BMR/TDEE

Okay so I used the fat2fit website tools.

I am
24 female
5'2"
132lbs
26% body fat

I want to get down to 120

The website said my BMR is:
Harris Benedict formula = 1408
Katch McArdle Formula = 1322

then at the bottom it says "how many calories should I eat?"
I'm gonna go ahead and choose sedentary since I have a desk job and it equals 1627 (I assume this is my TDEE?)


now I am totally confused....should I eat 1408? or 1322? or should I eat 1627?

Replies

  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    1627 is to maintain your current weight.

    To preserve muscle you should net as close to your BMR as possible. In this case, somewhere between 1300 and 1400 a day + exercise calories (make sure your burns are correct or you could end up maintaining your weight on accident).

    Because you're so close to a healthy weight, you should be trying to lose about .5lbs a week.

    1600-1300 = 300 calorie deficit per day, which should end up being .5lbs loss per week, give or take.
  • cjazz72
    cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
    I went ahead and average those numbers together 1408 +1322 +1627= 4357. 4357/3= 1452. I think if you try to hit that number you should be fine. I know how confusing all these number can get but if your getting difference results from different tools average out the numbers then you can get a sense of where you should be at. So hit for 1452 calories =)
  • kosmosEP
    kosmosEP Posts: 73 Member
    Okay thank you soooo much! I was rattling my brain trying to figure this out, I wear a fitbit one during the day and when I run and it automatically syncs my calories burned, and when I do calisthentics I always use the (light/moderate) and put about 4 or 5 minutes less time than I actually did so that it doesn't overcalculate. I've currently been doing the 1200 cal/per day and usually always go over by 50 or 100 but still been losing weight. I'm going to change it to 1300 a day so now I won't have to feel bad for going over.

    Thanks again!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You eat below your TDEE to lose weight, not your BMR. Eating below your BMR is completely unnecessary and can be harmful if you don't have a lot of weight to lose. Also, if you're using the TDEE approach you should be including exercise in your activity level...so if you exercise you wouldn't be sedentary...and quite frankly, even though I have a desk job too, I'm light active without any deliberate exercise whatsoever...most people aren't really as sedentary as they think they are.
  • kosmosEP
    kosmosEP Posts: 73 Member
    Thanks guys! I feel so much better, I changed my calorie intake to 1380, let's see how this week goes.