To trust calculated TDEE or my fitness tracker?

gymrat04mf

I've calculated my BMR and TDEE to be 1300 and 1950, respectively. My goal is to gain muscle with about a 250 cal surplus. However, my Microsoft Band tells me I usually burn around 1700 calories on my lifting days (which are 5 days/week). Which is more accurate?

psuLemon

In the end, it doesn't matter. Pick one, track for a month, and then adjust accordingly. Both are estimates.

TavistockToad

psulemon wrote: »

In the end, it doesn't matter. Pick one, track for a month, and then adjust accordingly. Both are estimates.

this... track and watch your weight for a while... work on getting to maintenance first, and then you can add cals.

StealthHealth

TavistockToad wrote: »

psulemon wrote: »

In the end, it doesn't matter. Pick one, track for a month, and then adjust accordingly. Both are estimates.

this... track and watch your weight for a while... work on getting to maintenance first, and then you can add cals.

^^stronglty agree witjh both posters above and bolded to emphasize - understanding your maintenance calories is invaluable.

I'd add that you aim to bulk at +250 cals - you should be flexible with this figure (don't find maintenance and then blindly at an extra 250). Use the scales, measurements (I use chest, waist, thigh, bicep (flexed seems to be more steady than extended arm), and mirror to monitor progress - as a woman you will probably want to drop the chest measurement and possibly add in hips?)) and then tweak calories until you are gaining at your desired rate (and that is a whole other can of worms). Do not assume that in the early days or weeks a weight increase is muscle or fat. My experience is that I gain a couple of kg just from increased fluid retention and "in transit food" when moving from cut to maintain and maintain to bulk.