MFP goal same as TDEE-20% so to eat or not to eat?

evolution143
evolution143 Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
A little bit of info about me:

29 years old
Female
5'7"
SW: 267.4
CW: 261.4
GW: 155.4 (roughly, figure I'll re-evaluate when I'm closer)

I'm new to MFP and I've been tracking food for roughly two weeks. I started the C25K program back in early March and do that 3 times a week (~30 min/day) and occasionally run/walk a 4th day of the week.

When I set up my goals, I said I was lightly active (I have a desk job but spend a good portion of my day walking between my two departments and around the building in general), exercised 3 times a week for 30 minutes and said I'd like to lose 1.5 lbs/week.


It calculated my calorie goal at 1890/day. I did this for about a week and for the most part did ok with it. I had some hard days and some days I felt miserable. I ate my exercise calories back almost every day.

It was reading the Road Map post that informed me that eating below my BMR wasn't good. According to MFP, my BMR is roughly 1950. I did manage to have some weight loss (roughly ~3 lbs) at the 1890 but wondered if it might be my body fighting starvation mode.

So, I decided to change my goals to a loss of 1 lb/week and it bumped my calorie goal to 2120. I feel much better at this goal (not hungry all the time, don't feel so crappy) but the scale hasn't been moving. I usually eat back some of my exercise calories at this goal level (sometimes I'm just not hungry). Side note: when I changed my activity level to sedentary it put my cal goal at 1930 (roughly at or below BMR) so I kept it at lightly active.

It got me wondering if I'm better off following the MFP path or the TDEE-20% path in regards to whether or not to eat back my exercise calories.

I've read that following the MFP path I'd eat back my exercise calories and if I'm following the TDEE path I wouldn't.

Based on this website (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) my TDEE is 2700 (1-3 hrs/week of light exercise and 3 meals a day) and a 20% cut is 2160-- roughly the same as MFP calculated. The only difference I see is macro's. MFP currently set mine at (55% carb, 15% protein, and 30% fat) and the TDEE calculator changes it to 35% carb, 45% protein, and 20% fat.

Carbs are my weakness and it's where I feel like I go over the most. Also, I don't eat a lot of meat so my protein levels are usually under. Therefore I know going the TDEE route for macro's would be difficult for me initially.

My question is-- with my calorie goal being almost identical from the MFP calculations and the TDEE -20% calculations do I eat back my exercise calories or not?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Also, my diary is open but please try not to judge me-- I'm trying the best I can to balance healthy eating with not stressing myself out over the occasional poor food choice.

Thanks!

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