Help with BMR TDEE and Net

coffee4me57

Hi,
I am confused with yesterdays numbers and don't know why I can't get the numbers to align in the zone.

My BMR is 1530. Yesterday I burned 2300 according to my FitBit.
So, 2300-345 (15%)=1955
I consumed 1958

But my net calories was 1453, so if I had eaten enough to net my BMR, it would have put me over the 15% cut.

What's the solution?
Thanks in advance for any insight.

athenalove46

I'm curious to know this as well. I have just started to focus on the net number on the right. I find that on my squat and deadlift days if I eat at my calorie goal of 2100 I don't net my BMR, so I end up eating more just to make up for that!

coffee4me57

Anyone with an answer?

heybales

So ate 1958, net cals was 1453, meaning you burned 505 in calories in some activity over what MFP thought was non-exercise maintenance.

But BMR 1530 - 1453 net = 77 calories more to eat to have you net at BMR.

And you are correct - whenever you do that, you don't get the whole 15% deficit.

Now, let me show you why that doesn't matter, eating those extra 77 calories.

So that exercise burn of 505 reported by FitBit, was that because you logged a workout, or that is what it came up with when it synced across?

Doesn't totally matter, because unless you have MFP and FitBit with the same level of maintenance for non-exercise, then that adjustment is what MFP thought you burned extra because of FitBit being higher.

You can't sync MFP and FitBit doing TDEE deficit method, because that's not how MFP works. It's exercise eat-back method.

You can do it somewhat with a proper setup, and have your daily amount change with the sync.

Or unsync it, and just use FitBit history data to confirm current avg TDEE to take the cut from.

Here's the other reason it doesn't matter.

Does your body stop using the food from one for the next, right at midnight?
Or could you find in your week some 24 hr period that is not a "day" in your time frame, where you do not eat enough to even meet your BMR burn during that same time.

The idea of the TDEE deficit method is taking the weekly burn spread out over the whole week, and eating the same daily. Obviously every single day is literally a different TDEE if you think about it, but on average it evens out.

The MFP method is trying to do the literal TDEE each day as it comes around, just with potentially an unreasonable deficit.

If you literally want to always net above your BMR, then use MFP method, set activity level correct and weight loss goal to maintain. Then manually set the net eating goal to 15% less than what they start with.

Now wait for the FitBit adjustments, or log your workouts, but always take 15% off those both too.

Now you will literally net above your BMR daily, because you'll always be eating back your FitBit adjustments, with a cut to them just as if they were included in your full TDEE estimate.

coffee4me57

Heybales- Thanks for the great response. I appreciate you taking the time to really explain this so well.

heybales

I'm curious to know this as well. I have just started to focus on the net number on the right. I find that on my squat and deadlift days if I eat at my calorie goal of 2100 I don't net my BMR, so I end up eating more just to make up for that!

You have a FitBit that is logging a good calorie burn on squats and deadlifts?

Or what is giving you the calorie burn that makes you net below BMR in the math?

athenalove46

I'm curious to know this as well. I have just started to focus on the net number on the right. I find that on my squat and deadlift days if I eat at my calorie goal of 2100 I don't net my BMR, so I end up eating more just to make up for that!

You have a FitBit that is logging a good calorie burn on squats and deadlifts?

Or what is giving you the calorie burn that makes you net below BMR in the math?

I started wearing my HRM. I will go into MFP and manually enter that workout. Am I going about this the wrong way? Cause when I do go to the gym, the fitbit hardly give me much for adjusted calories. I do have the Ultra, so not sure if that plays into it at all.

Noor13

But for lifting purposes even HRM are not good.
The only thing that will give you a somewhat accurate reading for lifting is a BMF.
Neither the FitBit nor the HRM are designed to give you good readings for lifting.

athenalove46

But for lifting purposes even HRM are not good.
The only thing that will give you a somewhat accurate reading for lifting is a BMF.
Neither the FitBit nor the HRM are designed to give you good readings for lifting.

Thanks. I unfortunately don't have the funds to invest in a BMF. I was able to find the Fitbit used, and well, my HRM was bought for Christmas. I know I'm not going to get the most accurate calorie count, but trying to get darn close. lol

heybales

But for lifting purposes even HRM are not good.
The only thing that will give you a somewhat accurate reading for lifting is a BMF.
Neither the FitBit nor the HRM are designed to give you good readings for lifting.

Thanks. I unfortunately don't have the funds to invest in a BMF. I was able to find the Fitbit used, and well, my HRM was bought for Christmas. I know I'm not going to get the most accurate calorie count, but trying to get darn close. lol

So since you are getting inflated calorie counts for lifting, no you are not netting below your BMR.

The MFP amount is actually what is based on METS in studies, 0.032 cal/min/lb weight.

It'll be lower than your HRM reading as it should be, but more than FitBit too. I'll think you'll find at that point not netting below BMR.

athenalove46

But for lifting purposes even HRM are not good.
The only thing that will give you a somewhat accurate reading for lifting is a BMF.
Neither the FitBit nor the HRM are designed to give you good readings for lifting.

Thanks. I unfortunately don't have the funds to invest in a BMF. I was able to find the Fitbit used, and well, my HRM was bought for Christmas. I know I'm not going to get the most accurate calorie count, but trying to get darn close. lol

So since you are getting inflated calorie counts for lifting, no you are not netting below your BMR.

The MFP amount is actually what is based on METS in studies, 0.032 cal/min/lb weight.

It'll be lower than your HRM reading as it should be, but more than FitBit too. I'll think you'll find at that point not netting below BMR.

So, should I take my HR readings and take off 15%? Use MFPs calorie burn for lifting? Or just throw the whole dang thing out the window (I'm tempted....hasn't gotten me anywhere). I never in a million years would have thought this would be so difficult.