TDEE - What is it and why you should not eat below your BMR

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  • toriann143
    toriann143 Posts: 64
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    Hi!!

    I am new here and completely new to weight loss! I have been very overweight my whole life. I am currently at about 240 lbs. I have been losing steadily until about last week. I was eating 1200 and working out some (cardio).

    I found this amazing group and now I think I am doing it all wrong!!

    I went to: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ as suggested.

    This is what I got:


    Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) 1854

    Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE) 2549


    So now with those numbers, how do I figure what I should be eating? I am so scared that my weight is going to go back up. Seeing that many calories is SCARY to me. Will I gain before I start dropping again?

    Please help!!
  • 31prvrbs
    31prvrbs Posts: 687 Member
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    So glad to be here!!!!
    I've been researcing and studying this for days....
    I started lifting too...
    It's hard to rap my mind around but, i'm so excited! I weight 212 so my
    BMR = 1706
    TDEE = 2644
    15% cut = 2247

    So I eat 2247 on workout days...
    and on non workout days i eat 2047?
    and eat back my burned calories from cardio to net my bmr of 1706?

    Please help if I got this all jacked up! lol
    cuz, omg that's a lot of food and i'm not use to it... that's the point i guess ...i'm use to starving!?! Bad! Bad starving! No More!

    Welcome to the group!

    When first upping the cals, we actually recommend that you eat your cut #, every day. Because, with TDEE, exercise is already figured in and spread out over a weeks time, so there's no need to do any extra adjustments. ;)

    It's very important to stay super consistent in the beginning, be sure to check out the "what to expect & why you need patience" sticky for more info on this :)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

    We are all frightened at first, so feel free to ask any questions along the way, as you are in the midst of a super helpful, encouraging bunch at EM2WL.

    We're so happy to have you here and NOT starving anymore, your body will continue to amaze you on this journey by showing you what proper fuel can do :)


    Hi!!

    I am new here and completely new to weight loss! I have been very overweight my whole life. I am currently at about 240 lbs. I have been losing steadily until about last week. I was eating 1200 and working out some (cardio).

    I found this amazing group and now I think I am doing it all wrong!!

    I went to: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ as suggested.

    This is what I got:


    Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) 1854

    Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE) 2549


    So now with those numbers, how do I figure what I should be eating? I am so scared that my weight is going to go back up. Seeing that many calories is SCARY to me. Will I gain before I start dropping again?

    Please help!!

    Welcome to EM2WL!!

    We are all HORRIFIED when we first see how much we should *really* be eating. It's scary because we think that if we're not losing at our current #, then how in the world can we go *higher*?! Plus, just knowing that we should have been eating that the whole time can be overwhelming.

    We all get it ;). You can do this, & kudos for catching on so early in your journey.

    To figure out how much you should eat, you take 15% from your TDEE, which in your case, would come to 2167.

    You would eat that amount daily, & exercise cals are already figured in, so you don't need to worry about eating them back ;)

    Some people experience water retention as the body adjusts, and others start losing right away. Be sure to look around at all the progress threads from others to see how different people responded to the journey, as well as read the sticky on what to expect. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

    Being prepared for everything that you may experience on your journey is priceless in helping you to stay calm, and enjoy your life, all while still accomplishing your goals ;)

    Be sure to ask any questions that you may not find answered in the stickies, although I'll bet just about everything you can think of is out there somewhere, lol.


    ~Kiki
  • paulasue145
    paulasue145 Posts: 157
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    THANK YOU SO MUCH 31prvrbs!

    when i was a teen i use to work out at a women's fitness club called Proverbs 31. All about the woman! :wink:
  • lovinlandl
    lovinlandl Posts: 99 Member
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    bump
  • siobhan478
    siobhan478 Posts: 21 Member
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    Ok, I've thread through loads of this info and it sort of makes sense, but can I get a little help please.

    Here's a bit of background info. Over the last 10 years I have constantly dieted and lost 2 or 3 stone and usually sat between 161 and 196. I'm female and currently 39 years old, last year I had ballooned to 257lb. Due to going back to uni I upped my activity levels and lost 14lb but back in January I decided to make a real effort to lose weight, I was 243lb, I got MFP and a Fitbit and over the last 4 months or so I've dropped to 198lb, but I've been adhering to the MFP standard 1200 cals + eating back most of my exercise cals. However I've been reading the topics on here I'm coming round to the 'eat more to weigh less' way of thinking.

