TDEE MFP Deficit

cmuggridge

This may be a stupid question but I keep seeing "Calculate your TDEE and setup a 10% to 20% calorie deficit based on that..." Is this what MFP does when I enter my info and it calculates my calorie intake for the day? Or should I be applying the 10 - 20% to the number MFP gives me?

psuLemon

This may be a stupid question but I keep seeing "Calculate your TDEE and setup a 10% to 20% calorie deficit based on that..." Is this what MFP does when I enter my info and it calculates my calorie intake for the day? Or should I be applying the 10 - 20% to the number MFP gives me?

In an essence, its close to that. What it does is estimate your bmr, multiply it by the lifestyle factor (sedentary, etc) and subtracts either 250 (1/2 per week), 500 calories (1 lb per week), 750 calories (1 1/2 calories) or 1000 calories (2 lbs per week). To put it in perspective lets say your bmr is 2000 calories, you have a desk job and want to lose 1 lb per week. The math is:


2000 * 1. 2 - 500 = 1900 calories.

Now if you workout and burn 400 calories, MFP will add them back as when you are more active, you need to eat more to fuel your body. So the equation will then look like

2000 * 1.2 +400 - 500 = 2300


When people suggest eating 20% below TDEE they mean calculating your total calories burned (to include exercise) and then cut 20% from that. So if you work out 6 days a week (you would be moderately active) which means your math would be:

2000 * 1.55 * (1 - .20) = 2480.

The reason people suggest the 20% over 500 is it's a bit more adaptive for the person. The smaller the TDEE and generally, the smaller the person, the smaller a deficit will have to be.

Make sense?

cmuggridge

So do you think I should set my MFP goals manually? Is that what most people are doing?

KeriA

The calorie goal MFP gave me for losing 1 pound a week was too low and I stalled out big time and never really lost that well with it especially when I upped my exercise even with eating back all or most of my exercise calories. So I used calculators online to figure out/estimate my BMR and TDEE and took a 15% deficit from my assumed TDEE. I am finally losing again. The problem is that these calculators only give you an estimate. It takes some experimenting to really test your true maintenance since your body adjusts. One way is to find that point where you gain but that can take alot of time since everytime you up your calories you will gain a bit then level out again if it isn't above your maintenance. Not too many people have the will to take the time to find their TDEE, I know that I don't gain at 2100 calories and eating back exercise calories what I don't know is if I upped more would I gain or not. Maybe next time I want to maintain I will see. Then add to that your TDEE can change with fitness, age, weight changes. For some the settings on MFP work well but I wouldn't eat below your BMR at least not for long.

psuLemon

So do you think I should set my MFP goals manually? Is that what most people are doing?

It's personal preference. Since I know my body fat (which I highly suggest doing) I use the katch mcardle formula and include my activity as part of my tdee. Even if you use MFP, i would suggest including exercise as part of your TDEE if it's consistent. So if you workout 5-6 days a week, set your account to active, alter your macro's to 35% carbs, 40% protein and 25% fats and don't worry about exercise calories. Gotta feed your body on non workout days just as much as on workout days.

cmuggridge

So if I am understanding correctly, if/when I have a set routine exercise schedule, I should calculate my own TDEE based on things like body fat and level of activity and reduce it by 10 - 20% and use that number in MFP. Due to the fact that I am still figuring out my workouts and I am not consistent I should probably just stick to having the extra calories burned added on for the day.

I just ordered a HRM, if I include my exercise in my everyday TDEE have I just wasted my money or will I have a use for the HRM as well?

ceciliadoud

I recently switched to calculating my calorie goal based on my TDEE with exercise factored in, but I do still find my HRM extremely useful. It's very motivating. The model I have (the polar ft4) tells you when you're within your target heart rate, and I do still find it useful to know how many calories I burned in a workout. (Whether or not I need to step it up a notch).

psuLemon

So if I am understanding correctly, if/when I have a set routine exercise schedule, I should calculate my own TDEE based on things like body fat and level of activity and reduce it by 10 - 20% and use that number in MFP. Due to the fact that I am still figuring out my workouts and I am not consistent I should probably just stick to having the extra calories burned added on for the day.

I just ordered a HRM, if I include my exercise in my everyday TDEE have I just wasted my money or will I have a use for the HRM as well?

Make it simple. When you get your body fat and an established routine, use the link below. Or send me a PM and I can help you out. For now, set your activity level at the appropriate amount and eat back at least 80% of your exercise calories according to your HRM.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

cmuggridge

Thanks for the link. I have used the calculator on that page and have come up with the following using the Katch-McArdle Formula.

