TDEE/MFP.... More confused now than ever

ksy1969

So, I have been reading a lot about using TDEE versus the MFP method. I have been using the MFP method which has me at 1530 calories a day and then adding exercise calories and eating them back. I just did calculation for TDEG (Total Daily Eating Goal) in two different locations and they both had me right around 2400 calories a day and that would be not eating my exercise calories back. That right there almost blew my mind. That is almost a 1,000 calories more a day than I am currently eating.

Then after reading a thread below about calculating TDEG w/o factoring in exercise because of inconsistent exercise days, I decided to go back and see what my TDEG would be if I didn't factor in exercise. This would allow me to then add exercise calories and only eat what I have earned. I liked this idea simply because I am inconsistent on daily exercise. One day I will do a long run of 10 miles and burn 1500 Calories, but then the next I will lift for an hour with minimal cardio. However, I would have thought my TDEG would then come in close to what my MFP goal was and it wasn't. It was at 1941. Over 400 higher than MFP. Can someone explain how this can be? I have been trying to figure it out by reading some of the links I see people posting but every article I read seems to confuse me even more on the issue.

I have been doing Weight Watchers for the last 2 years so I have a lot to learn about calories and macro nutrients.

dangerousdumpling

Which activity level did you choose here on mfp?

ksy1969

Which activity level did you choose here on mfp?

Sendentary!! I have a desk job and when not in the office at a desk I am behind the wheel of a car driving for hours on end.

dangerousdumpling

Which activity level did you choose here on mfp?

Sendentary!! I have a desk job and when not in the office at a desk I am behind the wheel of a car driving for hours on end.

Running 10 miles and lifting for an hour means that you aren't sedentary. You are actually quite active. I chose sedentary when I started here in January because I was recovering from surgery and lying in bed all day. Now, even though I hold down the couch for several hours a day I don't have my activity level set to sedentary anymore. Try lightly active and see how the numbers match up. That's a lot of exercise, though, so I would bet that active would be more like it. You definitely want to fuel your body very well for that much exercise.

cwolfman13

First off, your TDEE is your maintenance level of calories. Using the TDEE method for weight loss, you would do TDEE - XX% to lose weight. Using the TDEE method, you estimate all of your activity...therefore, you wouldn't eat back exercise calories. So let's say your maintenance TDEE is 2,400 calories...2,400 x 80% = 1,920 calories for weight loss.

Now let's look at the MFP method. MFP uses your NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). Essentially, your NEAT + EAT (Exercise Energy Thermogenesis) = TDEE. So MFP gives you a goal of 1,540 calories...let's say you burn 400 running or whatever...you log it...now your goal is 1,940 calories...very close to the TDEE - 20% number above.

Just an example. Really, it's generally 6 of 1. Two methods that generally net out pretty close to the same end. Where I have issue with MFP is that so many just arbitrarily select 2 Lbs per week and end up below their BMR...and then they do exercise on top of that but don't understand to eat most of that back and drastically under nourish themselves.

I started using TDEE because across a 7 day period...while my daily burns weren't the same...over 7 days I was burning about the same so I just averaged it out. When you use the TDEE method, you're going to have over and under days....but at the end of 7 days I have the same net deficit that I do using MFP...it was just a lot easier for me to eat a consistent number of calories per day and plan my day than have a bunch of calories left on the table from my exercise, causing me to under eat.