Don't make this blunder....
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jyska
Posts: 728 Member
For anyone who has started the EM method after being on a VLCD for a while, I highly encourage you to do a full reset (eating at maintenance NOT TDEE - 15%). Here's why:
When I joined this group 8 weeks ago I somehow got it into my head that eating at TDEE -15% was good enough to lose. hmmm, well it's 8 weeks later, I've semi-stabilizied, but I'm not really losing. After talking to Kiki, she replied that if you do not do a full maintenance reset (eating at tdee with NO CUT) your body will wind up practically begging for a proper reset and may try to do it itself by making your tdee -15% cut your new maintenance. Hence you ain't gonna lose nothin'...
So...here I am after 8 weeks of EM, basically starting again at another 8 weeks of eating at TDEE to reset properly before I can cut back down. At that point my body should be able to RECOGNIZE the cut as a deficit and be willing to let go of some chubby.
Now, some of you many be experiencing loss at the tdee 15% and that's great...continue on if that is working for you.
but I highly recommend that you take those diet breaks (maybe take some slightly longer ones at first) and get your metabolism running where it should be. :happy:
If you are like me and haven't quite gotten up the courage to eat at maintenance...may I simply encourage you to think very strongly about it? If you aren't seeing results or are just starting out after a VLCD, then go for TDEE. Don't waste the first 8 weeks like I did.
When I joined this group 8 weeks ago I somehow got it into my head that eating at TDEE -15% was good enough to lose. hmmm, well it's 8 weeks later, I've semi-stabilizied, but I'm not really losing. After talking to Kiki, she replied that if you do not do a full maintenance reset (eating at tdee with NO CUT) your body will wind up practically begging for a proper reset and may try to do it itself by making your tdee -15% cut your new maintenance. Hence you ain't gonna lose nothin'...
So...here I am after 8 weeks of EM, basically starting again at another 8 weeks of eating at TDEE to reset properly before I can cut back down. At that point my body should be able to RECOGNIZE the cut as a deficit and be willing to let go of some chubby.
Now, some of you many be experiencing loss at the tdee 15% and that's great...continue on if that is working for you.
but I highly recommend that you take those diet breaks (maybe take some slightly longer ones at first) and get your metabolism running where it should be. :happy:If you are like me and haven't quite gotten up the courage to eat at maintenance...may I simply encourage you to think very strongly about it? If you aren't seeing results or are just starting out after a VLCD, then go for TDEE. Don't waste the first 8 weeks like I did.
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Really good point. I never did a full reset, and I'm starting to regret that now.0
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Wow!! I just got on here to see if anyone had ideas as to why, after 7 weeks, I was still the same! I ate at 1200 for a long time and 7 weeks ago started eating more at 1600.....then finding this group I upped to 1800. And still absolutely no progress...no weight off (or gained for that matter) no inches lost either. So, I should eat at maintance for how long? How do you know you are "stabilized" and can then add a deficit? Thanks for this post! Maybe, just maybe it will be the one thing I haven't tried to get me off a 7 month plateau!!!0
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A proper reset is a full 8 weeks minimum at maintenance calories. After the full 8 weeks, you can drop back into your cut.
If you've stabilized you will know because your weight will just bounce around the same couple of pounds (It won't really go up or down. (where I'm at now)) and your inches won't go anywhere either.0 -
I'm glad I read this after one week in! For the past week, I've been eating at a deficit. Fortunately, I get to add a calorie-dense shake from here on out for the next 8 weeks. YUM! :bigsmile:0
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I hoping my 3 weeks of messing up my lavash servings helped me with this. I was eating a few hundred above what I thought!0
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Thanks, I was just asking this morning when I should go up, I guess I missed the part where to eat at maintenance first. So since I am 3 weeks in eating at 15%, you do believe I should just go ahead now and eat at TDEE for 8 weeks?
I did read your post and I know that is what you are saying....but I guess I just need the reassurance that yes! Just freaking do it!! :laugh: I just don't want to constantly make changes and screw things up!0 -
I am thinking to do the reset as well. I think it is probably the best way to go-at least for me0
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Thanks, I was just asking this morning when I should go up, I guess I missed the part where to eat at maintenance first. So since I am 3 weeks in eating at 15%, you do believe I should just go ahead now and eat at TDEE for 8 weeks?
I did read your post and I know that is what you are saying....but I guess I just need the reassurance that yes! Just freaking do it!! :laugh: I just don't want to constantly make changes and screw things up!
I hear you on the constantly making changes trying to get it right! And don't feel bad...I totally didn't grasp the concept that I needed to start at TDEE either.
And YES, do the full 8 weeks at maintenance before you cut. After those 8 weeks you can confidently cut knowing you gave your body enough time to reset. then just make sure you take those diet breaks for a week every 4 - 6 weeks (I think that's the recommended time frame) to keep your metabolism up. 0 -
Wow thanks for this post, I totally missed that too.. I've been eating at cut for about 4 weeks, not losing or gaining, up and down the same few lbs, trying to 'trust the process'. It is scary to think I have to eat 300 more calories! Yikes! I'm going to give it a try. How many others missed that part?0
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Thank you! I am going to trust you and start today.
I am always up for more food!
