TDEE

josiereside

So I am trying to figure out my TDEE. My question is what to put as my activity level. I do work out on average 6 days a week alternating days with strength training and running, plus a dog walk every day. However, my job is very sedentary, pretty much sitting at computer 8 hours a day. Was not sure if I should consider myself moderately active or very active. Now once I decide that, what do I do with that number to help me lose weight. MFP has me at 1200 calories, but with my exercise/calorie burn, I pretty much eat around 1500-1700 calories.

Stefanie7125

This helped me a lot, http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map

taso42

It's a tough call... definitely somewhere between moderately and very active. If you can't decide, maybe just average the 2 together.

josiereside

It's a tough call... definitely somewhere between moderately and very active. If you can't decide, maybe just average the 2 together.

Good idea! Thanks.
And thanks to the poster with the link! Helps me out!

wild_wild_life

That sounds exactly like my exercise routine! I went with moderately.

As far as what to do with that number, a 10-20% cut off TDEE is usually recommended. Go closer to 20% if you have more to lose and closer to 10% if you have less to lose. You could also try a straight 500 cal daily deficit from TDEE to aim for 1 lb loss per week.

Monitor you rate of loss, see if it matches up with your deficit, and you will be able to tell if the TDEE is accurate. So if you take a 500 cal deficit and lose 1.5 lbs per week, your TDEE is probably higher than you thought.

Good luck!

wild_wild_life

Just want to add in case it isn't clear, if you are eating a cut off TDEE, you don't eat additional calories for exercise since it's already factored in. Personally I set my calorie goal manually and try stay around that amount. I don't log exercise.

josiereside

That sounds exactly like my exercise routine! I went with moderately.

As far as what to do with that number, a 10-20% cut off TDEE is usually recommended. Go closer to 20% if you have more to lose and closer to 10% if you have less to lose. You could also try a straight 500 cal daily deficit from TDEE to aim for 1 lb loss per week.

Monitor you rate of loss, see if it matches up with your deficit, and you will be able to tell if the TDEE is accurate. So if you take a 500 cal deficit and lose 1.5 lbs per week, your TDEE is probably higher than you thought.

Good luck!

Thanks. This was very helpful. I will go with moderate for a TDEE of 2136. I do have less than 10 to lose but I think I am going to go with close to the 15-20% off the TDEE... that seems to give me plent of calories 1709-1816. Now if I can just not food binge on the weekends I will be in good shape, figuratively and literally speaking!