underestimating maintenance

[JaredPunch]

Guys, have you ever underestimated your maintenance and with the help of a bodybugg or other devices realized it was a lot higher and that eating too little was the reason you couldn't lose fat but resumed water or lost muscle instead?

I have read of people who thought the were burning 2500 calories but it was 3800 instead and had to bump their calories to 3400 from 2000 to really lose fat without mass loss and water retention.

Any similar story you'd like to share? Do you think it's common to underestimate one's maintenance?

[AncientYouth]

No......most people over estimate it.....which is why they are fat

[JaredPunch]

maybe overweight and obese people, but what about the leanish guy with stubborn abdominal fat?

[Groce]

yes I have - the activity factors are completely ambiguous, exercise itself doesn't burn that many calories but NEAT can vary massively, I own a BMF and my maintenance is about 2400-2600 while according to the calculators it should be about 2100.

[JaredPunch]

yes I have - the activity factors are completely ambiguous, exercise itself doesn't burn that many calories but NEAT can vary massively, I own a BMF and my maintenance is about 2400-2600 while according to the calculators it should be about 2100.

did you physique improve by knowing your real maintenance and eating more or decreasing the deficit?

[EjnarKolinkar]

Guys, have you ever underestimated your maintenance and with the help of a bodybugg or other devices realized it was a lot higher and that eating too little was the reason you couldn't lose fat but resumed water or lost muscle instead?

I have read of people who thought the were burning 2500 calories but it was 3800 instead and had to bump their calories to 3400 from 2000 to really lose fat without mass loss and water retention.

Any similar story you'd like to share? Do you think it's common to underestimate one's maintenance?

No that is a fairy tale, unless the dieter is very advanced, and looking to push the limits of competition shape from a bad position to begin with. People can get themselves into bad dieting positions though, where calories to make steady loss goals can become too low do to activity that is not adequate, or setting the bar too high for weekly losses.

Bear in mind most of this is self reported, and scale based. But fair to say adaptation can make things especially difficult to nail down in those with low body mass to begin with as they can generate less of a deficit and have easier time getting into a bad position.

Overweight people try to apply this "myth" to themselves to eat more or do less cardio.