So you think TDEE gives you too many calories...
ehuschka
Posts: 47 Member
Recently switched to the TDEE system after trying and failing to eat calories based on how much I work out in a day, and 1200 on the days I didn't work out.
So on MFP I put in my TDEE numbers, and kept my Fitbit on losing 1 pound a week and ignored my workout calories.
At eating 1600 calories A DAY. I (gasp) lost a pound. And my weekly review on Fitbit had me at 100 calories over for the week. (Guess what, I ate an extra hundred one day)
So if you are struggling keeping within your calorie limit on noncardio days, I highly recommend you look into TDEE. It really is much easier in my opinion.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ <That's a website to help you figure out your TDEE needs.
So on MFP I put in my TDEE numbers, and kept my Fitbit on losing 1 pound a week and ignored my workout calories.
At eating 1600 calories A DAY. I (gasp) lost a pound. And my weekly review on Fitbit had me at 100 calories over for the week. (Guess what, I ate an extra hundred one day)
So if you are struggling keeping within your calorie limit on noncardio days, I highly recommend you look into TDEE. It really is much easier in my opinion.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ <That's a website to help you figure out your TDEE needs.
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Best move I ever made was switching to TDEE. I've had my best success since then and have kept the weight off for about three years now.
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Question...when you say you put in your TDEE numbers did you include exercise into your TDEE calculations? Or are you using maintenence TDEE and just not eating back exercise? I'm trying to make the switch too and slightly confused as to how to do it.0
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Yeah, I agree. I just found out I have been starving myself.0
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If you are using the TDEE method, your exercise calories are already included and you do not add them back in. Simply put,
TDEE = BMR + NEAT + Exercise
TDEE - total daily energy expenditure
BMR - basal metabolic rate (how many calories it takes you to simply exist, lying around doing nothing)
NEAT - non-exercise activity thermogenesis (how many calories you spend doing non-exercise activities like washing dishes, walking to the mailbox, typing on your computer, etc.)
Exercise - number of calories you spend doing exercise
If you are "using the TDEE method" you generally find your TDEE and then reduce it by a percentage or certain number of calories in order to create a caloric deficit of your choosing.
This is different from the MFP goal that you get, which is just BMR+NEAT, less the daily caloric deficit needed to meet your weekly weight loss goal. Using that method (the MFP method) you would add back exercise calories and eat them (or at least some of them.)0 -
I switched to TDEE set to sedentary and eat back about 25-40% of my exercise calories (I use and HRM) bumping my calories from 1250-1770 and have steadily lost 2 pounds per week and I'm a much nicer person.0
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kailibertsch wrote: »Question...when you say you put in your TDEE numbers did you include exercise into your TDEE calculations? Or are you using maintenence TDEE and just not eating back exercise? I'm trying to make the switch too and slightly confused as to how to do it.
TDEE = TOTAL Daily Energy Expenditure. You include your total activity in your activity level...thus there is an estimation of exercise expenditure already figured into your goals.
MFP = NEAT method (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)....exercise is not accounted for in your activity level which is why you log it after the fact and get those calories to "eat back".
Done correctly and comparing apples to apples rate of loss goals, the two methods are basically 6 of 1. The only real difference (outside of some formula stuff which is negligible) is where you account for exercise.
If you go to a TDEE calculator you're going to have an option of how much you want to cut...20% is fairly typical and usually represents somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 Lb per week.
The TDEE method works well for people who are consistent in their exercise regimen. People who are all over the map are usually better off following MFP.
Another pro tip is to take your numbers with a grain of salt...these calculators (including MFP) are a great place to start, but people act like they're gospel. They give you a good starting point, but you can and should make adjustments as per the results you are actually observing.0 -
Yep, I switched to TDEE early on because I found the MFP method of eating back workout calories was not working well for me. For one thing, I didn't trust the calorie burn estimates that MFP was giving me. For another, I hated not being able to meal plan because I had no idea how many calories I was going to have available by the end of the day.
It's not for everyone, but TDEE method works well for me. I like knowing in advance how many calories I have to work with, so I can meal plan for the day or week. And I like not worrying about what intensity my workout was, or how many calories I burned if I spent more time on the chair lift and less time skiing down because it was crowded at the ski hill one day. Pointless things to worry about, IMHO. I save my energy for figuring out calories eaten.
I do find that even though I used a calculator to give me a starting number, I eventually ignored the calculator values in favour of a number based on my actual observed rate of weight loss. TDEE fluctuates daily (we move different amounts each day) so I found an average range that I was usually within, and picked a number that was a 20% deficit from that average.
I may have to adjust it -- now that I've lost 25lbs, my TDEE has dropped a bit, so my calories might need to come down a bit, too. So far I've just been staying at the same number of calories and losing weight more slowly, but I'll see after another 5lbs or so what I decide to do.0 -
kailibertsch wrote: »Question...when you say you put in your TDEE numbers did you include exercise into your TDEE calculations? Or are you using maintenence TDEE and just not eating back exercise? I'm trying to make the switch too and slightly confused as to how to do it.
Include your weekly average of exercise in the TDEE calculation. I was pretty iffy on that idea, but with my Fitbit measuring everything I do, it really was quite accurate.
