TDEE v NEAT

Liftin4food

Hi. I'm new here - and have been looking at what you guys do, and I like the sound of it - except one thing.

You recommend taking the deficit off your TDEE. But I'm not the most consistent person when it comes to exercise. And if I'm honest, knowing that if I get up and walk around for a bit will earn me a few extra calories (I have a fitbit that tells me how many) motivates me to do that more often.

Would this still work taking a 15% deficit of my MFP maintenance target, and then eating back my fitbit calories like I'm used to? Or am I just trying to mix too many different approaches to weight loss?

Thanks (and sorry if this has been asked before. I looked but didn't spot an answer).

Jennbecca33

Well since you have a fitbit, the best thing to do is use those numbers since it will most accurately record your activity. You could eat a 15% deficit (EM2WL recommends no more than a 15% deficit for fat loss) from your fitbit everyday which would be about 400 calories less than your daily total, or the easier thing to do is take a monthly average from your fitbit and subtract 15% from that and eat the same amount every day - this way you're not having to alter your calories everyday. It kind of depends on whether you like to have your fitbit synced to MFP or not. Does this help? It does get confusing when you try to combine different approaches. In your case, I'd recommend just using your fitbit numbers.

Liftin4food

I think you are probably right. I used fitbit and myfitnesspal together pretty successfully in weightloss terms last year (until I got ill and had to stop). But I know I over did it on the deficit side last time. I was exhausted. I was weak - despite heavy lifting (which I loved - and am excited to have started again)! I know I would have gotten sick anyway - but I can't help thinking that I made it worse by putting my body through a lot of unnecessary stress. I needed to lose weight - there is no denying that. I still do - but I wasn't nice to myself when I tried to before.

Tl:dr - I still want to lose weight. I wish I found you guys last time I was here. I might not have been so mean to myself!

Liftin4food

I forgot to say - thank you for the quick response. I may not be in the right place for you guys yet - but I hope to come back and learn from you all!

heybales

Even doing it MFP/Fitbit method with daily adjusted eating levels - you can still pick a reasonable weight loss amount.

That's what it's all about, a reasonable deficit for amount to lose, not extreme.

So look at your Fitbit weekly reports. And hopefully you corrected their TDEE by manually logging non-step based workouts so the TDEE really is best estimate.

What is 15% of that corrected weekly TDEE?

Closest to 250 or 500 or 750 cal deficit?

Select whatever is closest in your settings, and meet your daily eating goal.

That way you can keep using both synced, and account for iffy exercise, but perhaps increased activity days still.

Liftin4food

I'm pretty much smack bang in the middle of 250 and 500. I've decided to try 250. I'd like to lose more quickly (and realistically need to). But I'd rather not feel burned out and think I stand a better chance of sticking to it. It also means I can up to 500 if I need to based on the results I get.

Thanks for your help.