    I used the Scooby's workshop calculator mentioned earlier in this thread and it said my BMR is 1833, my TDEE is 2200 and it says my daily calories to lose weight is 1760. But other sites I've looked at give different amounts, one had my BMR at around 1350 (and calculated it by body fat percentage based on measurements) which is massively different and this is where I get a little confused, So based on the info from Scooby's calculator, do I eat 1760 every day, or do I change this if I exercise. I have a bone disease and I have arthritis and all I've been doing so far is cycling and walking and a 1hr circuit class once a week. (I know I need to exercise more for this to work) but can some one tell me based on these numbers what I should eat every day and how much I should change it to if I exercise?

    Thanks in advance :)

    Can anyone help please, I'm really cautious and afraid to start eating more until I've had some sort of feedback (especially because I'm losing well so far) I'm not sure if I should be eating 1760 every day, or just on days when I exercise, and if that's my daily amount every day then how much extra do I eat if I exercise, or is this system not for me because I can't do heavy exercise due to my medical conditions.

    Edited to add..... I've read a bit more and saw somewhere never to eat less than your BMR, but the daily calorie allowance I got from the Scooby's site gives me a lower amount than the BMR it calculated for me. I'm so confused.
  • lisaishotpink
    lisaishotpink Posts: 124
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    Hello! I'm new to this group, and fairly new to MFP. I started at 301lbs on January 17th of this year, logging calories according to the goals MFP gave me, I believe it was around 1800 or so calories a day, and exercising 6 days a week, mostly cardio. I'm currently down to 263lbs and recently started 30 Day Shred (doing this 6 days a week) and am power walking for at least 30min. a day also. I am pretty confused when it comes to this BMR and TDEE thing though! I went to the website you linked up and got these numbers:

    BMR: 2091
    TDEE: 3241
    TDEE - 15%: 2755

    I guess I am just not too sure what to eat on which days, etc. ?? Sorry to be asking the same question as everyone else, but this stuff just confuses me! Thanks in advance for any help that is provided!!
  • 31prvrbs
    31prvrbs Posts: 687 Member
    Options
    Ok, I've thread through loads of this info and it sort of makes sense, but can I get a little help please.

    Here's a bit of background info. Over the last 10 years I have constantly dieted and lost 2 or 3 stone and usually sat between 161 and 196. I'm female and currently 39 years old, last year I had ballooned to 257lb. Due to going back to uni I upped my activity levels and lost 14lb but back in January I decided to make a real effort to lose weight, I was 243lb, I got MFP and a Fitbit and over the last 4 months or so I've dropped to 198lb, but I've been adhering to the MFP standard 1200 cals + eating back most of my exercise cals. However I've been reading the topics on here I'm coming round to the 'eat more to weigh less' way of thinking.

    I used the Scooby's workshop calculator mentioned earlier in this thread and it said my BMR is 1833, my TDEE is 2200 and it says my daily calories to lose weight is 1760. But other sites I've looked at give different amounts, one had my BMR at around 1350 (and calculated it by body fat percentage based on measurements) which is massively different and this is where I get a little confused, So based on the info from Scooby's calculator, do I eat 1760 every day, or do I change this if I exercise. I have a bone disease and I have arthritis and all I've been doing so far is cycling and walking and a 1hr circuit class once a week. (I know I need to exercise more for this to work) but can some one tell me based on these numbers what I should eat every day and how much I should change it to if I exercise?

    Thanks in advance :)

    Can anyone help please, I'm really cautious and afraid to start eating more until I've had some sort of feedback (especially because I'm losing well so far) I'm not sure if I should be eating 1760 every day, or just on days when I exercise, and if that's my daily amount every day then how much extra do I eat if I exercise, or is this system not for me because I can't do heavy exercise due to my medical conditions.

    Edited to add..... I've read a bit more and saw somewhere never to eat less than your BMR, but the daily calorie allowance I got from the Scooby's site gives me a lower amount than the BMR it calculated for me. I'm so confused.


    That is very odd that your BMR and TDEE are so close together. Did you calculate yourself as sedentary?

    Would you mind sharing your stats so that I can get a better idea? You can message me, if you don't want to post them here.

    You are right...NEVER eat below BMR, even if Scooby says to :tongue: , lol. But I'd be willing to run the numbers myself against what you got and see what we can come up with together :wink:

    Once we get your #s figured out, you will eat the same amount daily. Regardless of exercise, because it will already be figured in and spread out over the week.


