Personally, I always like to calculate everything based on being sedentary and then I have the motivation to exercise as it allows me to then eat those calories back. If, however, you prefer to eat the same number of calories a day then you can include your exercise in your TDEE calculation and then you don't need to track and eat back those exercise calories. That is my understanding anyway.

So I either get to eat around 1400 plus exercise calories on the days I work out (though I'm upping this to 1500 just to try) or I can eat 1600 and not eat back the exercise calories.

Personally, I have been doing the 1400 plus exercise for a while and didn't lose, so I'm upping to 1500. I think it is because i'm a dreadful fidget and probably burn more just doing nothing than the calculator can assess.

I did the calculator and subtracted my 15% and came out with 1900 calories. I'm currently eating around 1200. I'm freaked out, is this truly what I should be eating? I've hit a giant plateau that I can't get through and need something to help me out. My other huge stumbling block is that I'm not hungry, so to eat extra calories when I'm not hungry doesn't seem to make sense...

2239 is the number I got after subtracting the 15%

I put in my info then chose moderate exercise. I work 40+ hours a week, walk 2-2.5 miles at lunch, and try to ride my bike 3 or 4 days a week and I'm goin to start strength training. Would that be about moderate?It said moderate is exercising 3-5 days a week.

So then I should be eating 2239 calories a day and I should still lose?

Thanks for the help :flowerforyou:

Edit: I used the BMR calculator on that page and got 1699

2nd Edit lol: So should I change mfp goals to show 2239 calories?

Yep, sounds right

How you set it up is up to you. You could either set up your MFP goals to 2239 and NOT eat back cals, or use MFPs settings, knowing that you will need to eat back cals up to 2239 (gross).

Happy eating! :bigsmile:

:flowerforyou: I did it! I bummed my calories up to 2000. Now I am really scared lol. This weekend has been hard because we were out of town but I did get to walk/jog 3 miles. And I did it in 37 minutes down from the 47 it took me a few weekends ago (there were hills and this was flat but still excited lol). I have a few more weeks till my birthday to reach my goal and I am just really hoping that I am not gonna mess this up. :happy:

31prvrbs: RIght now I am 205.6 (at least last time I got on the scale) I want to make one-derland by April 13. I'm getting down to the wire and I'm afraid its gonna be too much for me to lose in a few weeks (especially if I have gained a little from eating more).

I understand if I cant make though since I started eating more to weigh less. I'll just have to make a new goal then

Thanks for your posts! I think I have it right! My TDEE is 2243. My BMR is 1634. So I eat 1907! Does anyone know if I'm right on this?Thanks so much! I've been on a plateau for a year now and just can't break it. My weight can go up and down but never break below a certain point. I've been trying to eat more now for the last few days! Cathy

Thanks for your posts! I think I have it right! My TDEE is 2243. My BMR is 1634. So I eat 1907! Does anyone know if I'm right on this?Thanks so much! I've been on a plateau for a year now and just can't break it. My weight can go up and down but never break below a certain point. I've been trying to eat more now for the last few days! Cathy

Yes you got it...remember if you burn over 300 cals you will need to start eating back the cals over 300.

Is it over 300 for everyone or does it depend on your TDEE? I am getting my self confused again.

Is it over 300 for everyone or does it depend on your TDEE? I am getting my self confused again.

It depends on your TDEE-15%. Example:
My TDEE-15% is around 2550
My BMR is 1950

For me it would be 600.. If i happen to burn over 600 calories one day of high burn cardio i'd have to eat enough to net at least my BMR for the day, though it would be beneficial to get as close to TDEE-15% as possible.

Netting BMR is always the minimum.

Exactly!

Okay, so can I make this easy on myself by doing the following?

Set my TDEE as sedentary (1797) ( My actual current TDEE is 2500)

Cut value 1530

1506 BMR

Set my calories at 1530 and eat back ALL my exercise calories? Would this work?

My head hurts too! But, thank you all for the information!

I've been losing the same 3 lbs. for the past month and I've only lost 6 lbs total. I need something to jumpstart my body! On most days I do 30DS and other than general yard and housework, not much else yet. I'm a CPA so I'm sitting most of the day.

I just want to make sure I have this figured out. I calculate my TDEE as 1970 (sedentary) and less 15% is 1674. By BMR is 1642. So, I should adjust my calories to 1674 and make sure to net between by TDEE and BMR. Does that sound right?

You almost have it down. However, in my opinion doing 30DS + house work/yard work+ Walking to your car+ walking to your office et.c will have you at Light Activity at least.
So in my opinion it would like so:
TDEE: 2257.75(light activity)
TDEE-15%:1920
BMR: 1624.

So you'd want to eat at around 1920 every day.

Of course if Lucia has a different opinion i defer to her expertise in the matter.