Kind of newbie confused by calories/TDEE/BMR!!!

ferrier2010
ferrier2010 Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I have been using My Fitness Pal for a couple of weeks now and like most people it was calculated that I should eat 1200 calories, I have been doing this (plus eating back exercise cals) and have had a approx a 5lb loss. Which I am over the moon above but after reading loads of threads regarding starvation mode, I am worried that I may be doing more harm than good!

Would someone be able to help me with how many cals I should be eating per day ( also do I eat back exercise cals using TDEE/BMR???)

I work out at least 6 times a week - doing 30 day shred in the mornings and yoglates (mix of yoga and pilates) at night.

I work in an office so most of my day is spent sitting at a desk.

My stats are:

Sex: Female
Age: 22
Weight: 203lbs :embarassed: :sad:
Height: 5'6
Goal Weight: around 147lbs (will probably review this as I get nearer goal)

Waist: 34.1 inches
Hips: 42 inches


I have opened my diary so you can see what I eat on a day-to-day basis. I know that I dont have much veg but I am trying to slowing incorporate it in to my diet after not eating veg for the past 15 years :laugh:.

Also, I do LOVE my carbs, so I am willing to have to reduce them, but would prefer not have to go 'low carb' if possible.

Thanks :heart:

Replies

  • siany01
    siany01 Posts: 319 Member
    I am really new to this TDEE thing and trying to get my head around it.

    This thread helps explain it the most clearly I think http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy (I read alot of them, also the link on there to calculate the TDEE is one of the most simple)

    I am just starting to learn this stuff so other than that link I can't help much but I can tell you I am right there with you. I am just coming away from stupidly low cal on on to this way of doing things.
  • cricketblue99
    cricketblue99 Posts: 5
    Good morning!
    I'm completely with you on the "I LOVE my carbs!" They are the hardest to cut down, at least to me! My DH did MFP last year and lost a little over 40 pounds...he has told me that I shouldn't eat my exercise cals back....as a matter of fact, not to even add them in until the end of the day. I'm trying it "his way" for a bit to see how things go. I also used to be addicted to my scales, and still fight the urge to weight myself daily. I've gone from weighing myself twice each day (morning and night) to just once every other day (mornings). I know eventually I'll make it to once/week. I commend you for doing the 30 day shred....even looking at JM scares me!!! She is brutal!!! I do A LOT of pilates and treadmill, and even some yogilates, so I say keep up the great work! You're doing wonderfully so far!!! Having a desk job is a hard part of the day, but at least we've got jobs. Try to find time to walk the building once or twice during the day...maybe take the long way around to the restroom? Personally, I think my desk is cursed...it makes me hungry!!! LOL!! (Just kidding about the cursed part!)
    Anyway, keep up the good work, and don't get frustrated. Every bit you lose is one step closer to your goal!!!! :)
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Hello,

    Punched in your numbers and here is what it came up with:

    TDEE: 2696 (based on moderate activity)
    BMR: 1739
    (Here is where I got your numbers http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/)

    Remember, you want to be below your TDEE but above your BMR. -20% would put you at about 2100 calories. With TDEE/BMR you have to honest with yourself. You have to make sure you workout and you have to make sure you stick to the calories and log it, remember everything adds up. If anything changes then you need to go back and recalculate. The above numbers are calculated with exercise included (and I consider you moderate since you work out 6 times a week, twice a day), so you will NOT eat back calories.

    Also, remember to recalculate every so often. I do it at every 5 lbs lost to make sure nothing has changed to drasticly.
  • ferrier2010
    ferrier2010 Posts: 13
    Thanks for replying back!

    So am I meant to eat my BMR or my TDEE?? Also should I be eating back exercise cal?

    There are so many threads on this topic, but some of them say different things and I'm not sure what to believe/do.

    Cricketblue99 - my husband is really slim (but eats like a horse) and most of his meals are made up of carbs, so I do try and portion what I eat (usually never works) but I cant imagine having to cut them completely while still cooking potatoes,rice etc for my hubby!!

    Jillian Michaels is the devil - I am convinced of it haha, I wake up at 5:30am every morning so I can exercise before work and she makes me want to cry every time, but once I'm finished the workout I always feel amazing and have so much more energy during the day.

    x
  • ferrier2010
    ferrier2010 Posts: 13
    Hello,

    Punched in your numbers and here is what it came up with:

    TDEE: 2696 (based on moderate activity)
    BMR: 1739
    (Here is where I got your numbers http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/)

    Remember, you want to be below your TDEE but above your BMR. -20% would put you at about 2100 calories. With TDEE/BMR you have to honest with yourself. You have to make sure you workout and you have to make sure you stick to the calories and log it, remember everything adds up. If anything changes then you need to go back and recalculate. The above numbers are calculated with exercise included (and I consider you moderate since you work out 6 times a week, twice a day), so you will NOT eat back calories.

    Also, remember to recalculate every so often. I do it at every 5 lbs lost to make sure nothing has changed to drasticly.


