Who uses their MFP calorie goal or the iifym TDEE goal?

kmab1985
kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Everyone

Was just curious as to who uses the iifym calorie goal and who uses the MFP calorie goal? Prior to today I was using the MFP calorie goal of 1200 and would add in my exercise but at the weekend I worked out my TDEE goal from the iifym website would be 1525 calories per day including exercise but today feels weird because it feels like I'm eating to many calories (i.e. 1525 as opposed to 1200 + about 200 from exercise).

Have the people who use their iifym goal still lost weight at a steady pace of say 1-2lbs per week?

Kel

Replies

  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    And like for instance tomorrow I would be doing Yoga which earns me around 139 exercise calories (1200 + 139 = 1339) but I'm allowed to have 1525 EVERYDAY...
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    I use the TDEE goal. Entering individual exercises is just too tedious and not very accurate.

    I'm not aiming to lose weight at the moment, but when I have, I've been successful.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    edited September 2015
    In theory the two goals should be the same. If you are calculating TDEE correctly it should be the same as your MFP goal + your exercise. That said 1525 might be a better fit for you than 1339.

    I use the MFP method. I like having to earn my calories daily (or weekly) rather than just assuming I'll do some fixed amount of exercise. It's a great motivator for me to do the extra few miles or minutes.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    I used my MFP goal. Regardless, after you eat back your exercise calories through MFP, you should be averaging around the same number of calories per week, it's just distributed different.

    If you get more calories per week using IIFYM using your calculations, then your rate of loss will slow down.
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    But aren't you not supposed to eat all your exercise calories on MFP, if thats the case then my MFP goal is lower than my TDEE Goal i.e. MFP 1200 + 336 for exercise today, if I only eat 50% of those exercise calories then I'd only be getting 1368 calories which is 157 less than the 1525 calculated on iifym...

    Think I may just stick to the MFP goals but I too just wanted a daily intake which included exercise so I didnt have to keep inputting my daily activity.
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    And upon working it out the two figures don't average around the same each week, theres a 1012 calorie difference which is a lot...
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    kmab1985 wrote: »
    But aren't you not supposed to eat all your exercise calories on MFP, if thats the case then my MFP goal is lower than my TDEE Goal i.e. MFP 1200 + 336 for exercise today, if I only eat 50% of those exercise calories then I'd only be getting 1368 calories which is 157 less than the 1525 calculated on iifym...

    Think I may just stick to the MFP goals but I too just wanted a daily intake which included exercise so I didnt have to keep inputting my daily activity.

    You are "supposed to" eat all of your exercise calories the way MFP is designed to be used. Many users recommend eating only a portion of those calories as they claim that the burns reported by MFP are larger than the actual calories burned. For me I find that they are mostly accurate and I eat all of my burned calories.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    kmab1985 wrote: »
    But aren't you not supposed to eat all your exercise calories on MFP, if thats the case then my MFP goal is lower than my TDEE Goal i.e. MFP 1200 + 336 for exercise today, if I only eat 50% of those exercise calories then I'd only be getting 1368 calories which is 157 less than the 1525 calculated on iifym...

    Think I may just stick to the MFP goals but I too just wanted a daily intake which included exercise so I didnt have to keep inputting my daily activity.

    Yes, but I am comparing it with your actual rate of loss, not your MFP projected rate of loss. If you eat more calories but workout the same amount, you will lose slower.
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    So I can eat all my exercise calories and not feel super guilty?!?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Why would you feel guilty for eating your exercise calories?
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    kmab1985 wrote: »
    So I can eat all my exercise calories and not feel super guilty?!?

    Of course you can! But if you stop losing, then stop eating back as many. What is your current rate of loss?
  • CasperNaegle
    CasperNaegle Posts: 936 Member
    Take a look at 1.2 grams of protein, 1 gram of carbs, .25 grams of fat per pound and see where that puts you. This is what my girlfriend and I do based on a great program from Mike Matthews. We have both leaned out and added muscle. This figures on 4-6 hours of weight lifting per week.
  • ms_smartypants
    ms_smartypants Posts: 8,278 Member
    I am doing the TDEE method from scoobysworkshop.com
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    I feel guilty because I read that your not supposed to eat them all as they are not accurate but somes times I need more food :-)
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    Current weight loss is 1-2lbs a week although Im just getting back on track following my wedding etc...in 4 weeks I lost 4lb. Can you eat too little? i.e if you dont eat ur exercise calories back should I be eating my 1200?? Also is the 1200 based in a calorie deficit already? i.e has MFP already deducted calories in order for me to lose weight?.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    kmab1985 wrote: »
    I feel guilty because I read that your not supposed to eat them all as they are not accurate but somes times I need more food :-)

    If you need them you need them.

    Eating a portion of exercise calories is often suggested as a way to start. Eat a certain percentage, such as 50%, for four weeks and then look at your progress and determine whether you should/could eat more or should/could eat fewer. There's no absolute rule for everybody. When I use the MFP calorie goal, I eat 100% of my exercise calories and still lose. Other people eat 0% and lose. Do what is best for you.

    And yes, you can eat too little. Your MFP base goal already has the weight loss factored in. Eat that amount to lose weight. Eating less means that you will lose more weight and/or quite possibly stall out because you'll be so hungry that you fall off the plan, reduce your non-exercise activity to a level that decreases your overall calorie burn, etc.
  • Fujiberry
    Fujiberry Posts: 400 Member
    I've always used the TDEE Method, and it's always worked for me both when I was bulking and cutting. The MFP method is way too convoluted and tedious for me. I like only having one number to worry about.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    kmab1985 wrote: »
    Current weight loss is 1-2lbs a week although Im just getting back on track following my wedding etc...in 4 weeks I lost 4lb. Can you eat too little? i.e if you dont eat ur exercise calories back should I be eating my 1200?? Also is the 1200 based in a calorie deficit already? i.e has MFP already deducted calories in order for me to lose weight?.

    If you're losing 1-2 pounds a week you're dialed in pretty well, so no point in playing with online calculators -- you can look at your log and figure your TDEE from that -- just take a look at your average daily calorie intake for the weeks you were losing OK and call that your TDEE. That assumes your exercise schedule from week to week is pretty consistent...if it isn't, TDEE probably isn't a good option for you.

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