TDEE shows 1015 calories per day???

jeanniehart63
jeanniehart63 Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi

I would be grateful if someone could help me with my calculations please. I am female, 50, 5'4" and weigh 126lbs. I have calculated by BMR as 1268.90 and my TDEE as 1515 (sedentary) . If I want to lose 1lb a week, I need to adjust this figure by 500 cals a day, leaving me with just 1015 cals per day. This seems rather low? Am I calculating correctly?

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Hi

    I would be grateful if someone could help me with my calculations please. I am female, 50, 5'4" and weigh 126lbs. I have calculated by BMR as 1268.90 and my TDEE as 1515 (sedentary) . If I want to lose 1lb a week, I need to adjust this figure by 500 cals a day, leaving me with just 1015 cals per day. This seems rather low? Am I calculating correctly?

    Thanks in advance!
    You are already a healthy weight for your height. 1lb loss per week is therefore not reasonable.
    Also, are you truly sedentary, meaning you plan on doing absolutely no physical activity of any kind?
  • jeanniehart63
    jeanniehart63 Posts: 10
    Thanks for the reply! Yes I am a good healthy weight, I am only looking to drop a couple of pounds to feel more comfortable in my clothes. I lost weight last year (to 123lbs) and have crept up a few lbs since Christmas. I want to keep on top of it now, so would rather have only a couple of pounds to lose, rather than let it get any higher. Yes, pretty lazy in the exercise dept ... Not sitting down all day, but no regular exercise as such.

    I used MFP during that time, but have completely forgotten how I calculated my daily calorie intake!
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I'm a bit confused because I'm about the same size, and MFP would not set my daily calories below 1200 a day, and estimated that I would lose only .6 a week. Yet, I am seeing folks like OP for whom it is set lower. I even saw one who had his calorie goal set to 500, which is crazy! Can you self-set your calorie goal. I thought MFP wouldn't set it below a safe amount.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,614 Member
    I'm a bit confused because I'm about the same size, and MFP would not set my daily calories below 1200 a day, and estimated that I would lose only .6 a week. Yet, I am seeing folks like OP for whom it is set lower. I even saw one who had his calorie goal set to 500, which is crazy! Can you self-set your calorie goal. I thought MFP wouldn't set it below a safe amount.

    you can self set it to whatever you want using the Goals - set goals - custom tab, but 1200 is the medically recommended minimum and anyone with it set to 500 probably has an eating disorder or is on a VLCD, which you aren't allowed to post about on the forums.
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Definitely don't set your calorie goal for under 1200. At a healthy weight, your weight loss should be slower-aim for 10 to 15% off of your TDEE.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    With only a few pounds to lose you should only aim at losing 1/2 a week at most. Also you do not want to eat below your BMR so I wouldn't recommend going below 1270 for your net calories. Of course if you add exercise you will get to eat more.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I'm a bit confused because I'm about the same size, and MFP would not set my daily calories below 1200 a day, and estimated that I would lose only .6 a week. Yet, I am seeing folks like OP for whom it is set lower. I even saw one who had his calorie goal set to 500, which is crazy! Can you self-set your calorie goal. I thought MFP wouldn't set it below a safe amount.

    you can self set it to whatever you want using the Goals - set goals - custom tab, but 1200 is the medically recommended minimum and anyone with it set to 500 probably has an eating disorder or is on a VLCD, which you aren't allowed to post about on the forums.
    Well, someone's breaking that rule!
  • jeanniehart63
    jeanniehart63 Posts: 10
    So, I should aim for between 1364 and 1212 cals per day, to achieve a loss of approx 1/2 lb a week?
  • samamps88
    samamps88 Posts: 52
    You have calculated it wrong!

    TDEE will always be higher than bmr.

    Bmr is what you require if you were in a coma I.E. Litterally what it takes to just keep you alive

    Your TDEE even at sedentary is higher because it includes all daily actions, eating, walking to the fridge and back, etc
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  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    id start at 1500 and adjust accordingly.... it was already stated that its unhealthy for someone at your weight to lose a pound a week. this should probably work with a moderate amount of exercise (iow, dont do a ton of cardio like a moron)


    bodyweightX12=1512


    why?

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-to-estimate-maintenance-caloric-intake.html
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Thanks for the reply! Yes I am a good healthy weight, I am only looking to drop a couple of pounds to feel more comfortable in my clothes. I lost weight last year (to 123lbs) and have crept up a few lbs since Christmas. I want to keep on top of it now, so would rather have only a couple of pounds to lose, rather than let it get any higher. Yes, pretty lazy in the exercise dept ... Not sitting down all day, but no regular exercise as such.

    I used MFP during that time, but have completely forgotten how I calculated my daily calorie intake!

    Few, so 3 lbs, in 4 months, gained?

    See, easy to follow what others have said, came on slow, leave slow.

    Because, with no exercise to retain muscle mass, you don't exactly need to be risking losing any more than needed.

    Probably be a wise idea to go in to customize your macros too.

    Whatever the default protein was in grams - double it.
    Keep the fat grams where it was, so note that before you change protein.
    Let carbs go where it may.

    And yes, you adjust the % to make the grams double.

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