Stupid TDEE question

shaycat
shaycat Posts: 980
in Food and Nutrition
If my TDEE is 2000 and I NET around 1600 to 1700 a day, shouldn't I lose some weight?

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    If my TDEE is 2000 and I NET around 1600 to 1700 a day, shouldn't I lose some weight?

    yes, if the numbers are all accurate. The TDEE will be +/- a few percent so if it was 10% out and actually only 1800 then your deficit is 100-200 a day which is 11 - 22g of fat per day or 77 - 154g per week (max 1/2 pound weight loss).

    Even if the 2000 is right the deficit at 1600 is 400 which is 310g per week so less than 1 pound per week. You weight can be +/- 2 pounds per day at random so the small losses are hard to spot over a short period of time.
  • opus649
    opus649 Posts: 633 Member
    Yarwell is 100% correct. The BMR and TDEE formulas on the internet are just estimates. The only way to know for sure is to log all of your calories in and out as accurately as possible and over time you should be able to determine a better estimate of your actual TDEE.

    Just because the calculators spit out 2000 doesn't mean you can rely on that number. It really can swing a significant amount.

    Reference:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17324656

    Significant excerpt:
    "No equation accurately predicted REE in most hospitalized patients. Without a reliable predictive equation, only indirect calorimetry will provide accurate assessment of energy needs."
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    If my TDEE is 2000 and I NET around 1600 to 1700 a day, shouldn't I lose some weight?

    Only if the 2000 does NOT include exercise. (I'm assuming that since you mentioned that you NET 1600 to 1700 calories you are logging and eating back exercise calories...)

    If the 2000 calories includes your exercise, then netting 1700 calories is probably not going to make you lose weight. I don't know your stats, but my TDEE is around 2000+ WITH exercise. I would eat 1600-1800 calories a day to lose --NOT REGARDING EXERCISE CALORIES (I don't log them). Does this make sense?
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    Did you include exercise into your TDEE?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Did you include exercise into your TDEE?

    she said "net calories" so I'm assuming that's food minus exercise.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    I guess I included exercise into my TDEE. Although I estimated low. Wait now I am confused.
    My TDEE with exercise is probably a bit higher. So I am figuring 2000 at a low. So if I eat 1900 calories a day eating back my exercise calories, no wonder I am not losing.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    If my TDEE is 2000 and I NET around 1600 to 1700 a day, shouldn't I lose some weight?

    Only if the 2000 does NOT include exercise. (I'm assuming that since you mentioned that you NET 1600 to 1700 calories you are logging and eating back exercise calories...)

    If the 2000 calories includes your exercise, then netting 1700 calories is probably not going to make you lose weight. I don't know your stats, but my TDEE is around 2000+ WITH exercise. I would eat 1600-1800 calories a day to lose --NOT REGARDING EXERCISE CALORIES (I don't log them). Does this make sense?

    So you are eating 1800 now to maintain and not eating your calories back?

    So I should change mine to 1700 and not log my exercise. That should give me a small loss. maybe?
  • opus649
    opus649 Posts: 633 Member
    Your TDEE estimate is merely your estimated BMR (calories at rest) times some multiplier. If you pick "lightly active" because you work out three times per week, it is adding extra calories. So yes, if you are then eating your exercise calories, you are essentially counting those calories twice and eating too much.

    I think it's safer to choose "sedentary" (multiplier = 1.2) and then log any activity that is beyond your garden variety stuff. But that's just my opinion and occasionally people disagree with me :tongue:
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    I set mine to sedentary which I am totally not, just so you know. That lowers my calories 120 a day. So I am over today, but if I can stick to that hopefully I can lose the last few pounds.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    If my TDEE is 2000 and I NET around 1600 to 1700 a day, shouldn't I lose some weight?

    Only if the 2000 does NOT include exercise. (I'm assuming that since you mentioned that you NET 1600 to 1700 calories you are logging and eating back exercise calories...)

    If the 2000 calories includes your exercise, then netting 1700 calories is probably not going to make you lose weight. I don't know your stats, but my TDEE is around 2000+ WITH exercise. I would eat 1600-1800 calories a day to lose --NOT REGARDING EXERCISE CALORIES (I don't log them). Does this make sense?

    So you are eating 1800 now to maintain and not eating your calories back?

    So I should change mine to 1700 and not log my exercise. That should give me a small loss. maybe?

    Yes, if your calculations are right.

    Not maintaining at the moment. Trying to lower BF% a little before summer. I eat around 1800 calories on workout days and 1600 calories on rest days. This gives me about a 0.6lb per week loss.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Is that working, have you started losing? I believe you are the same height and weight as me. I also want to lose just a bit of BF% for summer. I was maintaining very well. I am just trying to make a plan to start losing again.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    Yes, it works when I can stay on track with my calories....lol. I lift heavy 3 days a week for exercise. (Have been for 5 months)

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