Typical Blonde Confusion

nogutsnoglory7

Sooo, I am not new to this but as I have struggled over the years, I could use some education. That being said, I do tons of research but need to be sure it correlates with my plan. I am 25, 5'6 and around 185. I am using the TDEE method (sort of) for my first month back at it (today's 25 days). I work out 6-7 days a week, usually a 60 minute cycle class.

Setting questions: I have my MFP level set at active, even though I sit at a desk 8 hours a day. This is to avoid my Fitbit Charge HR giving me too many extra calories. I also put into the TDEE calculator that I work out 0 days a week. I know this seems silly but here's why: 1. 1200 is far to low for me but 1500 too high and 2. I want to see my fitbit info show up in my diary without it adding too many calories. TDEE 1923 - 25% = 1442 which is sustainable for me. BUT, today for instance.. It gave me an extra 70 exercise calories and I have barely moved from my desk...

Confused yet? My real concern is that when I look back at my diary, on work out days (basically every day) I have been eating over 1800 calories with some left over.

I only eat back some of the calories Fitbit puts in there and I know the Tdee calculation includes working out but since I put couch potato...? 1800+ is way to high to lose 1 pound a week.

How do you all make this all work? I don't want to be in a rut two months down the road because I miscalculated something..

Does any of this make sense? How can I change my setting to make this work? How many should I really be eating? Tdee - 25% set to no activity level even though I bust my butt at the gym? The suggested MFP 1200 + exercise cals and turn fitbit off?

Help!!

BRaye325

As long as your activity level stays pretty consistent, I would say to just change your plan to not eating your exercise calories. This way you can set the MFP perimeters to get your target daily calories and you don't need to worry about what fitbit adds in for you.