Quick Calorie Question
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CM9178
Posts: 1,265 Member
I am a 36 y/o female, 5'2" tall, currently weight 181.8 lbs.
I have tried 4 different TDEE calculators and they all give me the following:
BMR: 1562-1565
TDEE - 1874-1878
I based the calculator off of "no exercise/desk job" because I sit at a desk for 8 hrs a day and sit around a lot at home.
However, I am also now doing Pop Pilates 6 days a week - which they say should be considered as Calisthenics - Moderate Effort when logging it in MFP. It is only 20 minutes per day, 6 days per week, so a total of about 2 hrs per week.
On average, over the last two weeks, I burn an additional 115 calories per day (this varies, and is based off the calculation MFP is giving me, I don't have a HRM or anything like that).
If I calculate my TDEE based off of "light exercise/1 to 3 times per week", I get the following:
BMR: 1565
TDEE: 2152
So that's a big difference in TDEE, total of 278 calories per day, more than I'm burning with the pilates as far as I know.
So, my question is:
Should I calculate my TDEG based off Sedentary and just not worry about whatever little extra I'm burning with the Pilates?
Or should I calulate my TDEG based off the higher number (excerise 1 to 3 times per week)?
Thanks in advance.
I have tried 4 different TDEE calculators and they all give me the following:
BMR: 1562-1565
TDEE - 1874-1878
I based the calculator off of "no exercise/desk job" because I sit at a desk for 8 hrs a day and sit around a lot at home.
However, I am also now doing Pop Pilates 6 days a week - which they say should be considered as Calisthenics - Moderate Effort when logging it in MFP. It is only 20 minutes per day, 6 days per week, so a total of about 2 hrs per week.
On average, over the last two weeks, I burn an additional 115 calories per day (this varies, and is based off the calculation MFP is giving me, I don't have a HRM or anything like that).
If I calculate my TDEE based off of "light exercise/1 to 3 times per week", I get the following:
BMR: 1565
TDEE: 2152
So that's a big difference in TDEE, total of 278 calories per day, more than I'm burning with the pilates as far as I know.
So, my question is:
Should I calculate my TDEG based off Sedentary and just not worry about whatever little extra I'm burning with the Pilates?
Or should I calulate my TDEG based off the higher number (excerise 1 to 3 times per week)?
Thanks in advance.
0
Replies
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Since you've already lost 35 pounds is it safe to assume you've been logging for a long time? If so, you can figure out your TDEE and it will be much more accurate than any general website.
(Your weekly calorie total + (3500 x number of pounds lost in the same time frame as your calorie total) ) divided by 7
example if you consumed 11,340 calories over 7 days and lost 1 1/2 pounds:
11,340 calories + 5250 = 16590 divided by 7 = 2370
So 2370 would be your average TDEE0 -
why not just pick a number - say 1650-1750 cals and try that for a few weeks to see what happens. these TDEE calculators are really just a starting point
i am 43, 5'3" and 179 lbs. i have lost 6 lbs in the past 5 months going by 1650-1750 cals per day (sometimes even more on weekends) and i have only just started working out at the gym 3x per week0 -
Since you've already lost 35 pounds is it safe to assume you've been logging for a long time? If so, you can figure out your TDEE and it will be much more accurate than any general website.
(Your weekly calorie total + (3500 x number of pounds lost in the same time frame as your calorie total) ) divided by 7
example if you consumed 11,340 calories over 7 days and lost 1 1/2 pounds:
11,340 calories + 5250 = 16590 divided by 7 = 2370
So 2370 would be your average TDEE
The 35 lbs that I've lost is over a period of two years, part of which I was doing Weight Watchers, so I really have no clue how many calories I was consuming when I lost that weight.
I haven't lost any additional weight in the last year...0 -
Agreed. Pick one, (I'd suggest the lower one and then adding in food if you are losing more rapidly than you like/expect) give it a go for 4-6 weeks, and then reassess depending on how much you lost. I suggest the lower one only because MFP can overestimate calories sometimes, so starting lower may help with that, and losing more than you expected with the reward of being able to eat more I consider better than less weight loss than you expect and you have to eat less every day.why not just pick a number - say 1650-1750 cals and try that for a few weeks to see what happens. these TDEE calculators are really just a starting point
i am 43, 5'3" and 179 lbs. i have lost 6 lbs in the past 5 months going by 1650-1750 cals per day (sometimes even more on weekends) and i have only just started working out at the gym 3x per week0 -
why not just pick a number - say 1650-1750 cals and try that for a few weeks to see what happens. these TDEE calculators are really just a starting point
i am 43, 5'3" and 179 lbs. i have lost 6 lbs in the past 5 months going by 1650-1750 cals per day (sometimes even more on weekends) and i have only just started working out at the gym 3x per week
Where are you getting these random numbers from? (1650-1750)???0 -
Just pick a calorie amount and eat it every day. At the end of a month or two, reassess based on what you lost/gained and add or subtract 100-200 cals.0
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Your TDEE is about 1850 if you go with the low number. That's how much you need to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight, you need to eat less than that, so I think that's why 1650-1750 was suggested. That would be a 200-300 calorie deficit per day (considering you're doing the exercise that isn't accounted for in your TDEE).why not just pick a number - say 1650-1750 cals and try that for a few weeks to see what happens. these TDEE calculators are really just a starting point
i am 43, 5'3" and 179 lbs. i have lost 6 lbs in the past 5 months going by 1650-1750 cals per day (sometimes even more on weekends) and i have only just started working out at the gym 3x per week
Where are you getting these random numbers from? (1650-1750)???0 -
Everyone keeps saying "just pick a calorie amount".
My question was:
Should I calculate my TDEE based off sedentary, or based off exercise 1 to 3 times per week, based on all the info I gave in my OP??0 -
I vote sedentary and then adjust if you feel it's too low.0
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Everyone keeps saying "just pick a calorie amount".
My question was:
Should I calculate my TDEE based off sedentary, or based off exercise 1 to 3 times per week, based on all the info I gave in my OP??
Personally, I would go with sedentary, but it's probably more correct to suggest going based off exercise.0 -
Your TDEE is about 1850 if you go with the low number. That's how much you need to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight, you need to eat less than that, so I think that's why 1650-1750 was suggested. That would be a 200-300 calorie deficit per day (considering you're doing the exercise that isn't accounted for in your TDEE).why not just pick a number - say 1650-1750 cals and try that for a few weeks to see what happens. these TDEE calculators are really just a starting point
i am 43, 5'3" and 179 lbs. i have lost 6 lbs in the past 5 months going by 1650-1750 cals per day (sometimes even more on weekends) and i have only just started working out at the gym 3x per week
Where are you getting these random numbers from? (1650-1750)???
the issue is I have no idea how much that exercise is actually burning.
A 20% deficit from 1850 would be 370 calories. If I eat 1650 calories, and only burn 50 with Pilates, I've netted 1600 calories, that's less than a 15% deficit.0 -
I'd go with your BMR plus log your exercise and eat the calories back. That's what I do (actually about 100 cal below BMR to account for miscalc/logging errors) and it works pretty well.0
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I'd go with your BMR plus log your exercise and eat the calories back. That's what I do (actually about 100 cal below BMR to account for miscalc/logging errors) and it works pretty well.
Ok so you think eat at my BMR minus 100 calories, which would be about 1465 (which is also right around a 20% deficit from TDEE).
Just not sure about eating back the exercise calories when I really don't know how much I'm burning...
*actually, right now I have my goal set to 1505 per day, not eating back any exercise cals.. so using your method, it basically works out to the same thing, assuming I'm burning about 50 cals per day exercising give or take*
Maybe I should just keep it here then for now and see where it goes...0 -
Main issue with logging exercise is that you'll never be accurate with how many calories you actually burned. This method is about as inaccurate as guessing on how much food you've eaten.0
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why not just pick a number - say 1650-1750 cals and try that for a few weeks to see what happens. these TDEE calculators are really just a starting point
i am 43, 5'3" and 179 lbs. i have lost 6 lbs in the past 5 months going by 1650-1750 cals per day (sometimes even more on weekends) and i have only just started working out at the gym 3x per week
Where are you getting these random numbers from? (1650-1750)???
1650-1750 is just what i have chosen for myself and it is working....slowly but working. i'm not in a race anyway. since we are pretty much the same height and weight i just suggested you try something similar. after sticking to the same calorie goal for 4 weeks or so you can decide if you want to adjust0 -
That sounds like a good plan for now. If you add more strenuous exercise later, I'd definitely log it and eat it back, but you're right, you might not be burning much at your current activity level.I'd go with your BMR plus log your exercise and eat the calories back. That's what I do (actually about 100 cal below BMR to account for miscalc/logging errors) and it works pretty well.
Ok so you think eat at my BMR minus 100 calories, which would be about 1465 (which is also right around a 20% deficit from TDEE).
Just not sure about eating back the exercise calories when I really don't know how much I'm burning...
*actually, right now I have my goal set to 1505 per day, not eating back any exercise cals.. so using your method, it basically works out to the same thing, assuming I'm burning about 50 cals per day exercising give or take*
Maybe I should just keep it here then for now and see where it goes...0 -
It has been a long time since I set up my goals so I don't remember TDEE whatever. I do remember that I said sedentary because I have a desk job, and it said I would use about 1900 calories to maintain my weight. I took off 500 per day to lose about a pound a week, so that means 1400 calories per day. I do 4 mini meals of 350 calories per day. I eat my calories and don't drink any so it is a good amount of food. I have been losing closer to 2 pounds per week because I have started working out with a personal trainer and walking the days that I don't go to the gym. I decided not to eat those exercise calories to try to get some of this blasted weight off quicker, which is working. I do not feel like I am starved, "weak with hunger," or "hangry" - I think because I eat protein at every meal and have really cut down on sugar except the naturally occurring kind in fruit. I have never re-set my weight correctly so MFP thinks I have lost about 4 lbs when I am closer to 20.0
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Just not sure about eating back the exercise calories when I really don't know how much I'm burning...
exactly - which is why i suggested to just go by TDEE and pick a calorie goal and stick to it for a few weeks to see what happens0
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