Worked out my TDEE, now I have some questions

1. Yes, this is what you can eat to lose weight.
2. No, your exercise calories are included in the 1986.
3. I do, yes. Since you already entered how much you work out per week, this number averages out over 7 days regardless of what days you work out.

OH wow lucky you!

No matter what, MFP gives me 1200. Even if I change my goals and my activity and my weight loss speed. 1200 keeps popping up.

Ah well, I eat at 1500 and I bloody love it! haha

Set it to 20%, not 25% deficit. Because you have only about 30 pounds to lose, 25% cut is too much. When you are at 15-20 pounds to go, dial it back to 15% deficit. At 10-12 pounds to go, make it a 10% deficit.

Set it to 20%, not 25% deficit. Because you have only about 30 pounds to lose, 25% cut is too much. When you are at 15-20 pounds to go, dial it back to 15% deficit. At 10-12 pounds to go, make it a 10% deficit.

This. And also, since you only have about 30 pounds to lose, I would make sure my NET doesn't go below my BMR, at least most of the time, and you should refigure your BMR after every 5 lbs lost.

1. Does this mean that my total calorie intake daily should be 1490?

Yes

2. Do I still add my exercise burn calories to the 1490 and eat those too?

No...TDEE is TOTAL Daily Energy Expenditure...this includes all of your estimated exercise calories up front...they are included in your activity level. With MFP, they are NOT supposed to be included in your activity level...they are accounted for after the fact when you log them and get the increased calorie goal. Either way you're eating them back...with MFP you're doing it directly...with the TDEE method you're doing it indirectly by including that estimate in your activity level.

3. On the days that I don't exercise, do I still consume 1490 calories or do I consume only the BMR amount (1358)?

Most people who utilize TDEE don't really calorie cycle...it nets out over the course of a week. You're likely to have days where your deficit is bigger and days when it's smaller and/or non-existent...it's supposed to net out over the course of a week if you're doing it right.

I think I will find the TDEE Calorie goal a lot easier to achieve. The MFP plan was so high in calories, that I have been battling to eat them all

Then you're doing something wrong. It should come out about 6 of 1, half dozen of the other roughly. Either you have underestimated your TDEE with the TDEE method or you were overestimating your calorie burn with the MFP method.

Just as an example...my MFP net calorie goal to lose 1 Lb per week was 1,850...with exercise I was averaging around 2150 gross calories consumed per day. My TDEE is roughly 2,700 calories...my TDEE - 20% to lose roughly 1 Lb per week is 2,160 calories. As you can see, there is a mere 10 calorie difference between the two methods and I gave myself about 100 calories either way without getting too fussed.

Now that my macros are set, they conflict with the MFP goals. Is there a way of adjusting one's macros on the MFP site?

Did you manually set your calorie goals? You'd do it in the same area where you customize your goals.

I am so confused lol. I did my numbers but dont understand them completely. It said
BMR=1585
TDEE=2180
Daily calories based on 20% calorie reduction=1744


How is it that you're able to eat more than your BMR and still lose weight? because i don't think I could eat 1744 calories anymore unless I got a Big Mac in one of those meals lol. I hate to have asked a similar question to the creator's but I read all of the responses and I'm thinking how in the world?

Your BMR is what your body needs jus to support organ functions/staying alive. On top of that you move around every day and expend more energy. That total is your TDEE - total daily energy expenditure. You need to eat below TDEE to lose weight. Or at TDEE to maintain.
TDEE includes BMR as well as daily life, like walking to your car, even sitting at a desk, brushing your teeth and your additional exercise.

It's not hard to eat more. Most people who find it hard to eat their calorie goal are "dieting" as in severely restricting what they can and can't eat or eating a lot of "Low fat/light/low calorie" foods. Simply switching out those light products can up calories without increasing food intake. Or adding nuts, nut butters, olive oil, avocado and other calorie dense foods can up calorie intake without eating huge amounts of food.

I am so confused lol. I did my numbers but dont understand them completely. It said
BMR=1585
TDEE=2180
Daily calories based on 20% calorie reduction=1744


How is it that you're able to eat more than your BMR and still lose weight? because i don't think I could eat 1744 calories anymore unless I got a Big Mac in one of those meals lol. I hate to have asked a similar question to the creator's but I read all of the responses and I'm thinking how in the world?

Your BMR is what your body needs jus to support organ functions/staying alive. On top of that you move around every day and expend more energy. That total is your TDEE - total daily energy expenditure. You need to eat below TDEE to lose weight. Or at TDEE to maintain.
TDEE includes BMR as well as daily life, like walking to your car, even sitting at a desk, brushing your teeth and your additional exercise.

It's not hard to eat more. Most people who find it hard to eat their calorie goal are "dieting" as in severely restricting what they can and can't eat or eating a lot of "Low fat/light/low calorie" foods. Simply switching out those light products can up calories without increasing food intake. Or adding nuts, nut butters, olive oil, avocado and other calorie dense foods can up calorie intake without eating huge amounts of food.
[Yes!]

