TDEE & BMR: What they are and what to do with them
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Thank you so much ~ this is very informative0
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Bump.
Thanks for the info----such varied opinions out there I'm finding for formulas for BMR and TDEE!0 -
I am going to try this approach and I feel pretty confident that it will yield results. I just want to make sure I'm doing it right. I got my numbers from the scooby site and I get that part; however I'm getting confused with the metabolism reset part. Can someone explain that to me? I watched the video on YouTube and I've been searching around for an answer and I can seem to find one. What is a metabolism reset? and how do I do it? AND do I have to do it? Thank u so much in advance to anyone who can help me out.
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I am going to try this approach and I feel pretty confident that it will yield results. I just want to make sure I'm doing it right. I got my numbers from the scooby site and I get that part; however I'm getting confused with the metabolism reset part. Can someone explain that to me? I watched the video on YouTube and I've been searching around for an answer and I can seem to find one. What is a metabolism reset? and how do I do it? AND do I have to do it? Thank u so much in advance to anyone who can help me out.
So lets say you've eaten at 1200 for a year, some initial loss, then stalled.
No measurements or weight drop for 3 wks or longer, and before getting to that point the weekly loss kept diminishing to almost nothing until nothing. Lets say that stall went on 3 months.
Your metabolism has dropped until your maintenance, your TDEE for your level of activity, is really 1200. That is the definition actually, maintain weight.
Some of that lowering of TDEE is indeed because you burn less carrying around less weight, expected.
Some is related to burning off some muscle mass, which is main metabolism burner, known to happen though not desired.
Some is related to body needs to burn more on BMR functions, but you don't leave enough, so other process will be slowed down (body repair, immune system, hair/nails/skin growth, ect), again seen to happen though not desired.
So how do you inform your stressed out body to speed up metabolism, speed up TDEE, get hormone levels back to normal, all things so you can create a deficit and lose weight again?
Eat enough so it isn't stressed.
What level, how long? Too many variables - genetics, body abuse in prior years, abuse this time, how long eating too low, other stresses in life like too much exercise, ect.
So a simple line to draw in the sand is pick what the expected TDEE should be, and let body see the craziness has stopped. Hopefully the metabolism will go back up to full speed (though if lots of muscle was lost, not as high as it could be, hence using BMR based on good estimated BF%).
Then step over the line a little and see if you get expected weight loss. If body stresses too easily, you may lose that deficit fast. If doing good, it remains, may be able to take a tad more.
Reset also allows finding that true line with level of activity you are going to keep. That way you know what it should be for deficit.
If about 250 cal daily deficit doesn't lead to 1 lb loss in 2 weeks, but food logging ability and activity stayed the same, body slowed down.
May not be able to take that level of deficit stress now, or ever, or with other stresses, whatever the reason. Doesn't really matter, if body slowed down, can't go that big on deficit.0 -
My TDEE is 1965 and my BMR is 1415, then what should I enter as my daily calorie goal here on MFP? (sorry, still very new to this!)0
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My TDEE is 1965 and my BMR is 1415, then what should I enter as my daily calorie goal here on MFP? (sorry, still very new to this!)
So slightly over Lightly Active.
You take a deficit off the TDEE and use that as manual goal.
You should also reread some stickies because you'll need to understand more than just that if you are going to succeed.0 -
It's working!!!!:)
A few weeks ago I tried the increase in calories and it is working.
My BMR=1324, and my TDEE=2065. I eat about 1565 a day. I have lost 6 additional pounds by doing this. I am also doing the insanity videos (currently repeating week 4) and taking the green coffee bean extract:). I am sure my weight loss is a result of a combination of all three of these interventions. { Don't call me lazy for taking the extract! I also kick my butt every day doing the insanity videos. I am not looking for an easy way out ,just a supplement!}
When I tried to stick to a net of 1200 cals I was miserable, especially on the days that I didn't burn as many calories or during my rest days. I was constantly obsessed with eating and not eating. For everyone who is leary of this concept I would just try it. This isn't really some new fad or diet craze, it is actually just math and the use of a nutrition formula that has been proven to be accurate.
