TDEE math question...

I'm a little confused. I've been trying to eat at my TDEE- 20%. My TDEE is 2634. Since TDEE already has exercise added in there, I shouldn't be eating back my exercise calories should I? TDEE -20%= 2107 calories per day to eat. I've been doing pretty close to that and seeing a small results, I know I need to give it time.

I'm one of those weirdos that does math when I get bored so I figured to lose 2 lbs per week I would need (TDEE x 7) - 7000 calories.
So this is what I come up with. (2634 x 7 days in a week)= 18438- 7000 calories to lose 2 lbs per week = 11438 / 7 days in a week= 1634.
So is 1634 what I need to eating or what I need to be netting. I'm sorry if I'm just overthinking this. I tend to do that a lot.

Replies

  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
    Your math is correct. To lose 2 lbs per week you would reduce your intake by 1,000 calories per day so 2,634 - 1,000 = 1,634. Exercise is included so this is what your would be eating.

    However, you may want to rethink this deficit. You are in your last 20 lbs and it's time to slow down your weight loss so you can coast into maintenance. You say you're seeing small results; at a 527 calorie deficit you would be approx. 1 lb per week. This is about right for this point in time. Some would suggest slowing down even more.
  • lindsienygaard
    lindsienygaard Posts: 72 Member
    Actually I'm 20 lbs away from my next goal. My big goal is still 45 lbs away. So with that much more to lose should I slow down or still go for 2 per week?
  • lindsienygaard
    lindsienygaard Posts: 72 Member
    Bump
  • How much pounds are you losing a week?
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    You do not need to eat back exercise cals per say because the TDEE method figures them in so most people that do TDEE just log exercise as 1 calorie to not mess it up. You should only eat at your TDEE -15-20% if you have more than 20 to lose which you do, and once you lose some weight and get down to losing the last 20 or something then reduce the % again to 10 or 15.

    If your cut value says to eat 2107 then that's what you eat, you do not low it by another 500 because that is not following TDEE. Also you should eat your full TDEE for awhile to reset your metabolism if you were eating a low calorie diet before starting this.
  • lindsienygaard
    lindsienygaard Posts: 72 Member
    currently 1, when I'm lucky.
  • Then you're making a great progress. That's healthy!! Keep up with what you're eating!