TDEE & MFP settings question

I'm not sure where you're getting the numbers. If your TDEE is 2000 with your exercise included then you take your deficit (sine you don't have a lot to lose I'd use 10%) off your TDEE and that is what you eat and don't add any exercise.

If you want to use BMR at 1350 then multiply that by at least 1.2 for sedentary or 1.45 for moderately active plus eat your exercise (actually that's your choice).

It's best to pick a method and stick with it. Trying to cross between one to the other just makes for confusion.

Scooby's calculator includes exercise in your activity level, so you don't eat back your exercise calories. When you manually override your MFP settings, the activity level makes no difference.

Can someone comment on why we cannot just use the guided calculations on MFP? Seems to me many people go to other websites to get their numbers and then manually input it on this site. Why?

Bump

Scooby's calculator includes exercise in your activity level, so you don't eat back your exercise calories. When you manually override your MFP settings, the activity level makes no difference.

So if set my goal @1495 and exercise 500 still eat 1495?

Yes cause on days you don't workout and burn nothing you still eat 1495. That way for the week eating 1200 plus exercise cals should be close to eating 1495 everyday. Lets say you burn 500 cals 4 times/week so you would eat 10,400 (1200*7+500*4) according to MFP or 10,465 (1495*7) using Scooby's, almost the same amount for the entire week.

Read this it explains it all and how to customize your MFP page


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12:

I used the TDEE calculator on the scooby workshop site and let's say my TDEE is 2000, my BMR is 1350 and my caloric needs according to my activity level is 1490. Do I change my MFP to 1490 and sedentary and NOT log my exercise? Or do i leave it 1200 set my activity level to 3-5 days week and eat back my exercise calories? I'm confused!! You think I'd have it figured out since I have already lost weight, but I'm at a standstill and want to start it moving again

You can do it either way...one is the TDEE method (don't log or eat back exercise calories)...the other is the MFP method (log and eat back calories). Often, the MFP method is easier for new people because they don't have an established and consistent exercise routine so their calorie burns are all over the place...this can make utilizing the TDEE method very difficult and obviously if you missed/skipped exercise, it would throw your whole formula off.

I started with the MFP method to lose 1 Lb per week and ate back roughly 80% of my exercise calories back and consistently lost 1 Lb per week. When I got into a consistent routine of exercise, I moved to the TDEE method...but that was only when I got comfortable with my routine and I could see I was burning xxx calories per day and xxx calories per week.

It works out roughly the same....MFP's goal for me was 1,890...when I ate back my exercise calories I averaged anywhere from 2,050 to 2,250 depending on the day...and on average burn 1,770 calories per week doing exercise. When that became evidently routine I just upped my calories from 1,890 to 2,150 (TDEE - 20%) to account for that exercise and no longer log it or eat those calories back...it's just set and built in. I just have to be aware that any change to my routine is going to mess with my formula.

Can someone comment on why we cannot just use the guided calculations on MFP? Seems to me many people go to other websites to get their numbers and then manually input it on this site. Why?

Because it's no longer working for me

Yes I got that.

Sorry to ask a general question, but for many people either starting out or not, I have seen on this forum that they calculate their numbers on other sites and then input them on MFP. My question is, have people established that MFP calculations are erroneous?

I think the biggest "problem" with MFP is that people don't enter their information correctly. They underestimate their activity level and set their goals too high. Often TDEE- % is similar if they actually work out the goals the same way (TDEE-10% is going to be closer to losing half a pound a week for example.)

Can someone comment on why we cannot just use the guided calculations on MFP? Seems to me many people go to other websites to get their numbers and then manually input it on this site. Why?

You can...the MFP method is perfectly valid as long as you're doing it correctly...many people don't...they refuse to eat back exercise calories, etc because they do not understand the MFP method. Also, many people take a very aggressive approach with MFP and MFP won't stop you from doing so. MFP won't tell you that your weight loss goals are too aggressive and result in calorie intake below your BMR...other calculators do tell you this.

For example, 2 Lbs per week loss goal is not a valid approach unless you have about 50+ Lbs to lose...less than that and the gap between your TDEE and BMR is usually too small for that kind of deficit and results in a calorie intake below your BMR (that's a very f'ing bad thing). Many people stay on the same loss goal into perpetuity...shouldn't be that way...the loss goal should get smaller the closer you get to goal weight because that gap between TDEE and BMR gets smaller and smaller and smaller to the point where someone with 10 Lbs to lose really can't go beyond 1/2 Lb loss goal without going below their BMR.

I personally use the TDEE method because it's easier to just plan my calories for the day and know what those are day to day rather than starting with some number...doing some exercise and then having to get some more food in me to fuel it. At this point, for me, it's set it and forget it...though the MFP method was helpful early on and I usually recommend newbies use it...and use it properly.

Can someone comment on why we cannot just use the guided calculations on MFP? Seems to me many people go to other websites to get their numbers and then manually input it on this site. Why?

I do! I've run my numbers using other sites like Scooby's, and my average daily calories works out almost exactly the same, but I'd rather eat my exercise calories on the day I burn them rather than average them out over the week because:
1. It makes me actually do the exercise
2. I'm ravenous after a workout!