TDEE question, a quick one

lv1977
lv1977 Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm getting lost with all the TDEE posts and recommendations.

My TDEE using iiyfm calculator is 1683.
If I minus 15-20% it takes me to ~1400.

I've exercised 300 calories away today doing cardio.

Do I eat 1400 calories today which would take me below my BMR of 1186 so cause fat storage(?) or eat the exercise calories back to go back to my TDEE minus of 1400.
Or do I partially eat calories back to take me in the middle?

Fed up with no weight loss and even belly gain despite eating healthily, every 2-3 hours, correct protein, and exercising hard 3-5 times a week so determined to cracking the code.

Thanks guys.

Replies

  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Can't answer that with 100% accuracy, but if you added your exercise to the formula for calculating your TDEE, then now, you don't eat them back. If you didn't add exercise to the calculation, then yes, you can and probably should eat them back.
  • lv1977
    lv1977 Posts: 16 Member
    I added exercise as moderate 3-5 times a week.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Then no, you shouldn't be eating them back.

    ETA - you should aim for you 1400 everyday. Or do it weekly if it's easier. That's what I do anywyay
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    1683 sounds quite low for TDEE, are you sure you calculated correctly? I'm thinking maybe your TDEE - % is 1683.

    TDEE should include your exercise in it, in which case you do not eat more for exercise.
  • lv1977
    lv1977 Posts: 16 Member
    OK thanks a lot. So i'll keep it consistently 1400 a day, and not more on days I exercise versus not. Any benefit to carb cycling or just keep it simple? 50% carbs, 35% protein, 15% fat? Or more fat, less carbs?
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    TDEE includes exercise, so never eat back your exercise calories once you customize your calorie goal using TDEE.

    The MFP defaults do not include exercise, so using them requires eating back at least a portion of your exercise calories.

    As for accuracy, the online TDEE calculators are only estimates. Everybody's different, and it will take trial & error to find what works for you.
  • lv1977
    lv1977 Posts: 16 Member
    The iiyfm site for ....
    Mifflin formula gives BMR 1186, TDEE 1683.
    The Harris formula gives 1308, and 1856. Which is correct?

    Female, aged 36, 5ft 1 inch, 123 lbs, 4 times/week exercise.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    The iiyfm site for ....
    Mifflin formula gives BMR 1186, TDEE 1683.
    The Harris formula gives 1308, and 1856. Which is correct?

    Female, aged 36, 5ft 1 inch, 123 lbs, 4 times/week exercise.

    Mifflin tends to be low, this is the one MFP bases their calories on as well.

    What percent are you taking off of the TDEE? At 123 pounds, you do not have a lot of weight to lose, so your percent deficit should not be as high as 20%. Probably 10% is more appropriate for you.

    Using the scooby calculator, I'm getting BMR 1301 TDEE 2016 TDEE - 10% 1815.

    Personally I would go with 1700 calories for about a half a pound a week loss.
  • lv1977
    lv1977 Posts: 16 Member
    OK thanks. Tricky to know which calculator is correct, 200 calories either way might be the deciding factor in losing! :-)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    OK thanks. Tricky to know which calculator is correct, 200 calories either way might be the deciding factor in losing! :-)

    With a small deficit, you sometimes need to tweak things a bit to find the sweet spot. Try 1700 for 4 weeks and if at the end of the 4 weeks you haven't lost 1.5-2 pounds then either bump the calories down by 100, or add a 30 minute walk to your day. You want to find the place where you are losing half a pound a week, but eating the most amount of calories to do so. Then when you are at goal weight, it is just a small adjustment in calories to maintain.

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