TDEE and exercise

aliceg94

For the past week or so I've been eating at TDEE -20% which for me is 1700 calories. However, I've found that I haven't been exercising as much as I originally thought (1-3 times a week). Therefore I was wondering whether it would be okay to set my daily goal as what my TDEE - 20% would be if I was sedentary (which I am when I don't exercise) which would be 1547 and then eat back my exercise calories (worked out from my HRM).
Thanks in advance

mfkn_Titanium

Sure, why not? My only suggestion would be to not count ALL those exercise calories simply because HRMs can often be a bit inaccurate.

chivalryder

HRM's are 8-16% inaccurate when everything is set up perfectly. Depending on how you've got it set up, how much data it has on you, how accurate the data is, and how intense the workout is, the more inaccurate it will be. Generally, the higher the intensity, the less accurate it is too.

However, it's still infinitely better than the MFP estimates, or any estimate a calculator could give you, because it's measuring in real-time.

Just remember that everything is just an estimate. Just try to be close to what the numbers give you, and do what feels right. If you're not losing weight like you want to, cut out a few calories every week (by up to 100/day/week). Just don't go too low.

littlejobo120

That's exactly what I did in exactly the same situation - I'd overestimated my TDEE so set my activity level to sedentary and then added exercise calories in after. Gives a much more accurate picture.

MissKTMc

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

behind_blue_eyes_83

I do this (sedentary TDEE - 15% and eat back exercise) and it seems to be working. It motivates me to actually do exercise - more than just setting at an 'active' level would.

erickirb

For the past week or so I've been eating at TDEE -20% which for me is 1700 calories. However, I've found that I haven't been exercising as much as I originally thought (1-3 times a week). Therefore I was wondering whether it would be okay to set my daily goal as what my TDEE - 20% would be if I was sedentary (which I am when I don't exercise) which would be 1547 and then eat back my exercise calories (worked out from my HRM).
Thanks in advance

I would not, just in the off chance you do workout your deficit may be too large. I would suggest setting as Sedentary TDEE - 10%, that way if you workout your deficit would not be too large.

erickirb

I do this (sedentary TDEE - 15% and eat back exercise) and it seems to be working. It motivates me to actually do exercise - more than just setting at an 'active' level would.

This is a good idea too. Or you can set it at TDEE - 20% and just eat back exercise calories (this would be like setting your goal on MFP between 0.5lbs/week and 1.b/week and eating back exercise calories)

neverstray

Yes. That will work. Or, eat at 1500 when you don't work out, and eat at the other amount when you do. Monitor yourself closely for a while to make sure it's working the way you want it to.

I'm a little surprised that Alfred doesn't just have a pill for you to take.

erickirb

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

That is BS, dieting alone will reduce fat mass.

But with diet alone you will also lose lean body mass, which is why you should strength training while in a deficit. Exercise (cardio) only leads to a larger deficit, it is the deficit that causes the weight loss, strength training will help ensure that most of the loss is fat, instead of fat and muscle.

cmriverside

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

All of this is a guess - as far as the numbers go. Some people like to use TDEE minus 10-15% and NOT add in their exercise calories. Some people like to use their deficit as given here and then add in their exercise calories (which is the way this website is set up to work.). They are essentially doing the same thing, albeit in a different way.

Use the numbers here, they work for most people. Adjust in small increments if you don't see results in a month. I don't know if a blanket statement of "Reduce your Net calories by up to 500kcal" is the best advice. That totally depends on where they started and a lot of other factors. Be careful throwing out this type of advice under the guise of some professional title.

I disagree with your statement that "dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass". That is not true. You can lose fat en masse with a calorie deficit only. Is it ideal? Will you likely lose some muscle? No, it's not idea, yes you will lose some muscle. But lots of people lose lots of weight without significant exercise.

erickirb

HRM's are 8-16% inaccurate when everything is set up perfectly. Depending on how you've got it set up, how much data it has on you, how accurate the data is, and how intense the workout is, the more inaccurate it will be. Generally, the higher the intensity, the less accurate it is too.

However, it's still infinitely better than the MFP estimates, or any estimate a calculator could give you, because it's measuring in real-time.

