TDEE Troubles

hrlyb92

I have been reading things online for hours and I am still confused...I know you aren't supposed to eat back exercise calories with the TDEE method, or at least that's what I've read...but when I work out my net calories drops below BMR which I've read is bad for you. I am wondering if I need to eat exercise calories back just to hit my estimated BMR? I am 5'4" and I weigh 157 lbs. My TDEE is 2076 and my BMR is 1464. I am starting to try the 20% calorie deficit which is 1661 and when I work out (about 4-6 times a week depending on my schedule) I generally burn anywhere from 500-700 calories a day with strength and cardio combined (I wear a HRM). For two months I have been trying different things eating my exercise calories back, not eating them back...nothing really seems to be working. Up until Wednesday last week I was trying to eat 1300 calories or so a day. I would really like to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 125 lbs or at least close to it and I am worried 1661 is too much for me to be eating...seems like I will gain more that way. I don't know..I am very confused and would love any input at this point.

SezxyStef

No you don't eat back exercise calories...they are already included in your TDEE number.

HRM is not good for estimating calories burned for weight lifting.

Eating below your BMR is not as bad as you have read

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1058378-oh-noes-i-am-eating-below-my-bmr

If you are using TDEE method when you log your exercise change the calories burned to 1 to avoid confusion.

ETA: TDEE method is a set number of calories you eat everyday..if you were using NEAT it would be different and you would subtract your exercise calories from your daily total...MFP would probably give you about 1380 calories, adding in exercise brings you up to your TDEE-20%...so either way TDEE or NEAT you would be eating about 1650 calories.

Frood42

TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure
TDEE is the amount of calories your body burns in a 24 hour period, sleeping, working, exercising, playing and even digesting food.

If you worked out TDEE - 20% is 1661 gross calories, then you want to ignore the NET and look at the gross or food/total calories, as exercise should have already been factored in.

Or you could enter your workouts as 1 calorie and set your goal to a Custom amount of calories, which would be your TDEE-20% target.

http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
.

Francl27

Just eat the 1661. Your exercise is accounted for and averaged to give you a fixed amount every day.

cwolfman13

My TDEE is 2076 and my BMR is 1464. I am starting to try the 20% calorie deficit which is 1661 and when I work out (about 4-6 times a week depending on my schedule) I generally burn anywhere from 500-700 calories a day with strength and cardio combined

I'm having a very hard time believing someone who is burning 500 - 700 calories per day with exercise has a TDEE of 2076. You do realize you are supposed to account for your exercise activity in your activity level with the TDEE method right? Total Daily Energy Expenditure. If indeed you have that kind of calorie burn daily and your TDEE is indeed 2076, that would make your sedentary, non-exercise TDEE something like 1400 - 1500 calories per day...again, having a hard time buying into that one.

It is likely that your activity level is incorrect for calculating your TDEE which is why your net is falling below your BMR...either that or you don't have that much fat on you and a 20% cut is too aggressive.

WBB55

For two months I have been trying different things eating my exercise calories back, not eating them back...nothing really seems to be working. ... 1661 is too much for me to be eating...

Your estimated TDEE is 2076. Let's just go with that. It might be a little off. But that sounds like a good daily average for someone your height who works out. (honestly, I bet you're just a *touch* higher, but let's just go with 2076 for now.) I'm talking total calories here, not "net." And we're assuming all your info is accurate and you have normal-ish metabolism.

IF EVERY DAY you eat between 1464 and 2076 total calories every day, you will NOT gain fat. You CAN'T gain fat. It is IMPOSSIBLE TO GAIN FAT if you eat between that range every day and continue to exercise like you are. Now, if you eat closer to the 2076 every day, you might not LOSE weight. But you definitely won't gain any fat. At 1661, if you're accurate with all your info YOU WONT GAIN FAT. And in fact, you will lose weight at a relatively healthy rate.

Ok?

Greenrun99

Just eat the 1661. Your exercise is accounted for and averaged to give you a fixed amount every day.

Try this, and give it more than a week... like 8

deksgrl

My TDEE is 2076 and my BMR is 1464. I am starting to try the 20% calorie deficit which is 1661 and when I work out (about 4-6 times a week depending on my schedule) I generally burn anywhere from 500-700 calories a day with strength and cardio combined

I'm having a very hard time believing someone who is burning 500 - 700 calories per day with exercise has a TDEE of 2076. You do realize you are supposed to account for your exercise activity in your activity level with the TDEE method right? Total Daily Energy Expenditure. If indeed you have that kind of calorie burn daily and your TDEE is indeed 2076, that would make your sedentary, non-exercise TDEE something like 1400 - 1500 calories per day...again, having a hard time buying into that one.

It is likely that your activity level is incorrect for calculating your TDEE which is why your net is falling below your BMR...either that or you don't have that much fat on you and a 20% cut is too aggressive.

From another post, she is 5'4 and 156 pounds. Age 21. BMR 1460. TDEE with Moderate activity = 2263. 20% cut = 1810

cwolfman13

My TDEE is 2076 and my BMR is 1464. I am starting to try the 20% calorie deficit which is 1661 and when I work out (about 4-6 times a week depending on my schedule) I generally burn anywhere from 500-700 calories a day with strength and cardio combined

I'm having a very hard time believing someone who is burning 500 - 700 calories per day with exercise has a TDEE of 2076. You do realize you are supposed to account for your exercise activity in your activity level with the TDEE method right? Total Daily Energy Expenditure. If indeed you have that kind of calorie burn daily and your TDEE is indeed 2076, that would make your sedentary, non-exercise TDEE something like 1400 - 1500 calories per day...again, having a hard time buying into that one.

It is likely that your activity level is incorrect for calculating your TDEE which is why your net is falling below your BMR...either that or you don't have that much fat on you and a 20% cut is too aggressive.

From another post, she is 5'4 and 156 pounds. Age 21. BMR 1460. TDEE with Moderate activity = 2263. 20% cut = 1810

That would seem more in line with what she's burning...if she's really burning that much...which is always the kicker.

OP, just pick an activity level and roll with it...give it some time to track some real world results and make adjustments as necessary from there. Nobody has a TDEE of exactly XXXX calories....there is a whole lot of trial and error to make this work. When I first started out, I didn't think I was nearly as active as I actually am (due to a desk job)....but ultimately I was losing at a faster rate than I really wanted to so I adjusted accordingly...that's what you do.

josiekat2015

I'm with you and our stats are almost the same. My TDEE is 1983 and subtracting 20% puts me at 1685. I've been maintaining my net calories and exercise to the 1,200 on this website and I'm afraid to eat more to get to 1685 calories a day. And I've been feeling like I've had plenty of food and not hungry at all. I understand the concept but I just don't want to slide back on the progress I've been making.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter