Newbie needs help setting daily base calorie goal

Rikki007s

Quick question. I just calculated all of my pertinent number and I got these numbers:

BMR: 1441
TDEE: 2235
Daily calories on 20% calorie reduction: 1788

<http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/&gt;

My question is should I eat 1788 everyday no matter what my activity level is, or should I just eat my BMR on sedentary days (I have a desk job). I think my confusion stems from the fact that I have a fitbit that tracks my activity level everyday and automatically updates my calorie burn and adjusts my calorie needs. Should I set my base calorie intake (the NET calories I eat no matter how much I move) at BMR our should I set it at 1788 plus any calories I burn during my workout? I guess the other option would be to eat 1788 everyday no matter what I burn, but that doesn’t seem right either.

I hope I’m explaining this right. I’m pretty confused.

Thanks for your help!

Raynn1

If you have a fitbit, then I believe that is more accurate than the websites will give you. Im not familiar with them though, so I dont know what information it gives you..

However, if you are goin on the information based on the scooby site, you eat your Cut value EVERY DAY. No matter your activity level each day. If you workout, then on the days you do exercise, you can choose to eat back those calories or not.. But if you exercise to bring you BELOW your BMR number, then you need to make sure you eat some of them back.

You never want to eat below your BMR. Also eat AT BMR is still not enough, because that would be just enough cals to keep you functioning if you didnt get out of bed. So even on a sedentary day with no workout, you would still burn more. So eat your cut daily.

trosewine

Liek Rayann said, start with eating the cut value (1788) daily no matter your activity, don't go below BMR, etc..

In regards to Fitbit - how long have you had it? If over a month, what is your average daily calories burned? If it is close to 2235, then keep doing what you are doing and stay at that 1788 cut value. If it is higher or lower, then adjust accordingly.

You may have to disconnect the fitbit from "talking" to MFP if you want to eat your cut value every day and see that logged in MFP. Otherwise if you set your goal custom to 1788 the fitbit will still send an adjustment over - it doesn't know you aren't following MFP how it is set up.

Hope that helps.

Rikki007s

I've been using the fitbit for quite some time and it's actually startling how close my TDEE estimate and actual calories burned are. I guess I'll disconnect the two devices and just use the fitbit to track my exercise activities. Thanks for the help.