Maintenance and TDEE

keiraev
keiraev Posts: 695 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
MFP has my maintenance calories set at 1670 NET ( lightly active, strenuous exercise isn't accounted for).

Of course I usually eat the majority of my exercise calories, and I exercise 4-5 days a week, so the reality is that on those days I eat more like 2000 - 2200.

I worked out my TDEE on a couple of other websites which said I should be eating more like 1800 - 2500 a day, but obviously that has all physical exercise factored into it.

Does anyone here just who is maintaining just have their calorie goal set to their TDEE and not log exercise?

I mean I assume I could maintain my weight quite happily if I just ate 2000 a day no matter whether I did any exercise or not? Believe me it would make me a lot happier coz I wouldn't be thinking "I can't have that today I'm not going to the gym".:smile:

Replies

  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,270 Member
    as you know i am still playing around with my maintenance number. somehow i was gaining on 1650. don't know how that woudl happen when i exercise every day. i think what it comes down to is every body is different. it seems like it's more trial and error.
  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,270 Member
    i guess no other takers... it is all such a game of lose and gain... wish i knew how to come out perfectly even all the time. i think that's a reason to give yourself a range. maybe if you go below that it's ok to eat a little more, and if you're at the top of the range, make some cuts... i don't know.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Short answer: Yes, it's fine to eat at TDEE daily and not enter exercise cals.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,979 Member
    Totally valid. It's different style of "accounting" but it gets you to the same place.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    I have done both. I prefer to eat the same everyday and not track exercise calories at all.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member

    Does anyone here just who is maintaining just have their calorie goal set to their TDEE and not log exercise?

    Me! I only log my exercise if I do more than my 3 days a week lifting.
  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,270 Member
    I think i may start to do this. it is kind of stressful to have to think about what exercise yu're doing each day, make sure you logged it right, etc... gets old pretty quick.
  • superdrood
    superdrood Posts: 129 Member
    I do this. I really like Lyle Mcdonalds (http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/articles) method of calculating daily caloric intake. It's simple and easy to implement whether you're trying to lose fat, gain muscle, or just trying to maintain.

    I'm actually trying to gain a bit of weight now so I started at the lower range of his suggested 16-18 calories/lb body weight. After a few months, I found that I was still losing about a pound a month so I've recently upped to the higher end.

    Anyway I like it much better now that I'm eating the same amount per day and not worrying about eating exercise calories.

    Diary is open to the public by the way.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    I do this. I really like Lyle Mcdonalds (http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/articles) method of calculating daily caloric intake. It's simple and easy to implement whether you're trying to lose fat, gain muscle, or just trying to maintain.

    I'm actually trying to gain a bit of weight now so I started at the lower range of his suggested 16-18 calories/lb body weight. After a few months, I found that I was still losing about a pound a month so I've recently upped to the higher end.

    Anyway I like much better now that I'm eating the same amount per day and not worrying about eating exercise calories.

    Diary is open to the public by the way.

    Yay! Lyle is great. For women, he recommends 14-16cal per pound, I believe...
  • keiraev
    keiraev Posts: 695 Member
    I think i may start to do this. it is kind of stressful to have to think about what exercise yu're doing each day, make sure you logged it right, etc... gets old pretty quick.

    I may start in Feb- as an experiment! I may still log my exercise just coz I do actually like doing it! But will keep my maximum intake at 2000 cals.

    Will check out Lyle :)
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