Just remember that everything is just an estimate. Just try to be close to what the numbers give you, and do what feels right. If you're not losing weight like you want to, cut out a few calories every week (by up to 100/day/week). Just don't go too low.

I think you mean HRMs can be inaccurate by up to 16% (not sure if this is the correct number or not, but I will go with it, sounds reasonable). That doesn't mean they will be, for some they may be 99% while others may be 84%. A portion of the calorie burn can be accounted for with great accuracy due to the inputs, the remainder of the burn is estimated, but the estimate may be correct for some and not others. That is where the potential for the 16% error can come from.

MissKTMc

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

That is BS, dieting alone will reduce fat mass.

But with diet alone you will also lose lean body mass, which is why you should strength training while in a deficit. Exercise (cardio) only leads to a larger deficit, it is the deficit that causes the weight loss, strength training will help ensure that most of the loss is fat, instead of fat and muscle.

Don't you dare accuse me of BS!! Come back to me when you have an honours degree, a current PhD project on this exact topic and are employed as an exercise physiologist!! It's people like you that make my job so much harder!

neverstray

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

For many people, TDEE is a start point. Everything is inaccurate. But, you need to set a baseline, if you do this for a living, you should know that.

mdtuba5

I have heard that HRM, MFP, and Calorie Counts on exercise machines can be off by that amount as well. I always reduce my time by 10-15% when logging in exercise to make sure I am not giving myself too much credit on calorie burns.

waldo56

If you've been at this a while and you aren't adjusting your goals based on results, you're doing it wrong.

dad106

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

That is BS, dieting alone will reduce fat mass.

But with diet alone you will also lose lean body mass, which is why you should strength training while in a deficit. Exercise (cardio) only leads to a larger deficit, it is the deficit that causes the weight loss, strength training will help ensure that most of the loss is fat, instead of fat and muscle.

Don't you dare accuse me of BS!! Come back to me when you have an honours degree, a current PhD project on this exact topic and are employed as an exercise physiologist!! It's people like you that make my job so much harder!

If dieting alone doesn't allow you to lose fat mass, then how come MFP is set up to lose weight on diet alone? Albeit, it won't be only fat as erickib pointed out, but you will lose fat.

Lets see you explain that one.

Hssh1988

If I set my reduction to 20% it goes below my BMR!

neverstray

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

That is BS, dieting alone will reduce fat mass.

But with diet alone you will also lose lean body mass, which is why you should strength training while in a deficit. Exercise (cardio) only leads to a larger deficit, it is the deficit that causes the weight loss, strength training will help ensure that most of the loss is fat, instead of fat and muscle.

Don't you dare accuse me of BS!! Come back to me when you have an honours degree, a current PhD project on this exact topic and are employed as an exercise physiologist!! It's people like you that make my job so much harder!

Lol. :laugh:

MissKTMc

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

For many people, TDEE is a start point. Everything is inaccurate. But, you need to set a baseline, if you do this for a living, you should know that.

If you read the rest of my post which you actually quoted I recommended an alternative method!

cmriverside

Ok this is what I actually do for a living (I'm an exercise physiologist). Do not use TDEE, it is sooo inaccurate!! Review what you have eaten for a week, if you haven't lost any weight then reduce your net calories by up to 500kcal. Remember that you don't have to starve yourself to reduce your net, you can exercise it off too. Also remember that it takes 9kcal at moderate intensity >65%HR to burn just 1g of fat!!! Dieting alone will not allow you to lose fat mass!!!

That is BS, dieting alone will reduce fat mass.

But with diet alone you will also lose lean body mass, which is why you should strength training while in a deficit. Exercise (cardio) only leads to a larger deficit, it is the deficit that causes the weight loss, strength training will help ensure that most of the loss is fat, instead of fat and muscle.

Don't you dare accuse me of BS!! Come back to me when you have an honours degree, a current PhD project on this exact topic and are employed as an exercise physiologist!! It's people like you that make my job so much harder!

You need to learn to speak carefully. What you said is not true. Expressing your opinion is one thing, but posting a fly-by-one-size-fits-all statement like the one you posted is irresponsible for a professional.