We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Question about BMR and TDEE

Posts: 620 Member
edited February 17 in Health and Weight Loss
So, MFP tells me to eat 1540 calories a day to lose.

I went on the IIFYM and did my TDEE and this is what it says:

Your BMR is:
1613 CALORIES/DAY
Your TDEE is:
1936 CALORIES/DAY

I am confused as to what this means exactly. I am 5'9 and weigh 179lbs. I have a desk job where I do have to get up and walk around, but I am not active outside of that due to my dysautonomia.

Do I need to be eating 1613 calories a day to lose weight? I usually eat around 1350 and not the 1540 that MFP gives me, but am I doing this wrong?

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Replies

  • Posts: 10,477 Member
    I went on the IIFYM and did my TDEE and this is what it says:

    Your BMR is:
    1613 CALORIES/DAY
    Your TDEE is:
    1936 CALORIES/DAY

    I am confused as to what this means exactly. I am 5'9 and weigh 179lbs. I have a desk job where I do have to get up and walk around, but I am not active outside of that due to my dysautonomia.

    Do I need to be eating 1613 calories a day to lose weight? I usually eat around 1350 and not the 1540 that MFP gives me, but am I doing this wrong?

    If the TDEE is correct (these things are only estimates, no better than 10% either way) then eating under 1900 calories will mean you lose weight. Your 1350 is a 30% cut from your TDEE which is high but perhaps not excessive to start with. MFP's 1540 is more gentle (ie slower weight loss) at about 20% cut.

    Ignore the BMR when considering how much to eat, BMR is just the largest component of TDEE it has no specific significance in weight loss.
  • Posts: 620 Member

    If the TDEE is correct (these things are only estimates, no better than 10% either way) then eating under 1900 calories will mean you lose weight. Your 1350 is a 30% cut from your TDEE which is high but perhaps not excessive to start with. MFP's 1540 is more gentle (ie slower weight loss) at about 20% cut.

    Ignore the BMR when considering how much to eat, BMR is just the largest component of TDEE it has no specific significance in weight loss.

    That is where I get confused. So, if I ignore the BMR then is the TDEE the amount of calories I should be eating? Or should I be eating a % under them?
  • Posts: 7,692 Member
    you want to eat a % under your TDEE

    TDEE is the total number of calories you burn in a day. To lose weight, you need to eat less than whatever that number happens to be. In other words:

    TDEE = Maintenance Calories
  • Posts: 620 Member
    you want to eat a % under your TDEE

    TDEE is the total number of calories you burn in a day. To lose weight, you need to eat less than whatever that number happens to be. In other words:

    TDEE = Maintenance Calories

    I definitely eat under...I eat usually around 1350 calories a day even though MFP gives me 1540.
This discussion has been closed.