TDEE when exercise amount heavily varies????

cmbx2mom

HI All,

So I'm trying to figure out how best to calculate my TDEE. But the issue I have is that depending on work, kids schedules, sicknesses etc. I feel like I can vary from little/no activity to some weeks where I am moderate to highly active other weeks.
I do have a FitBit that calculates heartrate, although I'm hesitant to use it to give me total calories burned (I'm not convinced its that accurate).
I'm working on a reset right now and I'm currently upping my calories, so I'm trying to figure out where my approximate goal is at?

SusanMFindlay

Why not use the FitBit numbers as a starting point? For those of us with highly variable routines, it's really the best tool.

After you've used it for a month or two, you'll know whether it's overestimating, underestimating or just right based on comparing what "should" have happened with your weight and what actually happened.

FWIW, I have a Charge 2 and it's numbers are basically perfect for me. I am within a pound of the weight I "should" be at based on its calorie burns. So, they *don't* always overestimate - contrary to what some posters claim.

(My daily calorie burns vary from ~2300 calories/day to ~3300 calories/day. There is no online calorie calculator that gives me accurate numbers because none of them are properly set up to address people who are on their feet for most of the day but not actually "working out" during that time. If I pick an activity level that sounds right, it massively underestimates my calories.)

kcmsmith0405

I had that same issue when I started out - some weeks busy some weeks not. I actually plugged a sedentary number into facebook, added in my exercise calories and compared that with my fitbit one numbers, the 2 numbers were really close.

For finding my TDEE I started with the Fitbit number, but it turned out to be too low even for my less active weeks. So now what I do is use MFP Lightly active and eat back my exercise calories (not every day but spread throughout that day and the following ones) plus if I expect to be really active I will add in a little more the day before. This usually puts me over by about 200 calories on my fitbit, but my weight has been stable (and yes I tested a higher TDEE and gained steadily). I have heard the fitbit charge HR's give a bit higher number so it is probably more accurate than my fitbit one.

Either way the fitbit numbers are a good starting point. Chances are you will need to go up a little more but you would do that while trying to find TDEE for the reset anyhow.

Raynn1

The fitbit is a great place to start with and to give you an AVERAGE number for your week/month. I'd use that as your starting point and adjust as needed.

Kelly
Team EM2WL