MFP recommended calorie limits or using BMR & TDEE

jcubedatund

Hi folks,

I have been doing well so far using the MFP calorie limits. I have been reading a lot lately about using one's BMR and TDEE to set up personal calorie limits. What method do you use? What do you see as being the perks and drawbacks? My current MFP recommended calorie limit is well below my estimated BMR (by almost 300 calories). I don't want long-term negative effects on my metabolism. Would you recommend sticking with what I'm doing since it' working or switching?

Branstin

Perhaps you might want to reset your activity level in MFP to match your actual activity level. This will give you more calories to use. Most people are not sedentaty which is the default setting. It's nice that you are losing but you also want to make sure you are eating enough as well.

deksgrl

A properly set MFP + exercise calories goal should be around the same ballpark as a properly set TDEE - % calorie goal. The only difference is with the TDEE - % method you would eat about the same amount every day, exercise is included and averaged over the week.

Example:

1300 (amount MFP says to eat)
-300 (amount you exercised)
+300 (amount more you ate to fuel the exercise)
= 1300 NET / 1600 TOTAL calories

TDEE of 2000 x 20% = 400 2000-400 = 1600 calories.

jcubedatund

So is it important to stay over your BMR for the day? I have calculated my BMR on several websites and it is currently around 1900, with my TDEE around 2627. I've been eating around 1650 per the MFP recommendations. With a 20% cut from my TDEE, I would be eating around 2100 calories, which seems quite high to me.

deksgrl

So is it important to stay over your BMR for the day? I have calculated my BMR on several websites and it is currently around 1900, with my TDEE around 2627. I've been eating around 1650 per the MFP recommendations. With a 20% cut from my TDEE, I would be eating around 2100 calories, which seems quite high to me.

Staying over BMR is important for those who have less weight to lose. Since you still have a significant amount to lose, you can safely eat less than BMR for a time yet. There will be a point where you should start increasing calories though. Here is a guide to how many pounds per week to shoot for based on your weight range:

Pounds per week loss:
75+ lbs to lose 2 lb range
Between 40 - 75 lbs to lose 1.5 lb range
Between 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb range
Between 15-25 lbs to lose 1 -.50 lb range
Less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs range

As you get closer to goal weight, your calorie deficit will get smaller. This will result in a sustainable loss and transition to maintenance.

jcubedatund

Thanks. That was super helpful

deksgrl

You're welcome.

If you are exercising regularly and eating to Net calories via the MFP method, then you are likely eating near 2000 - 2100 on days you exercise, similar to the TDEE - 20% amount.

As you lose weight, you will want to be recalculating with your new numbers every so often anyway, so you can reevaluate later on and compare the two methods again, if you stick with the MFP number now. At some point the TDEE method might become more attractive. I like it because I eat the same amount all the time whether I exercised that day or not.