Who has lost weight/got in shape using TDEE?

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EstiloPanama
EstiloPanama Posts: 245
in Food and Nutrition
Just wondering. I am considering changing over to TDEE today...but I had a few questions..

1. What site offers the best (most accurate) TDEE Calculator?

2. Does TDEE mean that you do not "eat back" your calories?

3. When inputting fitness on MyFitnessPal while on TDEE, do you count exercise as 'zero' calories per activity?

Thanks for any help. And if this has been addressed already in another thread already (I'm sure it has...), I would appreciate the link as well. :D
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Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    1. I prefer Katsch-McArdle but there's nothing wrong with using multiple estimation methods and comparing. Also, you should be using your results to confirm/adjust intake, as ALL calculators will be an estimation.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    2. Correct. You would not eat back calories using a TDEE method as the estimation will include exercise expenditure.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    3. I just don't enter it, but I think setting the calories to zero should work. EDIT: Apparently you need to use "1" instead of zero, per a poster below.
  • EstiloPanama
    EstiloPanama Posts: 245
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    Thanks. I will be doing this today. You're awesome :D
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
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    I will also add that MFP will not log excercise if you enter 0 calories. It will let you enter 1 calorie which is what I do.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    I will also add that MFP will not log excercise if you enter 0 calories. It will let you enter 1 calorie which is what I do.

    ^ Thank you. I wasn't sure since I don't enter exercise.
  • EstiloPanama
    EstiloPanama Posts: 245
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    Oh, gracias : ) Good to know !
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
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    Also prepare to have your friends post "lol u must be workin hard u only burned 1 cal lol" constantly on your posts.

    Good luck!
  • paygep
    paygep Posts: 401 Member
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    bump
  • harribeau2012
    harribeau2012 Posts: 644 Member
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    Hi, I have just switched over this week and I have decided to just not log exercise as it confuses me (bit thick) and I see the extra calories and want to eat them back!! which would defeat the whole thing as TDEE has included exercise (roughly). Best of luck to you! :flowerforyou:
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
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    However, if you DO want to enter your exercise, just calculate your TDEE with sedentary or lightly active as your activity level, in which case you can also log exercise and eat back those calories.
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
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    I recently calculated my actual TDEE based on ten weeks of weight loss, and as a result, I increased my calorie intake but am no longer eating my exercise calories.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
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    Fitnessfrog has a calculator. MyTDEE - 20% = 1019C. Not much but I am short. I never eat back my exercise calories and I am not hungry.
  • krystina_letitia9
    krystina_letitia9 Posts: 697 Member
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    Fitnessfrog has a calculator. MyTDEE - 20% = 1019C. Not much but I am short.

    How short are you? I'm 5'1" and my TDEE - 15% is 1876 (granted, I have taken into account I'm moderately active). Did you make an error in your calculations? That seems dramatically low to me.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Just wondering. I am considering changing over to TDEE today...but I had a few questions..

    1. What site offers the best (most accurate) TDEE Calculator?

    I use this:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    2. Does TDEE mean that you do not "eat back" your calories?

    Generally speaking, people include their exercise as part of their activity. Make sure you are religiously following an exercise routine or your formula will be off. When I first started using the TDEE - 20% method I still did sedentary and ate my exercise calories back, but I was not yet in a good routine. I am now in a pretty religious routine, so I include in my activity level setting.

    3. When inputting fitness on MyFitnessPal while on TDEE, do you count exercise as 'zero' calories per activity?

    I don't even bother logging exercise at all. I know I did it...no need to log it. I do keep manual spreadsheets to account for my weight lifting sessions...what weight I used...if I failed or too easy, etc. I also keep a log of my HIIT workouts in RE to what HR zones I was working in and what my average was so I can monitor my intensity levels.

    The TDEE method has worked very well for me and I'm averaging roughly 1 Lb per week loss just as intended.

    Also, remember to adjust your TDEE every five pounds or so lost.
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
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    You're obviously free to do whatever you want, but why bother with the complication?
    I don't even know what my TDEE is, and I don't need to know, nor do I care what it is.
    MFP's method (as published) worked for me in my weight loss period, and it has worked for me while on maintenance (since November of 2011).
    I don't question the validity of an alternate approach -- it has worked for others -- I personally just don't see the need.
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
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    bump
  • _chiaroscuro
    _chiaroscuro Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I can't really add advice to what folks with more expertise here have said but I just wanted to let you know that in my limited experience...this rocks. I've lost 6 pounds, I'm happy and energized, and I eat all the foods. Good luck and enjoy!!
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 626 Member
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    Thanks. I will be doing this today. You're awesome :D

    I highly recommend you just enter yourself as Sedentary for the TDEE calculations then subtract 500 from that number for your total daily goal and then eat back exercise calories.

    This will give you a steady average of 1 pound a week loss while accounting for variables such as times you cannot make it to the gym and such. If you enter Active or Very Active because you go gymming 7 days a week, then you cant for 3 or 4 days or even worse more...your numbers will be wrong. I rather just do it case by case and log/eat my calories per exercise.

    Food for thought, I've been doing it for 6 months and down 30 pounds with about 7 to go before I hit my 10% BF goal.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
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    Fitnessfrog has a calculator. MyTDEE - 20% = 1019C. Not much but I am short.

    How short are you? I'm 5'1" and my TDEE - 15% is 1876 (granted, I have taken into account I'm moderately active). Did you make an error in your calculations? That seems dramatically low to me.

    I am 5 foot nothing. I weigh about 101. When I weighed more my number was higher.
  • SaintsGal
    SaintsGal Posts: 62
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    I am using TDEE cut of 1750 calories daily including exercise.

    I then log my exercise of 300 calories (because I want to keep track) I do not eat those calories back though do I? Even though my net calories is then only around 1450 calories?

    xx
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 626 Member
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    I am using TDEE cut of 1750 calories daily including exercise.

    I then log my exercise of 300 calories (because I want to keep track) I do not eat those calories back though do I? Even though my net calories is then only around 1450 calories?

    xx

    Scroll up and read my last post for a more detailed answer to your question but in short, no. You dont have a "net" when you are using exercise bulked into your TDEE. You have a net when you go by BMR.

    I always recommend entering Sedentary for TDEE.
    Again example would be: (These numbers are purely hypothetical to illustrate my point)

    Your body burns 1200 calories at rest (BMR)
    Your body burns 600 calories from daily activies (walking to car, showering, vacuuming, typing)

    If you were to do TDEE, you would need about 1800 per day to maintain your current weight. So subtracting the normal 500 from that to achieve a 1 pound a week average loss would put you at 1300 calories. Therfore you will aim at 1300 calories per day for non-exercise days....and then aim for 1300 + (exercise calories burned) on exercise days.

    If you are claiming something higher then sedentary due to packaging your exercise in there, you would get a higher number then 1800...and not need to eat exercise calories....but that just leads to innaccurate logging.



    **PS** If you work a highly active day job, you may be fine doing TDEE at a higher rate then sedentary and STILL eating back calories...I'm just going under the general assumption of the average user who is at a desk job.

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