TDEE VS MFP

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TylerWhiite
TylerWhiite Posts: 108 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone, was just wondering what people have used/are using to determine their calories to lose weight. I've heard about calculating my TDEE, not sure if I should do that or stick to what MFP says to eat. Thanks!

Replies

  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
    edited June 2016
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    MFP assumes you're trying to lose weight in a coma so you have to add in and eat back your exercise calories, where as TDEE builds your activity calories in and you build your deficit from there. Its a matter of preference. I have an activity tracker that pairs with a heart rate monitor that estimates my TDEE, and is linked with MFP. I eat back around half of what my activity tracker gives me in addition to MFP goals.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    TDEE and MFP are on the same team. There's no conflict.
    The only thing MFP does is subtract a number consistent with your weight loss goal.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
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    shrcpr wrote: »
    Some people seem to find TDEE easier because you just eat to the same amount each day, but it only works well IF your exercise type and burns are consistent from week to week. If you're like me and all over the place with type and amount of exercise, MFP is probably better.

    Same for me. Some days I'm on the go from the second I get up. Other days I'm pretty much a vegetable other than my exercise. MFP works better for me because I don't have a consistent schedule really.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,021 Member
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    shrcpr wrote: »
    Some people seem to find TDEE easier because you just eat to the same amount each day, but it only works well IF your exercise type and burns are consistent from week to week. If you're like me and all over the place with type and amount of exercise, MFP is probably better.

    I agree with this. TDEE takes exercise into account so if you have consistent exercise you can use the TDEE formula and eat approximately the same number of calories per day. For me (especially when I first started) my exercise wasn't as consistent so using mfp formula worked best. I eat back about 75% or so of my exercise calories and if I have a day where I'm not able to do much I don't eat as much. The best thing really is just to pick one and be consistent.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Both ways work, the problem with TDEE is that its not stagnant, activities can change from day to day and that's why alot of people prefer to go by MFP figures.
    I use TDEE myself but I have a Fitbit so I know my numbers every day and that works really well for me.
    Its a personal choice.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    I went with TDEE while actively losing weight because I didn't like the hunger swings using MFP's method (NEAT + exercise). It's easier for me to have a stable calorie goal each day.
  • TylerWhiite
    TylerWhiite Posts: 108 Member
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    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Both ways work, the problem with TDEE is that its not stagnant, activities can change from day to day and that's why alot of people prefer to go by MFP figures.
    I use TDEE myself but I have a Fitbit so I know my numbers every day and that works really well for me.
    Its a personal choice.

    Okay thank you! I was just worried that MFP may be giving me too many calories burned on some exercises so I was worried that I could over eat.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I like mfp as I like the extra cals on workout days
  • eringrace95_
    eringrace95_ Posts: 296 Member
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    I use my Fitbit Charge HR to see my daily caloric burn and generally eat 500 under my calculated TDEE. I find it easier than the MFP Net method.

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