Using TDEE

ImmaZombie

If I were to use my TDEE and not MFP, would I gain weight from eating so many more calories (TDEE) than the MFP calories (they are lower)? I'm still mostly sedentary/lightly active.

MFP has me to eat 1690 calories per day.

TDEE says 2409.

Thanks in advance.

DanaDark

You won't lose any weight eating TDEE.

BlueObsidian

TDEE includes exercise, while MFP does not include it and expects you to eat back the calories you burn. That's one of the differences in the number. The other is what you set your goal to be. Did you tell MFP you want to maintain or lose? If you are trying to lose, you should eat TDEE minus 20%. Your TDEE is your maintenance level. If you eat it (and the calculator is accurate for you), you should maintain your current weight.

WBB55

Some people would say 1900 is a good starting place for you. Though depending on how you figured your TDEE, at that amount you might not want to "eat back" your workout calories. It just depends on if you included your workouts in the TDEE figure.

kazb0t

If I were to use my TDEE and not MFP, would I gain weight from eating so many more calories (TDEE) than the MFP calories (they are lower)? I'm still mostly sedentary/lightly active.

MFP has me to eat 1690 calories per day.

TDEE says 2409.

Thanks in advance.

Is the 2409 the total with the 20% subtracted off for weight loss or not? If you haven't, that's how much to need to eat to maintain your weight. As I understand it, MFP's number is the total of what you eat, plus eating back your exercise calories. With TDEE, you don't eat it back, because it accounts for your general activity level(not that you'll be doing the exact same thing everyday, but the weekly average).

(If I am wrong on any of this, please feel free to correct me. =D )
If you haven't factored in the 20% off for weight loss, you should be eating about 1927 cal/day.

ImmaZombie

I'm currently only eating back half my exercise calories, because I'm so hungry by about this time.


Honestly, even though MFP says 1690, I've been eating anywhere from 1300-1400. Then I'll also eat half of the exercise calories.

I just see different answers all the time here: don't eat them back, yes eat them back, eat back half of them...

I'm just not sure what to do because even eating 1300-1400 calories, I'm not really losing daily but I have been able to put on a pair of jeans I haven't worn in 2 years (comfortably)... so that's a start..and lost 12 lbs since Dec. 17th.

I just wanted to make sure I was using the right calorie goal since I still have a somewhat sedentary lifestyle/work environment.

ImmaZombie

Yes, 1927 is what I should be eating with that 20% taken off the TDEE #?

Soooo if I'm not exercising heavily (I'm only riding my bike a couple times a week and walking a couple times a week and maybe doing Just Dance once or twice a week), should I use the 1927 calories from TDEE - 20%, or should I use the 1690 for MFP? I don't wanna be starving myself but I literally am very hungry when I go to bed and it's hard to fall asleep when my stomach is growling... so I figured I need to revamp things.

BlueObsidian

Soooo if I'm not exercising heavily (I'm only riding my bike a couple times a week and walking a couple times a week and maybe doing Just Dance once or twice a week), should I use the 1927 calories from TDEE - 20%, or should I use the 1690 for MFP? I don't wanna be starving myself but I literally am very hungry when I go to bed and it's hard to fall asleep when my stomach is growling... so I figured I need to revamp things.

Just pick one. If you eat 1690 plus exercise calories (even if you only eat half of them), it will end up pretty close to the 1927 that TDEE gives you. Personally, I like to eat more on workout days, so I stick to the MFP recommendations. Do whichever works for you.

If you are very hungry when you go to bed, why are you only eating 1300 to 1400 calories a day? Your body needs the fuel!

Snitch1

OK..I have been on the site for over a year, and i still don't know what TDEE is. BMR=Basic Metabolic Rate-right? How do I find out how much i should be eating?
See, it's not just new posters who ASK these questions.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Snitch!

Otterluv

I'm currently only eating back half my exercise calories, because I'm so hungry by about this time.


Honestly, even though MFP says 1690, I've been eating anywhere from 1300-1400. Then I'll also eat half of the exercise calories.

