TDEE method - calories on days without "exercise"?

MichMunchkin
MichMunchkin Posts: 94 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey! Simple (perhaps stupid?) question here. *L* If a person is using the TDEE - % method to figure out calories, would you eat the same number of calories regardless of whether you exercise or not? Like, today for example, it's snowing and raining and being generally miserable outside (gotta love November on the east coast of Canada!) so I most likely won't be taking my usual 90-minute walk. So would I still eat the same amount of calories that I would if I was able to get out and walk? I'm thinking probably yes, but I wanted to be sure.

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Hey! Simple (perhaps stupid?) question here. *L* If a person is using the TDEE - % method to figure out calories, would you eat the same number of calories regardless of whether you exercise or not? Like, today for example, it's snowing and raining and being generally miserable outside (gotta love November on the east coast of Canada!) so I most likely won't be taking my usual 90-minute walk. So would I still eat the same amount of calories that I would if I was able to get out and walk? I'm thinking probably yes, but I wanted to be sure.

    yes, but keep in mind that you worked out your TDEE to factor in a certain amount of exercise... if you start to do less on a regular basis your weight loss will slow/stop....
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    TDEE is based on what you told it you would do for exercise. If you put in that you would exercise everyday and you aren't then you may be a bit over what you should be eating today. You can always do something at home to make it up. I keeps some DVD's for moments like that.
  • MichMunchkin
    MichMunchkin Posts: 94 Member
    Hey! Simple (perhaps stupid?) question here. *L* If a person is using the TDEE - % method to figure out calories, would you eat the same number of calories regardless of whether you exercise or not? Like, today for example, it's snowing and raining and being generally miserable outside (gotta love November on the east coast of Canada!) so I most likely won't be taking my usual 90-minute walk. So would I still eat the same amount of calories that I would if I was able to get out and walk? I'm thinking probably yes, but I wanted to be sure.

    yes, but keep in mind that you worked out your TDEE to factor in a certain amount of exercise... if you start to do less on a regular basis your weight loss will slow/stop....

    Yep, I'm keeping that in mind. Days like this don't happen very often. Unfortunately, today is a day when things are working against me -- not only is the weather not conducive to outdoor activity, but it's also Remembrance Day, which means the gym is closed as well. ;)
  • MichMunchkin
    MichMunchkin Posts: 94 Member
    TDEE is based on what you told it you would do for exercise. If you put in that you would exercise everyday and you aren't then you may be a bit over what you should be eating today. You can always do something at home to make it up. I keeps some DVD's for moments like that.

    When I worked out my TDEE, I put in that I exercise 3-5 times a week, which I do...so I think I should be okay. I guess time will tell, anyway, right? *L*
  • WEBAyahoo
    WEBAyahoo Posts: 39
    Youtube has lots of walking videos like Leslie Sansone walk away the pounds... give that a try.... nothing beats a failure EXCEPT a try...
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    As WEBAyahoo pointed out, there are plenty of things you can do at home with little/no equipment. I'm in Maine so not too far from you and I know the weather is getting less than friendly for outdoor activities, at least those that don't include skis or snowshoes. :)

    If you don't want to do a DVD type workout, search online for ideas on workouts at home. There are countless body weight exercises that you can do (sit-ups, planks, leg lifts, tricep dips, squats, lunges) as well as equipment free cardio like jogging in place, jumping jacks, butt-kicks, punches, etc. If you don't have weights and/or don't have the money to purchase a set, you can re-purpose gallon milk/water jugs - filled with water, they weigh about 8 pounds.

    And of course once the snow starts really coming down, shoveling is excellent exercise. :)
  • MichMunchkin
    MichMunchkin Posts: 94 Member
    Youtube has lots of walking videos like Leslie Sansone walk away the pounds... give that a try.... nothing beats a failure EXCEPT a try...

    Yeah, I have Wii Fit, too. I guess I just sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that's not "real" exercise because it's not at as vigorous a pace as when I walk! :) Thanks for the reminder; I'll be checking out some Youtube stuff.
  • MichMunchkin
    MichMunchkin Posts: 94 Member
    As WEBAyahoo pointed out, there are plenty of things you can do at home with little/no equipment. I'm in Maine so not too far from you and I know the weather is getting less than friendly for outdoor activities, at least those that don't include skis or snowshoes. :)

    If you don't want to do a DVD type workout, search online for ideas on workouts at home. There are countless body weight exercises that you can do (sit-ups, planks, leg lifts, tricep dips, squats, lunges) as well as equipment free cardio like jogging in place, jumping jacks, butt-kicks, punches, etc. If you don't have weights and/or don't have the money to purchase a set, you can re-purpose gallon milk/water jugs - filled with water, they weigh about 8 pounds.