I think this formula works for people who are smaller or don't have a ton of weight to lose. I am 5'2 and I started out weighing 130. My body didn't really want to lose 15-20lbs so I had to exercise and figure out a way to still maintain my BMR while losing fat. This formula allows me to do this. I can't eat 1200 cal/day if my BMR is naturally 1324. I would never lose weight, which is why I only lost 2 lbs then I hit a plateau.
Thanks to the people who posted so much about this!
I now have to muster up the energy to lift weights along with Insanity and cardio. That seems to be another theme that's echoed on these boards:)
Mel:)0 -
I am going to try this approach and I feel pretty confident that it will yield results. I just want to make sure I'm doing it right. I got my numbers from the scooby site and I get that part; however I'm getting confused with the metabolism reset part. Can someone explain that to me? I watched the video on YouTube and I've been searching around for an answer and I can seem to find one. What is a metabolism reset? and how do I do it? AND do I have to do it? Thank u so much in advance to anyone who can help me out.
So lets say you've eaten at 1200 for a year, some initial loss, then stalled.
No measurements or weight drop for 3 wks or longer, and before getting to that point the weekly loss kept diminishing to almost nothing until nothing. Lets say that stall went on 3 months.
Your metabolism has dropped until your maintenance, your TDEE for your level of activity, is really 1200. That is the definition actually, maintain weight.
Some of that lowering of TDEE is indeed because you burn less carrying around less weight, expected.
Some is related to burning off some muscle mass, which is main metabolism burner, known to happen though not desired.
Some is related to body needs to burn more on BMR functions, but you don't leave enough, so other process will be slowed down (body repair, immune system, hair/nails/skin growth, ect), again seen to happen though not desired.
So how do you inform your stressed out body to speed up metabolism, speed up TDEE, get hormone levels back to normal, all things so you can create a deficit and lose weight again?
Eat enough so it isn't stressed.
What level, how long? Too many variables - genetics, body abuse in prior years, abuse this time, how long eating too low, other stresses in life like too much exercise, ect.
So a simple line to draw in the sand is pick what the expected TDEE should be, and let body see the craziness has stopped. Hopefully the metabolism will go back up to full speed (though if lots of muscle was lost, not as high as it could be, hence using BMR based on good estimated BF%).
Then step over the line a little and see if you get expected weight loss. If body stresses too easily, you may lose that deficit fast. If doing good, it remains, may be able to take a tad more.
Reset also allows finding that true line with level of activity you are going to keep. That way you know what it should be for deficit.
If about 250 cal daily deficit doesn't lead to 1 lb loss in 2 weeks, but food logging ability and activity stayed the same, body slowed down.
May not be able to take that level of deficit stress now, or ever, or with other stresses, whatever the reason. Doesn't really matter, if body slowed down, can't go that big on deficit.
Thank you so much for replying. I just now had the chance to come back to this post. I have been slowly introducing more calories to reach my TDEE over the past 10 days. I decided I was going to measure myself and weigh myself every 10 days. I did that today and was actually very surprised to find out that I lost 1.4 lbs and 5.5 inches. Let me just say that i have never lost any weight without practically starving myself and working out like a beast lol I am confident that I'm on the right path and this has just given me the motivation I need to stick with it.
I also must add that I used to weigh myself every.single.day!! My mood each day was dependent on the number on that dang scale! Not anymore and it's liberating. I'm so grateful fo the day I found this group.
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Thank you for such wonderful information. I am a new member and basically I decided to join because the goal calculated by MFP has not been working for a while. I am hypothyroid, so perhaps my metabolism is not as fast as it should be. I am 5 ft “0” inches and weigh 134 pounds. I have lost about 15 lbs this far, however now I have reached a plateau. I started weight training about 3 weeks ago (3 to 4 days per week) and do Zumba as my cardio about 5 days a week. On a regular day at the gym I burn between 500-750 calories. I have about 25 to 30 lbs to lose, but I am a bit confused about how this all works. For the past two months my goal has been set to 1200 and sometimes I have a hard time trying to reach 1200 net, therefore I am a bit worried. I set 40, 30, 30 for macronutrients, lose fat 20% caloric reduction, and moderate exercise 3-5 hrs a week as my settings. These are my numbers according to the site:
BMR → 1513
TDEE → 2346
Goal→ 1877
Should my MFP goal be 1877? It seems a quite high. I know that with this plan I should not eat my exercise calories back, but when I work out and burn over 500 calories (I average about 600) my caloric intake may fall below BMR. Any advice? It is hard enough for me to eat over 1200 without feeling extremely full. I hope there is someone here who can guide me to the right direction as I am quite lost.
