TDEE data and questions based on calculations

2

Replies

  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    @PAV8888 Here is what I've found on the help section from Garmin, it refers to setting your goal (maintenance in my case) on MFP. I've looked through Garmin Connect and have found I can set a weight goal, so have set my current weight as the goal. As for the TDEE report, I cannot see this anywhere in the reports.

    This is today so far, so just after lunchtime:

    Calories In/Out
    Garmin Connect paired with MyFitnessPal provides an overall picture of your daily calorie consumption and burn.

    Active Calories
    Calories Burned in Motion
    Active calories are the calories that you burn while moving throughout the day. You have burned an estimated 307 active calories on this day.

    Calories During an Activity
    Recorded Activity Calories
    When you record an activity with your Garmin device, the activity counts both active calories and the resting calories burned over the time period of the activity. For example:

    Activities Resting Active Total
    Running 110 C 300 C 410 C
    Walking 50 C 150 C 200 C
    Daily Steps 50 C 150 C 200 C
    Grand Total 210 C 600 C 810 C
    Calories Consumed
    Calories from Food
    You can track your daily food intake at MyFitnessPal.com or using the MyFitnessPal app. Based on your MyFitnessPal inputs, you consumed an estimated 1,791 calories on this day.

    Calories Goal
    Put It All Together
    MyFitnessPal can help you determine a calorie goal based on whether you want to gain, lose or maintain your weight. When you’ve determined the proper number, try to stick to your goal by making healthy food choices throughout the day.

    Your current goal is 2,500.

    Adjusted Goal
    Adjust for Activity
    Your overall calorie goal is adjusted based on the active calories you’ve burned. This gives you an “adjusted goal” that accounts for the credit you receive for these extra burned calories.

    2,500 Calorie Goal + 307 Active Calories Burned = 2,807 Adjusted Goal.

    Calories Remaining
    The Calorie Countdown
    Once you have determined a MyFitnessPal calorie goal, we’ll help you track how many daily calories you are above or below your goal based on today’s food intake. The formula is adjusted goal - calories consumed = calories remaining.

    2,807 Adjusted Goal – 1,791 Calories Consumed = 1,016 Calories Remaining.

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    My whole thing above is just to compare "logged" TDEE (either from a device or from MFP without the beneift of a correction by a device) to the underlying "evidence based" TDEE so that I can make my eating decisions based on my ever-changing (based on activity) daily goals.

    My brain likes to "off-load" calories out to a device. That's because I believe that an unthinking device is more likely to be a consistent estimator as compared to myself given I that I am more likely to be influenced by my perception of how easy or difficult my activities FELT.

    But it no device exists then the number is just the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (Calories OUT) that MFP recorded for the day. Initial NEAT estimate plus any exercise calories recorded.

    I like this ability to compare too.

    Perhaps it doesn't matter as much if someone has pretty much same workout schedule and routine, no matter what the season and what's going on in life.

    I know some in the past tried to do this sort of math for a week where they weren't able to workout for some reason - so they thought they got a non-exercise TDEE and could figure out where the error in reporting was for their normal exercise weeks.
    But in talking with them - that week had no workouts because they were busy with some emergency thing for family, or they were sick - so hardly a typical week of NEAT to use when they went back to exercise.

    But this sort of keeping up with differences allows some idea when workouts change or seasonal chores get more busy, or winter keeps you in. You can look back and see what's about to happen.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,724 Member
    @PAV8888 Here is what I've found on the help section from Garmin, it refers to setting your goal (maintenance in my case) on MFP. I've looked through Garmin Connect and have found I can set a weight goal, so have set my current weight as the goal. As for the TDEE report, I cannot see this anywhere in the reports.

    (snip)

    Maybe I'm missing something in what you're looking for here, but end-of-day value in the "Calories" field on your Connect app ought to be your Garmin's daily estimate of your actual TDEE based on demographics, and all activity. If you click on today's value (in Android phone app, anyway - web is a little different), you can swipe backwards in time to get the value for previous days. The basic app will also give you an average of the last 7 days.

    (Some of what you see in the app is affected by your display customization settings, under "Edit my Day" at the bottom of the basic daily display screen. For example, you won't see the 7-day average unless you have selected to display that explicitly or by default (I can't remember what the default settings were)).

    Maybe this is not what you're looking for, dunno.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,394 Member
    @richiechowns

    Eating your TDEE is by definition eating at maintenance.

    If your Garmin eating plan was set to maintenance through the time periods in question, then by definition your adjusted eating goals were equal to your TDEE.

    Which is the figure we wanted and which by the sounds of it you provided!

    So all good.

    Had you told Garmin that you wanted to lose weight, then your adjusted eating goals for the past weeks may have been less than your TDEE.
  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @PAV8888 Here is what I've found on the help section from Garmin, it refers to setting your goal (maintenance in my case) on MFP. I've looked through Garmin Connect and have found I can set a weight goal, so have set my current weight as the goal. As for the TDEE report, I cannot see this anywhere in the reports.

    (snip)

    Maybe I'm missing something in what you're looking for here, but end-of-day value in the "Calories" field on your Connect app ought to be your Garmin's daily estimate of your actual TDEE based on demographics, and all activity. If you click on today's value (in Android phone app, anyway - web is a little different), you can swipe backwards in time to get the value for previous days. The basic app will also give you an average of the last 7 days.

    (Some of what you see in the app is affected by your display customization settings, under "Edit my Day" at the bottom of the basic daily display screen. For example, you won't see the 7-day average unless you have selected to display that explicitly or by default (I can't remember what the default settings were)).

    Maybe this is not what you're looking for, dunno.

    Hi Ann,

    Can you link what you're seeing please? I'm in the android app but it only shows the adjusted goal, which I believe to be the TDEE value but that is where we were discussing/debating it, nothing actually shows as TDEE or references TDEE.
  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    @richiechowns

    Eating your TDEE is by definition eating at maintenance.

    If your Garmin eating plan was set to maintenance through the time periods in question, then by definition your adjusted eating goals were equal to your TDEE.

    Which is the figure we wanted and which by the sounds of it you provided!

    So all good.

    Had you told Garmin that you wanted to lose weight, then your adjusted eating goals for the past weeks may have been less than your TDEE.

    The goal weight was set at 149lbs and I'm 150.8, so it was close, but I've adjusted it to be the weight I am now. Let's see what the next few weeks show, it'll be interesting as I've been roped into a works running challenge, so will have to start doing a bit of slow plodding again, hopefully it won't impact my strength gains too much over the 4 weeks, I'll certainly be eating more and will calculate a new TDEE using the sheet @heybales provided.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,724 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @PAV8888 Here is what I've found on the help section from Garmin, it refers to setting your goal (maintenance in my case) on MFP. I've looked through Garmin Connect and have found I can set a weight goal, so have set my current weight as the goal. As for the TDEE report, I cannot see this anywhere in the reports.

    (snip)

    Maybe I'm missing something in what you're looking for here, but end-of-day value in the "Calories" field on your Connect app ought to be your Garmin's daily estimate of your actual TDEE based on demographics, and all activity. If you click on today's value (in Android phone app, anyway - web is a little different), you can swipe backwards in time to get the value for previous days. The basic app will also give you an average of the last 7 days.

    (Some of what you see in the app is affected by your display customization settings, under "Edit my Day" at the bottom of the basic daily display screen. For example, you won't see the 7-day average unless you have selected to display that explicitly or by default (I can't remember what the default settings were)).

    Maybe this is not what you're looking for, dunno.

    Hi Ann,

    Can you link what you're seeing please? I'm in the android app but it only shows the adjusted goal, which I believe to be the TDEE value but that is where we were discussing/debating it, nothing actually shows as TDEE or references TDEE.

    It isn't labeled TDEE. But it is TDEE, as estimated by Garmin - all day, all source calorie expenditure (estimated). It's labeled "Calories". The screen cap below is what I see when I open Connect on my phone, and scroll down a bit (I just skipped the headers and first few cards for today).

    The "Calories" card near the top is its estimate so far today, the "Calories" under "Yesterday" are the estimated TDEE for yesterday, and the "Calories" under "Last 7 Days" are the estimated average TDEE for 7 days.
    tco58fk3cxei.png

  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @PAV8888 Here is what I've found on the help section from Garmin, it refers to setting your goal (maintenance in my case) on MFP. I've looked through Garmin Connect and have found I can set a weight goal, so have set my current weight as the goal. As for the TDEE report, I cannot see this anywhere in the reports.

    (snip)

    Maybe I'm missing something in what you're looking for here, but end-of-day value in the "Calories" field on your Connect app ought to be your Garmin's daily estimate of your actual TDEE based on demographics, and all activity. If you click on today's value (in Android phone app, anyway - web is a little different), you can swipe backwards in time to get the value for previous days. The basic app will also give you an average of the last 7 days.

    (Some of what you see in the app is affected by your display customization settings, under "Edit my Day" at the bottom of the basic daily display screen. For example, you won't see the 7-day average unless you have selected to display that explicitly or by default (I can't remember what the default settings were)).

    Maybe this is not what you're looking for, dunno.

    Hi Ann,

    Can you link what you're seeing please? I'm in the android app but it only shows the adjusted goal, which I believe to be the TDEE value but that is where we were discussing/debating it, nothing actually shows as TDEE or references TDEE.

    It isn't labeled TDEE. But it is TDEE, as estimated by Garmin - all day, all source calorie expenditure (estimated). It's labeled "Calories". The screen cap below is what I see when I open Connect on my phone, and scroll down a bit (I just skipped the headers and first few cards for today).

    The "Calories" card near the top is its estimate so far today, the "Calories" under "Yesterday" are the estimated TDEE for yesterday, and the "Calories" under "Last 7 Days" are the estimated average TDEE for 7 days.
    tco58fk3cxei.png

    There must be an edit for that screen somewhere as mine shows calories remaining, but when I click into the calories tab it shows the "Adjusted Goal" which must be the TDEE estimate each day, I've scrolled through a few days and it is generally 3k plus, so my 2500 or 2700 would suggest I'm a little low, but I guess as the weeks go I will see if that is the case.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,724 Member
    edited June 2020
    Try using the "Edit My Day" option at the bottom, and see if you can add cards to your display that would be helpful to you.

    ETA: Just for clarity, I haven't enabled the "Calories In/Out" linkage to MFP, because - based on long logging experience - MFP and Garmin both estimate me wrong, so I set my calorie intake in MFP manually, then estimate and add exercise separately. Consequently, I don't know what the display looks like with the MFP/Garmin linkage set up. Also, different Garmin devices can display different things in Connect. I have a Vivoactive 3, FWIW.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Garmin is downright goofy in the way they display some of this info.

    They estimate an RMR value, which is not sedentary, they convert the BMR, and then do something else - because despite no weight changes it slightly changes day to day.

    Or they merely take the TDEE value and subtract out the workouts and daily activity - and call what's left the RMR.
    And their adjusted goal and calories remaining is done strange - MFP does it better.

    At least on website they call it Total Calories Burned since they have the space.
    And you can the reports on that value.

    n37tpcskeodj.png
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,394 Member
    edited June 2020
    Also, Richard, the whole point of the exercise of calculating your divergence from your device TDEE it's so that you have a metric as to how trustworthy your external estimator is.

    Just as a general comment for myself and my Fitbit I found over time that while my average divergence is around the 3% mark (at least that's what I use mentally); actual divergence is almost zero on low activity days and possibly closer to 5% on extremely high activity days; but that's based on my type of activities, logging, and my relation to population means... your metrics will be your own!

    Ann's for example are wild underestimates due to her being a good 'lil calorie burner! Me, I'm average!!! :lol:

  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Try using the "Edit My Day" option at the bottom, and see if you can add cards to your display that would be helpful to you.

    ETA: Just for clarity, I haven't enabled the "Calories In/Out" linkage to MFP, because - based on long logging experience - MFP and Garmin both estimate me wrong, so I set my calorie intake in MFP manually, then estimate and add exercise separately. Consequently, I don't know what the display looks like with the MFP/Garmin linkage set up. Also, different Garmin devices can display different things in Connect. I have a Vivoactive 3, FWIW.

    I think that is it, the link changes the view. I've set myself as sedentary in MFP and a target of 2500 manually, which was what I believed TDEE to be, so although my exercise comes over from Garmin plus adjustments, I eat to my TDEE now, but I think it is closer to 2700, so I'm eating 2700 with the idea that I'll know if I gain it is too high and the gain will be minimal.

    Everything changed this morning anyway, what was I thinking trying to build strength and signing up to a works running challenge? 3000 calories a day is a slog to eat when you're trying to eat good healthy foods. All for charity though 😊
  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    Garmin is downright goofy in the way they display some of this info.

    They estimate an RMR value, which is not sedentary, they convert the BMR, and then do something else - because despite no weight changes it slightly changes day to day.

    Or they merely take the TDEE value and subtract out the workouts and daily activity - and call what's left the RMR.
    And their adjusted goal and calories remaining is done strange - MFP does it better.

    At least on website they call it Total Calories Burned since they have the space.
    And you can the reports on that value.

    n37tpcskeodj.png

    So we think Total Calories Burned is the TDEE then and not the Adjusted Goal? I used the Adjusted Goal on Pav's sheet..
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,394 Member
    edited June 2020
    Your "error" was surprisingly low for someone who just started logging and had a lot of exercise.

    Total Calories Burned sounds much closer to TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) than Adjusted Goal...

  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Your "error" was surprisingly low for someone who just started logging and had a lot of exercise.

    Total Calories Burned sounds much closer to TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) than Adjusted Goal...

    Yes, it changes quite a bit with Total Cals Burned, I also double checked the other data and it seems I was a day out somewhere, so I've updated it all now. I've left the Adjusted in column L just for reference.

    pbe2tve70u0w.png
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,394 Member
    I'll have to look on a computer after some z's. Too small on my phone and won't expand!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    Garmin is downright goofy in the way they display some of this info.

    They estimate an RMR value, which is not sedentary, they convert the BMR, and then do something else - because despite no weight changes it slightly changes day to day.

    Or they merely take the TDEE value and subtract out the workouts and daily activity - and call what's left the RMR.
    And their adjusted goal and calories remaining is done strange - MFP does it better.

    At least on website they call it Total Calories Burned since they have the space.
    And you can the reports on that value.

    n37tpcskeodj.png

    So we think Total Calories Burned is the TDEE then and not the Adjusted Goal? I used the Adjusted Goal on Pav's sheet..

    Oh absolutely Total Calories Burned is TDEE. The name says it all. That's what TDEE means.

    Adjusted Goal is referring to eating goal.
    Daily Goal is your base MFP eating goal (that is a figure Garmin pulls from MFP, but it's the base, not adjusted eating goal).
    Active Calories is anything above RMR that is from being active not sitting all day long.
    Adjusted Goal is therefore new eating goal according to how Garmin does math.

    And that is exactly why you use MFP for the eating goal - because that is goofy way of doing it.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,036 Member
    In case this is of any use, the total calories burned in the Garmin Android app can be found by opening the main menu > Health and performance > Calories. (I find it easier than using the website)
  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    Garmin is downright goofy in the way they display some of this info.

    They estimate an RMR value, which is not sedentary, they convert the BMR, and then do something else - because despite no weight changes it slightly changes day to day.

    Or they merely take the TDEE value and subtract out the workouts and daily activity - and call what's left the RMR.
    And their adjusted goal and calories remaining is done strange - MFP does it better.

    At least on website they call it Total Calories Burned since they have the space.
    And you can the reports on that value.

    n37tpcskeodj.png

    So we think Total Calories Burned is the TDEE then and not the Adjusted Goal? I used the Adjusted Goal on Pav's sheet..

    Oh absolutely Total Calories Burned is TDEE. The name says it all. That's what TDEE means.

    Adjusted Goal is referring to eating goal.
    Daily Goal is your base MFP eating goal (that is a figure Garmin pulls from MFP, but it's the base, not adjusted eating goal).
    Active Calories is anything above RMR that is from being active not sitting all day long.
    Adjusted Goal is therefore new eating goal according to how Garmin does math.

    And that is exactly why you use MFP for the eating goal - because that is goofy way of doing it.

    Thanks @heybales

    Check this out for today so far, I've not yet eaten 2960 cals, I've just added dinner in for later as it is easier sometimes when the meals are prep'd, so I can work out snacks etc. The adjusted goal of over 4k, I'd have no chance eating that anyway, so like you say, goofy! Even yesterday at 3034 would have been a stretch. Thanks for clearing that up.

    0md612c45vam.png
  • richiechowns
    richiechowns Posts: 155 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    In case this is of any use, the total calories burned in the Garmin Android app can be found by opening the main menu > Health and performance > Calories. (I find it easier than using the website)

    Great thanks, that is easier than faffing with the website, scrolling down for each day.