TDEE & Custom Goal Setting Help!

Utahgirl12

Hi, I'm trying to get my head around all this TDEE -20% thingy and would appreciate some help off you kind people.

I am 45, and 61 inches.
Current weight 185 pounds
BMR 1427
TDEE 1836 Sedentary
2103 Lightly active
2371 moderately active

I am trying to work out a lot more, but will not have a regular schedule. it could be from doing the Zombie 5k walk/run programme for 30 minutes 1 day to doing a body conditioning and a pilates class another day.

Should I take my TDEE 1836-20% = 1470 then log any exercise on MFP, through endomondo/zombie5k apps /fitbit etc and then eat back all those calories?

Also, how do i set it all up in the custom goal setting page on MFP? I don't want to see 1200 calorie target anymore!

What do I put in as my net cals consumed daily? is that my TDEE-20% or my TDEE or my BMR?? #confused
Do I put anything in on the fitness goals part?

Please, someone help.......I don't want to my daily calories showing as 1200 cals as suggested by MFP . I want to see the true amount of cals I should be eating there!

Lucy

AmyRhubarb

I am trying to work out a lot more, but will not have a regular schedule. it could be from doing the Zombie 5k walk/run programme for 30 minutes 1 day to doing a body conditioning and a pilates class another day.

How many days a week do you do these workouts? And do you work as well? By the workouts you listed, I would say that you are not sedentary, even working out just 3 or 4 days a week. I would go with Lightly Active for starters and see how it goes.

Should I take my TDEE 1836-20% = 1470 then log any exercise on MFP, through endomondo/zombie5k apps /fitbit etc and then eat back all those calories?

I would go with the lightly active - 2103 - 20% = 1682 (which you could round up to 1700 if you want to make it easy ), and with this method you don't eat back exercise cals.

Also, how do i set it all up in the custom goal setting page on MFP? I don't want to see 1200 calorie target anymore!

To customize MFP you click SETTINGS>GOAL>CHANGE GOAL>CUSTOM>CONTINUE...

katevarner

I agree with AmyRhubarb about not setting your level at sedentary, but if you want to log your actual exercise instead of adding a 1 or 2, then yes, set it at sedentary. The danger there, since your -20% is so close to your BMR, you want to be sure you don't go too far under on your rest days in order to make sure you eat over your BMR.

Also, be sure to recalculate BMR and TDEE every 5 lbs. or so since they will change as you lose.

Utahgirl12

Thanks AmyRhubarb for replying so quickly.
I'm going to do what you suggest re the lightly active category and stick at 1700 calories.

I've looked again at the custom goal setting and put my net cals in as 1700 and left my fitness goal as 3x 60 mins.

I've completed my diary for today and now looked at it again. It shows i earned 277 cals today from exercise, so shows my daily goal as 1977 I ate 1403 today so I guess I ate under (even though that was up on the 1200 I had always thought right!)

Should I ignore the 277 exercise cals today? Is that why some people log their exercise as 1 calorie? If I do a big day with 2 classes then not be afraid to eat more than the 1700??

So many questions! Thank you for your patience.

Lucy

AmyRhubarb

Yes, that is why some people only log exercise as 1 calorie burned. I used to log my exercise, ignored the net number and just ate to goal on my actual calories, but then I realized that the added exercise cals changed my macros for the day, whether I was paying attention to net or not! So now I log exercise as 1 cal and make a note of my actual burn in the Fitness Notes - because we all like to see it, right? We worked for that burn! :bigsmile:

Does that make sense?

Make sure you give this plan at least 4-6 weeks before making any changes up or down. It may take time for your body to adjust and for you to see progress. Also take measurements and photos - often you will see results there that don't show up on the scale.

Best move I ever made was setting my goals to TDEE minus 20% about a year ago - I had my best success since doing so. I love it!

Staysee7

Bump!

ddarold

Lucy, thank you for posting question and to Amy for clarifying.....the light bulb has gone off! I'm new to MFP and was getting sooo confused. This has helped. :flowerforyou:

Utahgirl12

No problem ddaroid. I never feel shy to ask for help. There are some awesome people on here only to pleased to help. I'm sure I'll have a load more questions!

Lucy