TDEE- Can't get my head around this

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Amribor2
Amribor2 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so I just joined MFP this week and got everything dialed in etc. Yesterday I started exploring the message boards and came across the TDEE/BMR concepts of weight loss. I am having a real hard time believing that eating more is going to help me lose weight. I lost approximately 35 pounds about ten years ago with a low fat approach and I admit I wasn't happy and eventually gained it all back and then some. This time I decided it would be a calories in vs calories out approach along with moderate exercise at least 5 days a week. Again I just started a week ago. Then I come across this TDEE/BMR approach and I am intrigued. Please let me know from you if you have tried this and what your results were.

Thanks,
Rob

Replies

  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    The TDEE method works entirely different to MFP. It works by you logging every single bit if physical exercise you do, how many hours you sleep, etc. in the "average day" and then works you how much in total you burn in calories per day. It then tells you to subtract 20% from this and you will be creating a big enough deficit to lose around 1lb per week.
    Of course, it works. But if people lie or get it wrong about how much physical exercise they get per day or their schedule changes, that's when it can get complicated as you have to re-calculate. For people with a strict regime or who do the same thing every day, it's perfect.

    MFP is good for if it varies day to day and you are new as it gets you into the idea of calorie counting and creating deficits without being as complicated to get your head around.

    Both methods have worked for people and can work for anyone, it's just whichever you prefer.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    The idea of eating more to lose more is definitely a scary one, as it completely goes against what most of us are taught about weight loss. With TDEE, you calculate your maintenance calories based on your stats and how active you are and then subtract 10%-20% from that number depending on your weight loss goals.
    When I first signed up for MFP, my goal was to lose 64lbs from my start weight. I simply picked the most aggressive weight loss goal (2lbs a week), set my activity level at "Light", and got a calorie goal of 1420 plus exercise calories. That worked well enough for about 5 weeks, and then I started to stall out. After reading so many success stories using the TDEE method, I decided to bump my net calories to 1600 (which is just above my BMR) and I eat back most of my exercise calories. On days that I exercise (about 4-5 times a week), this puts me pretty close the calorie goal of around 1900 that I would have if I used the traditional TDEE calculations minus 20% (at lightly active). I've only been at it a few days, but I've lost almost 2 lbs this week.
    I will tweak my numbers if I need to, but now I'm less afraid to eat more! I do watch my macros, but I'm mostly focused on trying to max out my protein goal. You don't have to eat at a huge calorie deficit. As long as you don't eat at or above your maintenance calories, you should lose weight.
  • wmoomoo
    wmoomoo Posts: 159 Member
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    Using MFP, you eat back the calories you burn. Using TDEE, you do not eat back the calories you burn. If you are eating at TDEE, you are trying to maintain weight. Eating at -5%-20% of TDEE for weight loss. Eating over TDEE to gain weight/bulk. Both are still taking into account of calories in vs calories out.
  • Ronnie715
    Ronnie715 Posts: 29
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    It sound like the MFP approach and TDEE approach are to same thing. Am I reading this wrong?
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    Just food for thought:

    Any weight loss approach is going to "work" if you follow the rules. The problem is that most of these programs/approaches are not something that you can live with forever. It's no surprise that you gained all the weight back from your low fat diet. Fat is a necessary macro-nutrient that your body needs, and there are certain types of fat that your body doesn't produce (like Omega-3), and it has other benefits such as satiety. There's only so many times a person can refuse fatty foods!

    The best advice I ever received is the key to weight loss is balance. Start slowly, and change your bad habits to good ones. Also, don't deprive yourself of anything, because seriously, can you get through the rest of your life (happily) without EVER having a slice of cake? or fries? or pasta? or chocolate?

    Learn how to cook healthy meals that you love, and treat yourself once in a while. Don't start a certain weight loss program that you know you can't live with forever.

    Sorry I didn't answer your specific questions, just wanted to share with you what I wish someone told me at the beginning of my many, many attempts to lose weight.
  • frood
    frood Posts: 295 Member
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    I am having a real hard time believing that eating more is going to help me lose weight. I lost approximately 35 pounds about ten years ago with a low fat approach and I admit I wasn't happy and eventually gained it all back and then some.

    You kind of answer your own question. Crazy restrictions don't work because you can't maintain them. It's a balance between consuming enough that you don't feel drained/deprived and creating a deficit to burn off excess. A more modest deficit (as in, eating "more") is less agonizing and easier to sustain in the long term. Good luck!
  • Amribor2
    Amribor2 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks for the replies everyone. It is just the difference in caloric intake that I find odd between the two approaches. I am going to give this a shot for the next couple of weeks and see where it goes. My wife has lost about 18 pounds using MFP and she too is going to try the TDEE approach and see what happens. Again thaks for the input.
  • mbreed75
    mbreed75 Posts: 125 Member
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    I been following IPOARM and EMTWL since i joined this site. I am happy with the results.
  • LBJordan99
    LBJordan99 Posts: 25 Member
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    bump

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