which is more accurate? scooby or iifym for TDEE calculations?

magsmichelle

iifym has my BMR at 1254and my TDEE at 1779, based on exercise 3 times a week. Those numbers seem ridiculously low, to even have a 10% reduction of TDEE I would only be allowed to eat 1602, 20% would have me at 1424,and on my workout days I am really hungry eating at those levels.

I noticed with Scooby though; it is based on hours of exercise. So while I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, my workouts are intense and I actually log almost 300 minutes a week; or 4-5 hours..Scooby's calculations are BMR of 1355, TDEE of 2100 which allows me to eat 1680 with a 20% reduction or 1890 with a 10% reduction.

These calculations are so different!! I know they are not completely accurate, but does anyone know which one is the better to follow? I am leaning toward Scooby, simply because eating 1890 for a 10% reduction leaves me feeling less hungry but since the numbers are so different, I am cautious to want to do that.

Which one do you follow if you use TDEE? please help

higgins8283801

I have a fitbit and my tdee on my fitbit matches scooby's tdee calculations the closest.

So I would use scooby.

higgins8283801

But their just estimates! I would just watch what happens over time. If you are feeling hungry with iifym then try scooby. If you're not losing, then reduce a little until you are.

They won't be exact since it's just a math equation. You have to find your own by playing with it.

cwolfman13

1 - it's all an estimate and picking an activity level isn't an exact science...you have to take into account everything....days you work out...hours per week...intensity...your day to day, etc.

2- all of these calculators are just meant to give you a reasonably good starting point to work with...you still have to make adjustments as per your real world results. Nobody has a TDEE of exactly XXXX calories. Pick one and go with it...make adjustments as necessary.

3 - it might seem like a huge discrepancy...but it's really not.

4 - when you do TDEE you eat the same amount allways...you don't eat X amount on workout days and X amount on non-workout days...it's an average of your whole week

5 - I've used both calculators...ultimately, my TDEE is neither...again...you make adjustments as per real world results to dial it in...none of these calculators are "accurate"...they aren't gospel...just a reasonably good place to get started.

ana3067

IIFYM, from my experience and from the experience of others I've talked to, estimates low. I would personally go with Scooby's, monitor for a while, adjust up/down if the numbers don't seem to work for you (e.g. losing too fast or too slow).