Trying to find the balance (TDEE and all)

AKNMHunt

I've looked at various recommended sites and they all say roughly the same numbers, but MFP has me lower, a lot.

The last I calculated, my BMR is 1492, TDEE is 2182 and a 20% deficit is 1745. MFP has me at 1320 cal a day for a 1.5lb loss per week.

I'm 5'3", 164 currently (started at 175 5.5 weeks ago), I am doing the 30 Day Shred daily and I have two kids I chase and go on daily walks when weather permits.

I'm having a hard time staying in my calories, but I know I could make better choices in a few areas as well. TMI but it's that time where I crave sweets and carbs once a month....I've had a hard time with self control....

Where should I be?

peejaygee1

Blatantly quoting another wise member on here, but you will find this some very helpful advice:

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

...and here's another approach.

Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.

bajoyba

It's basically all about the math.

When you calculate your TDEE, you're supposed to take into account all of your activity, including your exercise. You subtract 20% from that number, and you eat that same amount every day. If your TDEE is 2182 and your 20% cut is 1745, your daily deficit is 437 calories. With a daily deficit of 437 calories, you should lose just under a pound a week.

If you tell MFP you want to lose 1.5 pounds a week, you have to create a deficit of 750 calories a day. Your TDEE (2182) - 750 = 1482 calories. MFP also intends for you to set your activity level BEFORE exercise and then eat those exercise calories back.

So you can choose either method, but that's where the discrepancy is. A 20% deficit is not as large as the 750 calorie deficit you need to lose 1.5 pounds a week.

AKNMHunt

It's basically all about the math.

When you calculate your TDEE, you're supposed to take into account all of your activity, including your exercise. You subtract 20% from that number, and you eat that same amount every day. If your TDEE is 2182 and your 20% cut is 1745, your daily deficit is 437 calories. With a daily deficit of 437 calories, you should lose just under a pound a week.

If you tell MFP you want to lose 1.5 pounds a week, you have to create a deficit of 750 calories a day. Your TDEE (2182) - 750 = 1482 calories. MFP also intends for you to set your activity level BEFORE exercise and then eat those exercise calories back.

So you can choose either method, but that's where the discrepancy is. A 20% deficit is not as large as the 750 calorie deficit you need to lose 1.5 pounds a week.

Thanks! Math's not my strong suit ;-)

I suppose for now I'll stick with the 1320 then and just try to make smarter decisions about what all I eat. I'm having a hard time with protein though. I managed to make a 200cal protein shake with 31g protein, so that helps.

terbusha

I aways try to stick to a calorie level that allows me to lose 1-2 lbs/week. That may be 1300 calories/day or it may be 1700 cal/day. It depends on your metabolism, how well you stick to healthy whole foods, how you exercise, and how you rest. If you are good at 1300 cal/day, then that's fine. If you can lose with more calories/day, do that. It'll give you more room to make adjustments later if you hit a plateau.

Allan

bajoyba

It's basically all about the math.

When you calculate your TDEE, you're supposed to take into account all of your activity, including your exercise. You subtract 20% from that number, and you eat that same amount every day. If your TDEE is 2182 and your 20% cut is 1745, your daily deficit is 437 calories. With a daily deficit of 437 calories, you should lose just under a pound a week.

If you tell MFP you want to lose 1.5 pounds a week, you have to create a deficit of 750 calories a day. Your TDEE (2182) - 750 = 1482 calories. MFP also intends for you to set your activity level BEFORE exercise and then eat those exercise calories back.

So you can choose either method, but that's where the discrepancy is. A 20% deficit is not as large as the 750 calorie deficit you need to lose 1.5 pounds a week.

Thanks! Math's not my strong suit ;-)

I suppose for now I'll stick with the 1320 then and just try to make smarter decisions about what all I eat. I'm having a hard time with protein though. I managed to make a 200cal protein shake with 31g protein, so that helps.

If you stick with 1320, just make sure to eat back at least some of your exercise calories. As the person above me mentioned, it's much better to eat as much as you can while still reaching your goals. Not only is it more sustainable for the long haul, but it also allows you more wiggle room to adjust your intake as you get closer to your ultimate goal.

As far as protein goals, you're welcome to browse through my food diary. I'm a vegetarian, so my protein choices are different from yours, but it may give you some ideas.