Cal goal using TDEE: I have a question! Please help.

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aimeeernest
aimeeernest Posts: 159 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So based on my TDEE calculated here: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ ......I have a question.

Say my TDEE is 2000. If I eat 2000 and burn 1500 one day and my NET is 500, is that okay since I am not supposed to eat my exercise cals when using TDEE goals?

Just want to clear up confusion, I know many get upset when they see a low NET
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Replies

  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    You can't have a TDEE of 2000 if you burn 1500 calories a day in exercise unless your BMR is less than 500 calories.
    TDEE should INCLUDE your exercise.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    Definetely not ok for your health to net 500.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    your TDEE should be way higher then.
  • madisons_mummy
    madisons_mummy Posts: 169 Member
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    You can't have a TDEE of 2000 if you burn 1500 calories a day in exercise unless your BMR is less than 500 calories.
    TDEE should INCLUDE your exercise.

    THIS! You can't have a total expenditure of 2000 if you told the calculator you burn 1500 a day exercising etc. TDEE would be more like 3000+
  • jha1223
    jha1223 Posts: 141 Member
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    Reply with what you are filling in for the first 8 steps. Someone with knowledge more than me can do the calculations on the web site and then give you good advice.
  • madisons_mummy
    madisons_mummy Posts: 169 Member
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    I'm guessing she put in 1-3 hours light exercise a week? Doesn't add up. If you are burning 1500 cals a day that's not light exercise :P
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    How many times are you doing this level of burn? Is it a one off? What are you doing to get something this high?
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    And, if you randomly worked off 1500 cals more than you would normally (just a weird one day thing, like a big hike), then your TDEE for that day is gonna be 3500 calories and you should eat to your TDEE (or if losing weight TDEE- 15-20%)
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    I am guessing these are for random crazy high days that aren't normal.

    I would like an answer as well. I have mine set to how I work out. But once a month my husband and I take a nice long hike up and down the levees near the river. Some of those hikes end up being 5-6 hours long, and I end up burning quite a bit of calories. I dont' calculate that in because that is not my normal work out routine. I am guessing I would just go back and recalculate for that week and eat that much for only that day, but want clearification before I do that.

    I am hoping this is what she means, lol.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    How many times are you doing this level of burn? Is it a one off? What are you doing to get something this high?
    Probably sprinting the length of an air craft carrier.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    If you're doing a TDEE-based approach, log your exercise as "1 calorie", or don't even both logging it here.

    If you're regularly burning 1500 cals through exercise, then your TDEE is obviously higher than 2000. But I am assuming the numbers in your post where just throw out there for the sake of discussion.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    If you're doing a TDEE-based approach, log your exercise as "1 calorie", or don't even both logging it here.

    If you're regularly burning 1500 cals through exercise, then your TDEE is obviously higher than 2000. But I am assuming the numbers in your post where just throw out there for the sake of discussion.

    But what if it isn't regular? For example, my situation? Hiking the 9 miles up and down levees, hills, etc... Sure I maintained a slower pace, 2.5. But I still burned a lot of calories, and that was from my HRM. I am guessing you just go back and recalculate for that day only, yes?
  • aimeeernest
    aimeeernest Posts: 159 Member
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    Lol, oh man, that was just an example! I just wanted easy numbers to work with....

    So then you mean, if my TDEE is 2000 and I burn (TODAY, because every day is different for me) 1500, I should consume 3500???

    When I hear "TDEE includes exercise" does that mean I eat my MFP exercise cals? Or do I ignore my exercise cals and net cals (on MFP) and just shoot for my TDEE in cosumed cals based on the calculations I made on another website?

    Today I burned just over 1000 which is a little higher than normal for me.... my goal is 500cals 5 days a week, but sometimes I do less, sometimes I do more.

    My BMR is 1581
    My TDEE is 2174
    My TDEE-20% is 1739

    Today I consumed 1624 and burned 1095 at the gym. (more than normal, good day) This left me with a net on MFP of 529.

    Where do I go wrong if my TDEE is supposed to INCLUDE my average level of activity already?


    Thank you!
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    If you're doing a TDEE-based approach, log your exercise as "1 calorie", or don't even both logging it here.

    If you're regularly burning 1500 cals through exercise, then your TDEE is obviously higher than 2000. But I am assuming the numbers in your post where just throw out there for the sake of discussion.