I'm glad she posted about this as I'm a little confused too - which is maybe why my loss hasn't been too continual.
Here's my stats:

BMR is 1467
TDEE is 2119 - 20% (I want to loose another 20 or so lbs) = 1695
Im' 43yrs old, 5'4 and presently 182.3lbs. I try to do at least 25 min exercise 5 x a week; however I KNOW I'll do at least 3x a week - all depends on my schedule if I can fit the other 2 sessions in.

So am I correct that I should be setting my goals to 1695 cals/day?? I have a hard enough time eating the 1450 cals I had previously set myself to!

Any help is really appreciated... and feel free to add me as a friend for support!

I'm glad she posted about this as I'm a little confused too - which is maybe why my loss hasn't been too continual.
Here's my stats:

BMR is 1467
TDEE is 2119 - 20% (I want to loose another 20 or so lbs) = 2119.

Im' 43yrs old, 5'4 and presently 182.3lbs. I try to do at least 25 min exercise 5 x a week; however I KNOW I'll do at least 3x a week - all depends on my schedule if I can fit the other 2 sessions in.

So am I correct that I should be setting my goals to 2119 cals/day?? I have a hard enough time eating the 1450 cals I had previously set myself to!

Any help is really appreciated... and feel free to add me as a friend for support!

What did you choose to get your TDEE? How active is your daily life before exercise? How intense is your exercise?


ETA - I ran your numbers and see how you got that.

2117 is your TDEE if you used light exercise. You need to eat less than that. At a 20% deficit that would of you around 1693. That is the number you should be aiming for.

I'm glad she posted about this as I'm a little confused too - which is maybe why my loss hasn't been too continual.
Here's my stats:

BMR is 1467
TDEE is 2119 - 20% (I want to loose another 20 or so lbs) = 2119.

Im' 43yrs old, 5'4 and presently 182.3lbs. I try to do at least 25 min exercise 5 x a week; however I KNOW I'll do at least 3x a week - all depends on my schedule if I can fit the other 2 sessions in.

So am I correct that I should be setting my goals to 2119 cals/day?? I have a hard enough time eating the 1450 cals I had previously set myself to!

Any help is really appreciated... and feel free to add me as a friend for support!

What did you choose to get your TDEE? How active is your daily life before exercise? How intense is your exercise?


ETA - I ran your numbers and see how you got that.

2117 is your TDEE if you used light exercise. You need to eat less than that. At a 20% deficit that would of you around 1693. That is the number you should be aiming for.

Yes I had a typo on my #'s at first.

I got TDEE at 2119 (2117 is fine if that's what you got) and yes I used light exercise.
My cals per day should be 1693 like you said.. my typo error...
My lifestyle wasn't TOO active - I walked sometimes, but not to the extent I do now. Now I use a ski machine or do 30DS or do my own cardio/strength workout - just to change it up a bit as I can get bored easily.... like I said lowest is 3x/wk for 30 min - most being 5x/wk,

Thanks for your help... just not sure how I'm going to eat that much in a day!! Going to take a bit to get my mind to 'allow' me to put that much IN me lol... so used to 'cutting back'.. old school rules I guess.

I am so confused lol. I did my numbers but dont understand them completely. It said
BMR=1585
TDEE=2180
Daily calories based on 20% calorie reduction=1744


How is it that you're able to eat more than your BMR and still lose weight? because i don't think I could eat 1744 calories anymore unless I got a Big Mac in one of those meals lol. I hate to have asked a similar question to the creator's but I read all of the responses and I'm thinking how in the world?

Youre suppose to eat above your BMR 1700+ calories is not hard to obtain if youre getting all your macros, carbs, protein fats, fiber

I changed my #'s in MFP - now it says I'll only loose .3lbs/wk... is that really true??? I would like it to be around1lb/wk.. how do I get it to do that??

You are comparing two different calculators. When MFP sees that calorie goal, it is assuming that does not include exercise, but you have factored in exercise.
Ignore that part. If you figured your TDEE stick to that number.

If you want your math to be possibly correct for the only place it matters, the "in 5 weeks you'll weigh ..." or on the Goals page, then do the following.

If you selected a TDEE activity level of Moderately Active or below, you can set MFP's activity level to match the BMR multiplier.

MFP levels and activity factors.
Sedentary - 1.25
Lightly Active - 1.35
Active - 1.45
Very Active - 1.55

So the TDEE table levels and activity factors.
Sedentary - 1.20
Light Active - 1.375
Moderately Active - 1.55

So if you selected TDEE level of Moderately Active, then change MFP to Very Active.
Weight loss goal to maintain.

Now, MFP will have reset your net eating goals, and actually that should match the TDEE figure you got. Go take your 10-20% off and correct the macros where you want them.

Now the math will be correct.

ok, so heres mine

25yr female
169lbs
5'3

on this site http://thefitgirls.com/tdee-calculator.aspx
BMR= 1563
TDEE= 2149
TDEE- %20= 1719

on light exercise level for now until I get into a routine with going to the gym.. right now its just here and there when I have time.

I have my MFP set to 1600 right now... so it that too little or is that fine? its above my BMR so idk how that works.. Also if I set it at the 1719 do I eat my exercise calories back?

so the 1719 is what I should be eating every day? and