For those using TDEE...

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How do you haves your calories set in MFP? Do you manually adjust it and ignore the adjustment MFP makes for your exercise? I figured my TDEE on various calculators and the all came back between 1950-2150. Would you set it at 2000 calories? If it makes a difference I do 5 days of running/cross training, 1 day of yoga and one rest day. I figured myself moderate exercise which most showed as 3-5 days.

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    I set mine to sedentary and control exercise myself.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    I manually adjust it for my TDEE, and ignore the eat back message. I aim for the same calorie amount, which is a 15% cut, every day even if I don't work out. I know what my preferred calories are, but if I need to eat more a particular day I don't go over my max.
  • vsetter
    vsetter Posts: 558 Member
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    I manually adjust my calorie goal and macros. I ignore the exercise calories. I think some people only enter their exercise at 1 calorie so that it doesn't make the adjustment automatically.
  • workout_junkee
    workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
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    Thanks! I am in maintenance mode now. I thought following TDEE would be good for me. The huge sways in calories per day is just not working for me. I would like something more consistent but MFP calorie counter is not set up for it.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    Thanks! I am in maintenance mode now. I thought following TDEE would be good for me. The huge sways in calories per day is just not working for me. I would like something more consistent but MFP calorie counter is not set up for it.

    you can set up MFP as maintain current weight, and then set the activity level to very active (if you work out consistently) and then just don't log your exercise. you will have the same number daily and might be enough to maintain. it might be too little, depending on how active you are.
  • obored1
    obored1 Posts: 32 Member
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    you could create your own exercises in the exercise tab and tell MFP to give you 1 calorie burned for those activities, that way you can track what you have done for exercise but it doesn't screw with all your totals and macros. Then yes, it sounds like for you, setting MFP for 2000 calories should be a great number, may need minor tweaking after a week or 2 if your gaining/losing more than you wanted. Also if your tired, lathargic etc, it may be too low. Good luck
  • galactica216
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    Sorry I'm new here. What is TDEE? When you exercise and burn (for instance) 500 calories that some of you are not eating those added calories. Am I understanding this correctly? I'm not eating the additional calories as I feel that it won't help me in the long run.
    Thanks!
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 768 Member
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    I set mine to TDEE-15% and only eat back exercise calories if my Net drops below my BMR, I eat enough to get up to my BMR.
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
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    I set mine at very active and MFP still didn't give me anywhere near my TDEE, so I set it at a light day for me, and I log my exercise. That way I come in at a little under most days which makes me feel like I'm being good even tho MFP tells me I'm going to gain several pounds in the next 5 weeks most days.

    That doesn't make much sense, but here are the numbers. I have a BodyMedia Fit, so I have a pretty good idea of my actual TDEE.

    MFP says at my size and age that at very active I should burn 1710 per day. BMF says I burn more like 2200 on a day when I get any real exercise, some days I burn as many as 2500. I have set MFP at 1950, then I log my net exercise calories. Most days that gives me 2100-2300 to eat, and I eat most if not all. Occasionally, I am lazy and burn a little less than 1950 and on those days I try not to eat over 1950.

    I'm also in maintenance.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Thanks! I am in maintenance mode now. I thought following TDEE would be good for me. The huge sways in calories per day is just not working for me. I would like something more consistent but MFP calorie counter is not set up for it.

    Oh, you got it so easy then.

    Just take a weekly total of how much you eat that is not causing any gain or loss for the weeks on end. Perhaps several weeks.

    Divide by 7, or however many days you include in your data.

    Eat that daily.

    Skip 200 if you miss a workout, eat 200 extra if you make it up or do an extra one.