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Correct formula for caloric deficit

Dorian1988
Dorian1988 Posts: 45 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
When people say caloric deficit, they mean BMR + exercise - intake right?

Currently I use a BMR that I computed myself based on how much weight I lost in one week. It also was confirmed by the next week. All BMR calculators I found online gave me a much lower value that didn't match my real weight loss rate.

Can I have your opinion about this? Did you guys get an accurate BMR using any of the usual formulas?

Replies

  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Sure you didn't calculate TDEE? BMR are your basal metabolic rate calories (i.e coma calories). I trust the calculators for BMR, but I have found some of the TDEE to be off. It depends on what formula they are using.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    BMR+Non-exercise activity+exercise= TDEE

    A deficit is when your intake is lower than your TDEE.

    MFP uses BMR+non-exercise activity as your baseline. They calculate your deficit for you. You're expected to eat back a portion of the exercise calories because that's not part of MFP's equation.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    When people say caloric deficit, they mean TDEE - intake. Your TDEE has multiple components:

    BMR
    Thermic Effect of Food
    Non-Exercise Activity
    Exercise Activity

    If you just total BMR and exercise, you're excluding other calorie-burning factors. If your non-exercise activity includes a lot of movement (i.e. waiting tables) you could be neglecting a fairly large amount of calories.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    No, that would be BMR + Exercise + TEF + NEAT - Intake.

    NEAT is your non-exercise activity, and can be quite a lot. It's still a good chunk even for "sedentary" folks.
    TEF is the calories for digestion.
  • Dorian1988
    Dorian1988 Posts: 45 Member
    So in that case the value that I calculated after one week of weight loss was BMR + NEAT + TEF. That explains why it was larger. I think you just care about their sum not every individual component.
This discussion has been closed.

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