BMR and TDEE

sharonlouiset
sharonlouiset Posts: 85 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm completely confused about BMR and TDEE. I went on fat to fit website and my BMR was 1525. On my fitness pal I'm on 1200cals a day. I'm get conflicting views about how many cals I should be eating. Some people say you should eat more than your BMR and you would still lose weight. Others say you should eat below your BMR if you want to lose weight and I'm totally confused!
Also people have mentioned to look at TDEE on a spreadsheet on here. I've tried looking for it but can't find it.
I would be grateful for any help anyone can give me on this subject.

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    BMR is an estimate of what your body uses existing. There are several different estimating equations, they aren't exact.
    TDEE is the total energy you use in a day, including your BMR plus moving around plus digesting food etc. In MFP's case without exercise.

    What you should eat, in order to lose weight, is something less than your TDEE. By an amount of calories or a percentage.

    So if your BMR is 1525 your sedentary energy use would be about 1800 and eating 1300 calories a day without exercise would give you an initial target for a weight loss rate up to 1 lb/week. If you exercise more you can eat proportionally more.
  • Nerdybreisawesome
    Nerdybreisawesome Posts: 359 Member
    Not sure who is saying to eat below your BMR but you are not supposed to. That is the bare minimum you are supposed to eat. You are supposed to eat below your TDEE. Find out what your TDEE is and eat 15% to 20% below that. Also if you are very active, then you need adjust for that as well.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Not sure who is saying to eat below your BMR but you are not supposed to.
    Many professionals advise calorie intakes that are below BMR, especially in obese sedentary people.
  • sharonlouiset
    sharonlouiset Posts: 85 Member
    Not sure who is saying to eat below your BMR but you are not supposed to. That is the bare minimum you are supposed to eat. You are supposed to eat below your TDEE. Find out what your TDEE is and eat 15% to 20% below that. Also if you are very active, then you need adjust for that as well.





    How do you find out your TDEE? I found a calculator on fat to fit to check my BMR but don't know how to check TDEE.
  • sharonlouiset
    sharonlouiset Posts: 85 Member
    Thank you both for your help. :)
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    On fat2fit, if you scroll down the page that gives you BMR, I believe it gives you TDEE for the different activity levels. When you are doing BMR calculation, put your current weight in as the goal weight. Then the site will give you TDEE to maintain that weight (there is a table at the bottom with different activity levels). You choose the number, and that is what you are supposed to eat less than (15% or 20% less). This is what I have learned on here, thanks to many posters.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    How do you find out your TDEE? I found a calculator on fat to fit to check my BMR but don't know how to check TDEE.

    You multiply by a factor -

    Harris Benedict Formula
    To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

    If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
    If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
    If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
    If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
    If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

    However if using MFP in the way intended you're better off just using the Goals function and aiming for 1 lb/week or less if you're closer to goal. MFP doesn't include exercise that you log in your diary in your TDEE, to cover non-exercise days.
  • sharonlouiset
    sharonlouiset Posts: 85 Member
    How do you find out your TDEE? I found a calculator on fat to fit to check my BMR but don't know how to check TDEE.

    You multiply by a factor -

    Harris Benedict Formula
    To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

    If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
    If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
    If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
    If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725




    Thanks thats helpful
    If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

    However if using MFP in the way intended you're better off just using the Goals function and aiming for 1 lb/week or less if you're closer to goal. MFP doesn't include exercise that you log in your diary in your TDEE, to cover non-exercise days.

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