BMR, TDEE and Fitbit confusion

verapamil
verapamil Posts: 94
edited December 21 in Health and Weight Loss
So I recently got a fitbit and love it so far but now I'm extra confused. Using http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html I figured out my bmr is 1514 and my tdee is 2082 (I'm 5'6, 159lbs, bmi approx 32). (Using http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ my bmr is 1430) I try to eat between 1430 and 1630 a day and not eat exercise calories. But since I got my fitbit and started tracking how much I actually walk every day, I'm not sure if I should be eating more. Today I've walked almost 5 miles and burned 2257 calories and that's just a normal (actually slower than normal) day at work. I do c25k about 3 times a week but as of now, that's all the exercise I do. According to my fitbit I need to eat about 2132 calories today (mfp says 2244).

With so many numbers, I don't know which to follow. Do I need to start eating that much more?? I would like to lose about 30 more pounds or gain enough muscle so whatever weight I am looks nice and not jiggly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance. :smile:

Replies

  • HoLLyZ82
    HoLLyZ82 Posts: 467 Member
    take your tdee and figure what kind of deficit you want to lose weight. if you want 1lb per week then take your tdee and subtract 500 calories. so if your tdee is 2300 then eat 1800 that day. dont worry about your bmr...just make sure you are never below it.
  • verapamil
    verapamil Posts: 94
    take your tdee and figure what kind of deficit you want to lose weight. if you want 1lb per week then take your tdee and subtract 500 calories. so if your tdee is 2300 then eat 1800 that day. dont worry about your bmr...just make sure you are never below it.

    Thanks so much for your quick reply.

    Does your tdee change daily? Or is it a static number? Also, I got that number by using "lightly active, exercising 1-3/week"....since I walk 4+ miles a day at work and do c25k 3 times a week, should I change it to something more active?? I've been stuck at this weight for 6+ months now so I'm trying to figure out what works.
  • HoLLyZ82
    HoLLyZ82 Posts: 467 Member
    take your tdee and figure what kind of deficit you want to lose weight. if you want 1lb per week then take your tdee and subtract 500 calories. so if your tdee is 2300 then eat 1800 that day. dont worry about your bmr...just make sure you are never below it.

    Thanks so much for your quick reply.

    Does your tdee change daily? Or is it a static number? Also, I got that number by using "lightly active, exercising 1-3/week"....since I walk 4+ miles a day at work and do c25k 3 times a week, should I change it to something more active?? I've been stuck at this weight for 6+ months now so I'm trying to figure out what works.
    it changes everyday. iwear a bodybugg that gives me my tdee every 2 hours. mine will range ftom 2000-3200 depending on how active i am. its quite posible you have been undereating and stalled out. i did that for over 6 months. i was on a calorie restriction for over a year without a break and my body gave up. personally, i had to take a month off and re-start. im not sure of your situation. you could always try a lower calorie diet, take a diet break, or try more calories. these calculators are guesstimates so its hard to say what you should do. its going to be trial and error....unless you look into a bodybugg/body media fit to see what your actual tdee is (over 90% accurate)
  • kimberg75
    kimberg75 Posts: 412 Member
    I just used that same calculator to get my TDEE. I was reading in the forums about TDEE and was interested to see what mine was. It said mine was 2,254 so if I subtract 500 calories I should be eating 1,754 a day? That just seems like way too much and then what about exercise calories? I just changed my calorie goal to 1500 and will eat most of my exercise calories too....I usually burn anywhere from 300 to 500 a day exercising. This is so confusing....but I need to try something different eating so few calories isn't working anymore. I am hoping this kick starts my metabolism and helps me break through my plateau! I've been stuck at 156 for almost 2 months now....UGGG!!!
  • verapamil
    verapamil Posts: 94
    I just used that same calculator to get my TDEE. I was reading in the forums about TDEE and was interested to see what mine was. It said mine was 2,254 so if I subtract 500 calories I should be eating 1,754 a day? That just seems like way too much and then what about exercise calories? I just changed my calorie goal to 1500 and will eat most of my exercise calories too....I usually burn anywhere from 300 to 500 a day exercising. This is so confusing....but I need to try something different eating so few calories isn't working anymore. I am hoping this kick starts my metabolism and helps me break through my plateau! I've been stuck at 156 for almost 2 months now....UGGG!!!

    I think (from my limited experience dealing with this) that you 1754 includes your exercise calories so that you don't have to eat them back. I guess this is all a sort of guessing game until you figure out exactly what works for you. I think I'm gonna use my tdee from being "moderately active" (2347) and try to eat between 1550 and 1800, maybe a little closer to the higher side, for awhile and see what happens. Hopefully I'll finally break this plateau and finally lose some more.
  • kimberg75
    kimberg75 Posts: 412 Member
    Thanks! Good luck to you!! WE WILL break our darn plateaus.... I just KNOW it!!! :happy:
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I use a BMF and I take my average weekly calories burned, deduct the calorie equivalent of my weightloss goal - and eat that static number all week. You can tweak you consumption up or down depending on how it looks like the week is looking. I do it that way as for me it is easier to plan meals. If you have a particularly large burn day you should eat in excess of that daily goal so you do not net too low.

    Not the only way of doing it - but its the one that works for me best at the moment and it may be something you want to consider.
  • verapamil
    verapamil Posts: 94
    I use a BMF and I take my average weekly calories burned, deduct the calorie equivalent of my weightloss goal - and eat that static number all week. You can tweak you consumption up or down depending on how it looks like the week is looking. I do it that way as for me it is easier to plan meals. If you have a particularly large burn day you should eat in excess of that daily goal so you do not net too low.

