TDEE Question

Dalton1720
Dalton1720 Posts: 104
in Fitness and Exercise
Im a bit confused with the whole matter. I use the elliptical for 30 minutes 5 days a week and lift 3 times a week, but my daily activity is between sedentary and lightly active. My goal is to lose 0.5-1lb per week, but Im not sure what level of activity to add to the TDEE calculators like scoobys workshop. Any input would be much appreciated.

Replies

  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
    Dalton...this is all an art, not a science because there are soooo many variable. For instance I both weightlift and do cardio...almost every day. But I wear a heart monitor that tracks my heart rate and figures out my approx calories usage. For WL, I can burn anywhere from 350 to 800 calories an hr, while cardio ranges from 660 to 900. Keeping in mind my monitor could also be off.

    If you REALLY want to try to figure this out, I'd first buy a heart monitor, mine is a polar.

    Next go to this site to get some insights on TDEE and MACROs calculations: http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    If you haven't done so, buy a food scale and log EVERYTHING into this site.

    If you do all of these you will have the data to construct how much energy you are expending, what you need to expend to meet your goals, what MACROS are best to meet your goals and what MACROS you actually are consuming.

    It's a kind of lengthy process, but if you are willing to take these steps and have willpower, you WILL see progress...as you have the math staring you in the eye.

    Good Luck,
    TC
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    If you are using an online calculator I would suggest IIFYM.com one...it seems more accurate to personal calculations for me.

    When you do use a calculator you take you exercise level and for you it is 5 days a week...or if it's in hours count the time lifting only...not rests plus your cardio.

    I lift as well...3x a week and do cardio 2-3x a week or HIIT. I choose 3-4hours of exercise for my TDEE calcs online. Because my lifting is really 30 mins without rests, my cardio is usually 30-45mins and my HIIT is always under 30mins.

    ETA: TDEE is always an "estimate" but it doesn't have to be complicated. I don't own a HRM (no reason for me to), I do own a scale and weigh my food but if you want a good estimate to start with just go to IIFYM.com plug in your numbers and use that...
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    so people that follow the TDEE way of eating are usually eating TDEE- 20% (or 10%) on a daily basis, and not eating their exercise calories back. what they do is figure out their TDEE for their activity level, subtract 20% from it, and that is their number to eat on a daily basis, whether they work out or not, whether they lift or do cardio.

    depending on your typical day, with your work outs i'd say you are lightly to moderately active. the IIFYM calculator looks really good, check it out. http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    Dalton...this is all an art, not a science because there are soooo many variable. For instance I both weightlift and do cardio...almost every day. But I wear a heart monitor that tracks my heart rate and figures out my approx calories usage. For WL, I can burn anywhere from 350 to 800 calories an hr, while cardio ranges from 660 to 900. Keeping in mind my monitor could also be off.

    If you REALLY want to try to figure this out, I'd first buy a heart monitor, mine is a polar.

    Good Luck,
    TC

    Given that a heart rate monitor is really only accurate (and not all THAT accurate, at that) for calorie burns for STEADY STATE CARDIO, yeah your burns are off on your WL estimates. It's a no-go to rely on your HRM for calorie burns for HIIT, for WL, for things like T25 or 3DS, etc.

    and
    depending on your typical day, with your work outs i'd say you are lightly to moderately active. the IIFYM calculator looks really good, check it out. http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    I prefer this TDEE calculator vastly over Scooby''s, for the same reason OP mentioned. IIFYM's calc gives more options (and more broken-down options) for your activity so it's easier to see which one you fit into.
  • katykat79
    katykat79 Posts: 24 Member
    I agree it is an art to get this all straight. If you can, financially and logistically, find a health professional to give you a metabolism test by indirect calorimeter. Truly, that is the most efficient way of determining your resting metabolic rate which is the how your TDEE is calculated. I have had mine tested 3 times by hospital- caliber machines and the results were consistent (it was tested so much because my dietician was trying something out for her benefit). For me, I was waaaaayyyy under eating and not losing weight. I have a fast metabolism and I was just starving my body. This is not everyone's story, but the point is, sometimes it is a bit more complicated than cals in/cals out. FYI, it costs about 60 in the northeast but some insurances will cover it. Just one opinion! Good luck and keep trying!
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    I agree it is an art to get this all straight. If you can, financially and logistically, find a health professional to give you a metabolism test by indirect calorimeter. Truly, that is the most efficient way of determining your resting metabolic rate which is the how your TDEE is calculated. I have had mine tested 3 times by hospital- caliber machines and the results were consistent (it was tested so much because my dietician was trying something out for her benefit). For me, I was waaaaayyyy under eating and not losing weight. I have a fast metabolism and I was just starving my body. This is not everyone's story, but the point is, sometimes it is a bit more complicated than cals in/cals out. FYI, it costs about 60 in the northeast but some insurances will cover it. Just one opinion! Good luck and keep trying!