    Thanks you so much - the having to eat 2100 cals a day kinda scares me as I have always thought 'lower cals = lower weight' I know that I just need to make better food choices and fingers crossed that I will see some good results.

    Thanks again, that was really nice of you to do that for me :happy:
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    It can be scary eating that much. And yes you might gain -at first- as your body adjusts. But remember, you will NOT be eating exercise calories back.

    Just remember to give it a month before reevaluating. Jumping around too much can shock your metabolism and cause it to slow as it doesn't understand what you are doing, which means less or no weight loss, and an unhappy you.
  • ferrier2010
    ferrier2010 Posts: 13
    Yeah, I usually only weigh myself every 2 weeks anyway - mostly I rely on tape measurements to let me know how I am doing.

    Do you have any advice re macros for protein/carbs/fat etc?? As I dont want to screwing up because I have my macros down wrong!
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    My intake macros are 30% Protein, 45% Carbs and 25% fat....I run and am trying to get my running mileage up so I am slightly heavier on the carb side vs protein (if weight lifting was my focus) plus I like carbs so that gives me an extra 5% window to enjoy a slice of cake or whatever if I can fit it in my calories. The general input that I have seen the most is 30/40/30, so 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat.
  • ferrier2010
    ferrier2010 Posts: 13
    Thanks very much for your help - I really appreciate it!

    Just changed my goals on MFP and its now estimating that I will lose nothing - I'm guessing that this is normal though, as we are not using the 1200 cals a day??

    Is this right or should it still stay that I will be losing something, its saying I have a daily deficit of 20 cals.
  • amyjax
    amyjax Posts: 102
    Can someone help me, too? I've been using my revision lunch break to calculate my BMR/TDEE/daily cals and now I have numbers swimming infront of my eyes! Should I just ignore the section in goals where MFP says "you will lose X pounds per week"? I want to lose about 1.5-2lbs per week, but my numbers were giving me far less...

    Anyway, here are my numbers -
    Female
    29 years old
    5' 10"
    Current Weight - 234lbs
    Goal Weight - 210lbs (I qualify for major hip surgery at 210lbs - that's my goal at the moment. Once I've had surgery and recovered I'll focus on getting to 175lbs).

    How many cals should I eat per day to lose between 1.5 and 2lbs per week? My activity level is somewhere between sedentary and light activity because of my hips - there's a serious risk of dislocation/bone crunching etc if I do any kind of impact exercise (even walking), and I'm on a lot of morphine so find it hard to get focused and out to a pool. Anyway, enough excuses. If someone with far more nutrition/weight loss knowledge can give me my figures they'll be on my Christmas card list for life.
  • rmtuesley
    rmtuesley Posts: 39 Member
    Ignore what MFP says. It is assuming you are going to eat back exercise calories, but you already have them figured in to your TDEE. It works! I am finally losing again on 1800-1900 calories! I am 5'3, 149 pounds.
  • rabies
    rabies Posts: 62
    Oh stop making things more complicated than they are. MFP will calculate your total expenditure for you when you set up your goals, based on your activity levels. If you don't want to track your exercise then just pick a different activity level.

    The starvation mode a lot of people are afraid of won't happen. Well, it won't as long as you get a gram or so of fat per kg of body mass, and preferably EAT a minimum of 1000kcal/day. Even if you eat 1200kcal and go cycling for an hour putting you at a net of 700kcal, you still won't go into "starvation mode" as you put enough calories IN.

    Stop making things hard. Weight loss is easy; eat enough to not get sick but not so much you gain weight.
  • ferrier2010
    ferrier2010 Posts: 13
    Thanks so much!
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member

    The starvation mode a lot of people are afraid of won't happen. Well, it won't as long as you get a gram or so of fat per kg of body mass, and preferably EAT a minimum of 1000kcal/day. Even if you eat 1200kcal and go cycling for an hour putting you at a net of 700kcal, you still won't go into "starvation mode" as you put enough calories IN.

    my personal experience with doing this says that you are wrong.
  • amyjax
    amyjax Posts: 102
    Oh stop making things more complicated than they are. MFP will calculate your total expenditure for you when you set up your goals, based on your activity levels. If you don't want to track your exercise then just pick a different activity level.

    The starvation mode a lot of people are afraid of won't happen. Well, it won't as long as you get a gram or so of fat per kg of body mass, and preferably EAT a minimum of 1000kcal/day. Even if you eat 1200kcal and go cycling for an hour putting you at a net of 700kcal, you still won't go into "starvation mode" as you put enough calories IN.

    Stop making things hard. Weight loss is easy; eat enough to not get sick but not so much you gain weight.

