I know everyone asks this but...

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Hbazzell
Hbazzell Posts: 899 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What should I really trust. Should I trust MFP and eat 1400 net calories or should I go by this TDEE calculator. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and eat 1922 total calories.

I just had my 80th day on MFP and I have lost 13 lbs (but sometimes my weight varries) but I don't look any better. My BF% went from 30 to in between 27.6 and 28.6. I am 5'8, 162 lbs, 25 years old and I work 40 hours a week glued to a desk (3 on 3 off, 40 hrs total) I am active on my off days.


What do the pros think?

Replies

  • ramonafrincu
    ramonafrincu Posts: 160 Member
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    Scooby calculator...It works!
  • ApexLeader
    ApexLeader Posts: 580 Member
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    you could try both for 2 weeks, see which one gives you results you want, and then stick with that and then when you plateau find a way to break through it, do both again for 2 weeks, and stick with the one that has the best results for you.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    They're both estimates anyways.

    Go with the one that you get you the results you want.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    im not a pro but, if you lost 13 pounds in 11 weeks, and the relatively slim woman in your profile pic is you? then keep doing what you are doing. It's usually slow going for people who don't have a whole lot to lose, so really, 13 pounds is pretty great in that amount of time.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    i like MFP as i find it a little more flexible in terms of how much exercise i do.

    when you set TDEE you have to say how much you are going to exercise. this varies for me quite a lot, so i may find i over or under eat. using MFP i just eat back my exercise calories when i do work out.

    that being set you could just set MFP to your sedentary TDEE -20% (or whatever deficit you're working with) and eat exercise calories back. the number then should be roughly the same as MFP anyway!
  • emergencytennis
    emergencytennis Posts: 864 Member
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    Split the difference. 250 kcals, that is half a tin of beans, or a 20 min run.

    If that is you in your avatar you don't seem to have a problem either way.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    If you're running the calculations correctly, the numbers shouldn't be that different. I say pick one, give it a couple months, and re-evaluate.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
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    If used correctly, they should both come out at round about the same calculation.

    MFP is good if your exercise is irregular.

    TDEE is good if you do the same amount of exercise every week and just want a pretty much constant way of eating.

    From what you have said regarding your work, you seem to work long days, so I should imagine your exercise will be less on those days? If so, I would recommend MFP. Set it to sedentary and to lose 1lb per week, buy a HRM for more accurate calorie burns, and log and eat back your exercise calories. That should put you at pretty much 20% below TDEE.
  • Querian
    Querian Posts: 419 Member
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    If you are unhappy with your progress or hungry all the time I would try the new calculation for a time and see how that works for you. I also wonder if there is a way you can sneak in more exercise on you work days? Maybe a 30 minute walk on your lunch break or after work? Or sneak in squats and lunges every time you go to the bathrooms?

    I also wonder if you are strength training? That often is a way to get better visual results more quickly.
  • Hbazzell
    Hbazzell Posts: 899 Member
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    You guys are all awesome. Thanks for replying. My workouts are irregular because of my work schedule so I have been using MFP. It is just hard to ignore people's awesome results with the TDEE method. My shifts are 13 hours so I usually don’t do a gym session when I work (unless I can take a break on my graveyard shift to go to the gym here but that depends on work flow). I do usually walk my dog (20mins) on work days if nothing else. I have been sick for a week though so I haven’t hit the gym in a few days either. As for weights, I am doing weights and resistance training but I haven’t really started lifting "heavy". I am starting pretty light (15 lbs dumbbell press, 25 lbs kettle bell squat, 15 lbs in each hand dumbbell lunges). After this bug I am going to start Strong lifts 5x5. I am not hungry all the time so this plan is working for me fine. The thing I am worried about is when I have one or two days where I eat all my calories up I usually gain 2-3 lbs on the scale and it freaks me out. I am wondering if I am slowing my metabolism on this low cal diet.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    Great. Doing the 5x5 Now and you will notice a difference withing weeks, probably 3-4. Your lean muscle will begin to develop. You might retain some fluid due to the new Heavy lifting routine...no worries. Your body will catch up to the muscle development in time, Good luck
  • Sarge516
    Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
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    im not a pro but, if you lost 13 pounds in 11 weeks, and the relatively slim woman in your profile pic is you? then keep doing what you are doing. It's usually slow going for people who don't have a whole lot to lose, so really, 13 pounds is pretty great in that amount of time.
    X2
  • emergencytennis
    emergencytennis Posts: 864 Member
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    You guys are all awesome. Thanks for replying. My workouts are irregular because of my work schedule so I have been using MFP. It is just hard to ignore people's awesome results with the TDEE method. My shifts are 13 hours so I usually don’t do a gym session when I work (unless I can take a break on my graveyard shift to go to the gym here but that depends on work flow). I do usually walk my dog (20mins) on work days if nothing else. I have been sick for a week though so I haven’t hit the gym in a few days either. As for weights, I am doing weights and resistance training but I haven’t really started lifting "heavy". I am starting pretty light (15 lbs dumbbell press, 25 lbs kettle bell squat, 15 lbs in each hand dumbbell lunges). After this bug I am going to start Strong lifts 5x5. I am not hungry all the time so this plan is working for me fine. The thing I am worried about is when I have one or two days where I eat all my calories up I usually gain 2-3 lbs on the scale and it freaks me out. I am wondering if I am slowing my metabolism on this low cal diet.

    2-3lbs in one or two days is not fat, it is water. Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but a pound of fat is equivalent to an excess of 3500 kcals. So, if you eat an excess of 7000 kcals in a day you can put on 2 pounds of fat.

    I am 167cm and weigh 58kg. If I eat Chinese takeaway (=salt) I will put on 3 pounds overnight. It is not fat, it is water retention.
  • emergencytennis
    emergencytennis Posts: 864 Member
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    Pox. Sorry.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    It depends which method suits your lifstyle best really.

    TDEE - 20% means you eat the same amount of calories every day, regardless of your activity that day.

    MFP method you start at 1400 and eat back your exercise cals so on high burns days you'll eat over your TDEE (TDEE is an average across the week) but on more sedentary days you'll be eating much less.


    For me personally I prefer the TDEE method because I get too hungry on rest days using the MFP method.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I used MFP's numbers(and ate back my exercise calories that came from an HRM) and I did fine.
  • Ankinha
    Ankinha Posts: 4 Member
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    With the Scooby calculation it says that I should eat 1669 a day and that my BMR is 1,518. Do I then change my goal manually and enter this amount into the net calorie section or where would I do that? Also I have a Body Media Armband. On a normal day with a bit of exercise I burn around 2,000 calories. Should I aim for a deficit of 500 per day in order to lose weight?
    On the Scooby system does it mean if I am allowed to eat 1,669 then I DON'T eat back my exercise calories, correct?

    Thanks for your help on this.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    On the Scooby system does it mean if I am allowed to eat 1,669 then I DON'T eat back my exercise calories, correct?

    Thanks for your help on this.

    That is correct. Scooby's calculation already factors in your exercise burns so you do not need to eat extra exercise cals, just eat the 1669 every day.

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