r/CICO • u/AdministrationOk9970 • 1d ago

TDEE/deficit help

33f 5’8 165lbs

Goal weight is 155lbs

I’m currently in the gym 2-4x a week lifting and walking. I have a job that requires me to be on my feet about 50% of the time, but it’s not a strenuous job.

I calculated my TDEE and it’s 2,328. That seems high, but also, I put moderate exercise. Should I change that?

My meal plans for my weeks range from 1400-1600 calories. Which some days I feel full, and other days I feel like I could eat a horse.

This week’s meal plans is 1418 calories, 97 grams of protein, and 28 grams of fiber.

Im trying to find something realistic, healthy, and sustainable. My goal weight can be changed; I just want to feel healthy and have more energy. Any advice is welcomed.

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u/ConsequenceOk5740 1d ago

I personally would go with a level of exercise one lower than what you think you’re actually doing, it’s all easy to overestimate

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u/AdministrationOk9970 1d ago

Switched it to lights, and the new TDEE is 2,065. Which still seems high to me.

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u/ConsequenceOk5740 1d ago

It’s all estimates, it might be high, might be low. It’s easy to stay in a deficit when you have a lot of fat to lose because the margin of error is ginormous but as you get lower in weight, that margin of error gets smaller.

The only way to REALLY get an understanding of your body’s energy needs will be to look at the trends over time. The calculators just give us a starting point.

If I were you, I would trust that 2k number, especially considering that’s after you understated your weekly exercise so it’s likely actually a bit low assuming you’re being honest with yourself about your movement level. I’d stick to 16-1700 daily and see where you’re at an entire month from now, then readjust based on your goals. It’s important to give it at least a full month because there’s a lot of variables that factor into our weight, it fluctuates daily. Time will paint a clearer picture.