Thank you in advance! 0 -
bump. thanks!0
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bump0
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Thank you for this explanation. According to this I believe my daily calorie intake should be 1600. The only exercise I get over my daily routine is 30 minutes on my elliptical and it shows I burn between 300 and 350 calories. My goal is to lose 10 pounds.
Age - 55
Activity level - moderate
Lbs - 129
Height - 64"
I come up with:
BMR - 1251
TDEE - 1940
TDEE - 15% - 1600
Also, is it bad to go over by 35 on your carbs if they are from healthy choices? Seem to have a hard time keeping my carbs in check.0 -
Thank you for this explanation. According to this I believe my daily calorie intake should be 1600. The only exercise I get over my daily routine is 30 minutes on my elliptical and it shows I burn between 300 and 350 calories. My goal is to lose 10 pounds.
Age - 55
Activity level - moderate
Lbs - 129
Height - 64"
I come up with:
BMR - 1251
TDEE - 1940
TDEE - 15% - 1600
Also, is it bad to go over by 35 on your carbs if they are from healthy choices? Seem to have a hard time keeping my carbs in check.
I'm guessing you selected Moderate level because of 5 days of 30 min.
Might want to view that as hrs though, 3-5 hrs. So with 2.5 hrs of exercise, that would be Lightly Active.
Now, if daily routine is more than sedentary desk job, that would push level up already, so round up from Lightly Active.
I'd suggest 1.42 x BMR actually for 30 min x 5 cardio.
And with only 10 lbs left, should probably only do 10% deficit from here to end. So that ends up being a wash.
TDEE - 1776
- 10% - 1598 daily - 1600.
But, as weight drops, or your activity increases, I'd stick with that 10%, so it would make a difference if activity increased.0 -
Originally posted by Anewlucia:
TDEE - What is it and why you should not eat below your BMR
What is BMR?
Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is the minimum calorific requirement needed to sustain life in a resting individual. It can be looked at as being the amount of energy (measured in calories) expended by the body to remain in bed all day!
What is TDEE?
TDEE is the common abbreviation for Total Daily Energy Expenditure which is a metric to calculate the amount of calories your body needs to function in a day. This is quite similar to BMR; in fact, you need your BMR to calculate your TDEE; but your TDEE accounts for your average daily activity as well to give a figure truer to your specific situation. Basically, the TDEE calculation relies on categorizing your daily activity into one of the metrics' predetermined groupings:
Sedentary - desk job and little to no exercise
Lightly Active - light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk
Moderately Active - moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk (****SIDE NOTE - even if you have a desk job most people fit right here when you workout 3-5 days a week)
Very Active - hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk
Extremely Active - hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or training
Once you have determined where you fit in on the TDEE activity rate scale, this activity rate is used to weight your BMR giving you a more accurate assessment of how many calories you really need throughout the course of the day.
Here is a link to a site that you plug in your information and it will provide your BMR and TDEE along with your Cut value (again, if you workout 3-5 times a week select "Moderate" and the "Select Your Goal" option you will select is "Lose Fat - 15% caloric reduction") :
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
So now, you should have your BMR, TDEE, and Cut Value (TDEE - 15%)
Here is a video that talks about this in great detail that hopefully will clear up any questions you may have:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYi9xjIRvbY&feature=g-all-u
(If the video blesses you, please "LIKE" it on Youtube and maybe even share it on Facebook...to help spread the word to help others to EM2WL...oh and we LOVE comments too )
If TDEE is figured out correctly, then exercise cals don't *have* to be eaten back because, technically, TDEE figures them in. The underlying factor here, is that most people underestimate their activity levels, (for fear of being told to eat "too much") and then proceed to under eat. If a person is burning 1000 cals/day in exercise, then that should be figured into their TDEE, meaning their TDEE should be AT LEAST 1000 cals more than their BMR. If this is not the case then they are undercutting themselves on the cals. So a person w/a BMR of 1300, that puts up 1000 cal burns should have come up w/a TDEE calculation of 2400 or more. So any situation where a person is not getting those calculations, they should be eating back some of those exercise cals.