    Not the only way of doing it - but its the one that works for me best at the moment and it may be something you want to consider.

    So if my fitbit says I burn 2000 calories a day (just a random number) then 2000x7=14000-3500(1lb/week)=10,500/week so 1500/day the next week? So using this week's burn to figure out next week's limit? And on days I exercise more (like doing a 5k) eat a bit more?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I use a BMF and I take my average weekly calories burned, deduct the calorie equivalent of my weightloss goal - and eat that static number all week. You can tweak you consumption up or down depending on how it looks like the week is looking. I do it that way as for me it is easier to plan meals. If you have a particularly large burn day you should eat in excess of that daily goal so you do not net too low.

    Not the only way of doing it - but its the one that works for me best at the moment and it may be something you want to consider.

    So if my fitbit says I burn 2000 calories a day (just a random number) then 2000x7=14000-3500(1lb/week)=10,500/week so 1500/day the next week? So using this week's burn to figure out next week's limit? And on days I exercise more (like doing a 5k) eat a bit more?

    You got it. :smile:
  • verapamil
    verapamil Posts: 94
    I use a BMF and I take my average weekly calories burned, deduct the calorie equivalent of my weightloss goal - and eat that static number all week. You can tweak you consumption up or down depending on how it looks like the week is looking. I do it that way as for me it is easier to plan meals. If you have a particularly large burn day you should eat in excess of that daily goal so you do not net too low.

    Not the only way of doing it - but its the one that works for me best at the moment and it may be something you want to consider.

    So if my fitbit says I burn 2000 calories a day (just a random number) then 2000x7=14000-3500(1lb/week)=10,500/week so 1500/day the next week? So using this week's burn to figure out next week's limit? And on days I exercise more (like doing a 5k) eat a bit more?

    You got it. :smile:

    Awesome!! Definately will have to try that!
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member

    So if my fitbit says I burn 2000 calories a day (just a random number) then 2000x7=14000-3500(1lb/week)=10,500/week so 1500/day the next week? So using this week's burn to figure out next week's limit? And on days I exercise more (like doing a 5k) eat a bit more?

    An easier way with the same result:

    2000 minus 500 = 1500.

    Though you probably did the 7-day average because you expect to not have a static daily average.

    With the Fitbit, I don't think you'll need to be manually doing averages. They're provided, and you should get a feel for how much of a deficit you should be logging just by seeing your daily totals over time.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member

    So if my fitbit says I burn 2000 calories a day (just a random number) then 2000x7=14000-3500(1lb/week)=10,500/week so 1500/day the next week? So using this week's burn to figure out next week's limit? And on days I exercise more (like doing a 5k) eat a bit more?

    An easier way with the same result:

    2000 minus 500 = 1500.

    Though you probably did the 7-day average because you expect to not have a static daily average.

    With the Fitbit, I don't think you'll need to be manually doing averages. They're provided, and you should get a feel for how much of a deficit you should be logging just by seeing your daily totals over time.


    Why is that easier - its the same thing?

    And if the fitbit is anything like the BMF, and I think it is in this respect, you can pull a 7 day (or more) average burn.
  • HoLLyZ82
    HoLLyZ82 Posts: 467 Member
    I just used that same calculator to get my TDEE. I was reading in the forums about TDEE and was interested to see what mine was. It said mine was 2,254 so if I subtract 500 calories I should be eating 1,754 a day? That just seems like way too much and then what about exercise calories? I just changed my calorie goal to 1500 and will eat most of my exercise calories too....I usually burn anywhere from 300 to 500 a day exercising. This is so confusing....but I need to try something different eating so few calories isn't working anymore. I am hoping this kick starts my metabolism and helps me break through my plateau! I've been stuck at 156 for almost 2 months now....UGGG!!!

    Your TDEE already includes your exercise. it IS your TOTAL daily energy expedenture so there would be no need to eat anything back. so look at it like this; if your tdee on average is 2254 and you subtract the 500 daily for that goal of 1lb loss per week then you would eat on average the 1754 calories. THIS IS NOT HIGH because in retrospect you say you will eat 1500+ exercise (in which you burn anywhere from 300-500) calories. this would put you between 1800 and 2000 calories per day. it seems to me a safe number for you to be at would be between the 1700-1900 mark. just my opinion though :)
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member

    So if my fitbit says I burn 2000 calories a day (just a random number) then 2000x7=14000-3500(1lb/week)=10,500/week so 1500/day the next week? So using this week's burn to figure out next week's limit? And on days I exercise more (like doing a 5k) eat a bit more?

    An easier way with the same result:

    2000 minus 500 = 1500.

    Though you probably did the 7-day average because you expect to not have a static daily average.

    With the Fitbit, I don't think you'll need to be manually doing averages. They're provided, and you should get a feel for how much of a deficit you should be logging just by seeing your daily totals over time.


    Why is that easier - its the same thing?

    And if the fitbit is anything like the BMF, and I think it is in this respect, you can pull a 7 day (or more) average burn.

    Yes, it is the same thing. It's easier because it's less math. I just wanted to make sure the OP knew that there was no need to multiply a daily burn by 7 and then divide it by 7 at the end, if she had a rather static daily value going on. Which she probably did know. But you never know. Sometimes people do more math than needed.

    And yes, like I said, the averages are displayed right there on the "Dashboard".
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