Confused about TDEE-10%?

jennagoogles13
jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
in Health and Weight Loss
Let's say that when calculating my TDEE, I put my activity level as "sedentary" and subtract 10%. Would I then eat back my exercise calories? Also, how about if I were to put in my real activity level, such as "moderate"....then I wouldn't eat back exercise calories, correct?

I'm confused about when I eat back exercise calories....:huh:

Replies

  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
    Anyone??
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Let's say that when calculating my TDEE, I put my activity level as "sedentary" and subtract 10%. Would I then eat back my exercise calories? Also, how about if I were to put in my real activity level, such as "moderate"....then I wouldn't eat back exercise calories, correct?

    I'm confused about when I eat back exercise calories....:huh:

    Correct.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    Doing TDEE with your activity figured in you don't eat back exercise calories since they're already accounted for. Using TDEE with sedentary really seems like just doing the MFP set up.
  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
    Using TDEE with sedentary really seems like just doing the MFP set up.

    Yes, except for MFP has me set at 1200, and doing TDEE-10% with sedentary has me at 1575...
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    Using TDEE with sedentary really seems like just doing the MFP set up.

    Yes, except for MFP has me set at 1200, and doing TDEE-10% with sedentary has me at 1575...

    With the same projected weight loss per week?
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
    Are you sure you're sedentary?
    Do you not exercise and incorporate little to no other activity a week?
  • Raeontherun
    Raeontherun Posts: 107 Member
    You may be more successful eating you BMR minus your deficit AND eating the exercise calories back.....
  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
    Are you sure you're sedentary?
    Do you not exercise and incorporate little to no other activity a week?
    I am definitely not sedentary. But I wanted to know when it would be appropriate to eat back exercise calories. For instance, if I list my actual activity level when calculating my TDEE, I don't believe I would. I just needed some input.
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
    You are correct. TDEE is really meant to be done with exercise added in, though.

    The difference between the two settings is that TDEE-10% gives you a relatively small deficit and MFP probably has you at a higher deficit. MFP's deficit is based on how fast you tell it you want to lose weight -- it's -1000 cals/day for 2 lbs/wk, -500 cals/day for 1 lb/wk, etc. The "percent" way of doing it is a little better in that people with a lower TDEE will have a more appropriately sized deficit in proportion to their TDEE.
  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
    You are correct. TDEE is really meant to be done with exercise added in, though.

    The difference between the two settings is that TDEE-10% gives you a relatively small deficit and MFP probably has you at a higher deficit. MFP's deficit is based on how fast you tell it you want to lose weight -- it's -1000 cals/day for 2 lbs/wk, -500 cals/day for 1 lb/wk, etc. The "percent" way of doing it is a little better in that people with a lower TDEE will have a more appropriately sized deficit in proportion to their TDEE.
    I wanted to use TDEE-10% because I'm very close to my goal, and I feel that with MFP, I'm not allowing myself enough food to fuel my body. Thanks for your response!:)
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
    You are correct. TDEE is really meant to be done with exercise added in, though.

    The difference between the two settings is that TDEE-10% gives you a relatively small deficit and MFP probably has you at a higher deficit. MFP's deficit is based on how fast you tell it you want to lose weight -- it's -1000 cals/day for 2 lbs/wk, -500 cals/day for 1 lb/wk, etc. The "percent" way of doing it is a little better in that people with a lower TDEE will have a more appropriately sized deficit in proportion to their TDEE.
    I wanted to use TDEE-10% because I'm very close to my goal, and I feel that with MFP, I'm not allowing myself enough food to fuel my body. Thanks for your response!:)

    No prob! I think your instinct to move to a smaller deficit is right on.

    ETA, you can also change your MFP settings to 1/2 lb per week and see how the numbers match up.

    One other difference between the two calculators is that MFP uses your reported activity from daily life (desk work vs. waitressing vs construction worker) in calculating your maintenance while the TDEE calculators lump daily life and exercise together in the same category, so they probably won't match up exactly. Being ready to tweak things up or down according to your results is best.

Categories