TDEE

nic1356
nic1356 Posts: 17 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all. Can I get some advice. MFP has given me a daily calorie goal of 1420 (which is fine). I have set my goal to 1b a week loss (realistic) and I have a desk job so I've selected sedentary (again this is fine). I completely understand TDEE but what I don't get is that my TDEE on various websites (3 in total) says my TDEE is approx is 1839 (again sedentary/no exercise which is fine as I rely on my Fitbit to show cals burned etc). I know a pound of fat is the equivalent of 3500 cals. The point I'm getting to is that my approx. TDEE minus the 1420 that MFP has set me is not a deficit of 3500 (for a pound loss). It is actually 2933 so how do I stand a chance of losing a pound if I'm not even managing a 3500 deficit? I'm prepared to stick with this 100% but I need to know I'm doing it right to trust this is going to work x

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited February 2017
    MFP doesn't use TDEE. It uses NEAT and expects you to add exercise calories. The activity setting is just for non-exercise activity.

    The deficit calculation isn't done the way you think. MFP calculates a number for maintenance and then subtracts 500 calories from that for each pound you want to lose per week. MFP calculated that you would need to eat 1920 daily to maintain (not counting exercise) and subtracted 500 to get the 1420 daily goal. That would put you at a weekly deficit of 3500 calories. Ish. It is an estimate based on averages so you do need to do it for a while to find your personal numbers.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,188 Member
    Mfp gives you your goal using NEAT, not TDEE. Mfp does not take exercise into consideration. TDEE does take exercise into consideration and you should deduct 500 calories from your TDEE to lose 1 pound per week. The goal mfp gives you includes your deficit. A sedentary TDEE will be about the same as your mfp maintenance goal. So if you put in to lose 1 pound per week on mfp and it gave you a goal of 1420, then mfp thinks that your maintenance is 1920 which is a little higher than your calculated TDEE of 1839, but the two numbers are pretty close.
  • nic1356
    nic1356 Posts: 17 Member
    seska422 wrote: »
    MFP doesn't use TDEE. It uses NEAT and expects you to add exercise calories. The activity setting is just for non-exercise activity.

    The deficit calculation isn't done the way you think. MFP calculates a number for maintenance and then subtracts 500 calories from that for each pound you want to lose per week. MFP calculated that you would need to eat 1920 daily to maintain (not counting exercise) and subtracted 500 to get the 1420 daily goal. That would put you at a weekly deficit of 3500 calories. Ish. It is an estimate based on averages so you do need to do it for a while to find your personal numbers.

    Ahh I see!! That makes so much sense! I've never heard of NEAT. I'll have to google it. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to explain that so clearly to me xx
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    edited February 2017
    Keep in mind that TDEE calculators, as well as MFP's NEAT method, are simply estimates. The only way to know your actual TDEE or NEAT is to collect your own data (log all of your food accurately) and compare it with your rate of loss over time.

    Whether you choose MFP's NEAT or TDEE from another site, the important thing is to stick with it until you have enough data. If after 4-6 weeks, for example, your weekly loss rate is slower than 1lb/week, reduce your calories slightly. If it's faster, increase your intake.
  • nic1356
    nic1356 Posts: 17 Member
    CafeRacer808 wrote: »
    Keep in mind that TDEE calculators, as well as MFP's NEAT method, are simply estimates. The only way to know your actual TDEE or NEAT is to collect your own data (log all of your food accurately) and compare it with your rate of loss over time.

    Whether you choose MFP's NEAT or TDEE from another site, the important thing is to stick with it until you have enough data. If after 4-6 weeks, for example, your weekly loss rate is slower than 1lb/week, reduce your calories slightly. If it's faster, increase your intake.

    Thank you x
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Some of the TDEE calculators will give you calories based on goal weight and how fast/aggressive you want it to be - so if you went that route you wouldn't want to adjust your calories down more
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