Thoughts on TDEE calculators and switching from MFP to TDEE.

This is just my opinion.

Often times in the forums people will post questions about moving from MFP's exercise calorie model to a TDEE method.

I like the TDEE method a great deal but one thing people tend to do is put their trust into an equation without considering their previous energy intake. This doesn't always end well.

This doesn't mean switching is bad, but often times someone will end up gaining weight because they've just jacked their energy intake upwards by a significant amount. Sometimes I think this is the draw to using a TDEE method. It appears as though you get to eat more. That sounds great, but it's only great if you can still lose weight when you eat at that intake level.

(So for example if you are using MFP and averaging 1600 calories over the past 7 weeks and you're losing 1lb/week, and a TDEE calculator tells you that your TDEE is 2625, and you figure "Hey I'll take TDEE-20% and set my intake to 2100", I'm suggesting this is not likely to end in favorable results.)

We have seen multiple examples in our ETP group where someone makes the switch to a TDEE method and starts gaining weight and many times it's because they are now over-eating. It sounds like I'm bashing the TDEE method, and that's not my intent.

What I'm really getting at, is that your results are a great indicator and if you have accurate data from tracking your food intake and accurate data by tracking your progress over several weeks, you should be using that data to the best of your ability to make conclusions about your intake needs.

I think a more reasonable approach for most people would be to take the previous 4-8 weeks worth of intake data that they have on MFP and average that out. This will tell you your average caloric intake and you can then use your change in weight to at least give you some approximation as to what that intake level does for you as far as change in weight.

It's not going to be perfect of course, but it's certainly valuable data and I am suggesting that it's probably going to be superior to a calculator.

Assuming your results are somewhat reasonable, setting your daily intake to that average value seems like a good idea.

If your results are not reasonable, you can make adjustments upwards or downwards to that average intake to try and produce the desired results. If for some reason you need to start increasing food intake and you want to avoid gaining excessive amounts of fat, you're probably best off gradually increasing intake by slowly adding calories on a weekly basis and monitoring change in weight on the way up. (As an aside, I'd also use this gradual increase method when it comes time to move out of an energy deficit into maintenance or a surplus depending on your goals).


Using your current data and paying attention to the results of that data are going to lead you to a reasonable intake in most situations/for most people.


That's really the end of this rant. This is just my opinion but I'm going to post it here in case it helps anyone.

If not, well then you can just .gif me.

I'm confused with the TDEE calculators. When they mentioned exercise, is it only cardio? Because I lift weights (stronglifts minus the bench press) about 3 days a week and do HIIT once and steady state cardio once a week. So do I count it as 5 days of exercise/week? Newbie here :P

I know I have to see the mirror to track my progress also but I'm concerned about the intake. I measure every food I consume with a digital scale. If I have to track my maintenance for a week, do I not exercise for that week? My weight fluctuates a lot though, it's getting pretty hard to track.

So I would put it as 5 days of exercise/week?

I did not see any progress in body composition until I switched to this method.

+1 for SideSteel!

I feel like I used to understand TDEE, but now it's all jumbling together. Do net calories ever play a role in eating for TDEE? I thought I read that you should at least net 1,200 every day. But I see people with extreme burns that are netting less than 1,000 & losing, & now I'm reading about starvation mode being a myth, & I'm confused!

Don't be confused.

1. Starvation mode is a myth, unless you are actually starving. If you are eating 1200 or 1000 or 800 calories, you are NOT starving. But, it's not healthy at some point. But, there is no magic 1200 number. You don't eat 1,100 and all the sudden go into starvation mode. LOL
2. TDEE doesn't have a net because exercise is already calculated into the formula.

If you are getting confused, you don't understand TDEE. TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It includes ALL YOUR ACTIVITY for the day INCLUDING exercise. So, it doesn't vary. Most people that get the 1200, usually females, like TDEE better because they get to eat more everyday. With MFP, you eat 1200, unless you exercise, and then you eat more.

Gotcha. That's how I've always understood it, but I've read some things recently that confused me - information overload. Thanks for clearing that up!

I haven't read the whole thread and I apologise for that, but I was wondering.

Say I calculate my TDEE without factoring in any fitness whatsoever and I set that as my MFP goal. Then I can eat the calories back without worrying about anything. Is there any flaw in this judgement?

(I've counted calories before, this is the first time I've heard about TDEE)