TDEE Method :)

smmorri

I have been using MFP for the past 10 days. I really like it, and I think logging my food is working for me. When I signed up, I set up my goals, and MFP calculated that I should be consuming 1200 Calories a day. My goal has been to work out 3 or 4 times a week, for 30 minutes. (Sometimes longer, like 60min Zumba, but this is my base for working out).

I have been having a hard time consuming the full 1200 calories. Only 2 out of the 10 days, have I exceeded 1200. I have lost weight, 7 pounds in the first week!! I am happy about that, but I am concerned that I am..

1) Not feeding my body enough, and
2) I am going to hit a plateau, if I continue like this.

I want to use the TDEE / BMR method, but I'm not quite sure how to go about it.

I have calculated my TDEE and BMR to be:

TDEE: 2414 BMR: 1558

Can someone please explain to me how many calories I should be consuming, with the TDEE/BMR Method?

jacksonpt

Pretty much anything between the two will be fine. Closer to TDEE will give slower but healthier weight loss, closer to BMR will give faster weight loss but greater chance of increased muscle loss (i.e. less fat loss).

InspiredSAM

You will probably get all kinds of opinions on this topic. From the little bit of research that I have done, your body needs at least 1558 calories just to be a body. To maintain your current weight, you would need 2414 calories. (I'm not sure if you adjusted this to reflect any of your exercise.) To loose weight, you could take anywhere from 10-30% TDEE for a calorie deficit. I went with a 20% decrease, so that would be 1931 calories for you. I know it seems like a lot and it can be hard to hit it.

I like to have an apple or banana with peanut butter as a good filing snack with some added calories. I also eat a protein bar everyday to help with both calories and protein intake. I'm still trying to find other good, healthy options to hit my calorie intake. I can have a huge salad at lunch with chicken and salad dressing and still be at 400 calories.