Ultimate Accountability Challenge December 2021

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  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    Sooo about this "base your Daily Intake Number on your TDEE" thing ....
    I am:
    • Female
    • 63 yrs old
    • medium bone-frame
    • 5ft 2 in
    • sedentary computer-based job (2 yrs to retirement)
    • currently 143.9
    • aiming for maintenance range ~ 135=>138 (for now)

    According to the TDEE calculator that we were pointed to in the introduction to Dec 9, my target TDEE to stay where I am is 1393, and for me to maintain 138 would be 1388 (pre-any exercise credit calories)

    If I bring myself down to ~ 1250 cals (pre-fitbit activity credits) does that seem to be a reasonable setting? As it stands the last few days, I have had to push to eat UP to the 1300 I was currently set at, so I don't think it is going to be a strain.

    On weekends, and holidays I tend to sleep in, which leads to "inadvertent intermittent fasting" (trying to eat the same amount of calories in a shorter length of time) and I have started my Winter Break holidays now - so I have three straight weeks of that ahead (and we have a rather limited social schedule, so if the Christmas Season goodies are not bought by us and brought into the house, events that feature them are slim outside The Day Itself with a special occasion dessert). And I don't want to feel I "aught to eat the catch-up amount" at the end of the day, when I really don't actually want it.

    Does my reasoning make sense? When I do have activity-credits, I aim to leave a minimum of ~100 uneaten if I have earned more than that. I am not a heavy-duty exerciser, Mostly 6000 -> 10 or 12000 steps in a day.

  • LazyBlondeChef
    LazyBlondeChef Posts: 2,809 Member
    @BMcC9

    I think if you stay right around 1250 you should be good. Your weight loss rate will be slow but it should be steady. I base that on my own 5'3" (small boned) currently at ~120lbs. I'm still trying to get about 112lbs which will take slightly < 1200 for an extended period of time.
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,192 Member
    remember that TDEE cals take exercise into account already. So if your TDEE is 1400 that is not a base # plus exercise credits. Also, the calculator takes several weeks to give a valid # because of that. @BMcC9 I agree with LBC that 1250 will keep you on a downward trend. My thoughts are to stick with that and keep inputting data to the calculator for 6 weeks. That will give you a better idea of your TDEE.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    Thanks to both of you. I have all of Novembers weight data I can plug into that spreadsheet to give me a running 6 wk start. The only confusing part (to me) is .., Does this mean I enter the MFP NET cals eaten, or ALL cals eaten?
    • THERE WERE WEEKS WHERE I WAS MUCH MORE ACTIVE AND DOING 12000 to 1500 steps consistently every day
    • Fitbit doesn't start to give me ANY exercise / activity credits in MFP until AFTER a certain lag between what activity I earned (aka not sitting in a chair) and what I enter MFP as having eaten.
    • I think it is at LEAST a 500 cal difference, but I can check. That degree of lag might even be changeable in the Fitbit setup
    • I never enter MFP-exercise except for "1 minute walking" after using my exergame or walked outside, so that fitbit decides "I exercised today" (which gives no net change in total exercise credits; just shifts 4 calories off the Fitbit line and onto a new line)

    So on days where I ate more than the original goal set at the time, it was because I had WAY more extra calories "in the pot" after that, and my MFP net was barely braking 1000 (and I wouldn't eat them all back - MOST times IF I ade any, only just enough to get the other side of the goal, and there would still be significant amounts left.

    Or am I overthinking this? I have been known to do that ..... but once I understand how my spreadsheet parameters work, I am good at detaching myself from "personal data", looking at it as belonging to "someone similar to myself", and basing plans on what the data tells me.
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,192 Member
    All cals.
  • ideas2
    ideas2 Posts: 1,261 Member
    edited December 2021
    I am confused about how to change the settings in MFP for my TDEE. I recently got a FitBit and have it synced to where it adds my actual exercise. I can find the part under goals where I can tell MFP what I want my calorie goal to be (I am using the set in grams part) but I haven´t been able to find where I tell it how active I am. Does it not need this when it is getting all my activity data from my FitBit? Right now I also have marked the box telling it not to charge me negatives for less exercise than expected--- can you explain this enough to me to allow me to know if that is the correct setting?

