TDEE or MFP

Sweettart

Today I am starting TDEE -20%. I am scared because I think I will be eating too much. I also have my ratios set to 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat.

To me I think MFP calories plus eating your exercise calories makes more sense to me. Maybe I am just scared of eating all that food and not losing.

What do you suggest? What worked best for you?

TavistockToad

i have always used MFP, but if you set it up right with the correct activity level and eat back your exercise cals it should give you the same number of cals as the TDEE calculation anyway!

lauren3101

It depends a lot on how regular your exercise is. If your workouts are the same week to week, then TDEE is probably best as you will just eat the same calories every day.

If your workouts vary and are irregular, then MFP at sedentary then logging and eating back exercise cals is best.

Ultimately though, they should both pan out to be roughly the same overall. It just depends on what works best for you.

3dogsrunning

I have found both put me in pretty much the same place when averaged over the week - since somedays you eat more with MFP, others a little less as opposed to the same everyday with TDEE

Sweettart

Thanks everyone. This is so confusing!

LorinaLynn

Having done both, if you have your settings accurate, your total number of calories should be pretty close either way.

I find it easier to go by TDEE, because my appetite and the amount I exercise don't always jive. If I go for a long run, I'll have a ton of calories, but no appetite, and on a rest day, I'm ravenous. So aiming for the same goal every day makes meal planning easier.