In my case I used 3 hours of exercise a week, and then used the 20% of TDEE (which actually is losing 2 pounds a week instead of one, but I do estimations on a lot of my servings so I use a buffer calorie goal).0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Done correctly and comparing apples to apples rate of loss goals, the two methods are basically 6 of 1. The only real difference (outside of some formula stuff which is negligible) is where you account for exercise.
THIS.
For me, TDEE is easier because I know that I will do X amount of activity in a week and like to see all of my calories at the beginning of each day, whether I exercise then or in the evening.
If you like to wait to eat your calories until after you exercise, or if you aren't sure that you will get your activity in each day, it might not be your thing. I'm not saying it can't work for you--I'm just saying that if you plan on doing a certain amount of activity and factor that into the equation and then don't do it, your TDEE calculator results will be off. (And to be clear, all of these calculators are estimates so choose one and use it and then tweak your numbers along the way once you figure out if you need to raise/lower them.)
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This has been very helpful. I went through it all earlier this week and adjusted my calories, but wasn't sure I had done it right. I believe I did after reading all this, but I guess the best way to test is to watch the scale. Thanks for the post!0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Done correctly and comparing apples to apples rate of loss goals, the two methods are basically 6 of 1. The only real difference (outside of some formula stuff which is negligible) is where you account for exercise.
THIS.
For me, TDEE is easier because I know that I will do X amount of activity in a week and like to see all of my calories at the beginning of each day, whether I exercise then or in the evening.
If you like to wait to eat your calories until after you exercise, or if you aren't sure that you will get your activity in each day, it might not be your thing. I'm not saying it can't work for you--I'm just saying that if you plan on doing a certain amount of activity and factor that into the equation and then don't do it, your TDEE calculator results will be off. (And to be clear, all of these calculators are estimates so choose one and use it and then tweak your numbers along the way once you figure out if you need to raise/lower them.)
Good point! It is most helpful if you have an exercise routine in place, and you know that you will be getting X amount of hours of exercise.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Another pro tip is to take your numbers with a grain of salt...these calculators (including MFP) are a great place to start, but people act like they're gospel. They give you a good starting point, but you can and should make adjustments as per the results you are actually observing.
This is why I have this absurdly complex spreadsheet to account for daily weight, a smoothed average over a short period of time, track ALL my calories even when I screw up and try to get the best approximation I can on exercise.
Any data you get from exercise and calorie calculators is an approximation. Even if you are not a true outlier, as small as a Sigma 2 variation (just a little to the left or right of the data bell curve) will mess with your results unless YOU account for it and correct for it.
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NoelFigart1 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Another pro tip is to take your numbers with a grain of salt...these calculators (including MFP) are a great place to start, but people act like they're gospel. They give you a good starting point, but you can and should make adjustments as per the results you are actually observing.
This is why I have this absurdly complex spreadsheet to account for daily weight, a smoothed average over a short period of time, track ALL my calories even when I screw up and try to get the best approximation I can on exercise.
Any data you get from exercise and calorie calculators is an approximation. Even if you are not a true outlier, as small as a Sigma 2 variation (just a little to the left or right of the data bell curve) will mess with your results unless YOU account for it and correct for it.
Nerd....
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cwolfman13 wrote: »NoelFigart1 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Another pro tip is to take your numbers with a grain of salt...these calculators (including MFP) are a great place to start, but people act like they're gospel. They give you a good starting point, but you can and should make adjustments as per the results you are actually observing.
This is why I have this absurdly complex spreadsheet to account for daily weight, a smoothed average over a short period of time, track ALL my calories even when I screw up and try to get the best approximation I can on exercise.
Any data you get from exercise and calorie calculators is an approximation. Even if you are not a true outlier, as small as a Sigma 2 variation (just a little to the left or right of the data bell curve) will mess with your results unless YOU account for it and correct for it.
Nerd....
And proud of it!0 -
NoelFigart1 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Another pro tip is to take your numbers with a grain of salt...these calculators (including MFP) are a great place to start, but people act like they're gospel. They give you a good starting point, but you can and should make adjustments as per the results you are actually observing.
This is why I have this absurdly complex spreadsheet to account for daily weight, a smoothed average over a short period of time, track ALL my calories even when I screw up and try to get the best approximation I can on exercise.
Any data you get from exercise and calorie calculators is an approximation. Even if you are not a true outlier, as small as a Sigma 2 variation (just a little to the left or right of the data bell curve) will mess with your results unless YOU account for it and correct for it.
Me too. Proud member of the nerd brigade here.0 -
I do like the TDEE method but MFP is working better for me psychologically - because for me it's really important to incorporate exercise into my life and tying it to the reward of eating more food makes sure I get it done. So I'm basically just manipulating myself but it works for me.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »[
Done correctly and comparing apples to apples rate of loss goals, the two methods are basically 6 of 1. The only real difference (outside of some formula stuff which is negligible) is where you account for exercise.
