TDEE v MFP - Please Help !

mommypenney
mommypenney Posts: 26
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,
I'm on a mission to lose 14lbs-21lbs by April 26th 2013 as I have an operation.
I have spent most of the afternoon looking at Scooby's workshop where he calculates your BMR & TDEE and gives you your Cut (daily calories). For me this works out at 1998 cals a day including my exercise which is 20 mins a day '30 day shred'. I also selected the 20% fat loss option. This seemed fine but after reading forums on MFP on this subject many people were questioning why MFP daily calories is so different.
I have just entered my weight and goal to see what MFP suggests and it has advised 1390 and then I obviously add my calories burned which I know I eat back so that takes me to 1590 as 30 day shred is apparently around 200 cals burnt for the 20 mins.
Even with my excerise this is around 38% less than my TDEE and actually slightly lower than my BMR which is 1611.
So why does it seem that MFP has gone too low as I've always been led to believe that you shouldn't go below your BMR.
If it helps I am 182lbs and 5ft 8.5 inches. I work in sales and I'm at a desk all day but will be doing my 30 day shred every day and 20 min walk at lunch. I really need somebody's help cos I want to make sure I'm doind this right as its so important this weight is off by April.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.
xx

Replies

  • Danni3ll3
    Danni3ll3 Posts: 365 Member
    I suggest that you look at your BMR again. It seem rather high to me as mine is between 1319 and 1378 depending on which calculator I use. I was using MFP's calculations which put me at 1200 calories and eating back part of my calories and I got nowhere. I was yoyoing up and down with no definite downwards trend. I decided to do the TDEE thing like you have and settled at slightly more than the recommended 20% calorie deficit (1500 cal seemed like nice round number for me). So far it has been working for me and I am on a steady downward trend. I don't think I was eating enough under the MFP plan and was probably under my BMR on most days so that might explain why I was stuck. Like I said, make sure that your BMR is accurate and then go from there.
  • mommypenney
    mommypenney Posts: 26
    Hi,
    Thanks for your reply. I have tried 3 different BMR calculators and they all come up around the same - 1618,1611 etc so I guess its right. I'm probably either alot taller than you or alot heavier or both. Lol! x
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,320 Member
    Why MFP's numbers are the way they are, I am not sure. However, I would start with the TDEE minus 20% and see how that works for a couple of weeks. It is by far the preferable manner since a large deficit results in more loss of muscle mass.
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
    I think your BMR is correct or close enough. Not sure why MFP is giving you such a low number, but keep in mind that it's not a number to eat under--you want to eat at what MFP tells you. I think you can safely go as low as 1600, but no reason for you to eat that little if you don't want to. Did you figure MFP at sedentary? If so, don't. Figure it at active (if you are going to work out daily) and then add your exercise. Otherwise, just put in your BMR and don't eat below that even if you neglect to work out. I think you can safely eat at a net of 1600 (or 1620 if you prefer) and lose plenty of weight. Think you can probably eat as much as 2000 a day and still lose, but start at 1700 or 1800 and see how that works for a while (1600 + exercise).
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
    I prefer tdee minus 20% and not eating back exercise calories that way you don't over or underestimate how much you burned working out.
  • mommypenney
    mommypenney Posts: 26
    Thank you. I think that's what I'm going to do for now. I've also read that reducing and increasing your calories daily can help keep your body guessing and stop it plateu'ing. Only by 50-100 cals a day. Have you heard about that before?
  • mommypenney
    mommypenney Posts: 26
    Hi,
    I put my activity as light as I am only doing my 30 day shred with a bit of walking. Most of my day is at a desk. I do have 2 toddlers but by the time I pick them up from pre-school there in bed within an hour and a half so there is not much exercise with them during the week.
    I mentioned to someone else that I have heard about changing your calories daily to keep your body guessing, only by about 100 cals a day so maybe I'll do that. If I follow the TDEE method then if there is a day I don't exercise (which I hope there isn't) then I will drop it down to 1600 cals. I'm just concious that health professionals say the biggest problem is people not knowing what they are burning through exercise and in that respect dont eat enough and thats where the problem lies with plateu'ing or not losing weight.
    Thanks for your advice x
  • mommypenney
    mommypenney Posts: 26
    Hi
    That's what I like about TDEE too. I just hope that selecting 'moderate activity 3-5 hours per week' is about right. I know I can lose this weight I just need to know I'm going about it the right way as April will be here before I know it.
    Thanks for your advice x
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
    Make sure you are using a BMR calculator that takes body fat % into account. It will prbly be much much lower than 1600 cals.
  • pmart611
    pmart611 Posts: 17 Member
    I think you would do best by sticking to the MFP 1200 net calorie goal if you want to lose weight. I am 5'9" and probably close to your body type and I can tell you what worked for me was eating a good calorie-constrained diet and it was very important to balance the diet with exercise. Be sure you are getting enough exercise such as brisk walking at lunchtime, I recommend 30 - 35 minutes. This burns about 200 calories that you can add to your food allowance. Plus, be sure to get some resistance training in at least 3 times a week. This is important to build your muscles while you are losing pounds so the weight you lose is body fat and not muscle. Plus, muscle burns more calories. I got an AeroPilates machine:happy: and have used it almost every day in 2012 which really boosted my weight loss through low impact cardio and resistance exercise. I am very happy with 75 lbs lost and a toned body in 11 months. MFP helps you focus on making each day a "complete" day with a balance of food and exercise. Hope this helps. Good luck!
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    Better explanations are here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