DETERMINING FACTORS
Current Weight: 247 lbs
Current Body Fat: 32%
Desired Body Fat: 12%
Lean Body Mass: 167
Activity: Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Activity Multiplier: 1.55
Target Weight Loss Rate: 2 lbs per week

CALCULATIONS
BMR = 370 + (9.79759519 x LBM)
BMR = 370 + (9.79759519 x 167)
BMR = 370 + 1636.19839673
BMR = 2006.19839673

TDEE = BMR x Activity Multiplier
TDEE = 2006 x 1.55
TDEE = 3009

Daily Intake = 3009 x .80
Daily Intake = 2407.2

According to MFP, to lose 2 lbs a week without exercise I need to be eating 1,540 calories a day. I currently enter my exercise calories so on a day when I burn 500 calories my top number of calories gets to 2,040. If I burned 500 calories everyday I would be eating almost 400 calories less than the calculation I get from the Katch-McArdle Formula. It seems a little scary to me but it looks like I should be upping my daily intake and stop counting exercise calories.

Anybody see any flaws in this? I really don't want to sabotage myself.

cmuggridge

I should add, I couldn't figure out how to factor in the calculations that my goal was to lose 2 lbs a week so they could be off.

cmuggridge

Okay, I am trying to manually set my goals but I can't figure out how to set my own TDEE in MFP. I can change the calories burned from normal daily activity by changing my level of activity in the settings but I can't figure out how to factor in the TDEE that I calculated. Can somebody take pity on me and just shove me in the right direction?

cmuggridge

So I changed my Net Calories Consumed in my settings to 2407 (my calculated required daily intake) and MFP showed the results as 0.6 lbs / week. In order to get it back to 2.0 lbs per week I had to bring my Net Calories Consumed down to 1750. This would equal a 42% cut from my TDEE of 3009, much more than the initial 20% I had used.

I'm afraid I am more confused than ever. I just want to make sure I am doing this right to optimize my results and I have no idea what the right amounts are.

Should I do the 1540 + exercise MFP originally suggested?
Should I do the 2407 calculated from TDEE of 3009 x .80?
Should I do the 1750 calculated from TDEE of 3009 x .58 to get MFP to show 2 lbs per week?

KeriA

I would not set my calorie goal lower than your BMR of 2006 for one. When you are setting things manually you don't have to worry what MFP says you will lose per week or about setting your TDEE on MFP just put in your calorie goal. The thing you do have to decide is do you want to have a cut from your TDEE and then don't eat back your exercise calories or a goal that has you eating back your exercise calories. The way you have calculated you would set your calorie goal at 2407. Generally ignore what MFP tells you to eat back and ignore what it says you will weigh in 5 weeks. However if you exercise alot more than what you used to determine your TDEE you actually may need to add some calories in for those day. You don't want to go under your net BMR. Calories eaten - exercise calories should be above your BMR. I think this is a good place to start. It isn't really very realistic to feel like there won't be a need for readjustment. All of these calculations are estimates.

The problem with eating below your BMR is you will eventually stall out. You want to increase your metabolism not decrease it. Too low of a calorie goal may decrease your metabolism. One of my favorite ways to lose weight is to figure out what you would eat to maintain your weight at your ideal weight and eat that amount of calories however when you have too much to lose it will recommend an amount below your BMR so you have to pick an interim goal weight to achieve then later adjust down to your goal weight maintainance calories. The beauty of this method is by the time you achieve your goal weight you already are used to eating the right amount to maintain your ideal weight. However it doesn't gaurantee 2 lbs per week.

Think of this process like trying to find that sweet spot to bat the ball in baseball. It isn't at the end of the bat (TDEE) and it isn't lower than where you place your hands (BMR). It is somewhere in between and it takes a bit of trial and error to find your own sweet spot. As you lose your BMR and TDEE will change so you will need to adjust to that as well as you near your goal. One batting coach may tell you to put your hands higher another lower (different calculators will give you different estimates of your BMR) and some couches may tell you to use a shorter or longer bat (different calculators will give you different estimates of your TDEE). This is life. You have to make the best decision you can at first, give it at least 3 weeks try and if it isn't working adjust a bit. Frankly consistent singles are just as good as doubles, triples and home runs. The nice thing about consistent singles (losing slower) is that you are more likely to keep it off and it gives your body a chance to adjust to your new weight. It gives the exercise a chance to keep you toned. It is great to get input from the experts but in the end you have to find the right ones for you.

It doesn't make sense to adjust too soon since it takes your body a while to adjust to the changes you have made. Be patient. It doesn't make sense to keep changing too many things at a time since one may be helping another hurting and you won't know which. Some things will always help but that is another discussion.

KeriA

As to whether the original question was stupid, most try losing without even being aware of what BMR or TDEE is for months or years or until they hit a really big plateau and have to figure it out or give up. So it is a great question.