TDEE versus MFP given calories

wormy80
wormy80 Posts: 64 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been looking into using the roadmap 2.0 information on this site to use the TDEE method of determining how many calories I need to eat per day. I've been mildly successful just eating the calories MFP recommends daily but have read several people's posts on using the roadmap's information (TDEE) and am wondering if I would be more successful this way. Can anyone weigh in and give me their thoughts and which method they currently use. I'm new to this and so I have a lot to learn.

One thing I don't really understand: MFP currently recommends I eat 1690 calories per day (for 1 pound a week weight loss) and I have been doing this for roughly 6 weeks (lost 5 pounds so far). I used the roadmap 2.0 information (calculated my body fat percentage and BMI) and it told me 1666 is the number of calories I will be able to eat at my goal weight...so if I'm understanding what I read correctly, I subtract 30% from that to get the number of calories I need to eat daily to lose weight...this puts me at 1166 calories...isn't that very low?

Any and all input welcome, I appreciate it all. Hopefully my post makes sense.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member
    Stick with the MFP way. You won't have to worry about the Road Map method until you get within 25 lbs of goal, really. MFP's method is working. Stick to it. If you have trouble losing, then worry.

    Here is some more explanation. I'm not going to try to figure out what you did, but you did some miscalculations on the Road Map, somehow.

    MFP's method has worked for thousands of people. Generally we recommend people learn about their BMR and TDEE, but that's usually once they have become stuck and are undereating.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

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

    Don't complicate it.

  • candace_ndiaye
    candace_ndiaye Posts: 23 Member
    Personally, I find all these calculations really confusing, so I use an online calculator that I highly recommend. It does all the calculating for you basically. The link is:

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

    You just put in some basic info, and scroll to the bottom for your BMR, TDEE, and the amount of calories you need to eat if you want to lose X lbs per week. They actually state on there, and I've seen this on other websites as well, that trying to reduce your TDEE by any more than 20% is not recommended and can cause issues, so they recommend you don't do it unless you speak to a doctor first. But the highest cut on there is 25%.

    Hope this helps!

    Candace

    PS = Also, I never go by the MFP calories, as I find it to be inaccurate. It tells me I'd need to eat about 1400 calories a day now, and I've got roughly 50lbs to go to hit my goal. I also do yoga 5-6 days a week and workout about 5 days a week. I would literally pass out if I did that. I say, use the MFP calorie recommendations with a grain of salt. I prefer to calculate myself.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member



    PS = Also, I never go by the MFP calories, as I find it to be inaccurate. It tells me I'd need to eat about 1400 calories a day now, and I've got roughly 50lbs to go to hit my goal. I also do yoga 5-6 days a week and workout about 5 days a week. I would literally pass out if I did that. I say, use the MFP calorie recommendations with a grain of salt. I prefer to calculate myself.

    MFP wants yo to eat MORE when you exercise, so you're doing it wrong. You would be eating about 1900 on your workout days.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    No, your TDEE is what you would subtract from, not what you would need to eat at your final weight (one method is to eat the calories you would need at your final weight, which is about what MFP is telling you to eat anyways.

    Since it's working for you, stick with MFP, and eat exercise calories back if you didn't figure them into your activity level. Most people go to the extreme, and put 2 pounds a week at sedentary, which is how they end up with very few calories to eat. Since you were more reasonable with your goals, it gave you more calories, and it's a perfectly fine tool to use (because you're using it correctly).
  • FattieBabs
    FattieBabs Posts: 542 Member
    My app is set to the same as yours. 1 pound a week steady weight loss is definitely the way to go. As I am obese I could lose 2 pounds a week but the MFP setting of 1200 is completely unrealistic for me. I exercise 3 times a week and eat back my exercise calories so really enjoy eating on those days! So far so good. Good luck with your weight loss, personally I think you are going about it the right way...

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