    Remember give it at least a month to see if you need to go up or down.
  • mommypenney
    mommypenney Posts: 26
    Thanks for the links. I have just been on Military Fitness and entered all my stats including BF and its saying that I should be having 2234 a day which ia 236 more calories than Scoobys workshop. This is what frustrates me. All these websites say it is as easy as 1,2,3 but I'm quite an intellectual women yet it has taken me nearly all day of researching and asking questions on forums and I'm still none the wiser as to what to do. One of the suggestions to my question has been to go to 1200 calories and eat back what I burn. Surely not? Does this not go against everything I have read today? Oh my poor head! Lol!
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Please keep in mind that all of these numbers are merely estimates, so your results will vary. Pick one and stick to it for a couple of weeks. If you aren't getting the results you want, modify. Nobody has your exact metabolism.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    MFP will ultimately set your goal based on how much weight you tell it you want to lose per week. So, you do your calculations but then you say that you want to lose 2 pounds per week, it will subtract 1,000 calories per day, but with a limit of 1200 minimum.

    Since you are only trying to lose only about 20 pounds, you should set to 1 pound a week at the most. It will subtract 500 calories per day instead of 1,000. This is probably a more reasonable goal and more in line with the TDEE - 20% numbers.
  • mommypenney
    mommypenney Posts: 26
    Thanks everybody. I'll go with the 20% under TDEE which for me is 1998 and see how I get on. I'll give it a couple of weeks and if I don't see any change I'll re-assess. I've taken my measurements too. Could anyone recommend how often you re-take your measurements. Would fortnightly be too quick or should I leave it and do it monthly?
  • avidove
    avidove Posts: 1
    First, look at your diet plan.
    Eat every two hours every day, starting with breakfast and ending with dinner.
    When I seriously started doing this, I cooked a casserole each Sunday, portioned it out for each workday of the week into little plastic tubs.

    7am -- 200 cal breakfast
    9am -- a banana
    11am - 300 cal 1st lunch
    1pm -- 300 cal 2nd lunch
    3pm -- 300 cal snack (apple, pineapples, whatever)
    5pm -- dinner

    Guess what? It works! and you don't go hungry because you are eating all day long!
    STAY AWAY FROM BREADS AND PASTA!!!!!
    Eat your veggies!!

