Calculating BMR and TDEE - Help!

lisatee67
lisatee67 Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
For starters, if I'm trying to determine how many calories I can eat to lose 2 lbs per week, do I use BMR or TDEE? Also, the activity levels are confusing on the calculators. Sedentary is defined as ex. desk job and light to moderate activity levels are defined as exercise between 1-5 per week. I do have a desk job, but I'm on my feet several hours in the evening, cooking - cleaning etc. I also exercise 3-5 hours per week. I don't know which I'm supposed to use to get the correct calculation. MFP has me set to 1280 calories a day for 2 lb weight loss per week. That seems really low. I put in sedentary but that I exercise 5 times per week for 45 minutes. That's usually my minimum. I weigh 246 and I'm 5'9" and 46 yrs old.

Advice appreciated!

Thanks guys!

Replies

  • FitGeekery
    FitGeekery Posts: 336 Member
    1) Keep in mind that you won't be able to keep up a rate of 2 lbs/wk forever. The closer you are to your goal the slower it'll be. This is a marathon kind of journey ;)

    2) What method do you think would be better for you? Would you rather input your exercise as well as food and eat back your exercise calories (MFP method), or would you rather have one number to stick with that already factors in your activity level (TDEE)?

    They're two ways of getting to the exact same place, so I'd say it's mainly about personal preference. Once you know which road you want to take, then you can figure out how to get down it :)
  • laymanc14
    laymanc14 Posts: 6
    What is TDEE?
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    What is TDEE?

    Total daily engergy expenditure

    Meaning the sum total of all your calorie needs for the day
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    MFP has me set to 1280 calories a day for 2 lb weight loss per week. That seems really low.
    So set it for 1 lb per week ?

    You are aware that you're supposed to log your exercise and the food target goes up accordingly ?? So you would only eat 1280 on a day with no exercise. If you logged 300 calories it would be 1580, etc.

    At over 200 lbs you can run a large calorie deficit for a good while so it's entirely up to you - if the 1280 scares you then reduce the target loss rate.
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    Here are the numbers to FitGeekery's post

    Just calculated your TDEE with 1-3 exercise units -->2500cals

    7x2500= 17500 cals
    -2lbs/week = -7000 cals
    17500 - 7000 =10500 cals / week = 1500cals/day, exercise cals are included

    or

    Just calculated your TDEE without -->2200cals

    7x2200= 15400 cals
    -2lbs/week = -7000 cals
    15400 - 7000 =8400 cals / week = 1200cals/day + daily exercise cals


    As your weight comes off your TDEE will sink to, so you can adjust it once in a while.

    I use the first method, but whatever works for you.

Categories