    And of course once the snow starts really coming down, shoveling is excellent exercise. :)

    Haha, the shovelling thing! Everyone I know thinks I'm a bit "off" because when the weather's like this, I'll be going "I just wish it would SNOW already! Then I could shovel!" Apparently shovelling is not a popular activity around here. *L*
  • TipTopMMR
    TipTopMMR Posts: 89 Member
    I am a fast walker when I walk outdoors but if I do a Leslie Sansone at home (I use 3-5 lb weights throughout and really push it) I break a pretty serious sweat and get a good burn (according to my fitbit). Try her Walk Slim series or her 5 mile advanced. They can be a little corny, but you will get a workout!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Haha, the shovelling thing! Everyone I know thinks I'm a bit "off" because when the weather's like this, I'll be going "I just wish it would SNOW already! Then I could shovel!" Apparently shovelling is not a popular activity around here. *L*

    You are not alone! We just got our driveway paved and my husband keeps saying "it'll make it easier for her to shovel" and everyone laughs like, yeah sure, your wife does the shoveling (cuz it's a "man" job don't cha know) and he has to explain how much I actually enjoy it. Generally I'm not too fond of being outside in the cold and snow but I don't mind it if I'm doing something active like shoveling or bringing wood in. Plus it burns calories - bonus!
  • mytmous
    mytmous Posts: 1
    Personally, I prefer to calculate TDEE with 0 exercise and add additional calories based on the activity for the day. What I don't like about the calculators is most of them only give you an option to choose how many days you exercise, not intensity level. Walking 3 days a week doesn't burn the same calories as doing intervals on a stationary bike 3 days a week for example. Unfortunately, there's no way to specify this in most of the online calculators. This is just my personal preference, but I tend to do the same workouts week to week, so I know pretty close what my caloric expendature is going to be before I even do any exercise.
  • MichMunchkin
    MichMunchkin Posts: 94 Member
    Personally, I prefer to calculate TDEE with 0 exercise and add additional calories based on the activity for the day.

    ....I never thought about doing that. Hmmm.

    Just for curiosity, after reading your response I recalculated my TDEE, this time using "little to no activity" as the baseline. Once I had done the 10% subtraction for the ten pounds I'd like to lose, I came out with a daily calorie recommendation of 1,590 calories. Now, I wore a HRM when I went out for my walk earlier today and burned 300 calories, which, if I consumed those, would bring me to 1,890 calories,

    My original caloric recommendation, when I used "moderately active" as my baseline, was 1,830. Not right on the nose, obviously, but pretty close.

    Very interesting. Thank you for the insight! I'll try working with the "moderately active" setting for a few weeks and see how that goes...if it doesn't seem to be doing anything I'll try your method.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    Personally, I prefer to calculate TDEE with 0 exercise and add additional calories based on the activity for the day. What I don't like about the calculators is most of them only give you an option to choose how many days you exercise, not intensity level. Walking 3 days a week doesn't burn the same calories as doing intervals on a stationary bike 3 days a week for example. Unfortunately, there's no way to specify this in most of the online calculators. This is just my personal preference, but I tend to do the same workouts week to week, so I know pretty close what my caloric expendature is going to be before I even do any exercise.

    This is exactly what the standard MFP system is. You put in how active your regular life is, then you just add calories from exercise, which is completely different from the TDEE system.
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    screw it, layer up and go walk :smokin:
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    Personally, I prefer to calculate TDEE with 0 exercise and add additional calories based on the activity for the day. What I don't like about the calculators is most of them only give you an option to choose how many days you exercise, not intensity level. Walking 3 days a week doesn't burn the same calories as doing intervals on a stationary bike 3 days a week for example. Unfortunately, there's no way to specify this in most of the online calculators. This is just my personal preference, but I tend to do the same workouts week to week, so I know pretty close what my caloric expendature is going to be before I even do any exercise.

    AKA using MFP's method.
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
    Forget the TDEE & use the simplified MFP approach.
    I didn't even know what a TDEE was until after I reached my goal.
    Why complicate things?
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Personally, I prefer to calculate TDEE with 0 exercise and add additional calories based on the activity for the day. What I don't like about the calculators is most of them only give you an option to choose how many days you exercise, not intensity level. Walking 3 days a week doesn't burn the same calories as doing intervals on a stationary bike 3 days a week for example. Unfortunately, there's no way to specify this in most of the online calculators. This is just my personal preference, but I tend to do the same workouts week to week, so I know pretty close what my caloric expendature is going to be before I even do any exercise.

    This is exactly what the standard MFP system is. You put in how active your regular life is, then you just add calories from exercise, which is completely different from the TDEE system.

    :laugh: Yes! My TDEE without exercise is almost exactly the same as what MFP gives me. I just use MFP's numbers because my exercise schedule is so erratic, my TDEE is different every day. I've been successfully maintaining using the MFP formula for over two years now. My husband uses TDEE and that works ok for him. Both methods work - you just need to pick the one that matches your lifestyle better. :flowerforyou:
  • BenjaminMFP88
    BenjaminMFP88 Posts: 660 Member
    Hey! Simple (perhaps stupid?) question here. *L* If a person is using the TDEE - % method to figure out calories, would you eat the same number of calories regardless of whether you exercise or not? Like, today for example, it's snowing and raining and being generally miserable outside (gotta love November on the east coast of Canada!) so I most likely won't be taking my usual 90-minute walk. So would I still eat the same amount of calories that I would if I was able to get out and walk? I'm thinking probably yes, but I wanted to be sure.

    Your TDEE will change dramatically based on your activity level as it changes with everything you do. Your BMR won't. On days you aren't as active, just eat a caloric value much conservatively close to your BMR and you'll be fine. As long as it doesn't become habitual and you maintain the overall same degree of activity, you'll be fine.
  • MichMunchkin
    MichMunchkin Posts: 94 Member
    screw it, layer up and go walk :smokin:

    Ahahaha! It ended up that the rain stopped and the wind died down, so I went out for an hour. I don't mind snow and cold...it's wind that drives me insane. *L*

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