TDEE method vs MFP

124»

Replies

  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited August 2015
    FatMoojor wrote: »
    When using tdee is exercise based on one hour a day. As most say 3-5 day or some such.
    So a 3 hour training run on a Sunday is 3 days worth?
    If you're using an online calculator it will ask for how many days exercise you do and that will be accounted for in the TDEE figure it gives you.

    That's the thing. I walk for roughly 3 hours everyday, 7 days a week. But there's no way I'd call myself highly active, which is intense sport 7 days a week according to the tdee activity level calculators. But I don't fit into the 3 days a week thing either. That's another reason why going the tdee route worries me.

    If you pick up the pace for one of those hours, you can easily call yourself moderate.

    Try this calculator

    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

    (change it from male to female, i missed that the first time i tried it)

    the thing to do is eat at a certain amount and then see what the scale does given your current activity. that is how you know your real tdee, the calculators only give estimates. if you gain, eat less.

    except you might have to slowly build up if you've been eating very low calories for a long time. i don't know how to do that, because i have basically never been in that situation :/

    my tdee is high for what the calculators tell me *shrug*
  • cld111
    cld111 Posts: 300 Member
    FatMoojor wrote: »
    When using tdee is exercise based on one hour a day. As most say 3-5 day or some such.
    So a 3 hour training run on a Sunday is 3 days worth?
    If you're using an online calculator it will ask for how many days exercise you do and that will be accounted for in the TDEE figure it gives you.

    That's the thing. I walk for roughly 3 hours everyday, 7 days a week. But there's no way I'd call myself highly active, which is intense sport 7 days a week according to the tdee activity level calculators. But I don't fit into the 3 days a week thing either. That's another reason why going the tdee route worries me.

    But you have a Fitbit so you know what your TDEE is already. You could just use that number if you wanted to try this method out.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited August 2015
    cld111 wrote: »
    FatMoojor wrote: »
    When using tdee is exercise based on one hour a day. As most say 3-5 day or some such.
    So a 3 hour training run on a Sunday is 3 days worth?
    If you're using an online calculator it will ask for how many days exercise you do and that will be accounted for in the TDEE figure it gives you.

    That's the thing. I walk for roughly 3 hours everyday, 7 days a week. But there's no way I'd call myself highly active, which is intense sport 7 days a week according to the tdee activity level calculators. But I don't fit into the 3 days a week thing either. That's another reason why going the tdee route worries me.

    But you have a Fitbit so you know what your TDEE is already. You could just use that number if you wanted to try this method out.

    Doh :flushed: Correct, this didn't even occur to me. My fitbit says my tdee is 2207.

    Thanks @tomatoey I'll check out the link xx

  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    cld111 wrote: »
    FatMoojor wrote: »
    When using tdee is exercise based on one hour a day. As most say 3-5 day or some such.
    So a 3 hour training run on a Sunday is 3 days worth?
    If you're using an online calculator it will ask for how many days exercise you do and that will be accounted for in the TDEE figure it gives you.

    That's the thing. I walk for roughly 3 hours everyday, 7 days a week. But there's no way I'd call myself highly active, which is intense sport 7 days a week according to the tdee activity level calculators. But I don't fit into the 3 days a week thing either. That's another reason why going the tdee route worries me.

    But you have a Fitbit so you know what your TDEE is already. You could just use that number if you wanted to try this method out.

    Doh :flushed: Correct. My fitbit says my tdee is 2207.

    Thanks @tomatoey I'll check out the link xx

    np :)
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    tomatoey wrote: »

    That's only "exercise" - that's not lifestyle.
  • cld111
    cld111 Posts: 300 Member
    cld111 wrote: »
    FatMoojor wrote: »
    When using tdee is exercise based on one hour a day. As most say 3-5 day or some such.
    So a 3 hour training run on a Sunday is 3 days worth?
    If you're using an online calculator it will ask for how many days exercise you do and that will be accounted for in the TDEE figure it gives you.

    That's the thing. I walk for roughly 3 hours everyday, 7 days a week. But there's no way I'd call myself highly active, which is intense sport 7 days a week according to the tdee activity level calculators. But I don't fit into the 3 days a week thing either. That's another reason why going the tdee route worries me.

    But you have a Fitbit so you know what your TDEE is already. You could just use that number if you wanted to try this method out.

    Doh :flushed: Correct, this didn't even occur to me. My fitbit says my tdee is 2207.


    Fitbit solves all problems. :p
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    cld111 wrote: »
    cld111 wrote: »
    FatMoojor wrote: »
    When using tdee is exercise based on one hour a day. As most say 3-5 day or some such.
    So a 3 hour training run on a Sunday is 3 days worth?
    If you're using an online calculator it will ask for how many days exercise you do and that will be accounted for in the TDEE figure it gives you.

    That's the thing. I walk for roughly 3 hours everyday, 7 days a week. But there's no way I'd call myself highly active, which is intense sport 7 days a week according to the tdee activity level calculators. But I don't fit into the 3 days a week thing either. That's another reason why going the tdee route worries me.

    But you have a Fitbit so you know what your TDEE is already. You could just use that number if you wanted to try this method out.

    Doh :flushed: Correct, this didn't even occur to me. My fitbit says my tdee is 2207.


    Fitbit solves all problems. :p

    That it does :lol: It takes the mental aerobics out of the equation! !

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Since I stopped doing cardio and don't burn much weight lifting, MFP basically gives me my TDEE. I use that but I'll work in a range between 1800-1900.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    tomatoey wrote: »

    That's only "exercise" - that's not lifestyle.

    What, hunting and gathering isn't exercise?