So if you come up w/BMR=1300, TDEE=1800, you need to either A)eat back some cals, or
recalculate your TDEE to include the *actual* burns that you're getting.
So to cut using *true* TDEE figures, you'd just eat a flat TDEE (-15%), as long as TDEE is correct. It should be fine. But if you are using MFP's calculations, or are not getting a TDEE that includes the amount you burn each day *plus* BMR, you need to eat back some exercise cals. (***NOTE-If you have been eating low calories for an extended period of time, you may want to consier taking a diet break by eating FULL TDEE for an 8-12 week period to do what is called a "Metabolism Reset". Information regarding is in the sticky "Metabolism Reset-Eating at TDEE Support Thread" at the top. Here is a video that will help you to decide if TDEE -15% or a Metabolism reset is right for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COzMKkXeiFo)
I make the following recommendations....Change the followiing in your MFP Goal settings under Custom:
Carbs 40%
Protein 30%
Fat 30%
Fiber 30
Sodium 2500
Everything I have read thus far in my journey suggests those macronutrient ratios. It forces you to eat more protein which is important for maintaining and building muscle. Break up your food inake too, eating small meals during the course of the day helps keep the body burning calories. Feel free to check out my diary "AnewLucia", it is open to the public. ***I didn't think it was necessary to say this, but have been asked...eating clean should go without saying because we all are trying to achieve a heathly lifestyle in general. However, we all have "loves" and this is about "living", so I also believe all things in moderation. Lastly, if you are truly sticking to your numbers and ratios, there is no way to junk out...hence the reason I never stressed it before..so now it has been stressed! ***
I almost forgot to mention, I always drink a protein shake right after a workout, so important to give the body good protein after exercising because those muscles are hungry...so take your shake with you to guzzle right after.
Ok ladies, If you aren't currently strength training you are missing out...weight lifting is what transforms the body. You would be amazed, but those beautifully toned women you just dream about looking like...you will rarely see them in a cardio class sweating to the oldies but goodies....they are in the weight room pushing some heavy steel. If you haven't read it, a good read is "New Rules of Lifting Weights for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess". It gives an excellent nutritional break down (which finally made my bulb light up,) and for beginning lifters it gives you a great program to get you going....for those that are already familiar with weights and have routines and all that...it is time to start challenging yourself...go up 5lbs each lift session, you would be absolutely amazed at what your body can do....and now that you are fueling it you will have the energy to challenge yourself as well!
Lastly, for those that love to weigh in daily, we all know it can be a bit disheartening watching the scale (please make sure to read "What to expect when you up your calories" in another of the topics on this board.) Someone found this great tool to track your weight. You weigh daily and it graphs not only your weight, but how you are trending. It also allows you to note what is happening with you(ie. TOM, sodium, constipation, heavy lift) so you can see the causes of the fluctuations....I ABSOLUTELY ADORE this tool.
https://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/HackDiet?s=022WQ9WF6Q200JFJJKFF2K288F0JQK950K003894&q=logout&HDiet_tzoffset=240
Ok one more last thing, if at week 6 you have not lost weight or inches (which is rare) post a topic and let's review what you have been doing during the timeframe. I have yet to find it is due to too many calories. The culprit has been inconsistency and/or underestimating calories burned. We can't stress enough to be consistent in fueling and making sure your activity level is correct.
ONCE you have your TDEE and BMR...next step:
I have received this question quite a few times so hopefully this will help (of course please plug in your own numbers).
Let's say your TDEE is 2300 then you subtract 15% so that you now have your cut value of 1955.
Let's say your BMR is 1500.
Ok, so now you know the numbers, I suggest you then go into MFP Goal custom settings and change daily calorie goal to 1955, carbs 40, prot 30, fat 30, and fiber 30.