    I've been on 1300 calories since February (as advised by MFP) and have plateaued for the last four-five weeks. I see my surgeon again next month and don't have time for plateaus, I need to keep losing so that I can get closer to getting my hips rebuilt. I've lost 40lbs using MFP but this plateau is disheartening so some advice from those who use TDEE/BMR calculations is welcome, being told to "stop making things more complicated" is not.
  • rmtuesley
    rmtuesley Posts: 39 Member
    Maybe I wasn't starving at 1200, but I was only losing about 1/4 pound a MONTH. Makes it a little hard to stay motivated when you are always hungry and hardly losing. Now I am not hungry and I am down 2pounds this week even though I am only shooting for 1/2 pound a week. I am finally at a new low. I had been up and down the same couple of pounds since January. Truthfully, what works is what you can stick with long term. That will be different for everyone.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Going to make this even more easier for you guys...

    I use this:
    https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2MlEgY5q9lgTk1abHJsMElONlE/edit?usp=sharing

    That is off of the road map thread. I love it.

    As far as the starvation mode....

    You are right, your body won't go into some mode of starvation in which it starts to eat it's heart in order to survive. But, fat loss will be decreased as your body fights to maintain what it has. This is even more true for females since our bodies like to hold onto fat due to reproductive reasons. Everyone's calories in is different. Thus the reason why the OPs BMR is 300 calories MORE than mine is and I am 5'3" 148lbs.

    And as far as easier...what do you think is easier?

    1. Having to fluctuate your calorie intake. One day 1200, the next 1500, then after than 2000 (because you went hiking 6 miles) then after that back down to 1200...

    OR

    2. Eating to a set number and not having to worry about bouncing around calorie intakes?

    I will tell you this, focusing on ONE number and eating to that number is a whole lot easier than having to juggle them from day to day.
  • Springfield_Rocks
    Springfield_Rocks Posts: 289
    Oh stop making things more complicated than they are. MFP will calculate your total expenditure for you when you set up your goals, based on your activity levels. If you don't want to track your exercise then just pick a different activity level.

    The starvation mode a lot of people are afraid of won't happen. Well, it won't as long as you get a gram or so of fat per kg of body mass, and preferably EAT a minimum of 1000kcal/day. Even if you eat 1200kcal and go cycling for an hour putting you at a net of 700kcal, you still won't go into "starvation mode" as you put enough calories IN.

    Stop making things hard. Weight loss is easy; eat enough to not get sick but not so much you gain weight.

    Sorry, I disagree.

    eating 1200 cals will set up a nasty starve-then-binge cycle.

    Eating at a deficit based on TDEE-% cut and above BMR will bring success.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map
  • rmtuesley
    rmtuesley Posts: 39 Member
    Catpower -TDEE calculators say you should eat 1978 at a 20 % deficit. If you want to be more aggressive due to your surgery, 30% would put you at 1730 calories. These are all at the "no exercise" setting. I didn't think it would work, but it broke my plateau.
  • amyjax
    amyjax Posts: 102
    Catpower -TDEE calculators say you should eat 1978 at a 20 % deficit. If you want to be more aggressive due to your surgery, 30% would put you at 1730 calories. These are all at the "no exercise" setting. I didn't think it would work, but it broke my plateau.

    Thank you so much. I'm clearing out my cupboards this week (getting rid of all the bread and carbs to start eating Paleo) so will adjust my numbers for the 30% deficit. Just need to get my supermarket groceries delivered and hopefully I'll break this godawful plateau>
  • rabies
    rabies Posts: 62

    Sorry, I disagree.

    eating 1200 cals will set up a nasty starve-then-binge cycle.

    Eating at a deficit based on TDEE-% cut and above BMR will bring success.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map

    Yes, a net intake of 1200kcal with no exercise would be an easy way of setting yourself up for failure. As long as you have enough fat in your diet (and enough protein for obvious reasons as you don't exercise) it's not because the body stops burning fat though, which is what people usually mean when they talk about starvation mode.

    I'm taking the TDEE number out of thin air here just to give an example:
    Say you weigh 80kg and need to eat 2200kcal/day to maintain that weight. You decide to cut 1000kcal/day in order to lose 1kg/week. In order to keep burning fat while losing weight you'll need to eat 80g/fat each day, minimum. That is 640kcal, so more than half your energy has to come from fat. In order to combat muscle loss, ideally you'll eat 160g of protein as well, and there you are, right at your target. Shame you don't get to eat any carbs, but hey, that's quick weight loss without exercise for you.

    I honestly mean what I'm saying about not making things complicated; have a proper macro balance and you won't have to worry about starvation at 1200kcal/day, or any other non-insane number. If you eat less than a gram of fat per kg of body mass, you WILL slow your metabolism, but it's much easier to eat a bit more fat than to start running numbers that you don't really know anything about. What if I told you there are FOUR commonly used models for calculating the TDEE, and that the difference is huge when we're talking about setting up a weight loss diet? Not to mention the activity level is quite arbitrary in most of them.

    tl;dr: Don't worry about slowed metabolism, just eat enough fat. If you don't eat enough fat, you'll plateau. Rapid weight loss without increased exercise is usually a bad idea as it doesn't allow for proper macro balance.

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