TDEE & Excercise?

weightingitout88
weightingitout88 Posts: 35
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello- So I decided to try the TDEE thing, ive been a steady weight for a long time, and inches arent moving much. So my question is- to those who use your TDEE- (Mine says 1894) Do I still put in my exercise calories burnt, or stick with the 1894 and below? I had been eating a steady 1200-1400 a day, plus two a days at the gym, and not eating back those calories, and I am beyond what one would call a plateau. Thanks for any and all help- feel free to add me if you are using the TDEE I'd love to watch progress!

Replies

  • MissMormie
    MissMormie Posts: 359 Member
    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure. You calculate it based on your height, weight, age, gender and (for most calculators) activity level. But on days you exercise more than your base activity level your calories used on that day will be higher. So if you use TDEE -20% you'll need to eat back some of those exercise calories. That actually has you at 1515 on normal days. And if you exercise worth about 400 calories would have you at 1800 calories on exercise days.
  • Woomytron
    Woomytron Posts: 253 Member
    If you do TDEE-20% then you don't eat back your exercise calories because they are already calculated in.

    I use this website. Makes it a lot easier.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Good luck if you have questions feel free to message me. :wink:
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure. You calculate it based on your height, weight, age, gender and (for most calculators) activity level. But on days you exercise more than your base activity level your calories used on that day will be higher. So if you use TDEE -20% you'll need to eat back some of those exercise calories. That actually has you at 1515 on normal days. And if you exercise worth about 400 calories would have you at 1800 calories on exercise days.

    This is actually incorrect.

    Suggest you read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0
  • weightingitout88
    weightingitout88 Posts: 35
    I did read the EmmaKarney, I was just still slightly confused. With my activity level included, height weight, etc... It says I should eat about 1900 a day. When I put in my workouts, on a weight day I tend to get +200 Cals, and run days are anywhere from 450-600 extra calories. I didnt know if those were included in my TDEE and I should just eat what it says, or for the magical TDEE to work, if I need to eat back those calories I burnt as well. Not looking for massive weight loss, but living off 1200 a day because thats what my weight recommends to lose anything- is torture. =) Thanks guys.
  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
    I'm confused as well. I like the idea of eating back exercise calories. It is a motivator for me to work out. But with the TDEE-20% method, it doesn't look like you do that.

    I'm wondering if you do your TDEE, set your activity level to little or no exercise, subtract 20% and go with that as your daily goal, could you then eat back your exercise calories?

    My TDEE (with activity level set to litte/no exercise) is 1725, less 20% is 1380. I average about 250-350 calories burned per workout, which would give me roughly 1600 calories on work out days. That seems right to me......I think. I'm going to give it a try for a month or so and see how it works.

    That said, I'm hoping someone with a lot more experience/expertise will chime in and give you some better advice.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Hello- So I decided to try the TDEE thing, ive been a steady weight for a long time, and inches arent moving much. So my question is- to those who use your TDEE- (Mine says 1894) Do I still put in my exercise calories burnt, or stick with the 1894 and below? I had been eating a steady 1200-1400 a day, plus two a days at the gym, and not eating back those calories, and I am beyond what one would call a plateau. Thanks for any and all help- feel free to add me if you are using the TDEE I'd love to watch progress!

    You can log them if you want for reporting/historical purposes, but you don't need to eat them back as they are already accounted for in your TDEE calculation.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure. You calculate it based on your height, weight, age, gender and (for most calculators) activity level. But on days you exercise more than your base activity level your calories used on that day will be higher. So if you use TDEE -20% you'll need to eat back some of those exercise calories. That actually has you at 1515 on normal days. And if you exercise worth about 400 calories would have you at 1800 calories on exercise days.

    Wrong.

    You calculate a TDEE based on a typical workout schedule (say 1 hour per day, 4 days per week). The calculation will average that out over a 7 day week, so you'll eat the same number of cals each day regardless of whether it's a rest day or a workout day.
  • beelanc
    beelanc Posts: 71 Member
    My TDEE is 2270. TDEE-20%=1816. MFP has me set at 1820(close). So I DONT have to eat those back?? If I need 1820 for my body to run normally, If I work out 1200, isn't that technically just robbing myself of 1200 calories? Wont my body store fat and not let me lose it because its not gettting the 1820 it needs??
  • beelanc
    beelanc Posts: 71 Member
    I'm confused as well. I like the idea of eating back exercise calories. It is a motivator for me to work out. But with the TDEE-20% method, it doesn't look like you do that.

    I'm wondering if you do your TDEE, set your activity level to little or no exercise, subtract 20% and go with that as your daily goal, could you then eat back your exercise calories?

    My TDEE (with activity level set to litte/no exercise) is 1725, less 20% is 1380. I average about 250-350 calories burned per workout, which would give me roughly 1600 calories on work out days. That seems right to me......I think. I'm going to give it a try for a month or so and see how it works.

    That said, I'm hoping someone with a lot more experience/expertise will chime in and give you some better advice.

    Thats what I have been doing. My daily activity level (at work as it asks on here) is sedentary. I sit at a desk all day. If I wanted to maintain my current weight then I would need 2270 calories a day. But since I want to lose weight I take 20% off of that and consume that (1820). If i work out, I eat those calories back. If I dont I simply do not go over 1820. Its been working for me thus far. I have lost 2-3 pounds per week. I also noticed that as I lose I go back and recalculate the calorie intake. You will notice that your recommended intake will lower.
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 751 Member
    If you are using TDEE-% you can still log you exercise but you would not eat the calories back unless your NET drops below your BMR then eat enough to bring your net above your BMR.

    TDEE # includes excersize. I still log mine to keep track but don't eat back. I have mine set to 1700 & I only eat back calories burned if my NET is below 1340 which is my BMR.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    You can do MFP style, with eating back exercise calories, but just taking a more reasonable 20% deficit instead of a block of calories. You would also then take 20% off your exercise calories you log.

    You can do TDEE Deficit style, with including exercise in your TDEE, take your deficit, and you do not eat them back.
    If you want to post on your wall full burn, immediately correct to 1 calorie using this method.

    You can actually do a combo to, perhaps you have 3 hrs in the week that will always happen, but other stuff is either iffy, variable, or long.
    So you do TDEE for what will happen with 20% deficit, and log any exercise not included with same 20% deficit.

    I'll mention on the TDEE Deficit method, if you miss a planned workout, you need to skip 100 calories that day. If you make it up on another day, eat extra 100 that day.

    And why take 20% off exercise if doing MPF style? Always asked this.

    Because the math to match the potential weight loss.

    (non-exercise TDEE + exercise) - 20% = (non-exercise TDEE - 20%) + (exercise - 20%)

    This spreadsheet uses the TDEE Deficit method on the Simple Setup tab, but there is a MFP Tweak tab if you like that method.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

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