Eat, Train, Progress.

Join

Exercise calories? Again? WTF

Options
245678

Replies

  • paulkempjr
    paulkempjr Posts: 64 Member
    Options
    MFP says: Hey you pecker, you said...

    I need this to happen A LOT! ;)
  • fitfreakymom
    fitfreakymom Posts: 1,400 Member
    Options
    bump
  • ElliInJapan
    ElliInJapan Posts: 284 Member
    Options
    My problem with the TDEE-x% method is that for people that do not exercise regularly (or are working towards an exercise routine but are still not there yet) it's more complicated to calculate their TDEE because it varies a lot. For example, in my case, I've been slowly adding more and more exercise in my daily life, but it's still difficult for me to commit to it and many days I just skip my exercise plans. So what I've done is to calculate my TDEE assuming I don't do any exercise at all, then subtract 20% and use that as my daily goal. Whenever I actually do some exercise, then there are some extra calories I can eat since they are not part of my calculated TDEE. Does it make sense or do I miss something?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    My problem with the TDEE-x% method is that for people that do not exercise regularly (or are working towards an exercise routine but are still not there yet) it's more complicated to calculate their TDEE because it varies a lot. For example, in my case, I've been slowly adding more and more exercise in my daily life, but it's still difficult for me to commit to it and many days I just skip my exercise plans. So what I've done is to calculate my TDEE assuming I don't do any exercise at all, then subtract 20% and use that as my daily goal. Whenever I actually do some exercise, then there are some extra calories I can eat since they are not part of my calculated TDEE. Does it make sense or do I miss something?

    Yes it makes sense and nope you did not miss anything.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    Options
    Added to tool box
    Thanks!
  • kaytyl2
    kaytyl2 Posts: 142 Member
    Options
    Thanks
  • Caletagirl
    Caletagirl Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    Bump
  • nathanielsmom01
    nathanielsmom01 Posts: 17
    Options
    Awesome post! Thanks!!
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    Options
    I needed this. Thanks!
  • Cat_Lifts
    Cat_Lifts Posts: 174 Member
    Options
    Just to confirm this sounds right, my daily TDEE with no exercise included is 2260.
    My net goal of calories to consume is 1700. That puts me at a 560 daily deficit/25% cut below my TDEE. Again, this is a normal day with no exercise included.
    I'd like to stay below a 600 calorie deficit for my BMR's sake. In saying this, I had previously been overestimating my weight lifting calories immensely - thinking I'd burn 400 calories in an hour when it most likely was 100-150. My former problem had been consuming more calories than I had burned, thus shortening my deficit to cause a slower progress. Now that I've recognized my error and only use my HRM for cardio only (or if used for weightlifting, only account for a 1/4th of what I burned), I wanted to see if I fully understand this and if it's really all as basic as it seems. :wink:

    If I burn 300 calories, I can pretty much eat those all back, correct? Since I'd like to keep my deficit less than 600 calories a day? At the end of the day, I'd be consuming a total of 2000 calories, with my TDEE jumping up to 2560 due to exercise, but regardless my net goal would still be 1700. I admit I'm most likely overthinking this, but getting an extra verification or two can help. :blushing: I'm working with an awesome spreadsheet from another group to calculate all things like TDEE but had been confused about the exercise calories to consume back. Thank you!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    Just to confirm this sounds right, my daily TDEE with no exercise included is 2260.
    My net goal of calories to consume is 1700. That puts me at a 560 daily deficit/25% cut below my TDEE. Again, this is a normal day with no exercise included.
    I'd like to stay below a 600 calorie deficit for my BMR's sake. In saying this, I had previously been overestimating my weight lifting calories immensely - thinking I'd burn 400 calories in an hour when it most likely was 100-150. My former problem had been consuming more calories than I had burned, thus shortening my deficit to cause a slower progress. Now that I've recognized my error and only use my HRM for cardio only (or if used for weightlifting, only account for a 1/4th of what I burned), I wanted to see if I fully understand this and if it's really all as basic as it seems. :wink:

    If I burn 300 calories, I can pretty much eat those all back, correct? Since I'd like to keep my deficit less than 600 calories a day? At the end of the day, I'd be consuming a total of 2000 calories, with my TDEE jumping up to 2560 due to exercise, but regardless my net goal would still be 1700. I admit I'm most likely overthinking this, but getting an extra verification or two can help. :blushing: I'm working with an awesome spreadsheet from another group to calculate all things like TDEE but had been confused about the exercise calories to consume back. Thank you!

    As you are using a TDEE excluding exercise calories, you should be eating those calories (or a reasonable portion of them) back.

    So, yes, you have it correct.

    If you do not see the results you expect after a couple of weeks, tweak your intake up or down accordingly.
  • Cat_Lifts
    Cat_Lifts Posts: 174 Member
    Options
    As you are using a TDEE excluding exercise calories, you should be eating those calories (or a reasonable portion of them) back.

    So, yes, you have it correct.

    If you do not see the results you expect after a couple of weeks, tweak your intake up or down accordingly.

    Thank you. :heart: Now I feel 100% confident I'm on the right track. After that weight lifting miscalculation with cals, it was no wonder why I wasn't losing at a decent rate!
  • mjpbgtd
    mjpbgtd Posts: 115 Member
    Options
    Bumped and bookmarked. Very helpful.
  • Nightterror218
    Nightterror218 Posts: 375 Member
    Options
    awesome thanks
  • TrracyGirl
    TrracyGirl Posts: 32 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the info!

    I about spit my water when I saw you giggity.. AND.. you had the MFP calling me a pecker?

    ~grins~
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Options
    Yes, I think this would be very helpful for a lot of people on here to read. This is a very good explanation of the whole issue.
  • metaphoria
    metaphoria Posts: 1,432 Member
    Options
    It's like poetry... :)
  • jaxxie
    jaxxie Posts: 572 Member
    Options
    Totally bumping for a solid reminder!
  • castelluzzo99
    castelluzzo99 Posts: 313 Member
    Options
    I tried the MFP method when I started. I did pretty well. Lost some pounds and plenty of inches. Almost 2 weeks ago, I decided to switch to aiming for my TDEE and not counting exercise calories (I log them, but put the minimum 1 calorie so that it will show up in my feed that I did 30 min of such and such an exercise). I thought it would work well, but my exercise routine changed, and apparently my strength training burns more calories than the workout I had been doing before that (a mix of body weight strength and HIIT cardio). My appetite increased by 2-300 calories on my strength days. So I ate a little more, trying to be careful not to eat beyond satiety. After one week on that plan, the tape measure showed that my loss of inches had not slowed in the least (I decided not to weigh in for 1 month). I also noticed that on days that I did yoga, I often had a surplus of calories--yoga was less intense than the cardio days, and I didn't feel like I needed more food. So I'm thinking of going back to the old way. Still haven't decided. But it is nice to see it all spelled out anyhow. :)
  • Prephred
    Prephred Posts: 140 Member
    Options
    Bump

Categories