I just see different answers all the time here: don't eat them back, yes eat them back, eat back half of them...

I'm just not sure what to do because even eating 1300-1400 calories, I'm not really losing daily but I have been able to put on a pair of jeans I haven't worn in 2 years (comfortably)... so that's a start..and lost 12 lbs since Dec. 17th.

I just wanted to make sure I was using the right calorie goal since I still have a somewhat sedentary lifestyle/work environment.

Thanks so much for everyone's answers.

You won't lose weight daily. In fact, there will be days that you will be retaining water and the scale will have a higher number. But, if your pants are looser, that's a much better indicator. It looks like you've been losing about 3 pounds a week, which is much higher than the MFP recommended maximum loss of 2 pounds a week, so you could stand to be eating more.

Your TDEE is your maintenance number, so you will need to subtract 20% to work in a deficit.

3foldchord

If you are hungry, the try eating that amount...TDEE -20%.
Did you use your activity level when getting your TDEE?
I use lightly active,mor mild, or whatever. 'Exercises about 3 times a week'- and since I only exercise about 3 times a week, I don't record my exercise. Saves me a few second of logging and a lot of thought about eating back and proper logging.

WBB55

At 290 lbs, you will lose weight at a steady rate at 1900 calories, I bet. If eating 1900/day makes you happier and rest better, I say go for it!

heybales

OK..I have been on the site for over a year, and i still don't know what TDEE is. BMR=Basic Metabolic Rate-right? How do I find out how much i should be eating?
See, it's not just new posters who ASK these questions.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Snitch!

Explanation of what it all means and why important, and spreadsheet for figuring it out and logging stats.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

ImmaZombie

Oh.. I'm eating right now. LOL I had to break out the turkey bacon last night and tonight. The protein helps a lot to get me to sleep.

Well, I will start eating the 1690 calories and the exercise calories.

I understand so much better. Thank you all so much for answering my questions.



Snitch, I learned a lot by reading this link here on MFP to figure my TDEE http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833500-what-do-i-do-common-sense-cliff-notes

But I still wasn't sure if I was using the right calorie goal (MFP or TDEE minus 20%).

Now I totally understand.

Otterluv, thank you so much. I started out at 296, down to 284 now. I am just very eager to get out of the 280's... but I do want the weight to leave slow-ish so I don't have so much loose, saggy skin.

Thank you again.

ImmaZombie

At 290 lbs, you will lose weight at a steady rate at 1900 calories, I bet. If eating 1900/day makes you happier and rest better, I say go for it!

Okay, I'm gonna do it. Thanks so much. I'm sure it will give me much more energy too. I have really had to push myself the last week and a half to do anything. Really appreciate the insight. I'm loving this site and the app on my phone.

ImmaZombie

If you are hungry, the try eating that amount...TDEE -20%.
Did you use your activity level when getting your TDEE?
I use lightly active,mor mild, or whatever. 'Exercises about 3 times a week'- and since I only exercise about 3 times a week, I don't record my exercise. Saves me a few second of logging and a lot of thought about eating back and proper logging.

Yes ma'am. I did the very same thing. I'm just amazed I'm really moving. I'm a massage therapist by day .. 3-4 massages a day, but that's normal activity so I don't really count that, but I would say that doesn't make me fully sedentary which is why I chose lightly active. Glad to know I used the correct activity level.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

OK..I have been on the site for over a year, and i still don't know what TDEE is. BMR=Basic Metabolic Rate-right? How do I find out how much i should be eating?
See, it's not just new posters who ASK these questions.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Snitch!

Go here and read:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

TDEE is your maintenance calories. It's the total number of calories you burn in a day. So for me, my BMR (that's the calories I would burn in a coma) is around 1390. My TDEE since I'm lightly active is 1760. So if I eat 1760 I'll stay the same weight. If I want to lose weight I eat somewhere between my BMR and my TDEE.

porkchop_13

TDEE -20% - go to the link below to determine yours

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/