Confusion on calories intake (BMR, TDEE, etc.)

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courtm82
courtm82 Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How close to your BMR are you suppose to eat? I have been reading about macros, TDEE (amount calories your body burns in a 24 hour period), etc. and it can get confusing! It says you're suppose to eat 15-20% less than your TDEE. Well my BMR is 2,477 and my TDEE is 2,894. I'm eating about 1700-1750 calories on a daily basis, and try to burn at least 200-300 calories a day through exercise (with the exception of 1 day or so that I take off). Am I doing everything right?

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  • SMJ1987
    SMJ1987 Posts: 368
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    I'm not an expert or anything but I *think* when you have a lot of weight to lose (which your ticker seems to show) you can probably eat below your bmr as you're doing. Once you get closer to a healthy weight your bmr will drop and then you should eat above it at that point.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
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    Well my BMR is 2,477 and my TDEE is 2,894.

    This doesn't sound right. Can you show your work, or provide: height, weight, sex, age, and rough description of activity level and lifestyle.

    Also, this might clear some things up: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • SMJ1987
    SMJ1987 Posts: 368
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    Well my BMR is 2,477 and my TDEE is 2,894.

    This doesn't sound right. Can you show your work, or provide: height, weight, sex, age, and rough description of activity level and lifestyle.

    Also, this might clear some things up: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It could very well be right since she has 150 lbs to lose.
  • courtm82
    courtm82 Posts: 35 Member
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    Well I went to and used the calculators there to get my info.

    I'm 30 years old, 5'8, 305lbs
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    I got 2152 by plugging in your stats with the BMR calculator here.
  • courtm82
    courtm82 Posts: 35 Member
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    I guess that's where I get confused ... when different sites give you different results! :( on the http://www.iifym.com site though is where I got the TDEE info. I tried to add up how much time I spend sleeping, sitting, etc. like it said. I may have underestimated it a little but didn't want to overestimate it because some days I do not get to be very active
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    There are many prediction formulas to estimate RMR, BMR and TDEE which use a variety of variables such as age, height, lean body mass, etc. The only way to know for sure is to go to a metabolic testing center and request a RMR test to establish the energy needs at the baseline level - if you just sat on a couch with zero activity all day. These formulas are not 100% accurate and not tailored to your unique body and metabolism.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I'm getting TDEE of 2964 (http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html).
    And BMR 2160 (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator)

    Maybe in your OP you were taking the MFP calorie target and calling that your BMR?

    Anyways, you should be eating a total of around 2370 cals per day (that's your TDEE less 20%). This is over your BMR.
  • courtm82
    courtm82 Posts: 35 Member
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    But isn't your TDEE based on your activity level daily? I entered in what I do myself and got a different number. I am active, I walk at least 5 times a week and have a gym membership too, so will that vary the results from what you entered for me? In my OP I was using the BMR and TDEE I got from http://www.iifym.com. My daily calorie target on MFP was 1720 (til I changed it now).

    Thanks for the help though I appreciate it! Maybe that's why I feel so tired and unenergized this week.. Maybe eating 1500-1700 a day (plus all the extra exercise) was just not enough to fuel me at this point
  • mstifb
    mstifb Posts: 230
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    All that stuff confuses me! I have no idea what mine is or what that means I should do. I have a sedentary job, but I do exercise. For those who may have a clue, I'm 5 foot 6 inches, 189 pounds, 39 years old. I am on a 1200 calorie diet and I eat back my exercise calories, or as close as I can. I don't understand how the BMR and TDEE would help me. I've read and read and the more I read the more confused I am. :ohwell:
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
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    ...shrug
  • BosBruin5
    BosBruin5 Posts: 52 Member
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    Well my BMR is 2,477 and my TDEE is 2,894.

    This doesn't sound right. Can you show your work, or provide: height, weight, sex, age, and rough description of activity level and lifestyle.

    Also, this might clear some things up: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    This^^^
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
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    All that stuff confuses me! I have no idea what mine is or what that means I should do. I have a sedentary job, but I do exercise. For those who may have a clue, I'm 5 foot 6 inches, 189 pounds, 39 years old. I am on a 1200 calorie diet and I eat back my exercise calories, or as close as I can. I don't understand how the BMR and TDEE would help me. I've read and read and the more I read the more confused I am. :ohwell:

    well if ya lost 33 pounds already I wouldnt worry about it your obviously doing something right
  • CrystaLight74
    CrystaLight74 Posts: 88
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    This stuff can be very confusing... The link mentioned above was very helpful for me. I encourage you to check it out. I simply figured out my TDEE and subtracted a percentage less than that (20-25%) and customized my mfp settings to reflect that number of calories. We'll see how it goes. I only recently upped my cals from 1250 to 1500. My TDEE is 1999 with light activity. My macros are set at 40,30,30.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    Hello, I just wanted to let you know that, for me, those calculators are never right. Here I consider right to be the number I get with my bodybugg (which if I eat 500 less than, I lose about 1 lb a week). I work out 6-7 days a week (sidelined with an injury right now) and my job involves lots of standing and walking, in a lightly active way. Most calculators put me at 2200-2400, but most days my bodybugg averages 2100. Being off by 10% can definitely be a problem.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
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    But isn't your TDEE based on your activity level daily? I entered in what I do myself and got a different number. I am active, I walk at least 5 times a week and have a gym membership too, so will that vary the results from what you entered for me? In my OP I was using the BMR and TDEE I got from http://www.iifym.com. My daily calorie target on MFP was 1720 (til I changed it now).

    Thanks for the help though I appreciate it! Maybe that's why I feel so tired and unenergized this week.. Maybe eating 1500-1700 a day (plus all the extra exercise) was just not enough to fuel me at this point

    Yes indeed TDEE is "total daily energy expenditure", so the more activity you do, the higher your TDEE. I tried to be conservative, so I entered in something like "lighl exercise". Sounds like you are more active than that. Your TDEE may be well over 3000!

    1500-1700 per MFP might have been ok, assuming you were adding in 500+ cals per day in exercise to get to somewhere around 2300 or so total.

    If you read that "In place of a roadmap" link, it should clear up any remaining confusion in great detail...
  • nadsazombie
    nadsazombie Posts: 61
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    Hello, I just wanted to let you know that, for me, those calculators are never right. Here I consider right to be the number I get with my bodybugg (which if I eat 500 less than, I lose about 1 lb a week). I work out 6-7 days a week (sidelined with an injury right now) and my job involves lots of standing and walking, in a lightly active way. Most calculators put me at 2200-2400, but most days my bodybugg averages 2100. Being off by 10% can definitely be a problem.

    so you just left the calories and settings that MFP gave you?

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