    I am trying to figure how to set this thing up to help me achieve around a 500 calorie goal per day.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    SummerSkier wrote: »
    All cals.

    Got it!
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited December 2021
    ideas2 wrote: »
    I am confused about how to change the settings in MFP for my TDEE. I recently got a FitBit and have it synced to where it adds my actual exercise. I can find the part under goals where I can tell MFP what I want my calorie goal to be (I am using the set in grams part) but I haven´t been able to find where I tell it how active I am. Does it not need this when it is getting all my activity data from my FitBit? Right now I also have marked the box telling it not to charge me negatives for less exercise than expected--- can you explain this enough to me to allow me to know if that is the correct setting?

    I am trying to figure how to set this thing up to help me achieve around a 500 calorie goal per day.

    There is a Fitbit Users Group https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

    They might have your answers in the FAQ section. (worth checking, anyway!)

    If you go to MY HOME (beside the FOOD and EXERCISE tabs) and the MY HOME / GOALS subgroup, you can select "Guided Setup" On that page is the 4 levels of choice (sedentary through very-active) that would best describe your NON-EXERCISE life. There is a SEPARATE second section for your usual exercise routine (times per week / approx duration, etc) Between the two, MFP sets up a built-in deficit related to how much you say you want to burn per week.
    Below is a copied image that explains in detail the formula for how MFP "picks a number of calories". Keep in mind that MFP ALREADY builds in the indicated degree of deficit ahead of time (which - IF I am understanding correctly - TDEE doesn't and you build in yourself if you are out to shed rather than maintain (?) Please someone-who-knows, confirm or correct that so that @ideas2 is using correct info.


  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    SOMEwhere in MFP is a rule-of-thumb guide for not using aggressive loss-per-week rates as you have fewer pounds to lose. It is VERY rare that 2 lbs per week NOT under direct medical supervision would be advisable. As it is, people often keep the 1 lb per week goal longer than they should.

    And if you haven't reset your Goal Calculation since you last lost ten pounds, you should! Even though you may be entering your Current Weight in the Check-In tab, MFP does NOT recalculate Calorie Requirements down EXCEPT via the Goal Setting tab info. More times than you think, this can be a root source of plateau-hitting despite one feeling / declaring "but I'm only eating the calories MFP says I should !?!?!?!?! :'( )
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    Ok, struggling to catch up.

    The TDEE number is only as accurate as your "activity level" plus "exercise". What can be confusing is setting your activity level to include exercise (in my opinion). Now, this explanation only applies to applying the formula, as that calculator uses.

    What I mean is, there is your daily activity level WITHOUT EXERCISE (we'll call it "unadjusted TDEE" that is your BMR plus your normal daily activity level without adding in exercise, and "final TDEE" which is your true "Total Daily Energy Expenditure" which accounts for everything you do in a day.

    So it can easily be confusing.

    I set my calorie goal to "unadjusted TDEE", or BMR plus activity level without added exercise. Then any exercise I do is an automatic calorie deficit. Otherwise I remain at maintenance.

    Hope that helps.
  • ideas2
    ideas2 Posts: 1,261 Member
    @BMcC9 Thank you. Pointing out that guide and providing me that image was very helpful.
  • LazyBlondeChef
    LazyBlondeChef Posts: 2,809 Member
    Just one thing to note (which I find to be quite annoying). If you recalculate your calorie goal it will reset your macros so if you have done something different than the default you'll want to update those too.
  • jamcnewman
    jamcnewman Posts: 4,414 Member
    LazyBlondeChef wrote: »
    Just one thing to note (which I find to be quite annoying). If you recalculate your calorie goal it will reset your macros so if you have done something different than the default you'll want to update those too.

    Agree completely @LazyBlondeChef — this just happened to me. I have the % for each given to me by my dietician and will reinput them (and probably my sodium and sugar which we set as lower)….

    Julie
  • KCJen
    KCJen Posts: 1,089 Member
    edited December 2021
    Mrs_Hoffer wrote: »
    Before I forget, I want to give a shout out and a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to @DebyS137 who made our cute little owl banner for this month! And in Nov when they changed the format/look of the groups - which made our banner look more than a little 'wonky' - Deby jumped right in there and made a new one! Thanks again Deby! I appreciate you! <3

    That is a cute banner!
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited December 2021
    Hi, Jen.

