Calculating TDEE for a person with an underactive thyroid?

allergictodiets

I put my data into several calculators yesterday. It seems ( depending on the calculation used ) that my BMR ( if I were healthy ) should be somewhere in the range 1365 - 1412.
A sedentary person's TDEE is then calculated to be between 1654-1694, light exerciser's 1895-1941, moderate exerciser's 2136-2188.

I have decided to assume I'm sedentary ( I have a desk job ) and simply add the calories burned by exercise. My bike ride burns about 250 kcal daily and I average 200 kcal daily from my workouts.So 1654 + 450 = 2104 to maintain.

If I take 20% off it leaves me with1683. And this is not taking into consideration my Fitbit's readings ( I average 10k steps a day ). I have been eating that much for the last couple of months and pretty much maintaining. I wonder whether it means I should eat less and assume my TDEE is lower because of my thyroid condition? Or maybe I have been dieting for such a long time that my BMR is lower?

Joydriven

I'm hypothyroid also. Interestingly when I questioned my physician at my last physical about slow weight loss and hypothyroidism, her response was, " if you're on medication at the correct level, thryoid's functions are corrected, so weight loss will be corrected".

I'm beleiving her. For years I had the idea weight loss would always be so much more difficult. Now, I no longer have that tape running in my head. And, I feel so much more optimistic!

Calorie wise, for me, I've been gradually upping over the past 8 weeks or so. Also, increasing activity. I'm using the scale's changes to base my TDEE. When it moves slowly up 2 pounds, I'll hopefully know I've exceeded my TDEE. I had calculated numbers similar to yours, but I'm at 2100 calories so far and still no gain.

heybales

I put my data into several calculators yesterday. It seems ( depending on the calculation used ) that my BMR ( if I were healthy ) should be somewhere in the range 1365 - 1412.
A sedentary person's TDEE is then calculated to be between 1654-1694, light exerciser's 1895-1941, moderate exerciser's 2136-2188.

I have decided to assume I'm sedentary ( I have a desk job ) and simply add the calories burned by exercise. My bike ride burns about 250 kcal daily and I average 200 kcal daily from my workouts.So 1654 + 450 = 2104 to maintain.

If I take 20% off it leaves me with1683. And this is not taking into consideration my Fitbit's readings ( I average 10k steps a day ). I have been eating that much for the last couple of months and pretty much maintaining. I wonder whether it means I should eat less and assume my TDEE is lower because of my thyroid condition? Or maybe I have been dieting for such a long time that my BMR is lower?

Or more likely, you are still suppressing your metabolism by under-eating.

There could potentially be a huge burn to your day, as evidenced by your FitBit steps, and only eating what you burn sleeping and exercising is leaving too much deficit left from daily activity.

The real TDEE deficit method leaves you above your BMR on average, because while that is a line drawn in the sand to not constantly go under, no need to always be butting up against it either.

Especially if your burns are underestimated.

Oh, bad assumption you are sedentary. What is the FitBit TDEE for your non-exercise sedentary desk job days?
Most find it's their BMR x 1.35 or thereabouts.

You have a tool to help greatly in this, might as well use it. Problem with that tool is it assumes BMR by age, weight, height, gender, and your better estimated BMR by bodyfat % could be much lower because you've lost muscle mass compared to avg person your age, weight, height from years of yo-yo dieting.

allergictodiets

Thanks everyone for your responses.

I had another good look at my Fitbit estimates - I started using it in December and my daily average is about 2400 kcal burned. My scale says that my body fat % is about 29-30% but I'm not sure how accurate it is. I remember it was showing 25% after my pregnancy when I was 6 kgs lighter. Could you recommend a good online calculator that takes body fat into account? All iPhone apps I found yesterday were only asking for age, gender, weight and height.

Anyway, I ate 1700 kcal today. I will try upping my intake slowly but I'm really scared I'll balloon out of control.

linski24

I have an under active thyroid . I try to forget I have it lol ... I'm well medicated tho x
My fitbit tdee sedentary day only ever reads 1600 odd ..!! Very low ...!! Going on the principle if bmr x 1.35 my tdee is 1833 .. That's 200 cal difference ..!!
I do my tdee as a weekly average as some days are 2100-2200 but not forgetting my lifting which is calorie burn the fitbit can't measure x

heybales

Thanks everyone for your responses.

I had another good look at my Fitbit estimates - I started using it in December and my daily average is about 2400 kcal burned. My scale says that my body fat % is about 29-30% but I'm not sure how accurate it is. I remember it was showing 25% after my pregnancy when I was 6 kgs lighter. Could you recommend a good online calculator that takes body fat into account? All iPhone apps I found yesterday were only asking for age, gender, weight and height.

Anyway, I ate 1700 kcal today. I will try upping my intake slowly but I'm really scared I'll balloon out of control.

Better than online, save your stats and track your progress. There is an iPhone MyDrive app if no computer browser to use it on.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/961054-spreadsheet-for-bodyfat-bmr-tdee-progress-tracker

So from your FitBit, if decently accurate, appears you could eat 2000 avg and be at 15% deficit.

And yes you will gain water weight first, same water weight you dropped fast when you started the diet.
Same water weight you were going to gain as soon as you went in to maintenance anyway.
Same water weight that will increase your LBM, and your metabolism.
Good water weight. Not because of excessive sodium retention.

heybales

I have an under active thyroid . I try to forget I have it lol ... I'm well medicated tho x
My fitbit tdee sedentary day only ever reads 1600 odd ..!! Very low ...!! Going on the principle if bmr x 1.35 my tdee is 1833 .. That's 200 cal difference ..!!
I do my tdee as a weekly average as some days are 2100-2200 but not forgetting my lifting which is calorie burn the fitbit can't measure x

You must not move much on days off.

Though, that is a side effect of under-eating too that is seen in studies, body moves less during the day so less over-all burn.

linski24

I do drive a lot as my girls are backwards and forwards to dancing after school mos nights .,!!! I obviously move more at work .. I do 23 hours a week ... But on days off from work or cardio workouts I do regular stuff like housework and shopping cooking and baking etc ... Don't sit on my bum .,!! So. Can never understand my low burn ..!!!
I can ever understand how some people do 15000 steps by lunch time just doing regular stuff .,!!

I eat well ..!! I eat 1800-2200 daily ..!!

heybales

I do drive a lot as my girls are backwards and forwards to dancing after school mos nights .,!!! I obviously move more at work .. I do 23 hours a week ... But on days off from work or cardio workouts I do regular stuff like housework and shopping cooking and baking etc ... Don't sit on my bum .,!! So. Can never understand my low burn ..!!!
I can ever understand how some people do 15000 steps by lunch time just doing regular stuff .,!!

I eat well ..!! I eat 1800-2200 daily ..!!

Oh, that's not bad, so only half the 40 hr work week is less than avg, because busy driving and such.

Ya, I don't move much at work either.