Help calculating activity for TDEE

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smn76237
smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
After reading the message boards here for days, I've decided to give the TDEE-20% a go. I love food and I love exercising, so it seems like a good idea for me.
I have quite a bit to lose. I'm female, 27, 5'0, 187lbs as of this morning, so my BMR according to that scooby website is 1620.
I was going with the standard MFP 1200 net for a few weeks, but once I stepped up my workout routine, I noticed I was feeling weak and hungry all the time. My workout routine last week for example was the following:

Mon-45 minutes circuit training with a trainer (it varies every day; we use kettle bells, med balls, weights, stairs, trx, burpees, mountain climbers, running, etc)
Tues-75 minute power yoga class (we are not in active poses all 75 minutes obviously, there's probably 10-20 minutes of resting poses in there)
Wed-45 minutes circuit training with trainer
Thurs-75 minute power yoga class
Fri--60 minute beginner yoga (not intensive, though I'm thinking I should just take it off as a rest day)
Sat--circuit training without trainer (I probably take more rest than with the trainer because I'm there for 60 minutes usually)
Sun--light jogging/walking for 30 minutes, and also a 75 minute power yoga class.

My job is totally sedentary though, so I'm sitting the rest of the day when I'm not doing the above activities. How should I classify that activity for TDEE? I think I need to eat more than I have been...I've been eating more than my BMR a lot of days, but once I add in exercise, my net probably is less than my BMR. Any help/advice is greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    Set your activity level to sedentary and then log your exercise calories every day. That way, you'll be eating more on the days you worked out more.
  • Chrissiecurit
    Chrissiecurit Posts: 74 Member
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    Set your activity level to sedentary and then log your exercise calories every day. That way, you'll be eating more on the days you worked out more.

    This is what I do. I used Sedentary (which is pretty close to what my FitBit says as well) and then I eat back 1/2 to 3/4 of my calories burned during exercise to refuel my body. I usually don't eat them all back just to make up for any inaccuracies throughout the day in calories in food or how much I really burned. I use a HRM when exercising so I consider that *pretty* accurate though.

    Hope that helps!
    Chrissie
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
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    Thanks ladies! I'll give it a go. If I set it as sedentary, though on days I don't exercise it has me eating below my BMR. Is that right?
  • windyday61
    windyday61 Posts: 26 Member
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    Bump
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
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    I hate to bump my own post but I'm confused about my last question. If I set my activity level as sedentary and eat back exercise calories, on days when I'm not working out my TDEE-20% is less than my BMR. Is that right?
  • onsugarhill
    onsugarhill Posts: 39 Member
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    What are the specific numbers? If they're not too far apart, it's probably not a big deal which number you pick. If I were you, I'd start with the higher number (BMR).
  • jenifr818
    jenifr818 Posts: 805 Member
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    I hate to bump my own post but I'm confused about my last question. If I set my activity level as sedentary and eat back exercise calories, on days when I'm not working out my TDEE-20% is less than my BMR. Is that right?

    If you set it as sedentary, and you don't exercise on that day, just eat your BMR. Let's say your BMR is 1000 (Obviously it's not, but I'm a blond, simple math is good :wink: ). Most calculators will put TDEE for sedentary as 1.2 times your BMR, so your TDEE for that day would be 1200. Subtract 20%. You're back to 1000, so you're still eating the minimum amount.

    Edit to say that I'm a total idiot that should actually use a calculator before trying to mentally work with simple numbers. Apparently 20% of 1200 is not 1000, it's 960. Ugh.
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
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    My BMR is 1620. 1620x1.2=1,944. Subtracting 20% is 1,555. 65 calories isn't that big of a difference. So then, on MFP, should I set my net goal as 1620?
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    SMH. TDEE is not MFP and people need to understand that before they reply. You are not sedentary, so if you want to use the TDEE method get that out of your head bc you have to include all your activity in getting the appropriate number. Since its mostly yoga involved I would choose moderate (3-5 hrs) and go from there. Give it a few weeks and increase if needed. On the days you don't workout, eat BETWEEN your BMR and TDEE with cut; not below your BMR. Also if you choose TDEE, you do not eat back any calories since they are already included.
  • Carolyn_79
    Carolyn_79 Posts: 935 Member
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    SMH. TDEE is not MFP and people need to understand that before they reply. You are not sedentary, so if you want to use the TDEE method get that out of your head bc you have to include all your activity in getting the appropriate number. Since its mostly yoga involved I would choose moderate (3-5 hrs) and go from there. Give it a few weeks and increase if needed. On the days you don't workout, eat BETWEEN your BMR and TDEE with cut; not below your BMR. Also if you choose TDEE, you do not eat back any calories since they are already included.

    This. Couldn't have said it any better.
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Options
    SMH. TDEE is not MFP and people need to understand that before they reply. You are not sedentary, so if you want to use the TDEE method get that out of your head bc you have to include all your activity in getting the appropriate number. Since its mostly yoga involved I would choose moderate (3-5 hrs) and go from there. Give it a few weeks and increase if needed. On the days you don't workout, eat BETWEEN your BMR and TDEE with cut; not below your BMR. Also if you choose TDEE, you do not eat back any calories since they are already included.

    Thanks! Your answer was more along the lines I expected. My TDEE-20% including 3-5 hours of moderate activity is 2009. Do I set my MFP goal as that number? (and then obviously not add back exercise calories).
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    Options
    SMH. TDEE is not MFP and people need to understand that before they reply. You are not sedentary, so if you want to use the TDEE method get that out of your head bc you have to include all your activity in getting the appropriate number. Since its mostly yoga involved I would choose moderate (3-5 hrs) and go from there. Give it a few weeks and increase if needed. On the days you don't workout, eat BETWEEN your BMR and TDEE with cut; not below your BMR. Also if you choose TDEE, you do not eat back any calories since they are already included.

    Thanks! Your answer was more along the lines I expected. My TDEE-20% including 3-5 hours of moderate activity is 2009. Do I set my MFP goal as that number? (and then obviously not add back exercise calories).

    Yep or log exercise as 1 cal burned. I do that bc I log and track my lifts etc.
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Options
    SMH. TDEE is not MFP and people need to understand that before they reply. You are not sedentary, so if you want to use the TDEE method get that out of your head bc you have to include all your activity in getting the appropriate number. Since its mostly yoga involved I would choose moderate (3-5 hrs) and go from there. Give it a few weeks and increase if needed. On the days you don't workout, eat BETWEEN your BMR and TDEE with cut; not below your BMR. Also if you choose TDEE, you do not eat back any calories since they are already included.

    Thanks! Your answer was more along the lines I expected. My TDEE-20% including 3-5 hours of moderate activity is 2009. Do I set my MFP goal as that number? (and then obviously not add back exercise calories).

    Yep or log exercise as 1 cal burned. I do that bc I log and track my lifts etc.

    Great, I'm going to try this number out and see where it gets me! Thanks for your help.

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