Is my TDEE too high?

This topic contains 4 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by  fasting_me 5 years, 7 months ago.

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  • Hi guys.
    I start tomorrow and have completed the calculator. My TDEE has come out at approx 2100 which is based on the following:
    Age: 38
    Sex: F
    Weight: 13st 10lbs
    Activity: Lightly Actively (I believe it could be the next level up but as people tend to overestimate I’ve gone one level down).
    I’m asking if my TDEE is right as I had someone comment on a previous post where I mentioned my TDEE and they said it was very high. Have I done something wrong here? I would like to lose 2lbs a week and given there are 3500 in 1lb I assume to do that (and based on 500 cals per fast day twice a week) I could go down to 1340 a day for 5 days and 500 a day for 2 days. Would this be ok or is too low and I should stick to my TDEE? It just seems disheartening that people say it’s high as if I’m abnormal plus it would only equate to less than a pound a week? Sorry if this is long winded x

    Welcome to the 5:2 forums, MrsP. This is a great place for support on your weight loss journey, so feel free to jump in on any of the threads.

    I use my TDEE as just a rough idea if I’m eating too much on NFDs and not losing. I very rarely count calories on NFD. I always count calories on my 2 FDs per week. (500 calories). I lost a couple pounds per week the first couple weeks and then averaged about a pound per week after that. It took about 7-1/2 months to lose about 18 pounds. There were a few plateaus along the way, a least one that lasted 2 weeks or more. But that all worked fine for me. I eat what I want on NFD but try to be mindful. I don’t drink alcohol very often, maybe a glass of wine ar two at a dinner out or at a party.

    I’ve been maintaining now for about 7 months doing the 5:2 for maintenance. (6:1 for a month or so because of some health issues.) I’m used to the FDs so they’re almost automatic now.

    I’ve been on every diet that came my way over the years, but was never able to maintain the weight loss. And I hated counting calories every day. 5:2 is sustainable, because it’s easy. Eating 500 calories 2 days a week is doable because I always know I can eat what I want the next day. I don’t usually binge but certainly eat over my TDEE many days. But I’ve also learned that it’s not going to kill me to miss a meal or to feel hungry sometimes when I’m busy. The feeling passes. I rarely eat breakfast but was never much of a breakfast eater anyway.

    Also, your TDEE goes down as it’s based on your weight. Many of us here figure out our goal weight TDEE and use that as the guideline right from the start. You’ll be gaining lots of new habits and your body will adapt over time. Good luck on your journey. It will feel so good to be thin again!

    MrsP, I didn’t say that you or your TDEE were abnormal, just that 2100 sounded a bit high. Recalculate using the weight you WANT TO BE rather than your current weight and let us know if the TDEE is still above 2000. You would lose the weight faster if you ate below your calculated TDEE.
    I wouldn’t get hung up on it [I never heard of a TDEE until I’d been Fasting for 2 years]. Do your 2 Fast Days and see if you lose weight. If you don’t, or you get to a long plateau, then consider your TDEE and eating that amount or less on Slow Days.
    Good Luck.

    Youre TDEE seems about right. Id focus more on what you are eating. If you generally choose healthy foods then the task of losing weight becomes easier. Personally I do not consider any processed grain based foods healthy. Lots of veggie, some fruit, meat, nuts seeds, dairy, cheese. No grains. About a pound per week loss is about average and sustainable. Ask yourself this. Is the eating habit Im about to undertake sustainable for the rest of my life? If its not then chances are that once you reach your goal and stop eating the way you do, it will all come back again. You need to develop an eating pattern that you can do ALL the time.

    So say we all.

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