Best predictor of calorie needs I've seen
AliceNov2011
Posts: 471 Member
If you want to calculate what your personal calorie needs are (your TDEE or Total Daily Energy Expended), there are lots and lots of calculators online, and they're pretty good in terms of predicting what the average person that fits your general criteria needs.
But if you want to know what your specific numbers are personally, here's the best way I've seen yet. It requires that you keep track (I keep and Excel spreadsheet) of your daily NET calories (after exercise) and weight loss for at least a month (you can recreate it from MFP if you're good about recording). Once you have that data, here's what you do:
1. Add up all the NET calories for the month.
2. Add up all the pounds you lost for the month, and multiply that number by 3500 (which is the number of calories in a pound).
3. Add the Totals together (NET calories + (pounds lost X 3500)).
4. Divide that number by 30 (days in the month).
THAT is your personal TDEE. It will change daily, weekly, monthly, but if you have say 6 months or even a year's worth of stats, you can get a really good picture of your personal calorie needs.
If you are still losing weight, take your new TDEE and apply your cut (20% or whatever), and that's the number of calories per day (on average) that you need to be eating to continue your weight loss.
I just applied this to my numbers since Jan. 1, 2012 and got an answer TO THE CALORIE of what I had observed my maintenance to be when I did a reset the last two months. TO THE CALORIE! And that was 200 calories A DAY LOWER than what the online calculators were telling me, which can make a huge difference to weight loss, as you know!
And once I get to my goal, this formula will enable me to really pinpoint how to maintain my weight.
How cool is that!?!?
Does that all make sense the way I explained it?
But if you want to know what your specific numbers are personally, here's the best way I've seen yet. It requires that you keep track (I keep and Excel spreadsheet) of your daily NET calories (after exercise) and weight loss for at least a month (you can recreate it from MFP if you're good about recording). Once you have that data, here's what you do:
1. Add up all the NET calories for the month.
2. Add up all the pounds you lost for the month, and multiply that number by 3500 (which is the number of calories in a pound).
3. Add the Totals together (NET calories + (pounds lost X 3500)).
4. Divide that number by 30 (days in the month).
THAT is your personal TDEE. It will change daily, weekly, monthly, but if you have say 6 months or even a year's worth of stats, you can get a really good picture of your personal calorie needs.
If you are still losing weight, take your new TDEE and apply your cut (20% or whatever), and that's the number of calories per day (on average) that you need to be eating to continue your weight loss.
I just applied this to my numbers since Jan. 1, 2012 and got an answer TO THE CALORIE of what I had observed my maintenance to be when I did a reset the last two months. TO THE CALORIE! And that was 200 calories A DAY LOWER than what the online calculators were telling me, which can make a huge difference to weight loss, as you know!
And once I get to my goal, this formula will enable me to really pinpoint how to maintain my weight.
How cool is that!?!?
Does that all make sense the way I explained it?
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Replies
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Totally makes sense. Thank you Alice for posting this, I appreciate it and I'm sure others will as well.0
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I just calculated my TDEE for the 8 weeks I've been on MFP--it's 1947. So I could *net* 1447 calories a day to lose a pound a week. Sounds about right, as I've been losing an average of 1.6 pounds per week eating 1500-1800 calories per day (netting around 1000-1100 after exercise). Pretty cool!0
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bump0
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Thanks! I will save this for later and try it out as I am just about ready to go on maintenance.0
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Bump ... To calculate later this month0
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Thanks, this could be useful
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Bump0
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bump0
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This is very cool. I'll take some time to do this today. I am curious!0
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Okay, just did this for the last two months. I thought MFP's estimate was low, based on the rate at which I have been losing weight.
My TDEE is 2412- even higher than I thought!
So, to lose at a pound a week (deficit of 500 cals a day), I can eat 1912 a day. Wow! No wonder I've been so hungry on 1540 calories.
So if I increase my daily calories to 1900 a day, exercise is already taken in to account, right? So I wouldn't add those in to the total I could eat. Am I right on this?
My hesitation about that is that if I don't add the calories back in so I can eat them, my motivation for exercise will decrease...0 -
Interesting, might give this a try and see how it compares to what I am already doing.0
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Those are your real numbers, so you don't add anything extra.0
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I got as far as "add up all your net calories for the month" and my mind glazed over.0
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This seems pretty accurate. My TDEE is 2049. To lose 2lbs per week, i'd have to eat 1000 calories per day below that (or 1049). I am eating closer to 1200 per day, and averaging 2lbs per week exactly. (i'm trying to get some walking in per day too)0
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Bumping this for new folks who've been asking.0
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Thank you, Alison0
