TDEE and Activity Level
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jmsutton3
Posts: 4 Member
I know this has been asked a million times before, and I've even read the threads! But I'm having a hard time dialing in my activity level and TDEE really. I also can't figure out how to set my goals in MFP. I got the spreadsheet from one thread and tried fiddling around with a few things, but it seems I have stopped losing weight (though I have lost body-fat, I believe... at least the measurements say I have) and actually gained a lot of weight. Too fast for it to be muscle weight, I think. I had MFP set to a goal of netting 1950 calories per day (my BMR) but was eating back exercise calories and realized that was just maintainence and any day I went over....meant I was gaining. So I cut my goal back to net 1700 calories a day, and on days I don't exercise I just eat the extra 250 to make sure I get at least BMR. Is there a better way to do it?
I know that part of this group's whole point is that the number on the scale of what you weigh isn't everything. But I used to do wrestling and jiu-jitsu tournaments and would like to start again, so what I weigh actually IS important. Doesn't matter how lean I am, if I can't get down to the weight class I register for, I'm screwed.
Here's my numbers, as you can see, my bodyfat has gone down (confirming next week with another Bodpod) but my weight has gone up, I find it really difficult to believe I gained 6-8lbs of muscle in 2 or 3 months. Though I have always been an easy-gainer. My whole life/in the Marine Corps I gain weight /fast/ when I lift, but I can't lose it to save my life.
Age: 30
Sex: M
Height: 5 foot 6
Goal: 195-200lbs
Current Weight (this morning): 227.2
Tape Measure Bodyfat this morning: 23.2%
Last CONFIRMED Bodyfat (Bodpod test): 27.4% Dec 21st
Weight at last Bodpod: 221.5 Dec 21st
Activity:
3x a week do a modified Starr 5X5 program of weight lifting (Squats, Overhead Press, Bench Press, Power Cleans, with warm-ups) and a 15-20 minute walk (sometimes interval sprints)
2-3x a week wrestling/jiujitsu practice. Skills for 20-30 minutes then practice matches for 30-45 minutes.
That's an 'average' week but it fluctuates a lot. Life of a graduate student. Last week I did nothing at all, which is unusual but I was out of town. Sometimes I don't do the cardio before weight-lifting (more and more I don't do it actually) or sometimes I might only get to jiu-jitsu once that week. This is one of the reasons I generally prefer to try and set up MFP so that I 'eat back' my exercise calories, since they can be very unpredictable. I just can't quite figure out how to set that so it 'works'.
I should edit for accuracy and because the numbers are helpful: With new semester stress, holidays, and traveling, I've been going over my goals. I've been averaging 2,400-2,800 calories per day, and have been gaining, statistically adjusted for fluctuation (on trendweight.com) .4 lbs per week.
I know that part of this group's whole point is that the number on the scale of what you weigh isn't everything. But I used to do wrestling and jiu-jitsu tournaments and would like to start again, so what I weigh actually IS important. Doesn't matter how lean I am, if I can't get down to the weight class I register for, I'm screwed.
Here's my numbers, as you can see, my bodyfat has gone down (confirming next week with another Bodpod) but my weight has gone up, I find it really difficult to believe I gained 6-8lbs of muscle in 2 or 3 months. Though I have always been an easy-gainer. My whole life/in the Marine Corps I gain weight /fast/ when I lift, but I can't lose it to save my life.
Age: 30
Sex: M
Height: 5 foot 6
Goal: 195-200lbs
Current Weight (this morning): 227.2
Tape Measure Bodyfat this morning: 23.2%
Last CONFIRMED Bodyfat (Bodpod test): 27.4% Dec 21st
Weight at last Bodpod: 221.5 Dec 21st
Activity:
3x a week do a modified Starr 5X5 program of weight lifting (Squats, Overhead Press, Bench Press, Power Cleans, with warm-ups) and a 15-20 minute walk (sometimes interval sprints)
2-3x a week wrestling/jiujitsu practice. Skills for 20-30 minutes then practice matches for 30-45 minutes.
That's an 'average' week but it fluctuates a lot. Life of a graduate student. Last week I did nothing at all, which is unusual but I was out of town. Sometimes I don't do the cardio before weight-lifting (more and more I don't do it actually) or sometimes I might only get to jiu-jitsu once that week. This is one of the reasons I generally prefer to try and set up MFP so that I 'eat back' my exercise calories, since they can be very unpredictable. I just can't quite figure out how to set that so it 'works'.
I should edit for accuracy and because the numbers are helpful: With new semester stress, holidays, and traveling, I've been going over my goals. I've been averaging 2,400-2,800 calories per day, and have been gaining, statistically adjusted for fluctuation (on trendweight.com) .4 lbs per week.
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Replies
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Spreadsheet - Progress tab - far right for TDEE calculator.
Your logging of food must be right on for the month used, no missed meals or days, rough estimate better than none.
If you did not start the month right after a change and increase in exercise, or end it right after a change, should be valid for basing on weight lost.
And this only works if you are really sure you came in from the high side, because you can chase down a suppressed metabolism.
With whatever the math says based on what your body actually did, I'd suggest before you eat to the new lower level, take a diet break for a week to the new TDEE given.
Doing this method, really means whatever your estimated BMR and TDEE is doesn't matter. Like if your estimated BMR is NOT based on BF%, and it's inflated, that would mean inflated TDEE, and inflated eating goal, perhaps with no real deficit in place.
So you were for sure eating enough, and now with adjusted TDEE based on actual results, really doesn't matter what realy BMR is, because you have in essence a tested TDEE.0