    ~Kiki
  • 31prvrbs
    31prvrbs Posts: 687 Member
    Options
    Hello! I'm new to this group, and fairly new to MFP. I started at 301lbs on January 17th of this year, logging calories according to the goals MFP gave me, I believe it was around 1800 or so calories a day, and exercising 6 days a week, mostly cardio. I'm currently down to 263lbs and recently started 30 Day Shred (doing this 6 days a week) and am power walking for at least 30min. a day also. I am pretty confused when it comes to this BMR and TDEE thing though! I went to the website you linked up and got these numbers:

    BMR: 2091
    TDEE: 3241
    TDEE - 15%: 2755

    I guess I am just not too sure what to eat on which days, etc. ?? Sorry to be asking the same question as everyone else, but this stuff just confuses me! Thanks in advance for any help that is provided!!

    Welcome to the group! :flowerforyou:

    You would just eat your TDEE -15% every day. All of your activity for the week should already be calculated in, so no need to eat back cals. Just be sure to note your net cals for the first week or so to be sure that you chose the right activity level. If you notice that you consistently burn more that what is figured in already (which for you is 2755-2091= 664 exercise cals), then the activity level that you chose is too low. However, if you find yourself burning more than that just on "occasion" just eat enough back to make sure you net above BMR (so in your case, if you happen to have an odd day where you burned 864, you'd eat back 200), make sense? :wink:

    ~Kiki
  • rm830
    rm830 Posts: 531 Member
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    Ok I can't go through 20 pages to get my question answered so sorry if it's a repeat :)

    BMR 1775
    TDEE 2751
    TDEE - 20% 2201

    All from Scoobysworkshop.com.

    So am I supposed to eat 2201 on the days I don't workout? What about the days I do work out? I raised my caloried to 2252 a week ago and I'm seeing a gain...could be water...but I don't want to gain all my weight back. I understand it takes 4-6 weeks for body to adjust and start dropping so I will keep at it but I just don't get the calories on workout days vs non workout days. Thanks in advance for any help :)
  • 31prvrbs
    31prvrbs Posts: 687 Member
    Options
    Ok I can't go through 20 pages to get my question answered so sorry if it's a repeat :)

    BMR 1775
    TDEE 2751
    TDEE - 20% 2201

    All from Scoobysworkshop.com.

    So am I supposed to eat 2201 on the days I don't workout? What about the days I do work out? I raised my caloried to 2252 a week ago and I'm seeing a gain...could be water...but I don't want to gain all my weight back. I understand it takes 4-6 weeks for body to adjust and start dropping so I will keep at it but I just don't get the calories on workout days vs non workout days. Thanks in advance for any help :)

    LOL, I feel ya. Check out the post immediately above yours for your answer about workout vs non workout days :wink:

    Yes, it is most likely water, unless you ate an *additional* 3500 cals OVER your TDEE for every lb the scale is telling you that you "gained." Which... I highly doubt :tongue:

    The body just goes through a water retention period w/the initial change, but it will drop back off.. :flowerforyou:

    Kiki
  • rm830
    rm830 Posts: 531 Member
    Options
    Ok I can't go through 20 pages to get my question answered so sorry if it's a repeat :)

    BMR 1775
    TDEE 2751
    TDEE - 20% 2201

    All from Scoobysworkshop.com.

    So am I supposed to eat 2201 on the days I don't workout? What about the days I do work out? I raised my caloried to 2252 a week ago and I'm seeing a gain...could be water...but I don't want to gain all my weight back. I understand it takes 4-6 weeks for body to adjust and start dropping so I will keep at it but I just don't get the calories on workout days vs non workout days. Thanks in advance for any help :)

    LOL, I feel ya. Check out the post immediately above yours for your answer about workout vs non workout days :wink:

    Yes, it is most likely water, unless you ate an *additional* 3500 cals OVER your TDEE for every lb the scale is telling you that you "gained." Which... I highly doubt :tongue:

    The body just goes through a water retention period w/the initial change, but it will drop back off.. :flowerforyou:

    Kiki

    Haha I must have been typing the same time u answered that question. It just seems like so many calories but that's just the mental part. No I didn't eat extra 10,000 plus calories over tdee last week. Just gotta be patient :) thanks for your help
  • cca1229
    cca1229 Posts: 23 Member
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    BUMP
  • nannabannana
    nannabannana Posts: 787
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    bump thank you so much for all your input. You know what you ae doing obviously. :)
  • seniorfaye
    seniorfaye Posts: 295 Member
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    I think I'm going to redo my numbers . I may have them set too high since I don't exercise as strenuously as some do. I really enjoy reading your comments and your knowledge..
  • toriann143
    toriann143 Posts: 64
    Options
    So glad to be here!!!!
    I've been researcing and studying this for days....
    I started lifting too...
    It's hard to rap my mind around but, i'm so excited! I weight 212 so my
    BMR = 1706
    TDEE = 2644
    15% cut = 2247

    So I eat 2247 on workout days...
    and on non workout days i eat 2047?
    and eat back my burned calories from cardio to net my bmr of 1706?

    Please help if I got this all jacked up! lol
    cuz, omg that's a lot of food and i'm not use to it... that's the point i guess ...i'm use to starving!?! Bad! Bad starving! No More!

    Welcome to the group!

    When first upping the cals, we actually recommend that you eat your cut #, every day. Because, with TDEE, exercise is already figured in and spread out over a weeks time, so there's no need to do any extra adjustments. ;)

    It's very important to stay super consistent in the beginning, be sure to check out the "what to expect & why you need patience" sticky for more info on this :)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

    We are all frightened at first, so feel free to ask any questions along the way, as you are in the midst of a super helpful, encouraging bunch at EM2WL.

    We're so happy to have you here and NOT starving anymore, your body will continue to amaze you on this journey by showing you what proper fuel can do :)


    Hi!!

    I am new here and completely new to weight loss! I have been very overweight my whole life. I am currently at about 240 lbs. I have been losing steadily until about last week. I was eating 1200 and working out some (cardio).

    I found this amazing group and now I think I am doing it all wrong!!

    I went to: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ as suggested.

    This is what I got:


    Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) 1854

    Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE) 2549


    So now with those numbers, how do I figure what I should be eating? I am so scared that my weight is going to go back up. Seeing that many calories is SCARY to me. Will I gain before I start dropping again?

    Please help!!

    Welcome to EM2WL!!

    We are all HORRIFIED when we first see how much we should *really* be eating. It's scary because we think that if we're not losing at our current #, then how in the world can we go *higher*?! Plus, just knowing that we should have been eating that the whole time can be overwhelming.

    We all get it ;). You can do this, & kudos for catching on so early in your journey.

    To figure out how much you should eat, you take 15% from your TDEE, which in your case, would come to 2167.

    You would eat that amount daily, & exercise cals are already figured in, so you don't need to worry about eating them back ;)

    Some people experience water retention as the body adjusts, and others start losing right away. Be sure to look around at all the progress threads from others to see how different people responded to the journey, as well as read the sticky on what to expect. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

    Being prepared for everything that you may experience on your journey is priceless in helping you to stay calm, and enjoy your life, all while still accomplishing your goals ;)

    Be sure to ask any questions that you may not find answered in the stickies, although I'll bet just about everything you can think of is out there somewhere, lol.


    ~Kiki



    THANK YOU!!! Sooooooo much!!
  • MizzDoc
    MizzDoc Posts: 493 Member
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    bump
  • LoveMyKevins
    LoveMyKevins Posts: 5 Member
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    Bump
  • shmach
    shmach Posts: 7
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    UPdate...

    Okay, I BUMBED my calories and I feel awesome!!! I have also lost almost 9pds. Now, TOM was
    also visiting but not a 9pd visit. I will continue to keep my calories up and see how it goes! To confirm, should we also recalculate our TDEE every 5pds? I did this since my weight loss and my TDEE has gone down by 40 cals a day....not sure if this is right!!! I'm loving this eating!!!!!!
  • sashanicole88
    sashanicole88 Posts: 180 Member
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    Bump!!
  • chrmdone1980
    chrmdone1980 Posts: 10 Member
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    on the website I got the following calculations.

    BMR 2159
    TDEE 3346
    lose fat 15% cal reduction 2844

    What do I use on non-workout days? on Cardio days? i havent really started with weights yet.

    MFP calculations have me at 1650 daily

    I have PCOS and hypothyroidism and have been struggling for what seems like forever to get this weight off. I have tried the not eating thing - i am willing to try eating more to see if that works. Please help