BMR & TDEE Question

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allana1111
allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm math illiterate...

Weighed in this morning at 127. I'm 5'5", 22 yr old, female. Just used FIIYM to calculate my BMR & TDEE.

BMR: 1338
TDEE: 1840

If ideally I'd like to lose 2 lbs a week.. or at least 1 lb a week, how many calories should I be eating based on that? I don't know how to do the equation
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  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    TDEE: 1840

    In theory, if you eat 1340 every day, you'd lose 1# per week. Please don't try to lose faster than this. You'll just get frustrated.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    According to your ticker you only have about 8 lbs to lose. If so, you don't want to aim for 2lbs a week - that's too aggressive and would require too large a deficit.

    A 15% cut from your TDEE would land you at about 1550+ cals a day, and even that might be pushing it with so little to lose. At this point you should focus less on the scale number and more on inches/fat lost, which this method is awesome at achieving.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
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    TDEE: 1840

    In theory, if you eat 1340 every day, you'd lose 1# per week. Please don't try to lose faster than this. You'll just get frustrated.

    so could eat 1340 and lose.. and that's not including my exercise or is?
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,228 Member
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    Don't shoot for 1 pound a week. It is far too aggressive and will not make you look better, just make you weigh less. Follow the advice about 15% below TDEE. BTW, that includes your exercise as TDEE means including intended exercise, assuming you did your entries at the site correctly. I would suggest focusing on strength training and the measuring tape more than the scale.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    so could eat 1340 and lose.. and that's not including my exercise or is?

    Did you include your exercise in your TDEE calculation?
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    TDEE: 1840

    In theory, if you eat 1340 every day, you'd lose 1# per week. Please don't try to lose faster than this. You'll just get frustrated.

    so could eat 1340 and lose.. and that's not including my exercise or is?
    As some one else said, I'd suggest eating closer to 1550 and don't rush the loss. But, using the TDEE method you either don't log your exercise or log it as one calorie. But, when calculating your TDEE, you should have factored in how often you work out each week to determine your activity level. Logging and eating back the exercise calories would be counting those exercise calories twice.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
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    Oh okay, I get it. yes I included working out 3x per week in my TDEE calculation - that's average, many weeks it's more so I thought that'd be the most accurate. So don't eat back my exercise calories when going by TDEE
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Oh okay, I get it. yes I included working out 3x per week in my TDEE calculation - that's average, many weeks it's more so I thought that'd be the most accurate. So don't eat back my exercise calories when going by TDEE
    I would say log anything over the 3 workouts you already accounted for. If you only do two a week, eat a little less. A good rule of thumb I read was eat an extra 200 if you workout more than expected; if you skip a workout, eat 200 less that day.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
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    Oh okay, I get it. yes I included working out 3x per week in my TDEE calculation - that's average, many weeks it's more so I thought that'd be the most accurate. So don't eat back my exercise calories when going by TDEE
    I would say log anything over the 3 workouts you already accounted for. If you only do two a week, eat a little less. A good rule of thumb I read was eat an extra 200 if you workout more than expected; if you skip a workout, eat 200 less that day.

    alrighty. I guess more than anything my goal is to look better even if it's inches and not pounds.. in fact that'd be great but im just stuck and nothing is happening so I turn to the scale
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    Allana, sweetie. Just pick something and stick with it for a couple months. You are way too stressed about it. There is no "perfect" answer or "perfect" amount. You'll never be perfect. Just pick something, anything, and do it. In a couple months, if it works, GREAT! If it doesn't, adjust your plan.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
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    Allana, sweetie. Just pick something and stick with it for a couple months. You are way too stressed about it. There is no "perfect" answer or "perfect" amount. You'll never be perfect. Just pick something, anything, and do it. In a couple months, if it works, GREAT! If it doesn't, adjust your plan.

    I haven't lost since the beginning of the year so yes I am stressed about it. would like to reach a goal for my wedding/honeymoon that I've been working so hard towards
  • Redheadllena
    Redheadllena Posts: 353 Member
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    To my understanding, you should ALWAYS stay above your BMR. Take 20% away from your TDEE (Divide your TDEE by 10, multiply that number by two, and then subtract it from your TDEE) and have that be your goal. You can choose to add back in exercise calories or not, I personally do.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    Don't shoot for 1 pound a week. It is far too aggressive and will not make you look better, just make you weigh less. Follow the advice about 15% below TDEE. BTW, that includes your exercise as TDEE means including intended exercise, assuming you did your entries at the site correctly. I would suggest focusing on strength training and the measuring tape more than the scale.
    .