    FAST RESULTS!
  • Danni3ll3
    Danni3ll3 Posts: 365 Member
    You are going to need to choose one or the other (MFP and eating back all of your calories or the TDEE -20%). It is up to you but as previously mentioned, give it a month to see if it works. MFP didn't work for me, probably because I wasn't eating back all of my calories and I find having a steady number to aim for whether I exercise or not easier for me not to mention that it is working. I also need to give you a caveat about my advice. I lost most of my weight before I joined MFP and did so because I got stuck losing the last little bit. The last bit is the hardest so reading all the posts on here had my head spinning just like yours is right now. I decided to do MFP and since it didn't seem to be working, I changed but like I said, it probably didn't work because I wasn't eating all of my exercise calories back. Tons of people have lost weight on MFP so it obviously works if you follow its recommendations. Tons of people have also lots weight on the other method so it works too. Just pick what you can live with and do it.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Please keep in mind that all of these numbers are merely estimates, so your results will vary. Pick one and stick to it for a couple of weeks. If you aren't getting the results you want, modify. Nobody has your exact metabolism.

    This. Excellent advice!

    You can have two people who are the same weight, same height and same activity level but they can have different BMR's. Since it is all a guess - pick a number in the middle, try it for a month or so and see how it works. If it isn't working, adjust accordingly.

    My BMR is right around 1300. I can easily maintain my weight by consuming around 2300 net calories (heck, I go through periods where I eat closer to 3000). So, it is all a numbers game and it takes time to master it.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    As you are just starting I would sugest to follow MFP. The way MFP is set up is great. It takes into account the exercise you said you are going to perform then creates a deficit based on that. Once you do the exercise you log it and it gives you more calories to eat. I found it was more of an incentive to work out by using this method.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    Hi all,
    I'm on a mission to lose 14lbs-21lbs by April 26th 2013 as I have an operation.
    I have spent most of the afternoon looking at Scooby's workshop where he calculates your BMR & TDEE and gives you your Cut (daily calories). For me this works out at 1998 cals a day including my exercise which is 20 mins a day '30 day shred'. I also selected the 20% fat loss option. This seemed fine but after reading forums on MFP on this subject many people were questioning why MFP daily calories is so different.
    I have just entered my weight and goal to see what MFP suggests and it has advised 1390 and then I obviously add my calories burned which I know I eat back so that takes me to 1590 as 30 day shred is apparently around 200 cals burnt for the 20 mins.
    Even with my excerise this is around 38% less than my TDEE and actually slightly lower than my BMR which is 1611.
    So why does it seem that MFP has gone too low as I've always been led to believe that you shouldn't go below your BMR.
    If it helps I am 182lbs and 5ft 8.5 inches. I work in sales and I'm at a desk all day but will be doing my 30 day shred every day and 20 min walk at lunch. I really need somebody's help cos I want to make sure I'm doind this right as its so important this weight is off by April.
    Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.
    xx

    So according to your calculations, if you workout every day, you will maintain your weight at around 2000 cals (TDEE) if you want to lose 1 pound per week, you need to eat 500 cals less per day= 1500 per day. But you don't eat back your calories since they are already included in your TDEE.
    Don't worry about eating less than your BMR, as if you have extra weight to lose, you can eat a little below that number. 100 cals below is no big deal.

    A pound a week will give you about 16 pounds lost by your target date.

    If you have less than a 500 a day deficit, then you will lose less than 1 pound a week. SO if you eat more than 1500 per day, you will need to exercise more if you want to lose that pound a week.

    There is no magic science to it, just math. You can do it if you stick to it.

    There is also a lot of trial and error involved. Calculators can give you a good baseline to start with, but how your body actually responds will be the key. Try the 1500 for a few weeks and if you aren't seeing a consistent loss, then lower it a bit. If you are losing too quickly and are feeling hungry or fatigued, then up it a little bit.
  • mommypenney
    mommypenney Posts: 26
    Hi
    I've just checked the calculation again and my TDEE to maintain my weight is 2498. My calories based on 20% calorie deduction is the 1998 that I mentioned. So it has already reduced my calories by around 500 like you're suggesting.
    So should I go by this cos you are suggesting that I actually have another 500 less?
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Hi
    I've just checked the calculation again and my TDEE to maintain my weight is 2498. My calories based on 20% calorie deduction is the 1998 that I mentioned. So it has already reduced my calories by around 500 like you're suggesting.
    So should I go by this cos you are suggesting that I actually have another 500 less?

    No, I believe that she was taking 1998 as your TDEE, not your 20% cut. So you are correct. If you do not see results in a month or so, then reevaluate at that time.
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    ninja'd by Deksgrl

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