TDEE methods / accounting for exercise - Questions

OzJester13

Hi All,

I was wanting some advice around calculating my TDEE and the variation between the different methods.

Stats
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 93.5 Kgs
Body fat estimation: 28% (based on US NAVY method)
Age: 40
Activity Level: Sedentary: Light -- have not accounted for exercise and training here (this is what I read to do in the majority)

I read in a few forum posts that a good pint for fat loss is to aim for calorie intake of around 80% of your TDEE, and then to get you protien intake to around 1 g per lb of lean body mass. I understand all of this, but depending on which method of TDEE calculation I use I get different results.

Mifflin-St Jeor: 2178
Harris-Benedict: 2330
Katch-McCardle: 2189

So I have a few questions.

1. Which method is the most accurate ? (there is a 150 cal approx 6% variance)
2. Should I average the lot and work on that as my TDEE ?
3. Should I increase my Activity Level to Moderate (in TDEE Calculations to account for exercise) and not concern myself with Calories burnt during exercise?

Thanks in advance,

Mads1997

Just curious, If you are not doing TDEE with any exercise included why don't you just follow MFP and eat back your exercise cals?

OzJester13

Mads,

I have considered that (and it's what I am currently doing). But as the most of the world I am time poor (and inherently lazy )

For the purpose of advanced meal preparation, calorie count etc, it I was thinking of concentrating on the nutrition (and getting a cleaner diet) as my lifestyle is now actually not sedentary. I can assume .. on average.. that my excercise is around 400 - 500 cals burnt per session (from two months recording from HRM).

Guess I want to make this less of a chore (recording and calculating).

Cheers,

TheLoneMarmot

The outlier in those TDEEs is the Harris-Benedict result. Although revised in the 1980s it was originally developed in the early 1900s.

I believe the Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) is considered the "best" calculation and as the Katch-McCardle more or less agrees with that in your case I would go with those results and discard the Harris-Benedict.

TavistockToad

Mads,

I have considered that (and it's what I am currently doing). But as the most of the world I am time poor (and inherently lazy )

For the purpose of advanced meal preparation, calorie count etc, it I was thinking of concentrating on the nutrition (and getting a cleaner diet) as my lifestyle is now actually not sedentary. I can assume .. on average.. that my excercise is around 400 - 500 cals burnt per session (from two months recording from HRM).

Guess I want to make this less of a chore (recording and calculating).

Cheers,

then you should include your exercise into the calculation, and not set yourself as light active.

OzJester13

Thanks for the feedback

Vailara

Personally, I think it's easier to include your exercise in your TDEE, if it's fairly regular. That's what I do, and I really like knowing how many calories I have day to day, and not having to log my exercise. You can always eat a bit more if you do extra exercise, or a bit less if skip a usual session.

Mads1997

Thanks OP for answering my Q.

affacat

i don't really want to start a new thread for my question, so am adding it here.

i'm trying to figure out my TDEE and BRM, and i'm using the calculator recommended elsewhere on this forum:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#mostaccuratecaloriecalculator

however, i don't know exactly what settings to use... especially the activity level.

my stats:
65.5 inches
male
150 pounds
38 years old

goal -- somewhere between 140-145 pounds, i think. large frame/chest.

my scale puts my bf% at 20 and my bmi at 24.9, though i don't know if those are accurate.

i work from home, so don't get much 'regular' activity.
however, i walk/run/jog for 3 hours a day 5 days a week. speed ranges from around 3 to 6 mph, mostly in the 4 to 5 range. (almost exactly 13 miles total per day). m/w/f i also do 4 sets max pushups, some resistance training (not much), and around 600 crunches.

mfp thinks i burn around 1,242 cals during the walk/jog/run, as do other online calculators. i definitely work up a sweat during the faster periods. i can't up it too much else risk injury - every time i've changed something i've put myself out of action and so i'm very hesitant to up the speed, etc).

and... i have no idea what sort of calorie intake i should be aiming for. currently i'm in the 1800-2000 per day range, because MFP tells me my goal is 2,442 but that seems like a ton.

when i use the linked calculator, it tells me:
bmr = 1543
tdee = 2662
goal calories (25% reduction) = 1996

but like i said, i have zero clue what to set my 'activity level' as, and that drastically affects the above numbers.

any help from someone experienced with this?