TDEE question

gigi_RN2013
gigi_RN2013 Posts: 141 Member
edited January 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all,

I just started taking my work out seriously during the past month or so. I read something about TDEE. What is that exactly? I looked online and found a TDEE calculator and figured out that mine is 2,441. Does that mean I have to consume that daily in order to lose weight? MFP tells me to eat only 1,200 cals/day in order to lose 2lbs/week. I'm confused.

Help!

Replies

  • cindybpitts
    cindybpitts Posts: 213 Member
    Im new at this but your TDEE is the calories your body burns in a day. You want to eat under your TDEE total to lose weight. 20% less (2400 - 20%) is what you would want to set your calorie intake at..always eat above your BMR (Thats what your body would need in calories if you were in a coma for your organs to keep you alive)..1200 is too low..believe me I tried it..I think my TDEE is around 2400 and BMR is 1600...so I stay above 1600 and below 2400..I eat 1600 to 1900 cals..I didnt lose any weight until I started eating more.
    You will get others that will probably explain it better but reading all the questions & answers on the message board has taught me lots! Good luck!
    Also your TDEE is what you would eat to maintain your weight that you are now. Anything above your TDEE with make you gain..so as long as you are under then you will lose weight.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Great information on this very thing right here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

    It's a lot of info, but worth getting through and understanding it all. I've been eating according to the info there for just over a year and have had my best success since doing so. :smile:
  • gigi_RN2013
    gigi_RN2013 Posts: 141 Member
    Im new at this but your TDEE is the calories your body burns in a day. You want to eat under your TDEE total to lose weight. 20% less (2400 - 20%) is what you would want to set your calorie intake at..always eat above your BMR (Thats what your body would need in calories if you were in a coma for your organs to keep you alive)..1200 is too low..believe me I tried it..I think my TDEE is around 2400 and BMR is 1600...so I stay above 1600 and below 2400..I eat 1600 to 1900 cals..I didnt lose any weight until I started eating more.
    You will get others that will probably explain it better but reading all the questions & answers on the message board has taught me lots! Good luck!
    Also your TDEE is what you would eat to maintain your weight that you are now. Anything above your TDEE with make you gain..so as long as you are under then you will lose weight.

    I was getting so confused I needed somebody else take on the matter. I calculated my BMR and it's 1,581. So I guess I should be eating between my BMR & TDEE which is 1,600-2,400 cals a day. I hate eating the 1,200 calories. I feel like I was starving myself and I tended to want to binge the next day.

    Thank you so much for your help! :smile:
  • cindybpitts
    cindybpitts Posts: 213 Member
    Im new at this but your TDEE is the calories your body burns in a day. You want to eat under your TDEE total to lose weight. 20% less (2400 - 20%) is what you would want to set your calorie intake at..always eat above your BMR (Thats what your body would need in calories if you were in a coma for your organs to keep you alive)..1200 is too low..believe me I tried it..I think my TDEE is around 2400 and BMR is 1600...so I stay above 1600 and below 2400..I eat 1600 to 1900 cals..I didnt lose any weight until I started eating more.
    You will get others that will probably explain it better but reading all the questions & answers on the message board has taught me lots! Good luck!
    Also your TDEE is what you would eat to maintain your weight that you are now. Anything above your TDEE with make you gain..so as long as you are under then you will lose weight.

    I was getting so confused I needed somebody else take on the matter. I calculated my BMR and it's 1,581. So I guess I should be eating between my BMR & TDEE which is 1,600-2,400 cals a day. I hate eating the 1,200 calories. I feel like I was starving myself and I tended to want to binge the next day.

    Thank you so much for your help! :smile:
    Yes you will be safe to stay between 1600-2400. It may take awhile when you start eating more. It took me 3 or 4 weeks but I just kept thinking to myself "as long as Im under my TDEE (2400) then I will lose weight"...I have lost weight VERY slow. I stressed over how many calories for 8wks! Finally I dont stress so much and not so hung up on eating exactly 1600..I may go over or slightly under and now I see progress.
  • gigi_RN2013
    gigi_RN2013 Posts: 141 Member
    Im new at this but your TDEE is the calories your body burns in a day. You want to eat under your TDEE total to lose weight. 20% less (2400 - 20%) is what you would want to set your calorie intake at..always eat above your BMR (Thats what your body would need in calories if you were in a coma for your organs to keep you alive)..1200 is too low..believe me I tried it..I think my TDEE is around 2400 and BMR is 1600...so I stay above 1600 and below 2400..I eat 1600 to 1900 cals..I didnt lose any weight until I started eating more.
    You will get others that will probably explain it better but reading all the questions & answers on the message board has taught me lots! Good luck!
    Also your TDEE is what you would eat to maintain your weight that you are now. Anything above your TDEE with make you gain..so as long as you are under then you will lose weight.

    I was getting so confused I needed somebody else take on the matter. I calculated my BMR and it's 1,581. So I guess I should be eating between my BMR & TDEE which is 1,600-2,400 cals a day. I hate eating the 1,200 calories. I feel like I was starving myself and I tended to want to binge the next day.

    Thank you so much for your help! :smile:
    Yes you will be safe to stay between 1600-2400. It may take awhile when you start eating more. It took me 3 or 4 weeks but I just kept thinking to myself "as long as Im under my TDEE (2400) then I will lose weight"...I have lost weight VERY slow. I stressed over how many calories for 8wks! Finally I dont stress so much and not so hung up on eating exactly 1600..I may go over or slightly under and now I see progress.

    Well, your progress gives me hope! At first, eating only 1200 cals/day I lost 8 lbs but after that I hit a plateu. I always felt hungry and that I was starving myself. Now after your info, it looks like i really was starving myself! I will try this new way to lose weight and see how it goes!
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