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then just make sure you take those diet breaks for a week every 4 - 6 weeks (I think that's the recommended time frame) to keep your metabolism up.
Just to clarify, I want to make sure I'm getting this right. After eating at TDEE for 8 weeks, I could then cut by 15% and eat at a deficit for 4-6 weeks. After the 4-6 weeks, take a break and go up to TDEE for a week maybe (?), then back to a deficit. Is this correct?0 -
Don't feel bad....I'm 9 weeks in and am in the same boat. I haven't gained or lost really anything. My waist is smaller but my legs are bigger. ugh!
I had been yo-yoing on and off for years. When i started this I was "off" the diet bandwagon for a while, with the exception of a few initial weeks on mfp at 1200. I foolishly thought that since I hadn't been in an extended period in recent history that I wouldn't have to do a reset...lol...joke's on me. But mentally, I think it was better for me to settle into this idea at my cut #. It may seems kinda a waste of time, but if it helps me stay the course for the long haul, then I guess that is a victory. I know what to expect when I go up to maintenance, and I am guessing so do you. 0 -
then just make sure you take those diet breaks for a week every 4 - 6 weeks (I think that's the recommended time frame) to keep your metabolism up.
Just to clarify, I want to make sure I'm getting this right. After eating at TDEE for 8 weeks, I could then cut by 15% and eat at a deficit for 4-6 weeks. After the 4-6 weeks, take a break and go up to TDEE for a week maybe (?), then back to a deficit. Is this correct?
Yup. Although how often you take a diet break can vary depending on your weight from what I've come to understand. The leaner you get the more frequent your diet breaks should be. If you are fairly lean then every 6 weeks or so. If you are bigger then every 12 - 16 weeks. I think Kiki mentions it in her posts somewhere...I just can't remember exactly where! If you can work your holidays and diet breaks around to happen at the same time, most people apparently find that quite a lovely way to do it...hehe. 0 -
This is really interesting. I started EMTWL about 6 weeks ago and also have been eating around 2000 cals which is my TDEE less 15% cut (using Scooby Fitness calculator). Ive been feeling really good and energised from the extra cals, following years of yo-yo dieting. BUT just really maintaining and not losing as I had hoped I would. After reading this I realise I should have done the full metabolism reset, then the cut! Doh!
Okay, going to be brave and up to TDEE at 2,400 cals (I do high burn (800+ cal workouts including lifting heavy) 4 times each week. I dont have a problem eating foods in a day, so long as I plan ahead.
Wish me luck ....0 -
@jyska im in the same boat as you. 8 weeks of eating more from 1500--> 1800 netting bmr. The first time I weighed myself was 2 weeks into eating more and I had gained 2 lbs. The next time I weighed myself was week 8 and I am up 7 lbs. I don't know if i have stabilized or not! I think i will weigh myself next week to see what the heck is up. Then should i jump into maintenance? dont know what to do?! and i think if i gain any more weight my clothes will be too tight. i keep reading trust the process and boy am i fighting hard to but so mentally draining when I am up 7 lbs and am not seeing a loss... so up it?0
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@jyska im in the same boat as you. 8 weeks of eating more from 1500--> 1800 netting bmr. The first time I weighed myself was 2 weeks into eating more and I had gained 2 lbs. The next time I weighed myself was week 8 and I am up 7 lbs. I don't know if i have stabilized or not! I think i will weigh myself next week to see what the heck is up. Then should i jump into maintenance? dont know what to do?! and i think if i gain any more weight my clothes will be too tight. i keep reading trust the process and boy am i fighting hard to but so mentally draining when I am up 7 lbs and am not seeing a loss... so up it?
I have the same fear of ending up in my skivvies because nothing will fit anymore!
Based on my experience and from what I've gleaned from Kiki and this forum, YES up your calories to maintenance for 8 weeks, then drop back down to tdee - 15%. This should allow your body to reset at the proper metabolic rate so that tdee-15% will actually WORK and as a bonus you'll get that satisfactory feeling of lowering cals to lose weight after the reset (much easier to wrap our brains around) hehe.0 -
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this. It's been over TWELVE WEEKS for me with NOOOO movement AT ALL. Ugggggh. I was getting ready to write a really b*tchy post, but glad I stumbled on yours first. I'm up 5-6 pounds from when I started this in March. I went from 1400/1500 calories to 1800/1900, and have had NO CHANGE in measurements. At least my clothes still fit, but this stagnancy is freakin' killing me. I'm doing everything I should be, but NO GO. I even got an Omron body fat analyzer, and have the same darn body fat % since I was last measured in Nov. 11. Guess I just should have done straight TDEE calories from the get go, huh? Well, this weekend sure helped me on a diet break, that's for sure. LOL.
Is there a post on this group for those of us that this program doesn't seem to be working well? I mean, theoretically the 15% cut should be working, and clearly it's not. Is it really as simple as eating at TDEE? How long do you eat at TDEE before cutting again?0 -
and as a bonus you'll get that satisfactory feeling of lowering cals to lose weight after the reset (much easier to wrap our brains around) hehe.
lol...i'm the total opposite. i'm kinda scared to up to TDEE because i'm afraid of having to cut back down later!! i'm afraid my body will revolt against a cut after having been upped.0
