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TDEE

beth0277
beth0277 Posts: 217 Member
edited March 4 in Food and Nutrition
Can someone explain TDEE to me? I need to lose 40ish pounds and MFP tells me to eat 1200, and I know I will lose if I do but that is too restrictive for me. I know, I've done it and lost but then bombed and gained it all back. I've given myself 1500 but I'm curious how TDEE works.

Replies

  • butlersoft
    butlersoft Posts: 219 Member
    BMR is Basal Metabolic Rate (the amount of calories your body burns if you were to lay in a coma doing nothing all day)

    TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure ....and is BMR + [the additional stuff you do through walking / navigating stairs / doing exercise).

    If you're short ... your BMR might be 1200 calories.

    if you're very active on top of that, you may burn an additional 800 calories per day (so your TDEE would be 1200 + 800 = 2000).

    This means that you could safely consume 2000 calories and MAINTAIN.

    Ideally, you should eat at TDEE minus (10-15%) for a nice steady loss....

    Even people who are sedentary and don't do active / much / any exercise will still burn additional calories on top of the BMR ..... so your TDEE will range as anything from BMR plus a bit .... to BMR plus a lot.
  • pepperpat64
    pepperpat64 Posts: 423 Member
    I found this topic (and many others in the Eat, Train, Progress group) to be really helpful:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
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