TDEE vs Net

luv2chewbaca2
luv2chewbaca2 Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have figured my TDEE minus 20% to equal about 1600 cals/day. Should the 1600 cals be my NET amount at the end of each day after exercising? If so, that would mean I should actually be eating about 1800 cals/day (since I burn about 200 cals/day exercising). OR, should I just eat the 1600 cals/day then burn my usual 200 cals/day which would then actually give me a net of 1400 cals/day? I'm so confused. I'm not losing any weight, need help please!

Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Net so if you burn 200 eat 1800
  • flynnfinn
    flynnfinn Posts: 209 Member
    no...both your suggestions are wrong.

    TDEE is your TOTAL daily energy expenditure. TOTAL meaning your BMR plus any activity you do. so the idea behind TDEE-20% is that your exercise is already factored into the TDEE amount.

    so eat 1600 and don't eat back exercise calories because it is already factored in.

    i'm sure someone else will chime in here. i'm 99.9% sure about my response though.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    Net so if you burn 200 eat 1800

    No, if you use the TDEE method, you don't eat back your exercise calories, because your activity level is used to determine your TDEE. So if you were careful about choosing the correct TDEE, the exercise is already built in. If you choose sedentary, then yes, you should eat them back. But the beauty of the TDEE method is that you choose your right activity level for TDEE. Then you eat a consistent number of calories everyday, whether you work out or not. At least, this is my understanding of the method.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    no...both your suggestions are wrong.

    TDEE is your TOTAL daily energy expenditure. TOTAL meaning your BMR plus any activity you do. so the idea behind TDEE-20% is that your exercise is already factored into the TDEE amount.

    so eat 1600 and don't eat back exercise calories because it is already factored in.

    i'm sure someone else will chime in here. i'm 99.9% sure about my response though.

    This is my understanding of the method as well :).
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
    Agree with @flynnfinn, if you use TDEE, do not eat your exercise calories. That said, that's a pretty low number, so either you are very tiny or you are close to goal, so you might not need a 20% cut. Maybe 15 instead?

    Yeah, if you only have 15 lbs. or fewer to lose, 20% is a lot. I'd go with 15% instead, or even 10%. Slower, but easier to stick to and easier to convert to maintenance.

    I ate 1850 trying to lose the last 15, and I'm 5'3" and 110, and I'm also a year older than you are, or maybe 2 since my birthday is in a week.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    no...both your suggestions are wrong.

    TDEE is your TOTAL daily energy expenditure. TOTAL meaning your BMR plus any activity you do. so the idea behind TDEE-20% is that your exercise is already factored into the TDEE amount.

    so eat 1600 and don't eat back exercise calories because it is already factored in.

    i'm sure someone else will chime in here. i'm 99.9% sure about my response though.

    This is my understanding too, and what I do.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
    it depends on if you included your exercise routine when you figured your tdee - some people only figure in their work/everyday life stuff...
    if you did include your exercise, dont eat back the exercise calories.
    if you didnt include your exercise, eat them back
    personally, i included exercise in mine so i just eat my tdee-20 and call it good
  • gungho66
    gungho66 Posts: 284 Member
    just eat at maintenance and exercise your way to a deficit each week so eat at your Bmr, then exercise each week the number of calories you want to burn to lose weight. 1 pound equals 3500 calories. The old calories in calories out still applies here. Dont make it any harder than it has to be.
  • ATOLLIT
    ATOLLIT Posts: 149
    My understanding was that TDEE factors in exercise that is part of your daily work/life routine. So if you're a teacher chasing after young children all day, your TDEE should include that. However, I was always under the impression that exercise such as going to the gym, doing a workout dvd, running, swimming etc etc etc was not included, as it's not so much your "lifestyle" as "exercise" that you do on the top.

    Feel free to tell me I'm wrong, but that's how I understood it :P especially as MFP gives me my "net" calories as what I've eaten minus any structured exercise that I've logged.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    just eat at maintenance and exercise your way to a deficit each week so eat at your Bmr, then exercise each week the number of calories you want to burn to lose weight. 1 pound equals 3500 calories. The old calories in calories out still applies here. Dont make it any harder than it has to be.

    Maintenance is not BMR, it is TDEE.
  • flynnfinn
    flynnfinn Posts: 209 Member
    look...if it helps any, don't log in your exercise in MFP. it will screw up your totals because MFP is designed so that you SHOULD eat back your exercise calories. MFP doesn't use the TDEE method.

    so...just eat a straight 1600 calories a day and don't log in your exercise. no need to make this complicated. or if you choose to log in your exercise, just write it in the notes section or log it in as 1 calorie burned.
  • luv2chewbaca2
    luv2chewbaca2 Posts: 15 Member
    LOL! Thank you! That sums it up easily for me! I'll do that and see how it goes!
  • luv2chewbaca2
    luv2chewbaca2 Posts: 15 Member
    I did in fact add in my exercise totals when figuring out my TDEE. Thanks for your help!
  • luv2chewbaca2
    luv2chewbaca2 Posts: 15 Member
    @ katevarner- My short term goal is to only lose 15lbs. But if that goes well and I reach that goal then I'd like to lose even more. Long term goal is to lose 25 lbs.
  • gungho66
    gungho66 Posts: 284 Member
    just eat at maintenance and exercise your way to a deficit each week so eat at your Bmr, then exercise each week the number of calories you want to burn to lose weight. 1 pound equals 3500 calories. The old calories in calories out still applies here. Dont make it any harder than it has to be.

    Maintenance is not BMR, it is TDEE.

    Yes you are right , so if her BMR is 1462 x a multiplier of 1.55 for a moderate active person thats 2266 calories a day(maintenance)now create your deficit of 2 pounds a week and your at 1266 calories a day which includes the exercise so eat them all.
  • luv2chewbaca2
    luv2chewbaca2 Posts: 15 Member
    just eat at maintenance and exercise your way to a deficit each week so eat at your Bmr, then exercise each week the number of calories you want to burn to lose weight. 1 pound equals 3500 calories. The old calories in calories out still applies here. Dont make it any harder than it has to be.

    Maintenance is not BMR, it is TDEE.

    Yes you are right , so if her BMR is 1462 x a multiplier of 1.55 for a moderate active person thats 2266 calories a day(maintenance)now create your deficit of 2 pounds a week and your at 1266 calories a day which includes the exercise so eat them all.
    Thanks guys, I appreciate the help!
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    it depends on if you included your exercise routine when you figured your tdee - some people only figure in their work/everyday life stuff...
    if you did include your exercise, dont eat back the exercise calories.
    if you didnt include your exercise, eat them back
    personally, i included exercise in mine so i just eat my tdee-20 and call it good

    Exactly this.

    Personally, I find it motivating to log all my exercise calories, so I calculated my TDEE at lightly active instead of including all my exercise in my activity level, and I just eat back those calories.
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    You do not add your exercises, if you have calculated them in your TDEE. However, if you do an unexpected high exercise, or you missed a scheduled one that day and you wont make up later that week, then you are supposed to add/subtract 200-250 calories for that day.
    Try the excel form as it is to calculate everything and it has explanations.
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE#gid=14

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