Increased TDEE over last week, should I trust it?

Tanya949

I got some great advice here about a week ago about how to log my exercise and reevaluate my TDEE. It's been over a week now, and I calculated my new TDEE, and it's much higher, basically I'm scared to eat more as I'm losing about a pound per week right now.

My current TDEE -20% is 2185 using the scooby calculator. Using the last 7 days data from fitbit, including logging non step based exercise in fitbit, my new TDEE-20% is 2392.

I have 2 questions:
1. Should I trust the fitbit and switch to the newly calculated TDEE?
2. How often should a new TDEE be calculated? I've lost about 6 lbs since starting with this method.

ETA: I assume the spreadsheet would be even more accurate? I took a quick look at it, but it looks very confusing to me.

heybales

Regarding spreadsheet, stay on Simple Setup tab, follow the directions, like erasing sample data in yellow cells.
All the other info is your stats you already know, and you should have those measurements already too.
Your activity is the only thing to think about.
Then track on the Progress tab.
Many have reported when they were honest with time and activity level of exercise, it matched their Fitbit very closely, like 50 calories or better.

But use the Fitbit too. If you logged workouts it's not designed to estimate calorie burn correctly for, then the TDEE estimate is likely very good.
Only caveat is if your Katch BMR based on bodyfat % is like 200-400 below Mifflin BMR based on age, weight, height, which Fitbit is using similar for all non-moving time.

That's why the spreadsheet is nice too - punch in new weight and see if it changes the TDEE enough to worry about eating goal.
If using Katch BMR and you don't lose any LBM, the purpose of using a reasonable deficit, your TDEE won't change much after 5-10 lbs. Other BMR it will after 10 lbs usually.

But you indeed keep watch on Fitbit, because as seasons change, activity level generally does too. Middle of winter TDEE with exact same workout as done in spring could have different TDEE.

And with so little left to lose, should only be 15%, not 20%.

AnitraSoto

Congrats on losing 6 pounds already - that is fabulous!

Within reason, I would trust your FitBit and gradually work up to that level. Just monitor your weight as you go. Personally, I would bump your calories up by 100 a day and stay at that level until your weight stabilizes and then push it up another 100. What I do is I take my FitBit average for the previous month and work off of that number, rather than stressing over each day. Just get that average and take your deficit. Remember, EM2WL recommends 15%, not 20% - you want to keep that cut as small as possible while still being able to lose weight...

The good thing about using this method is, when your activity changes over time, your TDEE average will change and you can adjust your intake. For instance, in the winter, my TDEE drops by about 150 - 200 calories a day just because I am not so active outdoors - less hiking, gardening, mowing...etc so I adjust my intake accordingly. I like doing it this way because it is one simple calculation every couple of weeks or so, just to make sure I am on track and I don't get overly wrapped up or in all those numbers. That stuff stresses me out ...... I would much rather just trust my FitBit (or BodyMedia Fit), work off of that number and adjust as necessary.

Tanya949

Thanks for the info, I find it so hard to wrap my head around my numbers and where info should come from. I completely understand the concept, but I want to make sure my numbers are as accurate as they can be. (Not accurate I know, but I want them close)

My ticker is a smaller goal... I weigh 223 right now, but my ultimate goal is somewhere at 170-160. Can I still cut 20% or should it be 15% now?

Tanya949

Oops, my last question was already answered... I will eat at 15% cut throughout.

AnitraSoto

You got it - go with that 15% deficit. Remember, the ultimate goal is to eat as much as possible while still losing (or maintaining, or whatever your goal is...) If you take too steep of a cut, you only risk slowing things down --- because over the long term, your metabolism will always adapt to meet your intake.

This is one reason it is so important to take planned "diet breaks" every couple of months. Take a week or so and just eat at TDEE - use this time to "remind" your metabolism of what "normal" is. Stay too long at cut, and your risk your metabolism adapting and accepting this cut as the new normal (not what you want....)

Tanya949

OK, I'm getting it now :happy: I'm learning my way through the spreadsheet, everything is slowly making more sense. Thanks, I love eating more food!!