how should I figure my TDEE?

Ump78
Ump78 Posts: 342 Member
in Getting Started
MFP has it at 3390 with my daily caloric intake at 2430. According to the calculations on here, I should lose 1.9 # @ week. But I don't eat NEAR that many calories, and I am generally not hungry between meals. Some of you scientificos offer some advice?

Also, macros & micros & all that. I'm lost. I just watch what I eat and do a bunch of cardio. I'm a big guy (6' , 259 @ last weigh in) and my goal is 215lbs.

Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/fat-loss-plateau-calculator/
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    MFP has it at 3390 with my daily caloric intake at 2430. According to the calculations on here, I should lose 1.9 # @ week. But I don't eat NEAR that many calories, and I am generally not hungry between meals. Some of you scientificos offer some advice?

    Also, macros & micros & all that. I'm lost. I just watch what I eat and do a bunch of cardio. I'm a big guy (6' , 259 @ last weigh in) and my goal is 215lbs.

    Thanks in advance.

    MFP doesn't figure TDEE, except for a non-exercise day.

    Because they include NO exercise in their estimate of your daily burn, so it's only non-exercise TDEE.
    But maybe you are taking in to account your exercise calories, or you selected more than Sedentary.
    But those activity levels are NOT for exercise, but work or daily life outside of exercise. Sounds like you selected Active. Which if that is your job, then that's a great start.

    Exercise is added later when really done, and would increase the TDEE for that day.

    I'd suggest with so little left to lose - select 1.5 lb weekly.
    When 25 left to go, 1 lb weekly. at 10 lbs, 1/2 lb weekly.

    Try the spreadsheet on my profile page - best estimates of everything.
    Just stick on the Simple Setup tab, and Progress tab.
    Compared to web sites, lets you actually save the info and get more specific to allow seeing the loss in inches or pounds.
    Now that will help with best TDEE estimate, which is not the method MFP is using.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/fat-loss-plateau-calculator/

    I 2nd this as an easy starting point. From there, if you find that you are losing more slowly than it predicts (choose the 20% deficit BTW), then I'd recommend exrx.net's calculator, which puts me ~150 cals lower than scooby. And if you lose a bit too quick, try health-calc.com which estimates higher. I am currently going by the type of numbers health-calc gives me, but I will lower as needed.

    All websites are estimations. So pick a higher number to start with so you can easily lower your calories with fewer stalling issues, and adjust as needed if the losses don't quite add up. 20% deficit is ~4lbs lost a month.

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