Difference between TDEE and MFP

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jss1184
jss1184 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a quick question. My caloric intake, acoording to MFP, to lose 2 lbs a week, without exercise, states I should have 1720 calories a day. 80% of my TDEE is 2392. Which one is correct?

I do exercise and eat most of my calories back.

Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    How much exercise do you get a day? That is, how many calories are you burning?

    If you are burning 600-800, the two numbers are well within a reasonable margin of error and you can choose whichever you prefer to work with.

    if you are burning less than that in exercise, you will have to experiment to see which one fits you better.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    I have a quick question. My caloric intake, acoording to MFP, to lose 2 lbs a week, without exercise, states I should have 1720 calories a day. 80% of my TDEE is 2392. Which one is correct?

    I do exercise and eat most of my calories back.

    Both could be right. You are not comparing the same thing, as MFP expects you to eat back exercise cals, so your 1720 will be more by the time you've exercised.
  • SmileyFaceGuy
    SmileyFaceGuy Posts: 201
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    Where did you get these numbers?

    1,720 + 1,000 = 2,720 TDEE

    2,392 / 0.8 = 2,990 TDEE

    Where did you get 1,720 and where did you get 2,392 from?
  • jss1184
    jss1184 Posts: 7 Member
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    I burn about 500 - 600 calories. I would expect them to be in the same ball park because, on both, I put that I get about zero activity, desk job. If I put my exercise in the TDEE it allows me to have about 2900 calories. I could just be missing how simple this is! :)
  • jss1184
    jss1184 Posts: 7 Member
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    1720 is my MFP number and I got the TDEE here: http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator

    80% of that is where i got the 2392
  • wannatangle
    wannatangle Posts: 80 Member
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    When I did my numbers and add them up over the week they are very similar. However, I like the idea of eating a consistent amount of calories every day rather than trying to eat more on the days I exercise so I am experimenting with eating more calories every day and not just the days I exercise. Of course, the whole thing sort of confuses me.....
  • jss1184
    jss1184 Posts: 7 Member
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    Bump
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    You're comparing apples to oranges...they're both correct...the method is different. The TDEE method takes into account your exercise in the calculation (unless you did sedentary)...the MFP method assumes no exercise in your daily activity and expects you to eat those calories back when you do exercise. So:

    1,720 + 600 exercise calories to eat back = 2,320 (MFP)

    or TDEE = 2,392

    They're very close...remember that these are just estimates so a variation of those calories is not that big of a deal...I've found that MFP tends to be a little low. Just pick a method and stick with it. If you do the TDEE method make sure you are religious about doing your exercise...if you're not, the assumptions will be invalid and thus the formula.

    Also, if you put yourself sedentary in both, you've selected 2 Lbs for MFP and 80% of TDEE...80% of TDEE is closer to 1 Lb.
  • Cassierocksalot
    Cassierocksalot Posts: 266 Member
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    You're comparing apples to oranges...they're both correct...the method is different. The TDEE method takes into account your exercise in the calculation (unless you did sedentary)...the MFP method assumes no exercise in your daily activity and expects you to eat those calories back when you do exercise. So:

    1,720 + 600 exercise calories to eat back = 2,320 (MFP)

    or TDEE = 2,392

    They're very close...remember that these are just estimates so a variation of those calories is not that big of a deal...I've found that MFP tends to be a little low. Just pick a method and stick with it. If you do the TDEE method make sure you are religious about doing your exercise...if you're not, the assumptions will be invalid and thus the formula.

    Also, if you put yourself sedentary in both, you've selected 2 Lbs for MFP and 80% of TDEE...80% of TDEE is closer to 1 Lb.

    I agree. Personally, I'm not at all consistent with my workouts so I use the MFP estimates and eat back most of my exercise calories (only "most" because I don't have a HRM and don't fully trust the MFP estimates). This works for me because on the days I work out harder, I'm hungrier and since I worked out, I get to eat more!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    MFP takes the amount you say you want to lose per week and deducts that from your calculated calorie needs. 1,000 calories per day for 2 pounds per week. If it is setting you at 1720, then it has calculated your calorie needs at 2720 to maintain weight.
  • jss1184
    jss1184 Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks for the advice. It could have been the website I used for TDEE. I didn't imput any exercise in the parameters.

    I used a different calculator with zero exercise and the TDEE - 20% is 2081. That is closer to the MFP calculation of 1720.

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