BMR/TDEE Calculators different

neasy23

HELP! I've used 3 different calculators and get 3 different results. Being that I am on the lower end of calories needed, I want to be sure to use the right amount...which calculator do you find more accurate?

Here is my info - 5 2 - 127lbs. Hoping to loose about 7lbs. I am doing C25K and 30 day shred (total of 4-5 days/week...30 mins/day)

MFP gives me BMR of 1206

Fitness Frog BMR - 1311 and TDEE - 1803

CordiaNet - BMR 1268 and TDEE - 1744

I have been aiming for 1200/day plus eating some of excercise calories back. I also tend to go over a bit on weekends and just judge my week as a whole. SO if I am 50 calories short a few days a week, I make it up on the weekends.

Also, my ticker shows I lost 21lbs, which I have. This was due to surgery and an illness starting in Feb. I am close to my goal weight and would like to keep it off. I've lost in the past b/c of illness and then spend my time in remission packing the weight back on. I don't want to do that this time around!! All that to say, I have NO idea what works for me in terms of loosing weight.

Thanks for your help!!!!

Greenrun99

Based on those 2 calculations I am assuming you did moderate exercise for your activity level to get those TDEE?
You don't have much to lose, so I would aim for 1600 calories daily and don't eat back your exercise calories.. If still no change in weight you may want to increase calories by 100 to see if things start moving.. This would obviously be after about a month of doing 1600 not 1 week.
If you are underestimating your activity level, these numbers should obviously be higher.

neasy23

I chose light excercise. I'm not sure I will make my excercise goals each week and while I am doing the excercises, I am modifying and taking it slow and easy. So, I don't want to overestimate is my point I guess.

Switching to moderate ups my TDEE 200 cal on fitness frog.

neasy23

any other opinions? you guys have way more knowledge than me!!

WinnerVictorious

any other opinions? you guys have way more knowledge than me!!

use the average of the 3... 1261.

these calculators are not exact. 1261 (or 1260) should be close enough for your purposes.

neasy23

thats a great idea! thanks

neasy23

Bump

geekyjock76

If you know you will only be engaging in light exercise, then 1744 TDEE sounds about right. But with 7 lbs to lose, you should only set a 15% or so deficit, which is 262 calories - just over half a lb of weight loss per week. Anything greater than this will not benefit you at your weight (this depends on how much fat mass you actually have). Thus you'd eat about 1482 calories.

Once you become moderately active again, you'll need to up calories eaten by another 180 calories - 1660 or so.

katevarner

I'm 5'3" and when I started actually counting calories, weighed 133. I ate about 1650 and just walked for my exercise most days for the first month (I had already lost 17 lbs. just walking in the year before). Second month added weekend cardio for an hour and weights for an hour on Saturday and cardio for 2 hours Sunday, but still just walking during the week (and I walk around a lot at work). In the first 4 months, lost 12 lbs. Month 5, I added Spin 45 minutes Monday and Wednesday, 30 minutes cardio and 30-45 minutes weights on Tuesday and Thursday. I also upped my calories to about 1850 per day. Lost another 10 lbs. by the end of month 7. Now I'm in maintenance, was eating 1950 at the beginning but continuing to lose. Have upped it to 2100. Haven't changed my workout schedule, but I've started taking off another day of cardio every other week. My current BMR is about the same as yours. I figure my TDEE is around 2050 using most calculators, but I have a BodyMedia Fit armband, and according to it, I usually burn between 2250 and 2500 on workout days, more like 1850-2000 on non-workout days, or as low as 1700 on lazy days when all I do is take the dog out.