Question about TDEE and MFP equations....
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Emily3907
Posts: 1,445 Member
I have been kind of plateaued at my current weight for a few weeks. I still have about 100 pounds to lose, so I don't think I should be stalling out quite yet. (I have lost about 40.) I was only eating about 1200-1300 calories a day and not really eating back exercise calories, and some days only netting around 800-1000 calories. Obviously, this is probably not good long term and I am trying to do this in the most healthy way possible. So, I have been doing a lot of reading on here and I think I have figured this whole thing out, but I am bad at math, so I want to make sure.
Based on online calculators, my BMR is around 1750 - 1800 and my TDEE is appox. 2600. Based on this, I should be eating about 1600 calories a day to get a 1000 calorie deficit correct? Now, when my exercise is logged, this obviously changes. I have my fitbit connected to MFP and most days, I get around 300-400 calories added to my "goals" through exercise. So, if I only eat half of those exercise calories back, I should be eating around 1750 calories a day? That just seems rather high to me, but I am certainly no expert. I have always measured my food and weighed some things, but I am definitely starting to weigh every single thing, even the carrots I had for lunch.
I just want to make sure I am adequately fueling my body, but not overeating my calories. Like I said, I am terrible at math, so all the equations, fitbit calories, etc. is just confusing to me. But, I want to get it right.
Thanks!
Based on online calculators, my BMR is around 1750 - 1800 and my TDEE is appox. 2600. Based on this, I should be eating about 1600 calories a day to get a 1000 calorie deficit correct? Now, when my exercise is logged, this obviously changes. I have my fitbit connected to MFP and most days, I get around 300-400 calories added to my "goals" through exercise. So, if I only eat half of those exercise calories back, I should be eating around 1750 calories a day? That just seems rather high to me, but I am certainly no expert. I have always measured my food and weighed some things, but I am definitely starting to weigh every single thing, even the carrots I had for lunch.
I just want to make sure I am adequately fueling my body, but not overeating my calories. Like I said, I am terrible at math, so all the equations, fitbit calories, etc. is just confusing to me. But, I want to get it right.
Thanks!
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Replies
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If you're doing TDEE you wouldn't eat back any exercise calories.
When I stall out losing it usually isn't about the amount of calories I'm logging - it's more about the accuracy of my logging. Not using my scale as much, not using the recipe builder as frequently, guessing at items... So good for you for seeing that's an area to look at too 0 -
Your TDEE includes exercise, you don't eat those calories back.0
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I have been kind of plateaued at my current weight for a few weeks. I still have about 100 pounds to lose, so I don't think I should be stalling out quite yet. (I have lost about 40.) I was only eating about 1200-1300 calories a day and not really eating back exercise calories, and some days only netting around 800-1000 calories. Obviously, this is probably not good long term and I am trying to do this in the most healthy way possible. So, I have been doing a lot of reading on here and I think I have figured this whole thing out, but I am bad at math, so I want to make sure.
Based on online calculators, my BMR is around 1750 - 1800 and my TDEE is appox. 2600. Based on this, I should be eating about 1600 calories a day to get a 1000 calorie deficit correct? Now, when my exercise is logged, this obviously changes. I have my fitbit connected to MFP and most days, I get around 300-400 calories added to my "goals" through exercise. So, if I only eat half of those exercise calories back, I should be eating around 1750 calories a day? That just seems rather high to me, but I am certainly no expert. I have always measured my food and weighed some things, but I am definitely starting to weigh every single thing, even the carrots I had for lunch.
I just want to make sure I am adequately fueling my body, but not overeating my calories. Like I said, I am terrible at math, so all the equations, fitbit calories, etc. is just confusing to me. But, I want to get it right.
Thanks!
your problem is right there.
Weigh ALL your food on your food scale not some.
You eat more than you think.
watch this short video its an eye opener about measuring or weighing your food on a food scale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
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Okay, so if I go by TDEE only, then I would eat 1600 calories a day (no extras) for the 1000 calorie deficit?0
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As a newbie, I have no idea what your anacramins are. What do BMR and TDEE even mean?0
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topathemorning wrote: »As a newbie, I have no idea what your anacramins are. What do BMR and TDEE even mean?
Basal Metabolic Rate: The minimum amount of energy expended by your body to maintain it's base functions at rest. It's commonly described as what you'd burn while in a coma
TDEE, Total Daily Energy Expenditure: BMR+all activity+TEF (the amount of energy used by the body to process food)
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TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »your problem is right there.
Weigh ALL your food on your food scale not some.
You eat more than you think.
watch this short video its an eye opener about measuring or weighing your food on a food scalehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
Holy crap, that video is VERY eye opening! I will definitely be sharing that with others. I think I found a MAJOR part of my problem! Thank you!
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TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »your problem is right there.
Weigh ALL your food on your food scale not some.
You eat more than you think.
watch this short video its an eye opener about measuring or weighing your food on a food scalehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
Holy crap, that video is VERY eye opening! I will definitely be sharing that with others. I think I found a MAJOR part of my problem! Thank you!
Yeah, when I got close to goal I had to weigh every morsel to get the scale to budge. Spinach and olive oil finally went on the scale ha.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »
I used my exercise level. I said I exercised 5 days a week, even though I usually do it more like 6 times a week.
