TDEE seems to high, help please :)

tashigolean33
tashigolean33 Posts: 41
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I read the skinny pants article and some of the associated links regarding TDEE and needed calories per day. I just want to make sure I understand. I am 33, 5ft even, and weigh 206. I selected moderate exercise on the Scooby site because I sit at a desk 8 hours a day, no kids to chase after, and I try to walk bike 30 -60 minutes a day. If I understood the article correctly, then per the Scooby site I should be eating 2074 calories a day to have a 20% deficit. Is this correct? I have always been told to stay around 1200. Even MFP has me at 1200 -1400 depending on how much I want to lose per week. Any assistance is greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • Booda101
    Booda101 Posts: 161 Member
    I plugged your numbers into fitnessfrog.

    For lightly active TDEE is 2301
    For moderately active TDEE is 2593

    If you subtract 500 calories from each or 20%, that will give you a daily goal of 1801 and 2093 respectively.


    You can always try one for a few weeks, then evaluate the results and tweak as necessary.
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
    It's high, because you weigh more. It takes more calories to fuel your body than someone smaller than you with the same activity level. Once you lose weight, this number will go down.

    MFP also uses the NEAT method which doesn't include your activity level. It wants you to log it. The TDEE method includes your exercise, so you do not log it.
  • tashigolean33
    tashigolean33 Posts: 41
    Thanks so much for the quick response! I guess I will start somewhere around 2000. However, I have no idea how I am going to eat that much each day. I have been struggling to get to 1400-1600 a day.
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
    Thanks so much for the quick response! I guess I will start somewhere around 2000. However, I have no idea how I am going to eat that much each day. I have been struggling to get to 1400-1600 a day.

    What did you eat to gain weight?

    You will need to eat more calorie dense foods in order to hit that number. If that involves oreos and peanut butter, then eat it.
  • Booda101
    Booda101 Posts: 161 Member
    Things like peanut butter, avocado, nuts help.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Please read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1072049-thoughts-on-tdee-calculators-and-switching-from-mfp-to-tdee
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    A few notes about the TDEE method--

    (1) While weighing more tends to make your TDEE higher, having an above average body fat percentage is going to make the TDEE formula less accurate (you need more calories to fuel lean mass than fat), and if you try the various formulas you get different answers (also depending on your judgment call about how active you are). If you check the IIFYM.com site, you will see that if you have a higher body fat percentage and use the Katch-McArdle formula (which would be the best one to use if you know your body fat, which of course most do not) you usually end up with a lower TDEE. The point here is just be aware that they are all estimates. You will need to check results and adjust if you aren't getting the results you want.

    (2) Also, when you have a lower TDEE, be aware that minus 20% is typically about 1 lb/week or a little less, and I assume you asked MFP for 2 lbs/week. That's one reason why you will often get a different answer with MFP.

    (3) With TDEE you don't eat back exercise calories and with MFP you do. If MFP gives you 1200 without exercise, then you'd eat 1200 + your exercise, so perhaps 1500 most days. That would be a loss of 2 lbs/week if your TDEE were 2500 (including the exercise), which as you can see no longer looks SO different from the numbers you are getting from the TDEE calculator.
  • tashigolean33
    tashigolean33 Posts: 41
    Thanks for all the help.

    I will not eat oreos. I have a bad thyroid and cannot take medications for it due to other health issues. I actually eat very little processed food. I also have a wheat allergy which cuts out a large amount of carb options. I will stay fat before I put things like oreos in my system just to hit a calorie goal. I understand the whole calories in and calories out, but I also believe in the quality of those calories. I struggle to lose weight. I have battled weight gain my entire life. I will try to raise my calories with more whole foods though. I do eat quite a bit of avocado. I will look at fattier fish options more frequently as well.
  • blondie_girl14
    blondie_girl14 Posts: 198 Member
    I always thought, eat less..exercise, and you will lose weight.
    :ohwell:
  • MadriverDell
    MadriverDell Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks so much for the quick response! I guess I will start somewhere around 2000. However, I have no idea how I am going to eat that much each day. I have been struggling to get to 1400-1600 a day.

    If you're struggling to eat 1400-1600 calories a day, are you sure that you are logging your food accurately? Are you weighing/measuring all your portions and logging all ingredients/extras/condiments, including liquid calories (i.e., milk/creamer in coffee, etc.) ?

    1400-1600 calories a day -- even healthy calories -- is far from an enormous amount of food that would be difficult for an obese person to consume. 1400-1600 total daily calories is quite modest, actually.
  • tashigolean33
    tashigolean33 Posts: 41
    Yes I log accurately. I didn't use any condiments today other than the hot sauce I logged. I don't use milk/sugar/creamer in my coffee. I don't drink anything other than black coffee or water. Just because I am obese, doesn't mean I gorge on large amounts of food. I appreciate the help with the calorie target and I will do my best to increase my healthy fats and proteins to get there. I have lost 67 pounds in the last year. The problem is that I have hit a bit of a wall where I go up and down by 5 lbs, so I decided maybe I should count calories for a while to see if I can get past the plateau. I only have sugar or processed foods when I dine out which is rare, and even in those instances I try to choose the cleanest food options possible. I did log orange beef today and I used the generic option because it was made by a friend and I am not sure the total calories. But since she follows what most would call a Paleo lifestyle as well, I am guessing it is less calories than the generic. I lost the first 67 pounds on a strict Paleo diet to narrow down issues with allergies. Now, I eat some raw dairy and I occasionally dine out with friends. I also use occasional condiments like hot sauce when I eat in the work cafeteria like this morning. My allergy problems were coming from white/wheat flour. Now that I have cut that from my diet, I no longer have to pop Allegra like candy just to be able to breathe and be congestion free. Thanks again for all the help with the calorie target. I will do my best to comply and see if it spurs further weight loss.

Categories