We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

TDEE-20% and Activity Tracker?

hablondi
hablondi Posts: 127 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have recently returned to MFP and have been reading a lot about using the TDEE-20% method. I was wondering how this method would work in conjunction with an activity tracker. I use my Apple Watch to track my steps and my calories burned during my workouts and then have it sync with MFP. It seems to me like the two systems are not compatible, but I am new to this, so I thought that maybe I am missing something.

Is there a way to combine the two systems? The TDEE-20% is appealing to me because it accounts for BMR, etc. Can anyone share any insights? TIA!

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    edited December 2016
    NEAT (what MFP runs off of) uses BMR as well. The only difference between NEAT and TDEE is the inclusion of exercise calories.

    In the pst I've calculated my previous month's TDEE off of my Fitbit total burns and made my MFP goal from that with my Fitbit disconnected.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited December 2016
    You can't link your workouts if you're using TDEE-%. Or you have to manually change the calories burned. It won't let you do zero, so I put 1 calorie, no matter what workout I did or how long.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,809 Member
    Couldn't a person keep the activity tracker linked, set their calorie goal to maintenance, and take 20% off that?
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited December 2016
    TDEE - 20% includes your workouts, which be what you're tracking with your activity tracker.

    MFP method does include BMR, though, it's in the base calculation and then adds in the exercise/activity data from your tracker.

    You can use either method, but you can't combine them. If you go with TDEE - 20%, you need to disconnect your tracker.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    The only difference between NEAT (MFP) and TDEE is where you account for exercise...TDEE - 20% would include some estimate of your exercise activity whereas MFP would not...with MFP you would log exercise (or synch your activity tracker) and earn additional calories for unaccounted for activity...

    You could keep your activity tracker synched, but you'd want to ignore the additional calories...personally, I'd just unsynch it
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    TDEE - 20% includes your workouts, which be what you're tracking with your activity tracker.

    MFP method does include BMR, though, it's in the base calculation and then adds in the exercise/activity data from your tracker.

    You can use either method, but you can't combine them. If you go with TDEE - 20%, you need to disconnect your tracker.

    I think glassyo's way would be better. Keep the tracker connected so MFP has all the activity (assuming you wear it 24/7) and take that as your TDEE (maybe scaled back a bit if you don't trust the exercise calories). Set MFP to maintenance and then eat 20% less. I'd eat 25% less to cover the exercise calories issue. Then at least the numbers are all in one place.

    It isn't what I do, but I think it would work.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited December 2016
    glassyo wrote: »
    Couldn't a person keep the activity tracker linked, set their calorie goal to maintenance, and take 20% off that?

    Yes. Presuming their activity tracker is properly calibrated and accurate. They might need to adjust seeing how the scale performs.

    TBH? This is what I do.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,809 Member
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    Couldn't a person keep the activity tracker linked, set their calorie goal to maintenance, and take 20% off that?

    Yes. Presuming their activity tracker is properly calibrated and accurate. They might need to adjust seeing how the scale performs.

    TBH? This is what I do.

    I never used the tdee method but I changed my goal to maintenance because I liked the more positive green deficit more than the judgmental red. :)
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    Couldn't a person keep the activity tracker linked, set their calorie goal to maintenance, and take 20% off that?

    Yes. Presuming their activity tracker is properly calibrated and accurate. They might need to adjust seeing how the scale performs.

    TBH? This is what I do.

    I never used the tdee method but I changed my goal to maintenance because I liked the more positive green deficit more than the judgmental red. :)

    I use this method because I don't always trust the TDEE calculators and I know my Fitbit is accurate and my exercise isn't always consistent due to variable health.

    I wasn't fully awake when I was answering this morning and honestly don't know why I didn't think to mention it to the OP. I'm so glad you did.
  • hablondi
    hablondi Posts: 127 Member
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    Couldn't a person keep the activity tracker linked, set their calorie goal to maintenance, and take 20% off that?

    Yes. Presuming their activity tracker is properly calibrated and accurate. They might need to adjust seeing how the scale performs.

    TBH? This is what I do.

    I never used the tdee method but I changed my goal to maintenance because I liked the more positive green deficit more than the judgmental red. :)

    I use this method because I don't always trust the TDEE calculators and I know my Fitbit is accurate and my exercise isn't always consistent due to variable health.

    I wasn't fully awake when I was answering this morning and honestly don't know why I didn't think to mention it to the OP. I'm so glad you did.

    Thanks for the information, everyone! So MFP will still adjust my calories based on my activity tracker's information? And then I just subtract 20% from whatever that number is?

  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    hablondi wrote: »
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    Couldn't a person keep the activity tracker linked, set their calorie goal to maintenance, and take 20% off that?

    Yes. Presuming their activity tracker is properly calibrated and accurate. They might need to adjust seeing how the scale performs.

    TBH? This is what I do.

    I never used the tdee method but I changed my goal to maintenance because I liked the more positive green deficit more than the judgmental red. :)

    I use this method because I don't always trust the TDEE calculators and I know my Fitbit is accurate and my exercise isn't always consistent due to variable health.

    I wasn't fully awake when I was answering this morning and honestly don't know why I didn't think to mention it to the OP. I'm so glad you did.

    Thanks for the information, everyone! So MFP will still adjust my calories based on my activity tracker's information? And then I just subtract 20% from whatever that number is?

    Your activity tracker will send an adjustment to your calories as it syncs throughout the day. You'll need to get a feel for how many calories you need to leave on the table when you're finished the day using this method, but it can work well once you're used to it.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories