Who has lost weight/got in shape using TDEE?

WendyTerry420

So...with MFP, it calculates what you should eat a day WITHOUT exercise..

TDEE calculates taking daily exercise + living calories into account.
With TDEE, it expects you to stay consistent with that daily caloric loss based on just functioning (living) and exercise.

So if you ate AT MFP standards without exercise, it is assumed you will lose weight at that caloric goal.

But that caloric goal (MFP) is under the BMR of many people. Is that why people use TDEE?
Because people supposedly shouldn't be eating UNDER their BMR?

Sorry still trying to tie up a few loose ends in my mind... : )

I use TDEE because then I don't have to worry about exercise calories. I calculated mine after 6 months of logging.

WendyTerry420

Sorry if someone had already answered this. I did my calculations using " lightly active" my TDEE came to 2196, so minus 20%I should be eating 1757 BUT I workout A LOT and my HRM usually shows burns of 500-600....... should I not count it and just stick to the 1757 goal? Thanks to anyone who can set me straight!

If you are working out "A LOT," then you are not lightly active. I do a bare minimum of exercise (about 20-30 minutes 3-4x per week), sit at a desk all day, and I'm "lightly active."

Iron_Duchess

Sorry if someone had already answered this. I did my calculations using " lightly active" my TDEE came to 2196, so minus 20%I should be eating 1757 BUT I workout A LOT and my HRM usually shows burns of 500-600....... should I not count it and just stick to the 1757 goal? Thanks to anyone who can set me straight!

Another member (Amy I think, and the explanation in in the first page) told us that we should aim for a minimum of our BMR as a net. In other words eat between your goal and your BMR. So if after your exercise your net is below BMR eat some of the calories back to reach that numbers.

LoseYouself

I started 2 weeks ago after a long time of eating anywhere between 1200-1700. Anything over that seemed like too much, but I realized that when I was eating lower amounts, I'd end up craving junk food and overeating to compensate.. therefore completely defeating the purpose of trying to eat lower calories. I hated it. I've been plateaued at this weight (within 5-10 lbs) for the last 4 years since losing a bunch of weight.

So a couple weeks ago I got learning about never eating below BMR, but eating TDEE-20%. I decided to start that and am currently eating TDEE-15% and lost 4.5 lbs since I started 2 weeks ago.. and eating 2000 calories! It seems crazy! I'm a believer now. The first couple weeks you DO bloat a lot and see the scale go up a bit. The key is to be prepared mentally, and tough out the first 2 weeks.. maybe longer for some people. After that, the initial gain disappears, and you begin to lose weight at a slow, but steady pace.

I also feel WAY better eating 2000 calories, and have the energy to workout 4-5 days per week.

dancindoc508

Wow this thread has blown my mind! I can't believe I need to be eating more calories not less.

For example:

I am 31 yrs old, I weighed 130lbs on Jan 1st and I am 5'1. This put my BMI at around 25 so I knew I needed to lose weight.

I started the insanity videos and my fitness pal and I initially loss 4 lbs in the first two weeks. I was happy with this but realized that my TOTAL food caloric intake was ranging btween 800-1300. The insanity videos burn about 300-400 cals each 6days/week. I realized I was simply starving myself and I crashed at the end of week two. I realized that I wasn't eating enough. This week I bought healthy food and started eating aroung 1600-2100 cals a day. I have been able to get through the exercises easier but I also gained 2lbs.

I thought the answer to this was to go back down to 1200 cals a day TOTAL (with/without exercise). However, I am glad I found this thread.

Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1639
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1878
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2117
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2356
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2595

According to this I should be eating 1505-1694 cals a day! I will try this even though it seems counterintuitive to eat more to lose weight! However, I do have a question. How do I calculate the amount protein, carbs (sugar/fiber), and fat I should be consuming? Also, how do I customize these numbers into the my fitness pal app?

Thanks!

JustAGirlyGeek

Bump for later

AmyRhubarb

Wow this thread has blown my mind! I can't believe I need to be eating more calories not less.

For example:

I am 31 yrs old, I weighed 130lbs on Jan 1st and I am 5'1. This put my BMI at around 25 so I knew I needed to lose weight.

I started the insanity videos and my fitness pal and I initially loss 4 lbs in the first two weeks. I was happy with this but realized that my TOTAL food caloric intake was ranging btween 800-1300. The insanity videos burn about 300-400 cals each 6days/week. I realized I was simply starving myself and I crashed at the end of week two. I realized that I wasn't eating enough. This week I bought healthy food and started eating aroung 1600-2100 cals a day. I have been able to get through the exercises easier but I also gained 2lbs.

I thought the answer to this was to go back down to 1200 cals a day TOTAL (with/without exercise). However, I am glad I found this thread.

Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1639
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1878
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2117
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2356
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2595

According to this I should be eating 1505-1694 cals a day! I will try this even though it seems counterintuitive to eat more to lose weight! However, I do have a question. How do I calculate the amount protein, carbs (sugar/fiber), and fat I should be consuming? Also, how do I customize these numbers into the my fitness pal app?

Thanks!

I follow the advice in this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

There are instructions in there on what to set your macros on, and how to manually change the settings for them and your daily calories here at MFP. Great info in there!

rduhlir

I still log the calories...just because I like to see an estimate of how much I have burnt in my workouts...I just remember to only eat to a certain number.

But I am currently doing the TDEE method. It takes a week or two for your body to adjust. I ended up staying at the same weight for a few days and then seen my weight drop. I think my body has finally adjusted fully to it because I lost 1.4 pounds this week....which is awesome considering that I am calculating for only a pound a week loss...so to get an extra .4 in there is great.

Basically, don't freak if you see the scale go up one or two.

(Also note, I just quit smoking a month a go so to be losing this well and not gaining is awesome!)

dancindoc508

Thanks for that thread. It is very helpful.

I have customized my app. I just set my goal to my TDEE-20% number. I'll still log my exercise calories burned for now because I like seeing the number too. I'll just ignore the net number and focus on my total food intake number.

I am definitely much stronger in my workouts now that I can eat more!

I hope this works!:)

MyChocolateDiet

OMG read thru half of first page and totally confused...again. Will I ever understand this TDEE thing. I'm hoping by some grace of God I will understand it at precisely the time I need it. Good luck to you on your new TDEE plan. I'm sure it will go great!

(p.s. after looking through second page hoping to find some clarity it actually made me nauseous. literally. like got a little dizzy with all the acronyms and numbers and felt a little queasy? weird I know, but true.)

dtpurvis

I switched from 1200 calls to TDEE - 20% last week after a plateau.... I am down 1.6 lbs this week and another full inch from last week. SO glad i made the switch after reading the posts on it on MFP. It makes more sense in the long term and I feel much better/ stonger too!! Anyone stuck on a plateau and thinking of trying it, give it a go...what have you got to lose? :drinker:

Tilran

Thanks. I will be doing this today. You're awesome

I highly recommend you just enter yourself as Sedentary for the TDEE calculations then subtract 500 from that number for your total daily goal and then eat back exercise calories.

This will give you a steady average of 1 pound a week loss while accounting for variables such as times you cannot make it to the gym and such. If you enter Active or Very Active because you go gymming 7 days a week, then you cant for 3 or 4 days or even worse more...your numbers will be wrong. I rather just do it case by case and log/eat my calories per exercise.

Food for thought, I've been doing it for 6 months and down 30 pounds with about 7 to go before I hit my 10% BF goal.

If I set myself as sedentary and took away 500 I'd be eating like 1200 calories a day. Way too low for me.... Also, you don't know an exact number on calories burned in order to eat them back.... this method seems off to me...

I don't recommend what this poster is saying to do.

So i was unable to re-check this thread until now because I'm not very active on here during the weekends, but if you entered your TDEE and took away 500 and got around 1200, its what you should be at....I can only assume you are about 5 foot and 100 pounds to get numbers that low however.

Do you not exercise? If you dont, 1200 for that size of a person is plenty for a 1 pound a week loss (although at that size I have no idea why a loss would be your goal)

If you do exercise, you add exercise calories to your daily goal, I am confused what you mean by saying you dont know exact number of calories burned in order to eat them back..are you saying that litterarly as in to the single calorie digit? if so, well duh? You also dont know your exact caloric intake, its all estimates but as far as exercise calories burned, with a decent machine or with an HRM you can tell pretty close to your burn. You then add those calories to your "around 1200" you get and you eat that. Its pretty simple and works.

silversnow7

Hello everyone,

2 months ago I was on a 1200 calorie daily regime and losing about 1-2lbs a week with exercise 5 days and not feeling hungry, after ready about BMR, TDEE I decided to try it. After 2 months, I've either stalled or gained 1-2lbs give or take. I use bodymedia to guide me and I'm also a vegetarian, grow my own foods, no processed, etc.. I'm not a weight lifter and prefer not to be, my fitness includes cycling, jogging, walking, hiking, zumba and gardening..I am currently 158 and working towards my goal of 125. (total loss 35lbs over 1 year period up until now) After much research, I realized that everyones body make up is very different in which it burns calories, not to mention your height has a lot to do with it I'm 5'2" and find that 1200 cal is appropriate for weight loss as your height/weight increase your intake increase...I do eat back my exercise calories burned and its worked for me without binging or feeling hungry...its true that 1200 is not suitable or standard for everyone..hopefully, once I reach my goal weight I can incorporate some weight lifting maybe, but my passion is more of an outdoors fitness preference. Good luck everyone

DatMurse

What if your TDEE is lower than your BMR? Do you use your BMR? Example: My TDEE is 2111 - 20% = 1688.80. My BMR is 1759 and due to health issues, I am mostly sedentary at this time.

Then I would cut a smaller percentage - try 15% which gives you 1794....or round it up to 1800 and see how it goes. Try it for a month or so and make adjustments if needed.

Thanks! I will try the 15% and see what happens. I really want to do this right!

20% is not that low.

I went on a 50% deficit and went from 235 to 195 over the course of 96 days(13 weeks).
I then went on a slower controlled weight loss from 195 to 185 due to the lower bf% I was going.

20% is very minimal and most people will not see any negative effects

medic2038

OMG read thru half of first page and totally confused...again. Will I ever understand this TDEE thing. I'm hoping by some grace of God I will understand it at precisely the time I need it. Good luck to you on your new TDEE plan. I'm sure it will go great!

(p.s. after looking through second page hoping to find some clarity it actually made me nauseous. literally. like got a little dizzy with all the acronyms and numbers and felt a little queasy? weird I know, but true.)

I made a thread with the "basics" a little while ago, and made everything as simple as I could:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974504-stuck-frustrated-unsure-start-here

SmartAlec03211988

I switched from the 1700 goal MFP gave me, not losing a single lb week by week, to TDEE -15%, which is 2135... and I'm losing again. More inches than weight, but I'm finally losing.

Couldn't be happier with it.

affacat

Fitnessfrog has a calculator. MyTDEE - 20% = 1019C. Not much but I am short. I never eat back my exercise calories and I am not hungry.

Sounds... wrong.
I just calculated a TDEE for a woman who weighs 90 pounds and is only 4'6 and works at a deskjob.
Her TDEE is 1326 and her TDEE - 20% = 1060.

Now, I suppose you could be shorter than 4'6, and weigh less than 90 pounds... but it sounds more like you did your math wrong.

CoachReddy

everyone.

gracielynn1011

I agree with everything SideSteel said in his post. The only thing I do differently is that I do log my activity, I just don't eat them back. To keep from getting confused during the day, I wait until right before bedtime and then add my exercise, review my day, and submit my numbers.

To answer your question, I have had success with TDEE method. I've lost 14 lb since January. And to the best I can figure it, approximately 5% body fat.

CoachReddy

The whole "eat them back" or "not eat them back" thing is just irrelevant and confusing to people.

When you exercise, those calories are added to your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), and then you subtract the 20% from that. So the reality is that you probably eat some of your exercise calories back, depending on how much you work out, but you may not. But it's definitely not worth confusing yourself over. There's no hard and fast rule about eating your exercise cal back or not.

Just eat at a ~20% deficit of the number of calories your body burned for the day and you'll see results. It's that simple.