    to the bolded: no, it's not more complicated than cals in/cals out. It NEVER is. *Figuring out* your own personal cals in/cals out numbers may be more complicated than the average, but it always, always, always - no matter what compounding factor you have - boils down to CI<CO.
  • katykat79
    katykat79 Posts: 24 Member
    I agree it is an art to get this all straight. If you can, financially and logistically, find a health professional to give you a metabolism test by indirect calorimeter. Truly, that is the most efficient way of determining your resting metabolic rate which is the how your TDEE is calculated. I have had mine tested 3 times by hospital- caliber machines and the results were consistent (it was tested so much because my dietician was trying something out for her benefit). For me, I was waaaaayyyy under eating and not losing weight. I have a fast metabolism and I was just starving my body. This is not everyone's story, but the point is, sometimes it is a bit more complicated than cals in/cals out. FYI, it costs about 60 in the northeast but some insurances will cover it. Just one opinion! Good luck and keep trying!

    to the bolded: no, it's not more complicated than cals in/cals out. It NEVER is. *Figuring out* your own personal cals in/cals out numbers may be more complicated than the average, but it always, always, always - no matter what compounding factor you have - boils down to CI<CO.

    Interesting....did you read my post? I was eating 1800 calories a day and not losing a pound. By your oversimplified rationale, i should have been dropping weight like crazy, but no. I upped my calories to 2500 and boom, losing 1 lb a week. So...again, my metabolism is not typical, but for me, too big a calorie deficit was resulting in weight loss stall. So, you are incorrect, sometimes it is more complicated. Anyway, I don't want to hijack the thread. My point is the more knowledge you have regarding your own body, the better.
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
    Don't over-complicate it. Online calculators give you estimates only (don't over-analyze the activity level either...just pick one you think is closest as this is an experiment for a few weeks). The problem comes into play that people want immediate results and immediate data and don't have patience. Take the estimate (average estimates from a few online calculators if you want) and run with that for 3-4 weeks. Take the average loss per week over that time and then adjust as necessary. You look like you don't have much weight to lose, so stick closer to the .5% of bodyweight loss per week average goal. If you are not losing after 3-4 weeks, then drop daily calories by 50 or so (usually in carbs as the others are relegated as minimums) and go another 3-4 weeks to get another baseline average. Rinse, repeat, adjust as necessary. Each "caloric test" needs to run a few weeks as the body goes through periods of adjustment and shifts, so just because you aren't losing weight one week or maybe even two at one defined deficit, does not mean the deficit is not working...it just sometimes takes a little more time.
  • bluntlysally
    bluntlysally Posts: 150 Member
    this question keeps on coming up for you.

    a lot of folks guess wrong on their activity level and exercise, so they are off by a bit.

    i'll give the same advice i've given in the past. get a fitbit and a hrm.... and don't return the fitbit (like you did already). the fitbit will give you your daily activity, the hrm will add your exercise - together you will get a pretty good tdee. like everyone else has said, this is still an estimate - but it is a pretty darn good place to start. work with one number for a while, then adjust, do that for a while, and so on.

    or you can use any of the calculators out there. some are better than others, try a few. but pick a plan and stick with it for about a month. (and also, no i'm eating 1000 calories bc i am going to the beach in two weeks either.)
  • Dalton1720
    Dalton1720 Posts: 104
    Thank you all so much for your advice. I'm surprised this topic even got answered. The reason I've been hesitating on buying a hrm and fitbit, which I did return is because it's all so expensive. I really like the TDEE method rather than adding back exercise calories. It Just seems simpler, but until I can afford to repurchase my fitbit and buy a hrm Im thinking ill eat between 1600-1400 depending on my daily activity. I just feel between the cardio and lifting I would be more on the active side but I suppose that isn't the case. :/
  • Dalton1720
    Dalton1720 Posts: 104
    And Sally, I only did it for a week and a half and it worked out fine. Noted it is not something I would do for longer than that, but It did break my 130 streak I had going on for quite some time so I'm happy. Now I'm just focused on getting fit for my Yosemite trip! Lots of hiking involved.
  • Dalton1720
    Dalton1720 Posts: 104
    Oh and to those who asked I do own a food scale and weigh everything out that I can.

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