Agreed. If you're estimates are reasonably close to being accurate, both methods should have you eating about the same amount of calories in the long run. TDEE should have you eating teh same amount each day, while MFP's approach will have you eating a bit more on exercise days and a bit less on rest days, but over the course of a week or a month, the numbers should all average out and be about the same.
So it really comes down to personal preference.
Of course, if you're estimates aren't reasonably correct, then who the hell knows what you'll end up doing. TDEE might be a bit more idiot proof for for some, but neither is inherently more effective than the other.
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I do like the TDEE method but MFP is working better for me psychologically - because for me it's really important to incorporate exercise into my life and tying it to the reward of eating more food makes sure I get it done. So I'm basically just manipulating myself but it works for me.
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Same, being able to eat more motivates me to move more. I just eat whatever my Fitbit adds on (which is usually 400-500 calories a day). Plus using MFP's method means that on the days where I sit around and do nothing I don't need to worry about overeating. I'd rather eat what I actually burned in a day rather than try to guess an average and risk getting wrong. But I can totally see why some people would prefer something more regular!
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I do like the TDEE method but MFP is working better for me psychologically - because for me it's really important to incorporate exercise into my life and tying it to the reward of eating more food makes sure I get it done. So I'm basically just manipulating myself but it works for me.
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See, and I think it's the opposite for me. I'm trying to train myself out of the habit of viewing food as a reward for exercise, because for me, that's a negative cycle that leads to nowhere good. In the past, I'd do an hour on the treadmill and then reward myself with a pint of ice cream, which worked about as well as you'd expect.
But then, I'm trying to train myself out of viewing food as a reward for any good behaviour, or as a comfort for stress. Someone without my history of emotional eating issues might not have the same problem.0 -
Me three. I think I'd be less motivated to work as hard or as long when I am in the gym.DemoraFairy wrote: »I do like the TDEE method but MFP is working better for me psychologically - because for me it's really important to incorporate exercise into my life and tying it to the reward of eating more food makes sure I get it done. So I'm basically just manipulating myself but it works for me.
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Same, being able to eat more motivates me to move more. I just eat whatever my Fitbit adds on (which is usually 400-500 calories a day). Plus using MFP's method means that on the days where I sit around and do nothing I don't need to worry about overeating. I'd rather eat what I actually burned in a day rather than try to guess an average and risk getting wrong. But I can totally see why some people would prefer something more regular!
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I do like the TDEE method but MFP is working better for me psychologically - because for me it's really important to incorporate exercise into my life and tying it to the reward of eating more food makes sure I get it done. So I'm basically just manipulating myself but it works for me.
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I'm the inverse--I need to stick with MFP's method because with TDEE, I'd always be trying to beat or outdo the prediction with extra exercise.0 -
Me three. I think I'd be less motivated to work as hard or as long when I am in the gym.DemoraFairy wrote: »I do like the TDEE method but MFP is working better for me psychologically - because for me it's really important to incorporate exercise into my life and tying it to the reward of eating more food makes sure I get it done. So I'm basically just manipulating myself but it works for me.
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Same, being able to eat more motivates me to move more. I just eat whatever my Fitbit adds on (which is usually 400-500 calories a day). Plus using MFP's method means that on the days where I sit around and do nothing I don't need to worry about overeating. I'd rather eat what I actually burned in a day rather than try to guess an average and risk getting wrong. But I can totally see why some people would prefer something more regular!
It is actually the opposite for me. Because I have already figured exercise in to my TDEE, I feel like I am obligated to go. I can't just skip out on exercise and eat less that day without throwing stuff off. It is already accounted for, so I have to do it to keep my TDEE accurate. If I change it, I would have to recalculate my TDEE.0 -
TDEE says I have to eat 2340 cal a day to maintain..... Holy Crap. Im going to try but honestly its going to be really hard for me to eat that much every day that I workout. I workout 6-7 days a week.0
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Jesssamesssa wrote: »TDEE says I have to eat 2340 cal a day to maintain..... Holy Crap. Im going to try but honestly its going to be really hard for me to eat that much every day that I workout. I workout 6-7 days a week.
If it makes you feel better, just gradually increase calories until you are at maintenance. Maybe add an extra 100 calories until you are no longer losing weight.0 -
Jesssamesssa wrote: »TDEE says I have to eat 2340 cal a day to maintain..... Holy Crap. Im going to try but honestly its going to be really hard for me to eat that much every day that I workout. I workout 6-7 days a week.
It's really not that bad once you get used to it. I come in a touch under 2200 for maintenance. There was definitely an adjustment phase, but once I got used to adding little things here and there to increase my calories it really doesn't feel like too much food.
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I don't understand how they are different
NEAT+exercise=TDEE0 -
your fitbit is ideally supposed to be giving you the TDEE number, isn't it????0
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herrspoons wrote: »I find TDEE to have too many inaccuracies to be useful. BMR * 1.2 for sedentary level activity (I work in an office) + extra exercise calories/2 works for me.
my BMR is 1474. If I multiply that by 1.2 (i'm very sedentary as well), that gives me 1768 calories. I wear a fitbit and my average daily burn (on non exercise days) is between 1700 and 1800. So there's no way I could ever lose weight at this number, I'd be eating over the number of calories that I burn.0
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