    I am extremely new to looking at things from the TDEE perspective, but we do have some resident experts here.

    It is not new in the Science of Nutrition / Human Biochemistry field (just as Body Mass Index (BMI) isn't new) but JQ Publique might easily just not have come across it or it's purpose.

    URL that explains BMR vs TDEE (and how to apply to choosing one's calorie intake number) very clearly. ALSO, why one needs to keep readjusting as weight gradually shifts down ..

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/931670/bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide

    Now that I have read this .... and will re-read and re-read and re-read .... I will be plugging 6 or 7 weeks of retro-data into the spreadsheet that @SummerSkier provided and see how it played out / get a handle on how to apply going forward.
    BMcC9 wrote: »
    OK, here's a question before I actually post for the day ..... I am trying to get a handle on the BMR / TDEE thing (and breaking the MFP-thinking thing of many many many years' standing)
    According to The Formula provided in the Topic opener of "How did you pick your Daily calorie goal number", the maintenance calorie level for my target top-of-range (5 or 6 pounds away) is ~1388 (assuming sedentary lifestyle and before intentional activity / exercise).

    I set my MFP daily range to 1250 (being now stalled out at plus-or-minus 143 while set to 1300 - finding it hard to eat as much as that lately, and started to be not as active as I was through Nov, first week of dec)

    Today I ate 1295 cals, and at 9:30 p.m. with fitbit activity credits for just-over 6050 steps, I am 13 cals in he red. IF I also log my morning session of 51 mins / 365 cals burned on my exercise bike this morning, MFP "Yells at me" for not even breaking 1000 cals net. (which makes me nervous)

    Do I put the biking back in the exercise log and ignore the level of deficit? Make a note in the exercise log so that I know I am not REALLY "over by 13 even though the Food Diary says I am" ? Do enough extra steps so that the fitbit activity credits put me back in the green? (given that I am only 13 cals shy that would be do-able)
    Update - turns out that what with breathing between 9:30 and 11:30 and then updating the fitbit sync reading in MFP after 11:30, the just-wrong-side-of-red turned into 22 cals green without my doing anything at all. But that still begs the general question re "how / whether to clue MFP / fitbit in on the biking ....
    lesdarts180 wrote: »
    @BMcC9
    With regards your exercise bike calories – I would suspect that estimate of 365 calories is a bit high. If you’re entering the exercise manually why not use a lower figure? I only get 100 calories for 30 minutes (cycling outdoors at about 10 mph on varied terrain). Where did the 365 come from? If I remember rightly, you are small – like me – so a very high calorie count seems unlikely.

    Next-day update:

    Now that I have read the url's info (more than once) ... as a general case for my dilemma above, it is Iooking like I should:
    • not count the biking as more than a "1 minute tag that I did something" UNLESS it was NOT a Regularly Scheduled Heavy Session For Me (which would make it something over-and-above my personal TDEE envelope)
    • It wasn't a hard-push steady OR High-But-Variable resistance setting ride - just something to do while talking on the phone - so ignore in this and parallel cases
    • IF I were doing a deliberate Push Myself Bike Workout (not currently a habitual activity for me, and one which my fitbit would not register, as it doesn't DO heartrate monitoring, and can only count steps) - then use something like 10cals/min as a reasonable rule of thumb for "likely cals burned" should the bike electronics supply a much higher number.

    Now to see what the retro-data shows for StudyParticipant Qwerty (whose stats and daily lifestyle habits are REMARKABLY similar to my own ..... ;);) )
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    KCJen wrote: »
    ...
    Change is hard sometimes, at least for me it is. What helps me is to see those times I am reacting or responding with my old habits or old thinking, then I can think "why am I doing it this way" and "how can I change it for the new habits or new thinking".

    Well, I hope that helped and added to the topic. I know it helped solidify my thoughts on this topic for a few different situations I am dealing with currently.

    Happy Monday everyone <3

    Does your local public library have a "download e-books or audiobooks" ap? (my local library uses Libby) OR is borrowing from the public library available?

    That's how I got a hold of "Tiny Habits" by BJ Fogg. If you google it, you will find summaries and reviews, and even BJ's website and downloadable tools etc.