So, this takes into account your exercise so you shouldn't have to eat back any extra calories UNLESS (as in this example 1955-1500= 455) you burn over 455 calories. If you burn lets say 655 calories then you would need 200 extra calories on top of the 1955 to NET BMR.
If you make that change to your MFP goals then you can input your exercise and on your homepage of MFP it will show you where you stand with your NET calories...as long as it is higher than your BMR on that workout day you are good to go...if not, then eat calories until you at least NET your BMR.
Here is a video that you should watch that may answer questions you may still have right now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKQF3_8LVI8&feature=g-upl
If you have decided to do a full Metabolism Reset, then you would eat your TDEE value daily. You would still be sure not to NET below your BMR on any workout day.
My TDEE (-15%) is 1525
BMR 1305
Eaten 1520
Exercise 331 cals
So I can eat a further (331-220) 111 cals today???0 -
My TDEE (-15%) is 1525
BMR 1305
Eaten 1520
Exercise 331 cals
So I can eat a further (331-220) 111 cals today???
Something reported you burned 331 cals. That something did not subtract out what you would have burned anyway, your BMR calories.
And actually, for purpose of a diet, every hr of your day is already accounted for on avg with your TDEE calories, actually sedentary TDEE.
So BMR 1305 x 1.25 sedentary = 1631 calories burned daily with no exercise, or 68 calories every hr.
Exercise calories 331 (say an hour) - 68 = 263 actual calories burned over and above what you are accounted to burn anyway.
Eaton 1520 - 263 extra burned = 1257 Net calories.
BMR 1305, within 50 calories. I won't even worry about it - that means you selected a correct TDEE level. Because tomorrow, when you don't exercise, you'll be over 215 calories.
How many days a week are you under by that mere 50 calories, compared to over 215 calories. Or other workout days that don't burn as much.0 -
Ok I did Scooby and i got:
BMR: 1482
TDEE: 2298
Goal with -15%: 1953
So I should be eating 1953? I workout 6 days a week: 3 days lifting, 2 cardio amd one day of yoga. Average time for workouts is 60 minutes. Yoga is only 45. I have been eating 1600 for a while now, 6 months about. I just want to make sure I'm doing this right lol
Oh and if you need anything else:
Age: 31
Height: 5'4"
Current Weight: 156
Thanks in advance, love all this great info!!0 -
Thank you for clearing that all up. I appreciate the time you have taken to forward all this info yo us.0
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Hi,
I need to figure my activity out a little better, somewhere between moderate and intence.
4 hours a week Lifting, 2 on-1 off-2 on-3 off
After lifting 35-40 minutes Precor elliptical, says about 5 MPH
1-2 times walking on rest days.
215-20.8 % BF- TDEE about 3200 based on moderate- I also used the spread sheet.
I eat 2500 to 2650, I am 56 M
Thanks,0 -
Ok I did Scooby and i got:
BMR: 1482
TDEE: 2298
Goal with -15%: 1953
So I should be eating 1953? I workout 6 days a week: 3 days lifting, 2 cardio amd one day of yoga. Average time for workouts is 60 minutes. Yoga is only 45. I have been eating 1600 for a while now, 6 months about. I just want to make sure I'm doing this right lol
Oh and if you need anything else:
Age: 31
Height: 5'4"
Current Weight: 156
Thanks in advance, love all this great info!!
Depending on the time of that activity, sounds close. But 30 min of easy cardio x weekly and 60 min of intense cardio 2 x weekly is very different.
As is 30 min or 60 min lifting.
You may need to round that level up a bit. or down.0 -
Hi,
I need to figure my activity out a little better, somewhere between moderate and intence.
4 hours a week Lifting, 2 on-1 off-2 on-3 off
After lifting 35-40 minutes Precor elliptical, says about 5 MPH
1-2 times walking on rest days.
215-20.8 % BF- TDEE about 3200 based on moderate- I also used the spread sheet.
I eat 2500 to 2650, I am 56 M
Thanks,
BMR x 1.6, if walking is 90 min total weekly between 3-4 mph. And elliptical is more intense than walking 4mph flat.0