    But what if it isn't regular? For example, my situation? Hiking the 9 miles up and down levees, hills, etc... Sure I maintained a slower pace, 2.5. But I still burned a lot of calories, and that was from my HRM. I am guessing you just go back and recalculate for that day only, yes?
    I wouldn't. As he said, log as 1 calorie. Look at the big picture. Now, if you start doing it once a week, I would change my TDEE. If it's once in a while, then don't change anything.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    If you're doing a TDEE-based approach, log your exercise as "1 calorie", or don't even both logging it here.

    If you're regularly burning 1500 cals through exercise, then your TDEE is obviously higher than 2000. But I am assuming the numbers in your post where just throw out there for the sake of discussion.

    But what if it isn't regular? For example, my situation? Hiking the 9 miles up and down levees, hills, etc... Sure I maintained a slower pace, 2.5. But I still burned a lot of calories, and that was from my HRM. I am guessing you just go back and recalculate for that day only, yes?

    Just eat some extra for that day.

    HRM calorie burn minus the BMR that was going to happen for that time anyway (BMR / 1440 * minutes of activity).
    Then take the same 15-20% deficit off of it. Just as if it had been part of the daily TDEE with deficit.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    If you're doing a TDEE-based approach, log your exercise as "1 calorie", or don't even both logging it here.

    If you're regularly burning 1500 cals through exercise, then your TDEE is obviously higher than 2000. But I am assuming the numbers in your post where just throw out there for the sake of discussion.

    But what if it isn't regular? For example, my situation? Hiking the 9 miles up and down levees, hills, etc... Sure I maintained a slower pace, 2.5. But I still burned a lot of calories, and that was from my HRM. I am guessing you just go back and recalculate for that day only, yes?

    Nice hike! If this was a one-off it won't really affect your long term results one way or another. If you're extra hungry, eat a little more than usual (or a lot more than usual if you want). I personally wouldn't bother going back and trying to itemize some specific # of calories extra to eat on this day. That's the beauty of taking the TDEE-based approach - it frees us from some of this logging "busy work"
  • aimeeernest
    aimeeernest Posts: 159 Member
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    Yeah some days I randomly burn a ton of calories, and I will also take a day off and burn nothing over my base living cals.... that's why I just put light exercise because it was also on a BODY BUILDING website so I imagine "moderate" and "strenuous" are MUCH more active than MY "moderate" level. lol. My workout looks like a lot of people's warm-ups.
  • madisons_mummy
    madisons_mummy Posts: 169 Member
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    If you are going by TDEE no need to log calories on here as it is already apart of your TDEE. If you are going by BMR log your calories on here and MFP will tell you what you've burnt and how many extra calories you can eat. I do BMR but I don't log it and I don't eat back exercise calories.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    If you're doing a TDEE-based approach, log your exercise as "1 calorie", or don't even both logging it here.

    If you're regularly burning 1500 cals through exercise, then your TDEE is obviously higher than 2000. But I am assuming the numbers in your post where just throw out there for the sake of discussion.

    But what if it isn't regular? For example, my situation? Hiking the 9 miles up and down levees, hills, etc... Sure I maintained a slower pace, 2.5. But I still burned a lot of calories, and that was from my HRM. I am guessing you just go back and recalculate for that day only, yes?
    I wouldn't. As he said, log as 1 calorie. Look at the big picture. Now, if you start doing it once a week, I would change my TDEE. If it's once in a while, then don't change anything.

    Okay...here is where I am getting that question from. My TDEE is 2300...so I am eating at 1800. I know don't eat back exercise calories and stuff. I get that part.

    On the 6th of January, my husband did our normal monthly hike. We do it once a month only, because of my work schedule, his, etc....there is no way I can do it every week. So that day, on the 6th, I did 9 miles up and down steep levees. My HRM had be as having burned about 2k calories from that hike alone. So you are telling me I still only eat the 1800? Even though I just burned 2k? Just clerifying...lol. And I still "count" the calories on here, I just ignore them (exercises I mean). Some people are able to multi-task like that lol.
  • aimeeernest
    aimeeernest Posts: 159 Member
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    So if my cals are all over the place and I don't know HOW to even go about calculating my TDEE, should I just take my BMR and then eat my exercise cals? I noticed a lot of people on MFP are doing that.

    I just want to do this right. lol

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