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Okay, so if I go by TDEE only, then I would eat 1600 calories a day (no extras) for the 1000 calorie deficit?
did you include exercise in your activity level? If so, then an estimate of those calories is included in your calorie targets. The only reason you "eat back" calories with MFP is because you DON'T include exercise in your activity level. You have to account for it somewhere...with MFP, that somewhere is after the fact when you log exercise and get those calories to eat back.
TDEE - TOTAL Daily Energy Expenditure...you would want to include your exercise along with your daily hum drum in order to get an estimate or your TOTAL calorie requisites for the day from which the calculator will take a cut as per your weight loss goals.
MFP = NEAT - Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis...exercise is NOT included in your activity level...just your day to day...to account for exercise activity, you log it after the fact and get calories to "eat back"
Done correctly and comparing apples to apples rate of loss goals, the two methods are basically 6 of 1, half dozen of the other...the only meaningful difference is where you account for exercise...on the front end (TDEE) or the back end (MFP - NEAT)0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »
I used my exercise level. I said I exercised 5 days a week, even though I usually do it more like 6 times a week.
Then the answer is yes.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Okay, so if I go by TDEE only, then I would eat 1600 calories a day (no extras) for the 1000 calorie deficit?
did you include exercise in your activity level? If so, then an estimate of those calories is included in your calorie targets. The only reason you "eat back" calories with MFP is because you DON'T include exercise in your activity level. You have to account for it somewhere...with MFP, that somewhere is after the fact when you log exercise and get those calories to eat back.
TDEE - TOTAL Daily Energy Expenditure...you would want to include your exercise along with your daily hum drum in order to get an estimate or your TOTAL calorie requisites for the day from which the calculator will take a cut as per your weight loss goals.
MFP = NEAT - Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis...exercise is NOT included in your activity level...just your day to day...to account for exercise activity, you log it after the fact and get calories to "eat back"
Done correctly and comparing apples to apples rate of loss goals, the two methods are basically 6 of 1, half dozen of the other...the only meaningful difference is where you account for exercise...on the front end (TDEE) or the back end (MFP - NEAT)
Yes - I did include exercise in the TDEE calculation. I based it on 5 days a week. Most weeks though I usually do 6 days.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »3dogsrunning wrote: »
I used my exercise level. I said I exercised 5 days a week, even though I usually do it more like 6 times a week.
Then the answer is yes.
Thanks! I may try this method for a while, weighing everything, sticking with my exercise and not touching those calories to see what the results are. In many ways it is just easier for me to have a set number each day to eat and then not worry about all the extra calculations with the exercise stuff.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Okay, so if I go by TDEE only, then I would eat 1600 calories a day (no extras) for the 1000 calorie deficit?
did you include exercise in your activity level? If so, then an estimate of those calories is included in your calorie targets. The only reason you "eat back" calories with MFP is because you DON'T include exercise in your activity level. You have to account for it somewhere...with MFP, that somewhere is after the fact when you log exercise and get those calories to eat back.
TDEE - TOTAL Daily Energy Expenditure...you would want to include your exercise along with your daily hum drum in order to get an estimate or your TOTAL calorie requisites for the day from which the calculator will take a cut as per your weight loss goals.
MFP = NEAT - Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis...exercise is NOT included in your activity level...just your day to day...to account for exercise activity, you log it after the fact and get calories to "eat back"
Done correctly and comparing apples to apples rate of loss goals, the two methods are basically 6 of 1, half dozen of the other...the only meaningful difference is where you account for exercise...on the front end (TDEE) or the back end (MFP - NEAT)
Yes - I did include exercise in the TDEE calculation. I based it on 5 days a week. Most weeks though I usually do 6 days.
Then yes, you just eat to your target. With TDEE you may have days where you are actually eating more and days when you're eating less...but it should net out in the end. Beyond that, it's all about real world results...these calculators are great starting points...but that's all they are...people seem to forget that and think they're gospel. You still have to make adjustments as per your real world results.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Okay, so if I go by TDEE only, then I would eat 1600 calories a day (no extras) for the 1000 calorie deficit?
did you include exercise in your activity level? If so, then an estimate of those calories is included in your calorie targets. The only reason you "eat back" calories with MFP is because you DON'T include exercise in your activity level. You have to account for it somewhere...with MFP, that somewhere is after the fact when you log exercise and get those calories to eat back.
TDEE - TOTAL Daily Energy Expenditure...you would want to include your exercise along with your daily hum drum in order to get an estimate or your TOTAL calorie requisites for the day from which the calculator will take a cut as per your weight loss goals.
MFP = NEAT - Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis...exercise is NOT included in your activity level...just your day to day...to account for exercise activity, you log it after the fact and get calories to "eat back"
Done correctly and comparing apples to apples rate of loss goals, the two methods are basically 6 of 1, half dozen of the other...the only meaningful difference is where you account for exercise...on the front end (TDEE) or the back end (MFP - NEAT)
Yes - I did include exercise in the TDEE calculation. I based it on 5 days a week. Most weeks though I usually do 6 days.
Then yes, you just eat to your target. With TDEE you may have days where you are actually eating more and days when you're eating less...but it should net out in the end. Beyond that, it's all about real world results...these calculators are great starting points...but that's all they are...people seem to forget that and think they're gospel. You still have to make adjustments as per your real world results.
Agreed about the adjustments for real world results! I feel like I am just kind of floundering at the moment and trying to figure this all out (I just switched over here from weight watchers about a month ago). So, the set number is a good starting point for me and then I can always adjust as needed.
Thanks everyone! You guys are awesome!
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