Trying to calculate weekly deficit and having a hard time, BMR help please!!

ekmontyg

Okay, so I'm trying to keep track of my weekly deficit in google spreadsheet to more accurately see how good days/bad days affect my whole week.


Can someone explain something to me? I am trying to make a spreadsheet that calculates my total deficit for the week but I'm not sure what number to use... would it be BMR? For example, tomorrow I plan to eat 1331 calories and according to the first BMR calculator on google my equation would be 1591-1331=160 calorie deficit. That seems really low to me and only adds up to a 1400 calorie deficit a week (the intake varies per day). I'm 5'5 1/2 and 170 pounds, does 1591 seem like the number I should be using?

Here's what my table looks like-


I don't plan on using the exercise column until I have a better way of tracking calories burned. MFP seems too generous.
(Sorry this table is so huge I have no idea how to make the image smaller.)

AnitaCRice

I think your deficit should be calculated from your TDEE, not your BMR. Your BMR is the number of calories you burn doing absolutely nothing...like comatose. Your TDEE takes into account your activity throughout the day (normal activities). Hopefully someone else will chime in with more detailed information. You can use a site like Scooby's Workshop to calculate your TDEE, BMR, and the number of calories you should consume depending on the rate of loss you want.

ekmontyg

AnitaCRice wrote: »

I think your deficit should be calculated from your TDEE, not your BMR. Your BMR is the number of calories you burn doing absolutely nothing...like comatose. Your TDEE takes into account your activity throughout the day (normal activities). Hopefully, someone else will chime in with more detailed information. You can use a site like Scooby's Workshop to calculate your TDEE, BMR, and the number of calories you should consume depending on the rate of loss you want.

Ok yes! I couldn't remember what the other calculation was called. If other people suggest I switch to TDEE, I will. Thank you!

cwolfman13

You don't cut from your BMR...your BMR is just the calories you burn existing...I presume you do more than exist...you cut from your TDEE. My BMR is around 1800 calories...I lose about 1 Lb per week eating 2500 calories...has nothing to do with my BMR.

VintageFeline

MFP method uses NEAT, which is BMR (what you burn in a coma) plus usual day to day activity. So even if sedentary, your daily calorie needs will almost always be more than your BMR. Then you add your exercise on top of that.

If including exercise in the whole calculation, BMR + normal daily activity + exercise to give an even daily number, it then becomes your TDEE.

ekmontyg

Okay, solved, thank you guys!