I have calculated my TDEE (moderately active; walking every day for at least an hour, 5x5 two to three times a week) to be 2992 cals. Should I just subtract 500 cals a day to initiate fat loss?
Yesterday, according to FitDay, this is what I ate in terms of macros:
Protein: 205g
Fat: 150g
Carbs: 50g
Total calories: 2398
Note: I tend to do better on a lower carb diet, even when lifting heavy. It’s not always as low as 50g, but it’s never lower than that amount. It’s usually around 75-100g, all from vegetables and a little starch (sweet potato) post-workout. Grains, rice, beans etc just bloat me out so have eliminated them.
So, my question: does that macro and calorie breakdown look good for someone in my position of looking to lose fat and preserve muscle?
Most important point (so I’ll put it first). Whatever calculators (not particularly accurate. Ball park figure yes but exact science not really) or this forum tell you and whatever numbers you end up picking you’re gonna have to start on the diet and stick to it consistently, say for a week, while weighing yourself everyday under the same conditions to see how you are responding and then adjust from there. Doesn’t matter which starting point you use exactly because you’re probably gonna have to adjust it anyway.
e.g. you lose nothing by the time the week is up = your diet is not hypocaloric/creating a caloric deficit therefore you adjust down. You lose weight too fast (affects the intensity of your workouts which are the stimulus to hold onto max muscle) on the scales so you adjust slightly upwards.
TLDWatch
-500 cal seems alright for a starting point. Watch the scales and adjust accordingly tho.
Not a fan of low carbs but if you know you can train intensely with low carbs while in a caloric deficit and deep into your fat loss phase then go ahead. I would recommend having carbs higher tho to promote training intensity / holding onto muscle and to give you something to tweak/adjust/lower easily when your weight loss inevitably slows down.
How long have you been eating this amount of calories for? I don’t claim to be a fat loss expert but one would think if you maintained these cals and your exercise for any decent amount of time, you would see weight loss. Consistency is king.
Thank you both for your replies! I’ll see how I get on with my current carb intake and adjust if needed.
I’ve been doing it for2 whole weeks now and I’ve noticed a few cm lost around the waist, so it looks to be doing its ‘thing’. Though it could be water weiight I’ve lost, and in any case I’d rather that came off my as well!