    +1
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    so yes I am stressed

    Stress is a beast. You'll be happier without it. Stress does not help you lose weight.

    To reduce stress (and the hormones that get out of whack) get enough sleep. Make sure you're getting enough magnesium and Omega-3s. Laugh. Don't drink too much coffee or alcohol. But most importantly, to reduce stress, make sure you're eating enough to fuel your body. Seriously.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    You do not have the fat stores to lose at a rate of 2 Lbs per week in a healthy way. With only 8 Lbs to lose you should be shooting for about 1/2 Lb per week but certainly no need to eat below your BMR...without the fat stores you're just going to burn muscle.

    Also, if you're using TDEE, your TDEE includes (or should include) some estimate of your exercise...TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure...because it is included in your activity level and your TDEE, it is also included in your cut from TDEE. This is in contrast to MFP which accounts for exercise after the fact rather than in your activity level which is why you "eat back" calories from exercise.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
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    You do not have the fat stores to lose at a rate of 2 Lbs per week in a healthy way. With only 8 Lbs to lose you should be shooting for about 1/2 Lb per week but certainly no need to eat below your BMR...without the fat stores you're just going to burn muscle.

    Also, if you're using TDEE, your TDEE includes (or should include) some estimate of your exercise...TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure...because it is included in your activity level and your TDEE, it is also included in your cut from TDEE. This is in contrast to MFP which accounts for exercise after the fact rather than in your activity level which is why you "eat back" calories from exercise.

    Okay got it.. so 20% below my TDEE would be 1472. So if I eat around there that should be enough to lose .5 lbs a week plus maintain muscle
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Options
    You do not have the fat stores to lose at a rate of 2 Lbs per week in a healthy way. With only 8 Lbs to lose you should be shooting for about 1/2 Lb per week but certainly no need to eat below your BMR...without the fat stores you're just going to burn muscle.

    Also, if you're using TDEE, your TDEE includes (or should include) some estimate of your exercise...TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure...because it is included in your activity level and your TDEE, it is also included in your cut from TDEE. This is in contrast to MFP which accounts for exercise after the fact rather than in your activity level which is why you "eat back" calories from exercise.

    Okay got it.. so 20% below my TDEE would be 1472. So if I eat around there that should be enough to lose .5 lbs a week plus maintain muscle
    TDEE-20% would give you about 0.75lb loss per week. If you want to lose about half a pound a week, you'd subtract 250 calories from your TDEE, or 1590.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
    Options
    You do not have the fat stores to lose at a rate of 2 Lbs per week in a healthy way. With only 8 Lbs to lose you should be shooting for about 1/2 Lb per week but certainly no need to eat below your BMR...without the fat stores you're just going to burn muscle.

    Also, if you're using TDEE, your TDEE includes (or should include) some estimate of your exercise...TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure...because it is included in your activity level and your TDEE, it is also included in your cut from TDEE. This is in contrast to MFP which accounts for exercise after the fact rather than in your activity level which is why you "eat back" calories from exercise.

    Okay got it.. so 20% below my TDEE would be 1472. So if I eat around there that should be enough to lose .5 lbs a week plus maintain muscle
    TDEE-20% would give you about 0.75lb loss per week. If you want to lose about half a pound a week, you'd subtract 250 calories from your TDEE, or 1590.

    alrighty
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    so yes I am stressed

    Stress is a beast. You'll be happier without it. Stress does not help you lose weight.

    To reduce stress (and the hormones that get out of whack) get enough sleep. Make sure you're getting enough magnesium and Omega-3s. Laugh. Don't drink too much coffee or alcohol. But most importantly, to reduce stress, make sure you're eating enough to fuel your body. Seriously.

    +1 the sleep, makes a huge impact on your cortisol levels.

    1500 to 1600 calories would be a good goal as others have suggested. Adequate protein and fat are going to be crucial. Protein for maintaining muscle while losing and fat for proper nutrient absorption.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
    Options
    so yes I am stressed

    Stress is a beast. You'll be happier without it. Stress does not help you lose weight.

    To reduce stress (and the hormones that get out of whack) get enough sleep. Make sure you're getting enough magnesium and Omega-3s. Laugh. Don't drink too much coffee or alcohol. But most importantly, to reduce stress, make sure you're eating enough to fuel your body. Seriously.

    +1 the sleep, makes a huge impact on your cortisol levels.

    1500 to 1600 calories would be a good goal as others have suggested. Adequate protein and fat are going to be crucial. Protein for maintaining muscle while losing and fat for proper nutrient absorption.

    Yeah but I get 9-10 hours of sleep every night so that's not an issue for me lol love my sleep

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