Trying to figure out my bmr/tdee to lose weight!

So I started out great losing weight. Down 22 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight last year. Woohoo. Then.... I stalled. Correction, gained a couple pounds. Okay, so after reading everyone posting about eating more to lose weight, I decided to research this whole bmr/tdee thing. Hey, if I can eat more to lose weight then I am all over that. I didn't get fat by not enjoying myself some food! There are many different theories on this though. I have been all over the internet. Google bmr/tdee calculators and see how many come up. Someone on here suggests fat2fitradio.com. Okay so I tried that. Figured out my bmi, bmr, yada yada. According to fat2fitradio, I should be consuming 2257 calories to reach my goal weight of 150 with 28% body fat. Sounds great. And easy. And almost 1000 calories over what I started consuming with mfp. Well it still scared me. Even though I see the research, and get the science behind it, my mind doesn't want to believe eat more to lose weight. So I increased to 1770 and occassionally eat back my exercise calories. Well, I am still doing the whole 2 steps forward 1 step back crap. I swear if I have to lose this same pound one more time..... So its back to the drawing board, or calculators to be exact. Again, according to fat2fit, I should be eating 2257 to lose weight. But then I found this site....

www.cordianet.com/calculator

And now I am confused. This calculator says I should only be eating about 1700 calories for weight loss. Another site I went to said 1850.

Can someone help me figure out, and explain, why I should follow fat2fit, over any of the other sites? (Cause really, if I can eat 2200 and lose, I am all over that!)

And please, if you feel it is your place to critize me for wanting to up my calories because you only eat 1200 and still lose weight, save it for another person. I am happy that works for you, but it doesn't work for me. I am only looking for input from people who HAVE ALREADY upped calories AND can look at that other site and explain WHY it is wrong. Thank you.

What did fat2fit give you as your BMR and your TDEE? If you give me those details I can work it out for you x

And now I am confused. This calculator says I should only be eating about 1700 calories for weight loss. Another site I went to said 1850.

Bear in mind that all of these different calculators are using statistical averages to ESTIMATE your needs. It's absolutely not accurate and never will be unless you go through extensive and expensive testing. However it's a good starting point. The key is to monitor and respond. So pick one of them or some other figure in between and start with that. Increase you cals up if you are losing too fast, decrease if not fast enough.

And whilst we are on the subject of estimates, the nutritional values posted on food isn't exact either. It's also an estimate based on averages. Legally it must be no more than 20% out - which is a heck of a lot really.

So don't stress too much about the numbers being spot on, because you'll never manage that - take it as a guide to help you be in the right area.

I am having the same problem.

Fat2Fit says 2300 for me.
Another says 1920.

BMr is 1600.

I have gained weight every week.
At 1800
At 2000
At 2300
Gained one pound each week.

I didn`t lose inches, gained em. I exercised as I usually do all weeks. Funny that I would gain one lb at all of these levels. I was gaining one lb a week before trying to eat as little as possible before MFP.

I am having the same problem.

Fat2Fit says 2300 for me.
Another says 1920.

BMr is 1600.

I have gained weight every week.
At 1800
At 2000
At 2300
Gained one pound each week.

I didn`t lose inches, gained em. I exercised as I usually do all weeks. Funny that I would gain one lb at all of these levels. I was gaining one lb a week before trying to eat as little as possible before MFP.

Ok taking the fat2fit details you take your BMR as what you should aim to NET at or above each day, you can take 15-20% off of the TDEE given which is 1840 (minus 20%)

Aim to eat 1840daily BUT if you burn off more than 240 cals through exercise you should eat back some of those to get your NET at or above your BMR x

Edit: Your diary is closed but take a look through your diary and see what sort of food you are eating x

Fat to Fit gives your goal weight maintenance calories, not your current weight maintenance.
You would not deduct 20% from that, unless you were close to goal and the difference between goal weight TDEE and actual TDEE was too small to make a deficit.

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Fat2Fit says that 2257 is the amount of calories I need to LOSE weight. This is NOT my TDEE. If you figure my bmr, then figure my actual calorie expenditures, it's high. I am on my feet all day and do a lot of lifting, pushing, pulling, etc. Plus work out a lot.

I have also read that to LOSE weight, figure out your goal weight/bmi then do a bmr/tdee calculator to figure out how many calories you would need to consume to maintain that weight. I come up with the same amount of calories 2257. If you eat as if you are already at your goal weight and want to maintain that weight, you will eventually get to your goal weight. (People that weigh less need to consume less than a fat person. So this makes sense from a science standpoint.)

Don't get me wrong, I want to lose this slowly so that I can keep it off. But I actually want to continue losing weight.

The fat2fit site for me only told me TDEE not what to eat to lose weight! Except that I could deduct 15-20% (as I am under 30lbs to goal It is suggested I could do it) I don't think you said how much you have left to lose? x

I think you have mis-read the Fat2Fit information.

Under the calorie table it says

"How Many Calories Should I Eat?

Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Radio we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.

Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down.

It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point"

Bump

try this calculator, it was posted yesterday in the Eat More to Lose group on here. You should also check that group out for a lot of information and great support.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Yep - I think increasing the protein was what did it for me too. I wasn't craving all the crap (processed foods) that I was craving either.

Bump tp read replies later

If you search the forums - you'll see pretty clearly that different things work for different folks. I know you're looking for a definitive answer here, but unfortunately - there isn't one.

There are people in the forums who cannot do the eat more to weigh less (I am so sorry for those folks too :flowerforyou:). There are some people in the forums who say they cannot eat back their exercise calories (again, I am sorry). These folks stick to the amounts that MFP sets for them and are successful.

It seems as though those amounts weren't working for you (they weren't working for me either - but eating more is). What you have to do is pick a calorie goal and stick with it for a month (maybe even two). See how it works for you. If loss seems slow or stagnant, then adjust up or down (whichever you want to try) and give it another 1-2 months. Even if you're not steadily losing during these adjustment periods, you'll still be logging and mindful of what you eat - those are great habits to develop in the long run.

I will tell you from personal experience - eating more has been better for me. I am more energized, I am losing inches (even when the scale doesn't move), and I am less likely to have a "cheat" day. Eating more is developing better habits for me. Based upon your job and working out, I am going to assume that eating more is going to work for you. If you have a lot to lose, I think you can probably take 200-300 off the number fat2fit gave you - which has you right around 2000. So my guess is that somewhere between 1800-2000 will be a good number for you for now (also note that you do not eat exercise calories back using the fat2fit number unless your daily activity + exercise nets you under your bmr - I enjoy eating my exercise calories back, so I went with the lower end of my personal scale, so I can still eat them - but my goal is to eventually stop and just pick a steady calorie ratio to eat every day - just can't let go of the feeling I get when consuming exercise calories - it's like an awesome reward!)

Edited to add: You are likely to initially gain a little bit of weight when you adjust calories up. That's why you need to give it a month or two. Note, it's not fat you're gaining (impossible if you're eating a deficit). Also know that a 5lb fluctuation (either way) is just standard because of water weight. This is why inches and monthly progress is better. That said - I'm still a scale addict. :drinker: