TDEE - Let's talk about it
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RiffsnBarbells
Posts: 27 Member
So i was thinking about calculating my TDEE without any physical activity (no exercise, sedentary job etc) and setting that number as my calorie goal in MFP. Then I can sync Google Fit to MFP to calculate approximately how many calories I burn throughout the day.
Wouldn't this give me the most accurate TDEE in the end? Does anyone see any problem with this? Is there a better way?
Wouldn't this give me the most accurate TDEE in the end? Does anyone see any problem with this? Is there a better way?
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Replies
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That sounds like it might give you the most accurate TDEE, but if you're trying to lose weight rather than maintain, it might get a little tricky figuring out how much you should eat. I guess you could do it that way and then just eat 500 or 250 calories below what MFP tells you to eat (depending on whether you want to lose one pound or half a pound per week) but that seems like making it overly complicated to me. If you're trying to lose weight, I'd let MFP calculate a goal for you based on the settings you mentioned and let your Google Fit tweak the goal as needed.0
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Wouldn't that basically be NEAT, which is what MFP gives you pre-exercise?9
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Pretty much that's what MFP is giving. The most accurate TDEE will be calculated by your results over time whether losing, gaining or maintaining. Real world results trump every single population based average.6
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no that is not TDEE....TDEE is Total Daily energy expenditure...not partial daily or as malibu said that's neat...
To get an accurate TDEE you need 3-4 weeks of logging carefully and consistently, your exercise logged and then this formula.
(total calories consumed+weight lost in lbs x 3500)/#days
That gives you your TDEE but that is also an ever changing number depending on workouts....
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piranha420 wrote: »So i was thinking about calculating my TDEE without any physical activity (no exercise, sedentary job etc) and setting that number as my calorie goal in MFP. Then I can sync Google Fit to MFP to calculate approximately how many calories I burn throughout the day.
Wouldn't this give me the most accurate TDEE in the end? Does anyone see any problem with this? Is there a better way?
That's what MFP already does...MFP is your NEAT (which is your TDEE without exercise). By definition TDEE should include all of your activity, including exercise.0 -
Wouldn't that basically be NEAT, which is what MFP gives you pre-exercise?
But if you use NEAT, you're still using a stagnant number. What if I am very active one week and then not so much the next? Sometimes my job is very sedentary, but other times I'm hauling equipment back and fourth all day. There's a lot of grey area in NEAT and I guess that's what I am trying to figure out.0 -
no that is not TDEE....TDEE is Total Daily energy expenditure...not partial daily or as malibu said that's neat...
To get an accurate TDEE you need 3-4 weeks of logging carefully and consistently, your exercise logged and then this formula.
(total calories consumed+weight lost in lbs x 3500)/#days
That gives you your TDEE but that is also an ever changing number depending on workouts....
I get that, but the way that you're calculating it will only tell you your TDEE in hindsight, ie the last 3-4 weeks. Who's to say that will be indicative of the next 3-4? Life is never that consistent for me. I only brought up this idea because it seemed like it might be able to give me my daily energy expenditure on a daily basis.0 -
piranha420 wrote: »Wouldn't that basically be NEAT, which is what MFP gives you pre-exercise?
But if you use NEAT, you're still using a stagnant number. What if I am very active one week and then not so much the next? Sometimes my job is very sedentary, but other times I'm hauling equipment back and fourth all day. There's a lot of grey area in NEAT and I guess that's what I am trying to figure out.
You would have the exact same issue with using a TDEE number without exercise (which is your NEAT). The only difference between NEAT and TDEE is where you account for exercise...the methods are 6 of 1, half dozen of the other.3 -
That sounds like it might give you the most accurate TDEE, but if you're trying to lose weight rather than maintain, it might get a little tricky figuring out how much you should eat. I guess you could do it that way and then just eat 500 or 250 calories below what MFP tells you to eat (depending on whether you want to lose one pound or half a pound per week) but that seems like making it overly complicated to me. If you're trying to lose weight, I'd let MFP calculate a goal for you based on the settings you mentioned and let your Google Fit tweak the goal as needed.
That's kind of what I was thinking. I only eat early dinner (IF 4 lyfe) so figuring out how many calories to eat after most of my day is over is the easy part.
Thanks for your input.0 -
piranha420 wrote: »no that is not TDEE....TDEE is Total Daily energy expenditure...not partial daily or as malibu said that's neat...
To get an accurate TDEE you need 3-4 weeks of logging carefully and consistently, your exercise logged and then this formula.
(total calories consumed+weight lost in lbs x 3500)/#days
That gives you your TDEE but that is also an ever changing number depending on workouts....
I get that, but the way that you're calculating it will only tell you your TDEE in hindsight, ie the last 3-4 weeks. Who's to say that will be indicative of the next 3-4? Life is never that consistent for me. I only brought up this idea because it seemed like it might be able to give me my daily energy expenditure on a daily basis.
that is why TDEE is typically used by those who have a set schedule of exercise ....
you can change your daily target here if you have premium but you are really over complicating it.
I lost weight logging my food and my exercise and eating back exercise calories consistently and I lost it using a TDEE number too...
if you can't guarantee you will be working out...then stick with NEAT and eat back exercise calories...1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »piranha420 wrote: »Wouldn't that basically be NEAT, which is what MFP gives you pre-exercise?
But if you use NEAT, you're still using a stagnant number. What if I am very active one week and then not so much the next? Sometimes my job is very sedentary, but other times I'm hauling equipment back and fourth all day. There's a lot of grey area in NEAT and I guess that's what I am trying to figure out.
You would have the exact same issue with using a TDEE number without exercise (which is your NEAT). The only difference between NEAT and TDEE is where you account for exercise...the methods are 6 of 1, half dozen of the other.
But doesn't NEAT still take into account your daily activity level? What if that changes wildly from day to day?
"You can expend calories in one two ways. One is to go to the gym and the other is through all the activities of daily living called NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).”
Won't "lazy bum" TDEE numbers with my actual daily activity added on work better? Some days I literally sit behind a desk all day, the next I might be hauling equipment. Wouldn't this fall under NEAT?0 -
piranha420 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »piranha420 wrote: »Wouldn't that basically be NEAT, which is what MFP gives you pre-exercise?
But if you use NEAT, you're still using a stagnant number. What if I am very active one week and then not so much the next? Sometimes my job is very sedentary, but other times I'm hauling equipment back and fourth all day. There's a lot of grey area in NEAT and I guess that's what I am trying to figure out.
You would have the exact same issue with using a TDEE number without exercise (which is your NEAT). The only difference between NEAT and TDEE is where you account for exercise...the methods are 6 of 1, half dozen of the other.
But doesn't NEAT still take into account your daily activity level? What if that changes wildly from day to day?
"You can expend calories in one two ways. One is to go to the gym and the other is through all the activities of daily living called NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).”
Won't "lazy bum" TDEE numbers with my actual daily activity added on work better? Some days I literally sit behind a desk all day, the next I might be hauling equipment. Wouldn't this fall under NEAT?
again over complicating it...
why not just take the average NEAT for the week and use that number
Lazy bum NEAT numbers + Actual activity(non exercise) =NEAT+Exercise=TDEE0 -
piranha420 wrote: »Wouldn't this give me the most accurate TDEE in the end?
That's basically what MFP does. Where do you see the improvement for accuracy?0 -
piranha420 wrote: »no that is not TDEE....TDEE is Total Daily energy expenditure...not partial daily or as malibu said that's neat...
To get an accurate TDEE you need 3-4 weeks of logging carefully and consistently, your exercise logged and then this formula.
(total calories consumed+weight lost in lbs x 3500)/#days
That gives you your TDEE but that is also an ever changing number depending on workouts....
I get that, but the way that you're calculating it will only tell you your TDEE in hindsight, ie the last 3-4 weeks. Who's to say that will be indicative of the next 3-4? Life is never that consistent for me. I only brought up this idea because it seemed like it might be able to give me my daily energy expenditure on a daily basis.
that is why TDEE is typically used by those who have a set schedule of exercise ....
you can change your daily target here if you have premium but you are really over complicating it.
I lost weight logging my food and my exercise and eating back exercise calories consistently and I lost it using a TDEE number too...
if you can't guarantee you will be working out...then stick with NEAT and eat back exercise calories...
I can maintain consistency at the gym, thats within my power. I can't always decide what I am doing at work. This is, unfortunately, a problem with using both NEAT and TDEE from what I understand.
I think the terms are mixing everyone (especially me) up. Let me rephrase and ask my question a different way; Wouldn't it be more accurate to take your RMR and accurately measure your calorie expenditure throughout the day than to just take your TDEE or NEAT number and run with it? Wouldn't that give you a more accurate TDEE (which you could actually see daily?)
More importantly is Google Fit that accurate? Am I missing something with my line of thinking?0 -
You really need to take a much longer view of things - attempting to micro manage yourself to that degree isn't necessary or even desirable. Really think you are setting yourself up for a load of anxiety for no good reason.
Lets say one week your activity level is sedentary and the next it's active - so just split the difference and call yourself lightly active.
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NorthCascades wrote: »piranha420 wrote: »Wouldn't this give me the most accurate TDEE in the end?
That's basically what MFP does. Where do you see the improvement for accuracy?
In the fluctuations of daily non gym activity. If I only use one number I naturally yo-yo diet due to the nature of my job.0 -
You really need to take a much longer view of things - attempting to micro manage yourself to that degree isn't necessary or even desirable. Really think you are setting yourself up for a load of anxiety for no good reason.
Lets say one week your activity level is sedentary and the next it's active - so just split the difference and call yourself lightly active.
That would be fine if we were talking about a week to week basis, but we are talking months.
It really isn't micromanaging though. It's wear my smart watch during the day, a HRM at the gym and press the button on my watch to start the workout. Then I just need to decide if I have enough room for seconds or not based on calories expended that day. Really logging the food is by far the most tedious part.0 -
piranha420 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »piranha420 wrote: »Wouldn't that basically be NEAT, which is what MFP gives you pre-exercise?
But if you use NEAT, you're still using a stagnant number. What if I am very active one week and then not so much the next? Sometimes my job is very sedentary, but other times I'm hauling equipment back and fourth all day. There's a lot of grey area in NEAT and I guess that's what I am trying to figure out.
You would have the exact same issue with using a TDEE number without exercise (which is your NEAT). The only difference between NEAT and TDEE is where you account for exercise...the methods are 6 of 1, half dozen of the other.
But doesn't NEAT still take into account your daily activity level? What if that changes wildly from day to day?
"You can expend calories in one two ways. One is to go to the gym and the other is through all the activities of daily living called NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).”
Won't "lazy bum" TDEE numbers with my actual daily activity added on work better? Some days I literally sit behind a desk all day, the next I might be hauling equipment. Wouldn't this fall under NEAT?
If it changes wildly from day to day I don't see how you wouldn't have the same issue with TDEE. Your TDEE (without exercise) on a slow day would be less than on an active day...just as it would be with NEAT.
Again, the methods are 6 of 1...the only difference between the methods is where exercise is accounted for.
My TDEE is around 2800 calories right now (includes exercise), meaning I'd need about 2300 calories to lose about 1 Lb per week.
According to MFP, my NEAT (TDEE without exercise) is around 2300 calories, so I'd get a calorie target of 1800 calories to lose about 1 Lb per week...if I exercise and burn 500 calories I then eat 2400 calories which is pretty close to what I would eat with the TDEE method...
I'm not sure how your coming up with one being better than the other when your activity level swings substantially...I'd think you'd have the same issue either way.3 -
piranha420 wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »piranha420 wrote: »Wouldn't this give me the most accurate TDEE in the end?
That's basically what MFP does. Where do you see the improvement for accuracy?
In the fluctuations of daily non gym activity. If I only use one number I naturally yo-yo diet due to the nature of my job.
If your daily activity level is wildly variable, perhaps choose one of the middle choices (like lightly active or the next one up), eat that way for 3-4 weeks, and see how you feel and what your weight does. You''l theoretically be eating a little less than you need on some days, and a little more than you need on others. Then tweak it if you need to. And if any day turns out to be super active and you feel like you need fuel, eat a small calorie controlled snack.
Barring wearing lab equipment at work to determine the calories you are burning there from day to day, there is really no way to be much more accurate than that I don't think!0 -
NEAT is before any activity at all. If you are using a tracker, enable negative calorie adjustments and then if your baseline falls under what is expected it will exclude some calories. But really, over time, it all comes out in the wash and as said above, you can use real world results over time. Like over 6 months you will get an idea of what all those activity fluctuations require calorie wise.
You are making this a lot harder than it needs to be. A lot harder. You're just going to tie yourself up in knots.
My days vary wildly depending on how I'm doing health wise. I just let my tracker take care of it. Everything to with my weight is as expected. Easy peasy.1
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