MFP vs. TDEE/BMR

Allegi32

Hi,

I know people have discussed this before, but in my searches I have not come up with what seems to be a good explanation of why the MFP calories differ from the TDEE calculators at sites such as http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Maybe I'm not searching the right terms, I don't know.

I would appreciate any input, as I just don't know where to start. MFP has my calories set at around 1400. The above calculator says 1914. That's a fairly significant difference.

Thank you in advance. And if I have missed an in-your-face post that explains my question, please link it and virtually slap me across the face.

ldnmaggie

Me too! I don't know what one to go with, my MFP says something like 1300 and my TDEE works out at something like 2000, uh, think i'll go with TDEE ;-)

wannakimmy

tdee includes your expected daily exercise, that's why higher calories are allowed.
mfp does not, you add your exercise in and MFP adjusts calories for you.

Allegi32

tdee includes your expected daily exercise, that's why higher calories are allowed.
mfp does not, you add your exercise in and MFP adjusts calories for you.

That's what I thought, but then why does MFP even ask for your activity level? If both ask for it, shouldn't both account for it? So what you're saying is, even though I tell MFP that I am "lightly active," just like I put on the TDEE calculator, the MFP calculator doesn't take that info into account, but the TDEE calculator does? Oy. No wonder I'm confused!

wannakimmy

tdee includes your expected daily exercise, that's why higher calories are allowed.
mfp does not, you add your exercise in and MFP adjusts calories for you.

That's what I thought, but then why does MFP even ask for your activity level? If both ask for it, shouldn't both account for it? So what you're saying is, even though I tell MFP that I am "lightly active," just like I put on the TDEE calculator, the MFP calculator doesn't take that info into account, but the TDEE calculator does? Oy. No wonder I'm confused!

Exactly... I do not know why MFP asks about activity level and does not include it, but it doesn't...
Good luck to ya!

SnuggleSmacks

If you'll notice, TDEE calculators specifically ask how often you exercise. MFP simply asks how active you are in your regular daily activities, such as your job.

Personally, I use an activity tracker so that I have a much more accurate idea of how much I, personally, burn and should eat, rather than rely on estimates from calculators. I can be very sedentary one day and very active the next, so calculators aren't going to do it for me.

andeey

tdee includes your expected daily exercise, that's why higher calories are allowed.
mfp does not, you add your exercise in and MFP adjusts calories for you.

That's what I thought, but then why does MFP even ask for your activity level? If both ask for it, shouldn't both account for it? So what you're saying is, even though I tell MFP that I am "lightly active," just like I put on the TDEE calculator, the MFP calculator doesn't take that info into account, but the TDEE calculator does? Oy. No wonder I'm confused!

Both methods take the activity level into account when spitting out the numbers. Only difference is TDEE is the total calories you normally burn for the day and then you deduct a percentage to get a deficit and eat the same amount of calories every day. So, if you work out today, you get 1,500 to eat and if you don't work out tomorrow, you still get 1,500 to eat. But with MFP, you get a lower amount, say 1,300 and then IF you work out, you add (some or all) of those exercise calories back, and end up with more calories to eat. But tomorrow, you don't work out, so you only get the 1,300.

Some people prefer to "earn" the extra calories every day - it's a motivator to get the exercise in - and some people prefer to eat the same every day and not worry about it, knowing they will get the right amount of exercise in per week. It's pretty much a personal preference and in the end, you're likely to net very similar amounts of calories for the whole week.

Allegi32

tdee includes your expected daily exercise, that's why higher calories are allowed.
mfp does not, you add your exercise in and MFP adjusts calories for you.

That's what I thought, but then why does MFP even ask for your activity level? If both ask for it, shouldn't both account for it? So what you're saying is, even though I tell MFP that I am "lightly active," just like I put on the TDEE calculator, the MFP calculator doesn't take that info into account, but the TDEE calculator does? Oy. No wonder I'm confused!

Both methods take the activity level into account when spitting out the numbers. Only difference is TDEE is the total calories you normally burn for the day and then you deduct a percentage to get a deficit and eat the same amount of calories every day. So, if you work out today, you get 1,500 to eat and if you don't work out tomorrow, you still get 1,500 to eat. But with MFP, you get a lower amount, say 1,300 and then IF you work out, you add (some or all) of those exercise calories back, and end up with more calories to eat. But tomorrow, you don't work out, so you only get the 1,300.