    Yeah it doesn't account for NEAT, obviously.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
    For me I do 1-3 hours a week exercise so I tick the first one i m not that bothered if I do 4 hours as its just a bonus I managed to get in. I would definately say walking is light exercise I think but doing it 7 days is a wonder maybe tick the moderate and see Wat happens for few weeks
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Do the TDEE people still log all their food on MFP?

    How would that work? Do you go over your limit often, or under the minimum?
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    Do the TDEE people still log all their food on MFP?

    How would that work? Do you go over your limit often, or under the minimum?

    You just set custom goals instead of the guided ones. Then you make your goal your TDEE. I log my exercise as 1 calorie just to keep track of it. The logging of food is the same as when you're using the NEAT (MFP) method.

    Thank you! The mud is a bit clearer now.
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
    What I did before adjusting my calories was to set my activity level high enough that my calories were close to my TDEE before adding any exercise. But that's only if you want to see the "in five weeks you'll weigh..." number have at least a slight chance of being anywhere near accurate. ;)

    If I'm at "sedentary," and eating at my TDEE, it'll tell me I'm going to blow up like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Float in five weeks. If I set it to "very active," it's close to my TDEE.
  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
    hi everyone

    i just wondered what the ratio of people on the above methods and the success theyve had? do people find the TDEE method easier/more straight forward? more successful?
    I did them both!
    At day's end I prefer MFP, because I train 3 to 4 hours daily, and I need a better way to track exercise calories that should be eaten back.

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,302 Member
    edited August 2015
    I use MFP.

    Advantages IMO - easier to use the app the way it is designed without customising anything.
    But i expect some days to be over and some to be under and just aim to get the weekly amount about right.

    I lost the weight I wanted to lose in 2013 using this method and have maintained for nearly 2 years hence continuing to use it.
  • madkcole
    madkcole Posts: 110 Member
    After doing MFP's calculations for 23 days, I lost only two pounds. When I talked to my trainer about it, he suspected I was eating too few calories. So, I researched how to calculate my daily calorie goal using the TDEE method. According to my TDEE calculations, I was way under my daily calorie goal. One of the things I learned was that my daily calorie intake was too far below my BMR. Add to that exercise and strength training 4 times a week, I realized my trainer was probably right. After seven days following the calorie goals using the TDEE method, the scale finally moved. This seems to work better for me.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    madkcole wrote: »
    After doing MFP's calculations for 23 days, I lost only two pounds. When I talked to my trainer about it, he suspected I was eating too few calories. So, I researched how to calculate my daily calorie goal using the TDEE method. According to my TDEE calculations, I was way under my daily calorie goal. One of the things I learned was that my daily calorie intake was too far below my BMR. Add to that exercise and strength training 4 times a week, I realized my trainer was probably right. After seven days following the calorie goals using the TDEE method, the scale finally moved. This seems to work better for me.
    You didn't fail to lose weight because you were eating too little. It's not possible.

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    Do the TDEE people still log all their food on MFP?

    How would that work? Do you go over your limit often, or under the minimum?

    I run/cycle/swim 6 days a week. There's no need to go over the limit - I know exactly where it is, and where I need to be in relation to it.
  • NotGnarly
    NotGnarly Posts: 137 Member
    I've been following TDEE a for a little over a week now and I like it a lot more than the regular mfp way. I tend to be hungrier on my non workout days and struggled with cals going down on those days. Plus with TDEE a I get to eat more. I don't feel hungry, nor stress about food with TDEE. I honestly wish I would of tried it out sooner. I lift 3-4 days a week, do cardio 4-5 days a week, and reach my 10,000 step goal about 5 days a week.

    I can sleep better and I'm a much nicer person to be around following TDEE. I haven't weighed and not sure when I will. I still have a fitbit but of course the fitbit adjustment is measly compared to when I was following mfp but oh well.
  • NotGnarly
    NotGnarly Posts: 137 Member
    Oh and I didn't have to customize my calorie goal because the mfp app adjusted my calories to that of the scooby calculator. I set my stats to "active" on mfp and it put my maintenance cals to 2658ish and this was the same as scooby.
  • NotGnarly
    NotGnarly Posts: 137 Member
    Oh and I didn't have to customize my calorie goal because the mfp app adjusted my calories to that of the scooby calculator. I set my stats to "active" on mfp and it put my maintenance cals to 2658ish and this was the same as scooby.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
    NotGnarly wrote: »
    I've been following TDEE a for a little over a week now and I like it a lot more than the regular mfp way. I tend to be hungrier on my non workout days and struggled with cals going down on those days. Plus with TDEE a I get to eat more. I don't feel hungry, nor stress about food with TDEE. I honestly wish I would of tried it out sooner. I lift 3-4 days a week, do cardio 4-5 days a week, and reach my 10,000 step goal about 5 days a week.

    I can sleep better and I'm a much nicer person to be around following TDEE. I haven't weighed and not sure when I will. I still have a fitbit but of course the fitbit adjustment is measly compared to when I was following mfp but oh well.

    This is so Me through and through. I do les mills 4 tomes a week and zumba once might throw on a walk too. Was really struggling on non workout days always hungry now I'm satisfied and enoying it a bit more I lost 1.5lbs this week and 0.5lbs off 3 stone!
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Do the TDEE people still log all their food on MFP?

    How would that work? Do you go over your limit often, or under the minimum?

    I run/cycle/swim 6 days a week. There's no need to go over the limit - I know exactly where it is, and where I need to be in relation to it.

    Not sure if you know I meant a daily limit. How long have you been doing that?
This discussion has been closed.