TDEE Calorie deficit

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Chaz997
Chaz997 Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi guys

A little bit confused about calorie deficits- so the TDEE calculator says my maintenance calories are 1850- so minus 500 to lose weight is 1350 which I have set on MFP.

I’ve started a new exercise routine on top of this where I burn 250-400 cals per day. My question is do I eat these calories back as I’m already in deficit?
I’m pretty hungry after a workout so usually end up consuming around 1450 per day. Will I still shift the weight?

TIA :)

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,944 Member
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    When you used this off-site TDEE calculator, did you include your workouts as part of the calculation?

    If yes, then don't eat more on exercise days.

    If no, then eat more on exercise days.




  • Chaz997
    Chaz997 Posts: 5 Member
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    Ah I never thought of this- no I didn’t include my workouts as when I did the calculation I was doing nothing at all- thank you!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    edited March 2021
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    Chaz997 wrote: »
    Hi guys

    A little bit confused about calorie deficits- so the TDEE calculator says my maintenance calories are 1850- so minus 500 to lose weight is 1350 which I have set on MFP.

    I’ve started a new exercise routine on top of this where I burn 250-400 cals per day. My question is do I eat these calories back as I’m already in deficit?
    I’m pretty hungry after a workout so usually end up consuming around 1450 per day. Will I still shift the weight?

    TIA :)

    TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure...if you're using the TDEE method (not MFP which is a NEAT method calculator) then you would have your exercise rolled up into your overall activity level to account for "Total"DEE...it is accounted for already in your calorie target so you would be double dipping if you logged it and ate back calories...you don't do that with the TDEE method.

    MFP is a NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) calculator by which your deficit is calculated for your NEAT and doesn't include exercise. With MFP and other NEAT method calculators, you account for exercise after the fact when you've completed said exercise and log it and get additional calories to "eat back".

    In essence, they are six of one, half dozen of the other. With TDEE, you calorie target is higher and doesn't change day to day and you will, by nature of the method, have days where you are at bigger deficits and days you are at smaller deficits and everything averages out over the week...or time in general. With MFP (NEAT) your gross calories will be variable based on what exercise if any you performed...but in general, the average gross intake over the course of a week is going to be the same or very close to the same with either method provided you are comparing apples to apples where rate of loss targeted is concerned.

    There are both pros and cons to each method, but either one works so long as you understand the methodology you're implementing and are consistent in implementing whatever methodology you choose.
  • stljam
    stljam Posts: 512 Member
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    I like this site https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp

    It is very customizable. You set your current physical activity level (with its help in estimating), you pick your goal and time frame, you pick how much you will increase your physical activity (or no change), and it gives you a target calorie goal per day, your current weight maintenance and maintenance at your goal weight. it also has an expert mode you can use that gives expected weight charts, etc. I found it to be very accurate assuming you actually follow the assumptions/plan.

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