Thoughts on Calorie intake

no i do not follow MFP..
I have a body media fit so i eat 500 less than my TDEE daily.

Which turns out to be 2000 or so.
Im 5ft 7 and 175 lbs.

I use TDEE-20% and it works really well for me. I see people getting confused using MFP's method all the time and it makes me sad. I went to http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and used 1-3 hours of exercise per week for my activity level. I'm 34, 5'8" tall, and currently weigh 233 lb and I get 2004 calories per day. So I use that as my upper limit and eat a bit less if I'm not active (sometimes I go over, too, we all do). My weight loss has been steady, easy, and surprisingly fast using this method.

I'm so confused as where to have my calories at. I was doing the TDEE and I just think that isn't working for me, I still feel like I need to be lower. Any thoughts or suggestions? Do you all follow MFP standards? I keep reading that it is too low.

For reference I am 212 lbs currently and 22 years old. The TDEE-20% had me at 1500 calories a day.

The method is fine. If it's not working, then you're not doing it right. Either your TDEE calculation is off, or you're estimates are off when logging foods.

Since your number is so low, I'm guessing you're not logging accurately enough.

.

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

Have you tried this site? 1500 sounds kind of low for a 20% reduction. It also depends on you activity level though.

EDIT: I just did some math for you and even at sedentary and if you were say 5'0" your TDEE-20% is still about 1700.

Won't I gain eating higher though? Also, to everyone who has asked I have been dieting about a month and a half and following TDEE-20% (or what I thought it was) for about 3 weeks. I have gained about 3-5 lbs which could just be water weight and have been trying to exercise at least three days a week.

You've been at this for 6 weeks, already changed your approach once, and are now considering changing it again? You need to pick something and go with it for a month or longer before you can really evaluate its effectiveness.

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

Have you tried this site? 1500 sounds kind of low for a 20% reduction. It also depends on you activity level though.

EDIT: I just did some math for you and even at sedentary and if you were say 5'0" your TDEE-20% is still about 1700.

Won't I gain eating higher though? Also, to everyone who has asked I have been dieting about a month and a half and following TDEE-20% (or what I thought it was) for about 3 weeks. I have gained about 3-5 lbs which could just be water weight and have been trying to exercise at least three days a week.

You've been at this for 6 weeks, already changed your approach once, and are now considering changing it again? You need to pick something and go with it for a month or longer before you can really evaluate its effectiveness.

This is true. When eating, though, can you eat anything or do you have to maintain a certain percentage to lose the weight?

To simply see the number on the scale go down, you can eat basically whatever you want. If your diet is excessively unbalanced you may run into problems (especially if it's crazy carb heavy), but ultimately a deficit is a deficit and will lead ot weight loss.

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

Have you tried this site? 1500 sounds kind of low for a 20% reduction. It also depends on you activity level though.

EDIT: I just did some math for you and even at sedentary and if you were say 5'0" your TDEE-20% is still about 1700.

Won't I gain eating higher though? Also, to everyone who has asked I have been dieting about a month and a half and following TDEE-20% (or what I thought it was) for about 3 weeks. I have gained about 3-5 lbs which could just be water weight and have been trying to exercise at least three days a week.

I was afraid of the same thing, gaining by eating more, but I finally tried it after a 3 month plateau. Two weeks later, I'm already down 2.2 lbs.

i eat 1200 for a week then 1600 for a week and then 1350 for a week and then repeat. it have worked for my im down 46 lbs.

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

Have you tried this site? 1500 sounds kind of low for a 20% reduction. It also depends on you activity level though.

EDIT: I just did some math for you and even at sedentary and if you were say 5'0" your TDEE-20% is still about 1700.

Won't I gain eating higher though? Also, to everyone who has asked I have been dieting about a month and a half and following TDEE-20% (or what I thought it was) for about 3 weeks. I have gained about 3-5 lbs which could just be water weight and have been trying to exercise at least three days a week.

You've been at this for 6 weeks, already changed your approach once, and are now considering changing it again? You need to pick something and go with it for a month or longer before you can really evaluate its effectiveness.

This is true. When eating, though, can you eat anything or do you have to maintain a certain percentage to lose the weight?

To simply see the number on the scale go down, you can eat basically whatever you want. If your diet is excessively unbalanced you may run into problems (especially if it's crazy carb heavy), but ultimately a deficit is a deficit and will lead ot weight loss.

So do you recommend using Scooby's for the calorie deficit calculation? I want something accurate (or close to) so I'm not bouncing back and forth. Also, will I gain all the weight I've lost back?

It doesn't matter... All TDEE calculators use basically the same formula. All BMR calculators use basically the same formula. Pick a number and go with it... none are guaranteed to be any more accurate than another, so you'll have to pick one and try it out for a month.

I've tried a bunch of different calculators and they all put me in "the ball park"... then it's up to me to tweak as necessary.

This is not an exact science... you're going to have to do some trial and error to get started.

I'm so confused as where to have my calories at. I was doing the TDEE and I just think that isn't working for me, I still feel like I need to be lower. Any thoughts or suggestions? Do you all follow MFP standards? I keep reading that it is too low.

For reference I am 212 lbs currently and 22 years old. The TDEE-20% had me at 1500 calories a day.

If you're doing it right, it really doesn't matter whether you use the TDEE method or the NEAT method (MFP method)...they're really 6 of 1 if you're doing them right.

MFP had me at 1750 calories to lose 1 Lb per week...plus 300 exercise calories on average per day = 2,050 gross calories per day. TDEE method includes all of my exercise...TDEE = 2550 * 80% = 2040 gross calories...10 calorie difference between methods to lose 1 Lb per week.

What's more important is that you pick a method...stick with it and be consistent in what you are doing. Also, about 9x out of 10 when "it isn't working" it is because there is a calorie estimation error...either underestimating consumption or overestimating burn or activity level. Failure to measure and weigh food and realize proper portions is an easy way for calories to creep in. When I first started for example, I didn't realize that a "chicken breast" meant 4 oz of chicken breast...I just thought it was "chicken breast"...so I'd grill up a whole breast which on average is about double the serving size. Stuff like that can really mess you up.

I'm so confused as where to have my calories at. I was doing the TDEE and I just think that isn't working for me, I still feel like I need to be lower. Any thoughts or suggestions? Do you all follow MFP standards? I keep reading that it is too low.

For reference I am 212 lbs currently and 22 years old. The TDEE-20% had me at 1500 calories a day.

If you're doing it right, it really doesn't matter whether you use the TDEE method or the NEAT method (MFP method)...they're really 6 of 1 if you're doing them right.

MFP had me at 1750 calories to lose 1 Lb per week...plus 300 exercise calories on average per day = 2,050 gross calories per day. TDEE method includes all of my exercise...TDEE = 2550 * 80% = 2040 gross calories...10 calorie difference between methods to lose 1 Lb per week.

What's more important is that you pick a method...stick with it and be consistent in what you are doing. Also, about 9x out of 10 when "it isn't working" it is because there is a calorie estimation error...either underestimating consumption or overestimating burn or activity level. Failure to measure and weigh food and realize proper portions is an easy way for calories to creep in. When I first started for example, I didn't realize that a "chicken breast" meant 4 oz of chicken breast...I just thought it was "chicken breast"...so I'd grill up a whole breast which on average is about double the serving size. Stuff like that can really mess you up.

I agree on all accounts.

So many people get wrapped up in which method is more accurate or which method works better. They do the same damn thing, they just get to the same end point via different routes. So it's really just a matter of personal preference.

Originally I based my TDEE on sedentary, because I wasn't a faithful gym person. But now I do go faithfully so, after reading everything said, I just went back and changed it and it is telling me to consume 1310 calories. I'm going to try to make myself eat that many calories and hopefully I will see some results. My Bodymedia fit is telling me to consume 2020 but daily burn 3020. There is no way I will ever make it to that many calories. Trial and error I guess. I never thought I would have to eat more calories to lose weight.

I think I will manually change it to 1500 calories a day and stick with it through the end of May and see what happens. Unless of course I gain another 5-10lbs. Maybe I am working out to much, maybe I need to cut out a day or two to balance myself out?

When you calculate your TDEE, you need to make sure to select an accurate activity level. From what you've described, I think it is somewhere between Moderate and Heavy (probably more moderate). So the number you get will include that expected exercise already. If you have the activity level set inaccurately, then yes, you could be eating too little/burning too much.

Okay, my TDEE says 1810. I do have a desk job all day, but go to the gym. So I chose sedentary, and put that I work out 5 days a week for 40 minutes. Its telling me to eat 1310 calories. I pre cook all my foods and weigh etc. into containers so my meals for the day are already in the system. I added a kind bar to equal 1374 in calories today. I use the bodymedia fit band to input my exercise/daily burn of calories into MFP. So it is telling me after consume v. burn I'm netting today about 765 calories.