Some people prefer to "earn" the extra calories every day - it's a motivator to get the exercise in - and some people prefer to eat the same every day and not worry about it, knowing they will get the right amount of exercise in per week. It's pretty much a personal preference and in the end, you're likely to net very similar amounts of calories for the whole week.

Ok....so what I can gather from all the info (thank you!) is that MFP accounts for everyday lifestyle activity (like how active you are in general) but not exercise, and TDEE takes into account both daily lifestyle activity AND weekly exercise and then averages that out over the week? So MFP doesn't take into account exercise so its calories are lower and then if you exercise, you eat more calories, but only on that day?

I THINK I get it?! LOL

You guys are awesome, thank you! I guess what I will do is go with MFP and add in exercise calories and then if that's not working for me after a few weeks, I'll switch to TDEE.

andeey

tdee includes your expected daily exercise, that's why higher calories are allowed.
mfp does not, you add your exercise in and MFP adjusts calories for you.

That's what I thought, but then why does MFP even ask for your activity level? If both ask for it, shouldn't both account for it? So what you're saying is, even though I tell MFP that I am "lightly active," just like I put on the TDEE calculator, the MFP calculator doesn't take that info into account, but the TDEE calculator does? Oy. No wonder I'm confused!

Both methods take the activity level into account when spitting out the numbers. Only difference is TDEE is the total calories you normally burn for the day and then you deduct a percentage to get a deficit and eat the same amount of calories every day. So, if you work out today, you get 1,500 to eat and if you don't work out tomorrow, you still get 1,500 to eat. But with MFP, you get a lower amount, say 1,300 and then IF you work out, you add (some or all) of those exercise calories back, and end up with more calories to eat. But tomorrow, you don't work out, so you only get the 1,300.

Some people prefer to "earn" the extra calories every day - it's a motivator to get the exercise in - and some people prefer to eat the same every day and not worry about it, knowing they will get the right amount of exercise in per week. It's pretty much a personal preference and in the end, you're likely to net very similar amounts of calories for the whole week.

Ok....so what I can gather from all the info (thank you!) is that MFP accounts for everyday lifestyle activity (like how active you are in general) but not exercise, and TDEE takes into account both daily lifestyle activity AND weekly exercise and then averages that out over the week? So MFP doesn't take into account exercise so its calories are lower and then if you exercise, you eat more calories, but only on that day?

I THINK I get it?! LOL

You guys are awesome, thank you! I guess what I will do is go with MFP and add in exercise calories and then if that's not working for me after a few weeks, I'll switch to TDEE.

You got it!!

Allegi32

tdee includes your expected daily exercise, that's why higher calories are allowed.
mfp does not, you add your exercise in and MFP adjusts calories for you.

That's what I thought, but then why does MFP even ask for your activity level? If both ask for it, shouldn't both account for it? So what you're saying is, even though I tell MFP that I am "lightly active," just like I put on the TDEE calculator, the MFP calculator doesn't take that info into account, but the TDEE calculator does? Oy. No wonder I'm confused!

Both methods take the activity level into account when spitting out the numbers. Only difference is TDEE is the total calories you normally burn for the day and then you deduct a percentage to get a deficit and eat the same amount of calories every day. So, if you work out today, you get 1,500 to eat and if you don't work out tomorrow, you still get 1,500 to eat. But with MFP, you get a lower amount, say 1,300 and then IF you work out, you add (some or all) of those exercise calories back, and end up with more calories to eat. But tomorrow, you don't work out, so you only get the 1,300.

Some people prefer to "earn" the extra calories every day - it's a motivator to get the exercise in - and some people prefer to eat the same every day and not worry about it, knowing they will get the right amount of exercise in per week. It's pretty much a personal preference and in the end, you're likely to net very similar amounts of calories for the whole week.

Ok....so what I can gather from all the info (thank you!) is that MFP accounts for everyday lifestyle activity (like how active you are in general) but not exercise, and TDEE takes into account both daily lifestyle activity AND weekly exercise and then averages that out over the week? So MFP doesn't take into account exercise so its calories are lower and then if you exercise, you eat more calories, but only on that day?

I THINK I get it?! LOL

You guys are awesome, thank you! I guess what I will do is go with MFP and add in exercise calories and then if that's not working for me after a few weeks, I'll switch to TDEE.

You got it!!

YAY!! Thank you!!! :drinker: