TDEE People... what would you do??? (not losing!)

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Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I personally just used mfp BMR's calculation which was 1550. Then MFP set my daily calorie intake as 1400. However, all the sites I do my TDEE are 2500+ calories even sedentary. I feel like that's way too much. I tried 2000 calories and thought I was gonna die.

    1550 x 1.25 Sedentary on MFP = 1938 daily maintenance (NO exercise account for at all.
    1938 - 500 cal (1 lb weekly) = 1438 NET eating goal.

    Other sites.
    1550 (BMR likely close, those Harris BMR probably inflated) x 1.2 Sedentary they use = 1860

    If you reached 2500+, you entered your stats wrong. Or selected Very Active and forgot. Sedentary would never get you up that high, sorry. Even with inflated BMR calc of Harris compared to Miflin MFP uses.

    Now, MFP goal of 1438 with NO exercise calories accounted for, you exercise and eat those back - mere 562 calories of exercise has you at 2000 for your goal, and a TDEE of actually almost 2500 calories for that day.

    You hit the same figures, unless you are dishonest and select sedentary level but you actually exercise.

    If you are stuffed at 2000 calories, it must be your food selection, because I can almost guarantee you did not get to the point you are at now of needing to lose weight, if you could barely eat 2000 calories.

    Did you ever log what you used to eat, to actually have any concept of calorie amounts?
    Most people total experience with calorie levels is previous diet attempts, and eating 1200 calories, or getting MFP goal.
    There is actually no concept of other calorie amounts to compare it too.
  • longtimeterp
    longtimeterp Posts: 614 Member
    i have to say, having a fitbit (or similar device) is crucial for dieting according to tdee. No one has the same tdee every day, unless you were to do the exact same things at the exact same time at the exact same intensity under the exact same conditions each and every day. That meas typoing this changes my tdee from yesterday when i didn't type this.

    For example, over the last week my tdee has been 3453, 3546, 3709, 3220, 4265, 2841 and today its on pace for 3355, but i plan on walking my dog later so that will go up a bit. As you can see, if i was eating my tdee-20%, that amount varies each day. I think that is why people have so much trouble with tdee. But it realllllly works if you can at lease somewhat accurately track it.
  • MrsTheunissen
    MrsTheunissen Posts: 44 Member
    I too have had some struggle with TDEE. I'm thinking it may be time to go get a more accurate reading of my BMR (if that's possible)! My TDEE is at 2260 at 5'3", 192 lbs. My TDEE - 20% is about 1750, but still not too much of a budge on the scale, and it's been about 2 months now. I'm wondering if I ought to bump it up (eat a little more) or drop to 1600. I typically eat back most/all exercise calories as well.

    If you use TDEE you should NOT eat back your excersised calories ! And 2260 -20% = 1808 calories. (If you been eating the excersised calories you have been maintaining your weight :noway:

    Eat 1750 for 6 weeks,
    Use a measuring tape and not the scale for these 6 weeks.
    And do some weight lifting during the week..
  • MrsTheunissen
    MrsTheunissen Posts: 44 Member
    I redid my MFP Calorie calculations using sedentary and I'm at 1400 net calories which seems A LOT Better. But MFP told me that my BMR is 1522 so yeah...I'm confused lol. I'm supposed to eat less than my BMR?

    Read this! :drinker:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
  • Cat_Lifts
    Cat_Lifts Posts: 174 Member
    I too have had some struggle with TDEE. I'm thinking it may be time to go get a more accurate reading of my BMR (if that's possible)! My TDEE is at 2260 at 5'3", 192 lbs. My TDEE - 20% is about 1750, but still not too much of a budge on the scale, and it's been about 2 months now. I'm wondering if I ought to bump it up (eat a little more) or drop to 1600. I typically eat back most/all exercise calories as well.

    Did you pick a TDEE level that included your hrs of exercise already?

    If you are eating them back, no wonder you aren't losing a thing, you are doing it wrong if your TDEE level already included exercise.

    TDEE is set to not include exercise, just a normal day at work. If I were to add in my exercise (which is usually inconsistent days) then my TDEE would probably be like 2500 :embarassed:
    If you use TDEE you should NOT eat back your excersised calories ! And 2260 -20% = 1808 calories. (If you been eating the excersised calories you have been maintaining your weight :noway:

    Eat 1750 for 6 weeks,
    Use a measuring tape and not the scale for these 6 weeks.
    And do some weight lifting during the week..

    Same as I mentioned above, a normal, non exercise day at work for me, which usually includes lots of walking, squatting, and occasional lifting/pulling/push 30lbs+ puts me at 2260 calories. I wanted to just go a little lower from the 1808 and *was* eating at 1700, but started 1750 today. I do have to forget about the scale, as there has been some changes in inches. :) Also, have been doing weight lifting! I just got back from a 16 day vacation with no exercise, so I'm working back into it now! :drinker:
  • wwwdotcr
    wwwdotcr Posts: 128 Member
    My wife and I don't use TDEE - haven't since we started. We use harris Benedict, which is essentially what MFP does by default it seems. Calories were virtually spot on between the two anyway. We've both been losing steadily since mid-march for me ( when I started ) and since mid-february for her ( when she started ). According to TDEE I should be eating ~3290 minus %20 or about 2600 calories a day. Meanwhile MFP has me eating 1690 (my 2600 for my daily energy requirements minus 1,000 cals a day to lose ~2 pounds a week). That's a pretty big difference. Whether I should be eating more or not I don't know. I do know that I'm stronger and leaner than I was before I started. I guess if I plateau this way I'll have to try the other equation.

    Well a male should not go under 1800 calories and a femail 1200 calories a day..
    But it's so many ways to get fat so it must be as many ways to lose it to.

    Sorry but your information is way off. I am average fit male and stalled at 1800 now going to 1700 on Keto. A 5'2 Female at that weight should NOT be eating 2000 calories. No way in the world.

    Do NOT use impedance scales or pinch tests. They are COMPLETELY inaccurate. Get a Dexa Scan / Water displacement test if you are serious about losing weight.

    Initial weight: 165
    My DEXA Scan (4/1/2013) - 23.6%
    My Scale - 13.7%

    Margin of Error: 72%

    #1 flaw of TDEE is not many people know what their exact LBM is. Trust me, its the best $100 you'll ever spend. Almost better to take a dart and throw it on a board then rely on pinch tests / weight scales.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    If you have been doing this for a month then I believe the TDEE folks typically recommend a 10% cut of the calories. (Sometimes they say wait up to 6 weeks). If you have maintained weight then you have your maintenance level calories.

    I don't do the TDEE-% method so I could be wrong.
  • CatMcCheesey
    CatMcCheesey Posts: 143
    i have to say, having a fitbit (or similar device) is crucial for dieting according to tdee. No one has the same tdee every day, unless you were to do the exact same things at the exact same time at the exact same intensity under the exact same conditions each and every day. That meas typoing this changes my tdee from yesterday when i didn't type this.

    For example, over the last week my tdee has been 3453, 3546, 3709, 3220, 4265, 2841 and today its on pace for 3355, but i plan on walking my dog later so that will go up a bit. As you can see, if i was eating my tdee-20%, that amount varies each day. I think that is why people have so much trouble with tdee. But it realllllly works if you can at lease somewhat accurately track it.

    I agree. Using a Bodymedia Fit has really helped me with the whole "how many calories should I eat" thing. I had no idea that my calories burned changed so much from day to day.
  • ktrn0312
    ktrn0312 Posts: 722 Member
    bump
  • Mock_Turtle
    Mock_Turtle Posts: 354 Member
    step 1 - take some measurements right now

    step 2 - drop 300 calories per day, do this for a month

    step 3 - after 1 month check your weight and measurements
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I switched over to the TDEE method a month ago from eating a vegan diet ala mcdougall. I eat a pretty clean diet, with a few exceptions now an then. However, my calories are always at or slightly under 1700 (my tdee -20%) Yet, since starting TDEE my weight loss has slowed, from a steady 1-2lbs a week to nada after an initial loss. I have actually put on weight (it has fluctuated from 263.4 to 268.8 lbs this last week or so) So how long should I put up with this before giving up? I'm so fustrated. I have about 30lbs more I want to loose, but would really be happy with loosing the last 15 or so to get me in the "normal" bmi range. Maybe TDEE is not for me???

    If you used to eat low cal for a long time you may need to give it a little longer for your body to adjust. Your metabolism may have been suppressed.
  • Nissi51
    Nissi51 Posts: 381 Member
    Www.hussmanfitness.org

    Use his BMR calculator. He uses the Harris B, however will give you range of calories to eat within for fat loss, muscle gain, maintenance. I do not eat back exercise calories, I have never understood this. As you lose recalculate and adjust

    I have lost over 100 lbs this way..currently eating slightly below his calculation, but only because training for competition in future.

    I also took out the goals on MFP and just log my food.

    Plan, do, check, adjust...you will figure out why works for you!

    A
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I am curious to know everyone's feedback as I recently switched to TDEE as well. So far it seems like a LOT to eat :/

    TDEE is the amount where you would not gain or lose weight, it is your maintenance calories. So, obviously you ate a LOT more than TDEE -20% to have gained weight. TDEE - 20% is really not a lot. You are just used to the "diet mentality" that says you have to eat like a bird to lose any weight.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    I'm simply stating what is working from me and 5 real world friends, I am hardly an expert.

    We use a modified version of TDEE-20. We calculated our TDEE's using sedimentary and took 20% off of this for our daily number and then we record and eat back at least half of our real exercise. Personally I eat it ALL back but some of the others only eat 1/2 to 2/3 of it.

    The reason we did this is because we were all overly optimistic about our FUTURE exercise plans. Then we looked back and realized that none of us exercised as much as we had hoped to. Among the 6 of us we have all been losing steadily.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    How many calories a day were you eating before the switch? And why switch if you were losing steadily at a good rate?
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member


    For example, over the last week my tdee has been 3453, 3546, 3709, 3220, 4265, 2841 and today its on pace for 3355, but i plan on walking my dog later so that will go up a bit. As you can see, if i was eating my tdee-20%, that amount varies each day. I think that is why people have so much trouble with tdee. But it realllllly works if you can at lease somewhat accurately track it.

    If you had an average TDEE estimate of 3,500 then 20% cut would be a calorie goal of 2,800 per day. That would average out over those days. On all those days you would be eating under your TDEE and would therefore lose weight. You would not have to accurately track calorie burn to try to figure out how much to eat exactly every day.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    When MFP bumped me down to 1210 it was just not enoug for me, even eating back every calorie I could exercsie into my allowance. I worked out my TDEE -20% and it looked a scary lot of calories, plus I knew if I didn't log ALL my exercise then a few bits might get forgotten (too tired, busy day, did a class yesterday.... I've got a full set of fat girl excuses to hand!):wink:

    So I compromised on 1400 and eating back my exercise. Its not been a month quite, I've not lost any weight (but not gained) and my measurements look the same. BUT all of a sudden a whole load of clothes are just too big to wear, and a few colleagues have stopped me to say how good I'm looking.

    So I'm keeping going and hopefully something will come off soon. Or I might bump down to 1300 again. Or not.:ohwell:
  • thinking_thinly
    thinking_thinly Posts: 143 Member
    OP, What did you set your activity level to when calculating your TDEE?

    Lightly active. I don't workout, as I work a full time job, and am always on my feet.
  • thinking_thinly
    thinking_thinly Posts: 143 Member
    How many calories a day were you eating before the switch? And why switch if you were losing steadily at a good rate?

    About 1200... somedays +/- 100 cals
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    How many calories a day were you eating before the switch? And why switch if you were losing steadily at a good rate?

    About 1200... somedays +/- 100 cals

    What's your height/weight and how much exercise do you do?
  • Labouffecestbon
    Labouffecestbon Posts: 182 Member
    I am curious to know everyone's feedback as I recently switched to TDEE as well. So far it seems like a LOT to eat :/
    It always seems like a lot at the beginning but don't worry, you'll get used to it. You've trained your body to eat less; with proper training, it will learn to eat more. At some point, you might even feel like it's not enough! :smile:
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    When MFP bumped me down to 1210 it was just not enoug for me, even eating back every calorie I could exercsie into my allowance. I worked out my TDEE -20% and it looked a scary lot of calories, plus I knew if I didn't log ALL my exercise then a few bits might get forgotten (too tired, busy day, did a class yesterday.... I've got a full set of fat girl excuses to hand!):wink:

    So I compromised on 1400 and eating back my exercise. Its not been a month quite, I've not lost any weight (but not gained) and my measurements look the same. BUT all of a sudden a whole load of clothes are just too big to wear, and a few colleagues have stopped me to say how good I'm looking.

    So I'm keeping going and hopefully something will come off soon. Or I might bump down to 1300 again. Or not.:ohwell:

    You would probably find that a **properly set** MFP cal goal + exercise calories would be somewhere in the same ballpark of a properly calculated TDEE - 20%.

    Example: MFP sets you to 1300 + you burned 500 exercise = 1800. TDEE - 20% is probably somewhere near 1800.
  • xstarxdustx
    xstarxdustx Posts: 591 Member
    bump.
  • clareyoung80
    clareyoung80 Posts: 177 Member
    I'm eating at my TDEE -20%. Yeah, at first, I was either losing nothing or gaining. But then, I had gone from eating 1200 cals a day for about 6 months.

    A month in, and I found that as long as I do reasonably intense cardio 6x a week (for me, 45 min Jillian Michaels DVD) as well as my weight exercises, then I'm fine. I have enough energy for my exercises, and I lose weight. I've also found that 'cycling' my calories - eating a bit more on some days, and a bit less on others, also revs up my weight loss to around 2lbs a week.

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