TDEE %

Yurippe

I've seen suggestions to use TDEE (http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/) instead of the calories calculated by MFP. My understanding is that this number - X% is the deficit you need to lose weight while burning fat and preserving muscle. You do not eat additional calories based on daily exercise since this number already includes the level of exercise you included in the calculation. That's probably over-simplified, but am I close to correct?

If I am understanding this correctly, how do I determine X%? I've read 20% for a lot of weight, 10% for a medium amount of weight, and 5% for a small amount of weight. My best guess would be >75 pounds would be large, and <25 pounds would be small. Am I way off?

WBB55

I'd say more like
100+ TDEE -25%
20-100 lbs TDEE -20%
5-20 lbs TDEE -10%
maintenance-5 lbs TDEE -5%

Branstin

You are correct. TDEE includes exercise and you should subtract a portion for weight loss. This might help you:

1 pound of fat = about 3500 calories. If you want to lose 1 pound a week then subtract 500 calories from your TDEE (500 calories x 7 days = 3500).

SnuggleSmacks

Keep in mind also that this depends on you working out regularly. If you start skipping days, or adding days, then you may need to adjust your calorie goal accordingly.

yarwell

20% isn't high for >100 lbs. If TDEE is 2500 then it's only 500 cals which would lose about 25 lbs in the first year.

cwolfman13

If you are obese you can lose at a faster rate safely. If it were me I would compare the -X% to a rate of loss that would be acceptable for my given weight. Example, if I had between 5 and 15 lbs to lose I would set my deficit to be around 250 calories per day from my TDEE. If I had between 15 and 50 Lbs to lose I would set my deficit to be around 500 calories per day for a roughly 1 Lb per week loss. If I had 50 or more Lbs to lose I would set my deficit to be anywhere from 750 - 1,000 calories per day for a 1.5 - 2 Lb per week rate of loss...again, with 2 Lbs per week being closer to the 100 Lb or more to lose.

And yes, an estimate of your required calories to fuel your exercise is already included so you don't eat back exercise calories with this method. Just make sure you are pretty consistent in what you are doing...a lot of people haven't developed good fitness habits and switch to this method and skip/miss a lot of workout days and wonder why they don't lose weight. With this method you have to be honest about how much exercise you're really doing/going to do.

dopeysmelly

I get around MFP adjusting my calories and macros by logging my exercise as normal and then manually adjusting the calories burned to 1. I can still see how long I exercised but it doesn't mess everything up.

The TDEE calculator is just an estimate, and IMO a useful starting point. There's only one way to find out what gives you the weight loss rate you're looking for and that's to choose a deficit and then have a go. Stick with it for 3-4 weeks and then adjust based on results.

Yurippe

1 pound of fat = about 3500 calories. If you want to lose 1 pound a week then subtract 500 calories from your TDEE (500 calories x 7 days = 3500).

Wow. I am a spaz. This is information I knew, but apparently I can't put 2 & 2 together. Or when I do the answer is 5.

Example, if I had between 5 and 15 lbs to lose I would set my deficit to be around 250 calories per day from my TDEE.
If I had between 15 and 50 Lbs to lose I would set my deficit to be around 500 calories per day for a roughly 1 Lb per week loss.
If I had 50 or more Lbs to lose I would set my deficit to be anywhere from 750 - 1,000 calories per day for a 1.5 - 2 Lb per week rate of loss...again, with 2 Lbs per week being closer to the 100 Lb or more to lose.

This is exactly what I was looking for. Is this the general standard, or are there different ideas of what is safe/healthy?