What's the deal with TDEE? And where do I get one???

laura3977

Okay, so I've been at this for a little over a month (go me! this is the longest I've actually logged and been accurate at logging!). I have lost 9.8 lbs so far - I have 85 lbs to loose and I realize that will eventually slow down. I'm 5'5", currently 225 lbs, 50.8% body fat ( ), cardio 3-4 days per week for 30-45 mins (stationary bike), and will incorporate strength training as soon as my little 2.5 year old transitions fully into her "big girl" bed .

I have been looking through the forums and keep seeing "TDEE" and how it's really helpful to set your caloric intake based on that number. I have used my friend Google and I have read a lot in the form of blogs and TDEE calculators. I just did a body scan yesterday and was told my RMR is 1,421 cal/day. When I enter "2 lbs per week" on MFP it gives me 1,200 calories - to be perfectly honest I am more than okay losing less than that and I've played around with the different numbers. It's nice to have extra calories although most of the time I'm fine with 1,200 but if there's a more ideal number in order to loose the fat and retain the lean tissue (that's the point of following the TDEE right?!?!) then I would like to use that.

ANYWAY!!! I feel like a complete dunce because although I think I'm understanding the concept it doesn't seem like I can fully wrap my head around what my calorie intake should be if I were following the TDEE recommendations. Maybe it's because I'm mathematically challenged? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!! thank you in advance!!!!

4legsRbetterthan2

Tdee is your total daily energy expenditure, or the number of calories you burn every day. Rmr i believe is the same as bmr, basal metabolic rate, how much you burn being alive for a day with no movement. Usually the tdee method calculates your deficit as a percentage of you tdee as apposed to lbs/ week, so that is where you will get slightly different goals. Typically with the tdee method you include you exercise in the calculations and eat the same amount every day verses logging exercise and eating it back. This can be helpful in some situations but you have to realize since the exercise is already built in skipping workouts will slow your progress ( you are eating calories you did not burn)

Hopefully thats a good start. I really like the scoobys workshop website if you want to check that out.

laura3977

I guess that's where I'm stumped, I understand the concept of TDEE I just don't know what my calorie intake should be if I'm using the TDEE "formula" - does that make sense?

Thank you for directing me to Scooby's Workshop, I'll check it out!

4legsRbetterthan2

Yes scoobys has a calculator. When i used it i took the base calculation using my base activity level and added my exercise in myself, it felt more precise than the generic workout options they provide. I believe scoobys talks about what appropriate goals are to help you select that part. If you want to know how many lbs you should be losing using that method take your calculated tdee - goal then multiply by 7 and devide by 3500. Its esier to see if you are on track when you have some sort of expectation.

P.s. there is an old post called in place of a roadmap, i would suggest seeing if you can find that too through the search function on the forums. Its long but it breaks down tdee and using scoobys.

sodakat

Accepted calorie intake for the TDEE method is to eat 80% of your TDEE calories (TDEE minus 20 percent). See if you lose after a few weeks. If not, subtract 100 a day. Rinse, repeat.

So if Scooby says your TDEE is 2100 (for example), try eating 1680 for a few weeks.

Another way to look at it would be to determine what your TDEE WILL BE when you are at the goal weight you have selected, then eat ALL of that TDEE. Theory is your body will work towards a TDEE that that calorie amount supplies.

I like what @Vismal says in the Calorie Counting sticky: pick a number and just eat that amount. If it doesn't result in weight loss, drop some calories, until you find the place you lose weight.

AmyRhubarb

4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »

P.s. there is an old post called in place of a roadmap, i would suggest seeing if you can find that too through the search function on the forums. Its long but it breaks down tdee and using scoobys.

I keep the Roadmap bookmarked. Here's the short and sweet version of the Roadmap thread: Roadmap There's a link there to the full version. Best move I ever made was following the info there.

Sued0nim

You don't need to

Some people like the TDEE method but to be honest if you follow MFP you end up in the same place

I personally prefer the motivation of knowing that the purposeful workouts, and making myself more active gives me more calories to eat

loribethrice

That Scooby thing told me I was underweight when my BMI is still 10lbs above that. What's up with that??

KudraM

So based on IIFYM, I reset MFP to 1990 (@ 20% less). So do i just ignore the subtractions exercise makes, or not put in exercise? I would really like to be able to track both on MFP and not have to go to Fitocracy, etc.

DeeGardner714

If your settings are for TDEE it already includes your exercise calories. If you don't have a training regiment, you may want to use MFP settings and add the workous as you go. I set mine to 25% less than TDEE and don't log exercise. I also am mindful of adjusting calories on my rest day, while still maintaining a weekly deficit for a 1.5-2lb loss.

Azexas

KudraM wrote: »

So based on IIFYM, I reset MFP to 1990 (@ 20% less). So do i just ignore the subtractions exercise makes, or not put in exercise? I would really like to be able to track both on MFP and not have to go to Fitocracy, etc.

You can change the calories of cardio to "1" so you can still log it but it won't make a change in your daily intake

KudraM

Thanks!

KudraM

I just realized at 1990 its setting my macros at 50/20/30. Waaay not enough protein, andit wont let me adjust percentages. Any way to fix this?

laura3977

KudraM wrote: »

I just realized at 1990 its setting my macros at 50/20/30. Waaay not enough protein, andit wont let me adjust percentages. Any way to fix this?

Under the "My Home" tab you can adjust your goals. You can change your calories and your macros

KudraM

You mean under change goals? It wont let me change the macros numbers and says the percentages dont match macros

Edit: I tried again and it worked. Le sigh......

laura3977

KudraM wrote: »

You mean under change goals? It wont let me change the macros numbers and says the percentages dont match macros

Hm, I'm at a loss on how to help - maybe making a post and asking other members?

AmyRhubarb

Troutsy wrote: »

KudraM wrote: »

So based on IIFYM, I reset MFP to 1990 (@ 20% less). So do i just ignore the subtractions exercise makes, or not put in exercise? I would really like to be able to track both on MFP and not have to go to Fitocracy, etc.

You can change the calories of cardio to "1" so you can still log it but it won't make a change in your daily intake

Or enter it as .1 - the system doesn't do the decimal and enters it as 0 cals burned.