    The content might be valuable to both identify what triggers and habits you already have AND make plans-strategies for replacements / improvements.

    Atomic Habits by James Clear is also good (I personally prefer Tiny Habits over all, but that is me)
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,157 Member
    @BMcC9
    Great topic & post!

    https://www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html

    This site is Very accurate for me.

    zkj0td64om5o.png


    Note: the 1st line in chart.
    BMR is bed ridden
    Sedentary is BMR+your every day movement

    I like this calculator as it has a daily exercise & defines exercise levels clearly

    ANOTHER EASY WAY
    One note: there is also a super easy way to do all of this.

    Pick a daily calorie goal for food in & one for exercise burn

    Eat & exercise at those for a month. Track exactly!!

    See if you lose, maintain, or gain.

    If it’s a gain, say 1 lb. multiply by 3,500 cals per pound, so 3,500 calories extra that last month.

    So dividing by 3,500 by 31 days = 113 calories that need to be removed per day to maintain…

    Then you get to decide if you want to decrease food or increase exercise or both.

    But really, that link above is easier & the only one I’ve found that is just right for me.
  • jamcnewman
    jamcnewman Posts: 4,414 Member
    Thank you SO much @MadisonMolly2017 — this link is really helpful to me and I’ll take it to discuss with my dietician at my appointment tomorrow.

    Julie
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,157 Member
    jamcnewman wrote: »
    Thank you SO much @MadisonMolly2017 — this link is really helpful to me and I’ll take it to discuss with my dietician at my appointment tomorrow.

    Julie

    You are most welcome Julie aka @jamcnewman

    I’m sure your dietician will be of great help!

    Hugs 🌸
    Maddie
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,192 Member
    I honestly think that barring specific health issues which have to be addressed, the simpler you keep it the easier it is to get data. Pick a plan. Stick with it for 30 days. Adjust based on data. All the spreadsheets and apps in the world will only give you generic information which have to be personalized to you based on your logging, workouts, activities etc over time.

    I did once try to use all the data from MFP and FITBIT and my WATCH and it sort of drove me a little bonkers always checking on it .... Much easier to figure out TDEE over time and just use that # of total cals to eat to. Esp in maintenance where your weight is going to have most likely larger variations all over the place than while losing. If you end up off for whatever reason you can then adjust for you.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,157 Member
    SummerSkier wrote: »
    I honestly think that barring specific health issues which have to be addressed, the simpler you keep it the easier it is to get data. Pick a plan. Stick with it for 30 days. Adjust based on data. All the spreadsheets and apps in the world will only give you generic information which have to be personalized to you based on your logging, workouts, activities etc over time.

    I did once try to use all the data from MFP and FITBIT and my WATCH and it sort of drove me a little bonkers always checking on it .... Much easier to figure out TDEE over time and just use that # of total cals to eat to. Esp in maintenance where your weight is going to have most likely larger variations all over the place than while losing. If you end up off for whatever reason you can then adjust for you.

    @SummerSkier yup, 2 minds thinkin’ as one.

    The purpose of losing weight is not to spend all our time maintaining!! The least we can do to maintain leaves more time for family, work, fun!
  • KCJen
    KCJen Posts: 1,089 Member
    thank you @BMcC9 and @MadisonMolly2017 I use the BMI and BMR calculator at calculator.net also. I read on MFP for my Fitbit that I should take my BMR rate and multiply that by 1.25 to get my daily calorie burn goal for my Fitbit. My goal is to have a calorie deficit from BMR close to 500 per day. I have to get that all worked out which will probably be after Christmas. I will be doing good for December just active in UAC and staying in my calorie range. :)

    I will look into the TDEE links when things settle down tho, thanks for the link!
  • ideas2
    ideas2 Posts: 1,261 Member
    @jamcnewman You are crushing it! Losing weight that much weight and also gaining muscle is no small thing.
  • ashleycarole86
    ashleycarole86 Posts: 6,322 Member
    @jamcnewman Congratulations - that's amazing!!!!
  • jamcnewman
    jamcnewman Posts: 4,414 Member
    edited December 2021
    Thanks so much Susan & Ashley ♥️♥️

    @ashleycarole86 @ideas2
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,157 Member
    Fantastic Julie!! And a great plan for the next month!
    @jamcnewman 🌸

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