Help me understand TDEE/BMR

RenewedRunner
RenewedRunner Posts: 423 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Okay so I did the calculations

My BMR is 1600
My TDEE is 2200
With a 20% decrease, I get 1760

So is that what I should be eating regardless of exercise?

Say I exercise and burn 300 calories. Are those considered part of the assumed calories from the multiplier for the TDEE? Eat them? Dont eat them? Is the goal to basically make sure I am eating at least 1760 calories a day total???

I am confused! :huh:

Replies

  • nauti2012
    nauti2012 Posts: 23
    I never eat my exercise calories back... Maybe when I am maintaining.. just not yet....:glasses:
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    If you work off a TDEE calculation like that, rather than using MFP to calculate your daily calorie goal, then the calories you expend through exercise has already been accounted for.

    As such, your goal is simply to eat 1,760 or thereabouts and not worry about eating back exercise calories as they have been included.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    So is that what I should be eating regardless of exercise?

    Not according to the site, whether you do or not is up to you.

    The theory behind the site is that your 20% deficit is the deficit that will allow you to burn fat as long as you are exercising to maintain existing muscle mass. If you exercise, you are "supposed" to eat those calories back in good-quality food.

    If you exercise a lot and don't eat back those calories, you will increase your deficit. If your deficit gets too large, and especially if you are not taking in enough protein, your body will burn a higher ratio of muscle in relation to the fat it burns. So you'll be losing weight faster, but not necessarily fat, and you might not like the results as much.
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