories according to your logging?
Weight change: if you plug all the numbers for your weigh in into Fitbit on the correct dates and you connect trendweigh.com to your Fitbit account... how did your trending weight change during the past 30 days?
Sounds like you want to MAINTAIN your current weight with small changes and engage in some weight training to be stronger.0 -
im going to have to put a hold on this at the moment. got some personal stuff happening and need to put my fitness on hold til I can put full mind to it. ill be back soon.2
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Hopefully you will find a way to include aspects of fitness in life and sufficient life in fitness in some sort of symbiotic long term consistent balance in the not too distant future 2
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angermouse wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »angermouse wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Let’s start with questions to make sure everything is clear.
What are your stats and your goal?
What does your FitBit day your total calories burned average is, for the last month, 3 months, etc.
How many calories have you been eating? How accurate has your logging been?
What’s your weight actually been doing during that time - up, down or the same?
sorry I hadn't seen this post.
im not sure of my goal, I originally, as most people. always thought that the skinnier I get the better I will look. my goal once used to be 50kg! but when I got there I was devastated with what I see in the mirror and realised I didn't want to be skinny. I decided I wanted to get strong and defined instead. but its been a journey mentally.
im 5'5'' 53kg
I eat 1530 give or take abit.
my logging is on point. I weigh everything and cook meals from scratch. I don't eat out either.
my weight has been dropping, went up over xmas period though. but since mid jan ive been back to healthy eating and regular gym.
Ok so your goal is to lose weight. A small amount, meaning you can expect loss to be slow. Roughly 0.25 kg/week would be reasonable.
You didn’t answer the question about what FitBit says your total calorie burn is. Not what you’re eating but what the device says you burn - which is an estimate of your TDEE or maintenance cals.
You’ve been losing steadily —at what weekly rate?WinoGelato wrote: »angermouse wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Let’s start with questions to make sure everything is clear.
What are your stats and your goal?
What does your FitBit day your total calories burned average is, for the last month, 3 months, etc.
How many calories have you been eating? How accurate has your logging been?
What’s your weight actually been doing during that time - up, down or the same?
sorry I hadn't seen this post.
im not sure of my goal, I originally, as most people. always thought that the skinnier I get the better I will look. my goal once used to be 50kg! but when I got there I was devastated with what I see in the mirror and realised I didn't want to be skinny. I decided I wanted to get strong and defined instead. but its been a journey mentally.
im 5'5'' 53kg
I eat 1530 give or take abit.
my logging is on point. I weigh everything and cook meals from scratch. I don't eat out either.
my weight has been dropping, went up over xmas period though. but since mid jan ive been back to healthy eating and regular gym.
Ok so your goal is to lose weight. A small amount, meaning you can expect loss to be slow. Roughly 0.25 kg/week would be reasonable.
You didn’t answer the question about what FitBit says your total calorie burn is. Not what you’re eating but what the device says you burn - which is an estimate of your TDEE or maintenance cals.
You’ve been losing steadily —at what weekly rate?
it was to lose weight at one point but now Im aiming for more tone but wanted to get my bf down to 20% before maintaining, but another member says recomp can be done now.
sorry I thought id put fitbit burn in top post. I aimed and mostly did burn above 1800 but as I say id been over burning.
What do you mean by over burning? A high TDEE is a good thing, trying to burn 1800 via exercise isn't. Why aim for a TDEE, just do you're everyday activities + exercise, let your TDEE lead you.
0 -
hi im able to get back on track now. sorry I had to leave the thread for a while.
@debrag12 this is why I started the thread to check I was working out right. I wasn't sure if I was over burning? my maintenance says around 1800 so I cut 300 for fat loss. so I was aiming to eat in the 15-1600 range. but what I think ive done wrong is then work out/exercise to make sure I burn 1800, what Im trying to figure out is if I have taken 300 off already doesn't that mean I should be looking at burning 15-1600? as im eating 300 less than I should???0 -
I ignore my exercise calorie loss. Most of it is grossly inaccurate. If you are going to eat your exercise calories try eating half.6
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