TDEE vs goal calories?

brendabryden
brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My goal calories are 1200 - I usually earn 300 extra from excercise. Normally I eat around 1400 or 1500 calories less my exercise calories equals a net of 1100 or 1200.

Now my TDEE says my daily calories are 1376 (which is a 20% reduction) - I understand you don't eat back excercise calories - but if I eat 1376 and do my same exercise which burns 300 calories I just burned off 300 of the 1376 I just ate so in the end isn't my net calories really 1076?

So I believe I would be better counting calories or my end calories will be very low.

Replies

  • 2EggsSeparated
    2EggsSeparated Posts: 107
    I think you may have your TDEE and your BMR confused.

    Your BMR is your calorie burn if you couldn't even be bothered to get out of bed everyday (1376 sounds reasonable for that).

    Your TDEE is your calories burned if you manage to get out of bed and do things like brush your teeth and wave hello to teh neighbor.
  • 2EggsSeparated
    2EggsSeparated Posts: 107
    Sorry, i'm tired....

    Yes would eat %20 less calories of your TDEE, and yes your exercise calories would already be figured into that, so no you wouldn't eat them back.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Does seem like a really low number for 20% of TDEE....what did you figure your activity level to be when you calculated your numbers? But 2Eggs is right - (assuming you figured things correctly for your activity level), you don't eat back exercise cals with this method as they are already figured into the goal.
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
    I understand that say don't eat exercise calories back, but it just seems to me that in the end with TDEE you actually are netting less calories because you are excersing some of the calories eating away. Sorry I am confused.
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
    I figured activity level at light.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
    also, with only 10 lbs to lose (according to your ticker, anyway) you might be better off with tdee minus 10-15%
    but i agree with the previous poster, 1376 sounds more like your BMR than your TDEE
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    Brenda, if you want to post your info I'm sure someone could figure out the numbers for you. Or if you have any questions on how to figure it out if you want to do it on your own, just ask. Someone can help you out. I agree that 1376 sounds low.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I understand that say don't eat exercise calories back, but it just seems to me that in the end with TDEE you actually are netting less calories. Sorry I am confused.
    It depends on the person and their stats (height/weight/activity level/age). If you feel that the number is too low, you can either figure the numbers at a higher activity level, or stick with lightly active and only take a 15% cut.
  • longtimeterp
    longtimeterp Posts: 614 Member
    My goal calories are 1200 - very low.

    yes that is VERY LOW
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
    weight - 129
    Height 5'4'
    age 55
    activity level light
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    What sort of workouts do you do, how many days a week and for how long? Job?
  • 2EggsSeparated
    2EggsSeparated Posts: 107
    Also, are you trying to combine the number MFP gave you with some other number you got from somewhere else? Because saying that your daily goal calories is 1200 tells me that you're using the number MFP gave you, and then trying to reconcile it with a number you got from somewhere else.
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
    I am a secretary
    Switch between my elliptical and treadmill - 30 minutes per day
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Walking around at your everyday job = TDEE

    Walking outside around on the weekend at the park = Exercise calories.
  • longtimeterp
    longtimeterp Posts: 614 Member
    tdee 1609...losing 10lbs at a good and sustainable rate...1368 (tdee - 15%)....even better, do 45min of elliptical and eat 1700, easier to maintain!!!
  • 2EggsSeparated
    2EggsSeparated Posts: 107
    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    According to that calculator, I got a TDEE for you of 1795, and I basically had you in bed or sitting all day.
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
    I had 1721 - then 20% less is 1376 - so I was assuming those were the calories I was to be eating per day
  • Crazy4Healthy
    Crazy4Healthy Posts: 626 Member
    You were calculating correctly, your TDEE would be around 1,671 for lightly active and -20% would be around 1,337; however, as others have stated, you probably don't want to do more than 10-15% if you only have 10 lbs to lose. I would honestly go with around 10% which would put you at around 1,503.

    ETA: I likely used a different calculator than you so my numbers are a little different. :)
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
    Well, that makes more sense (or I will end up very hungry) and I also will up my workout to 45 minutes as suggested.
  • 2EggsSeparated
    2EggsSeparated Posts: 107
    Yes, you should be eating roughly 1400 calories a day (NOT 1200, that's too low) and not eating your exercise cals back.
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
    Thank you for all the advice. I just started MFP about two weeks ago and have been going back and forth trying to figure out if I should be following calories or TDEE and what my calorie goal should actually be. Thanks again.
  • StephGettinFit
    StephGettinFit Posts: 43 Member
    45mins every day on the elliptical may really be more than needed.. Possible mix in some walking or yoga? And of course take some rest days
  • longtimeterp
    longtimeterp Posts: 614 Member
    45mins every day on the elliptical may really be more than needed.. Possible mix in some walking or yoga? And of course take some rest days
    30 min isnt enough, im not talking INTENSE elliptical, just keep the heart rate up somewhere between 55-65%...at that few lbs its about burning fat, not just calories...slower and 55-65min is what i do after weights and 15min hiit on the stepmill
  • brendabryden
    brendabryden Posts: 40 Member
    With only 10 lbs to lose - if I eat 1700 calories per day and burn 300 per day exercising do you think I will lose or should my calories be less?
  • Crazy4Healthy
    Crazy4Healthy Posts: 626 Member
    If you are consistently burning 300 a day in exercise, 1,700 should be fine. That would actually put you at moderately active (at least more than lightly) and your TDEE for that is around 1,800-1,900. Give it time after adjusting. If you don't lose anything in 2 weeks, try trimming it by 50 a day and go another 2 weeks. Everyone has a sweet spot, just have to be patient. :)

    Kudos to you for not jumping on the 1,200 bandwagon and looking at the options. :) Better to lose it eating more, much easier to transition into maintenance.

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