For those following a custom plan - based on TDEE

josiereside
josiereside Posts: 720 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Are you still recording your exercise even though if you set your calories to what you TDEE is and you don't eat back the calories... does that make sense?? Meaning, if I had the suggested goals set by MFP, it gives me 1200 calories but then adds in extra calories for your workouts.
By setting my own goals according to TDEE (mine are about 1700) I was told that you don't eat your extra exercise calories, which I understand, but should I still record it?
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Replies

  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Are you still recording your exercise even though if you set your calories to what you TDEE is and you don't eat back the calories... does that make sense?? Meaning, if I had the suggested goals set by MFP, it gives me 1200 calories but then adds in extra calories for your workouts.
    By setting my own goals according to TDEE (mine are about 1700) I was told that you don't eat your extra exercise calories, which I understand, but should I still record it?

    I don't record mine. I think it's really up to you.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    When I've done this type of plan, I've recorded them, clicked on My Home so they would record in my diary and then went back and deleted them so they would not add into my totals. This way I could go back and see what I did in a week if I wanted to.
  • sabek
    sabek Posts: 8
    I have heard of a lot of folks adding the exercise for tracking and then manually setting the calories to 1 instead of the amount suggested.
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    I record them all under strength so that i have a record of what I've done but they don't affect my cals.
  • Jessies_journey
    Jessies_journey Posts: 131 Member
    I record mine as a 1 calorie burn. That way I still "see" that I burned, but I don't log the calories. I put my actual calorie burn from my HRM in my exercise notes section for my further reference.
  • SARgirl
    SARgirl Posts: 572 Member
    I've been trying to eat at my TDEE for the past week or so and I still log my workouts but don't look at the net calorie number but pay attention to my total calories eaten for the day.
  • LottieLou13
    LottieLou13 Posts: 574 Member
    I do my sedentary TDEE -20%, my Fitbit then updates my diary and I eat just about all of my exercise calories back.

    Hope that makes sense!
  • agbaeb
    agbaeb Posts: 179 Member
    bump :)
  • loseiteli
    loseiteli Posts: 242 Member
    I record mine. Mainly as a way to keep track of what I burn through the week. I find it holds me (personally) accountable.

    But I agree, it may be different for you! :smile:
  • montana_girl
    montana_girl Posts: 1,403 Member
    I set my TDEE calories based on "Sedentary" and then log all my exercise... and eat the calories I burn.

    But that's what works for me! :happy:
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    :laugh: Thanks all! I think I am better off not seeing them because then I will think I can eat them!
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
    I've been trying to eat at my TDEE for the past week or so and I still log my workouts but don't look at the net calorie number but pay attention to my total calories eaten for the day.


    this!
  • kikih64
    kikih64 Posts: 349 Member
    bump
  • MinnesotaManimal
    MinnesotaManimal Posts: 642 Member
    I record it and input the calorie estimation from my HRM, but still just eat my 3,000 every day. ( unless I have purposely gone above and beyond on physical activity with the goal of eating more)
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
    I record all exercise, mostly because I don't keep a detailed track of it anywhere else. Also in case I have a lot of energy to burn and I burn into my BMR, then i'll know how much I have to eat back.
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    My daily calorie goal is TDEE -15%. I log my exercise to keep track of the workout times, but just set the calories to 1.
  • steph1278
    steph1278 Posts: 483 Member
    I use the Body Media Fit, but still log my food and exercise here on MFP. I don't pay attention to the net calories here because I am basing my intake on what BMF says I burn daily. I just like having it as a record to look back on.
  • juliebeannn
    juliebeannn Posts: 428 Member
    i log my exercise, for the most part, just to keep track, but on my cardio days, i want to make sure i'm eating at least my bmr.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    I don't log my exercise into MFP. I write it as a status update using the same format MFP does so it shows up in the News Feed. I do record how many calories I've burned in a Food Note because I average it out every week and want to make sure I have a substantial deficit, but not too high. It shows me what I need to work on for the next week.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    How else would you keep track of progress? I couldn't tell you, for example, what my bench press weight was 2 months ago off the top of my head. But if I look in my notebook, then I could. Without the log, it would be hard to plan workouts and gauge progress.
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    How else would you keep track of progress? I couldn't tell you, for example, what my bench press weight was 2 months ago off the top of my head. But if I look in my notebook, then I could. Without the log, it would be hard to plan workouts and gauge progress.

    I am not looking to track progress as far as if am I lifting more than what I was 2 months ago. Lifting heavier and heavier weight is not a goal of mine, more interested in the toning aspect. However, when I do P90X, I do have a log for what my weights were for each exercise.
  • Cmadridk
    Cmadridk Posts: 9
    I'm wondering if it's beneficial to calculate TDEE using activity level sedentary with no exercise, and then eating at that number + eating back exercise cals. Logically this sounds like a good plan. Can anyone dispute?
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    I'm wondering if it's beneficial to calculate TDEE using activity level sedentary with no exercise, and then eating at that number + eating back exercise cals. Logically this sounds like a good plan. Can anyone dispute?

    I wouldn't do that as you would be wiping out most of your deficit by eating back your exercise calories.

    What would work is finding out what your BMR is, multiplying by 1.2 (to determine TDEE for a sedentary person) and eating that fixed amount per day. Your calorie deficit is therefore created through the additional exercise and activity you do during the day.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Your TDEE seems low unless you are small. I don't trust any TDEE calculations because they are still just an assumption. Your actual TDEE will vary from day to day. I set mine to BMR. I let my FitBit update activity calories and I try to eat back half but even if I go over a little, I'm still netting around BMR. I would love to have some accuracy on my TDEE but I haven't figured out a way to do that yet.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    I would love to have some accuracy on my TDEE but I haven't figured out a way to do that yet.

    It's a pointless exercise in the main. Calorie needs are variable from day to day so the best you can ever hope for is rough approximation and work from there. I think someone needs to come up with a TWEE equation ;)

    People get obsessed by the numbers but really miss the wood for the trees. Set a sensible guideline. Assess over time. Tweak as necessary. Add patience and consistency.

    Job's a good 'un.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    How else would you keep track of progress? I couldn't tell you, for example, what my bench press weight was 2 months ago off the top of my head. But if I look in my notebook, then I could. Without the log, it would be hard to plan workouts and gauge progress.

    I am not looking to track progress as far as if am I lifting more than what I was 2 months ago. Lifting heavier and heavier weight is not a goal of mine, more interested in the toning aspect. However, when I do P90X, I do have a log for what my weights were for each exercise.

    If you don't increase weight, then you aren't really doing anything to the muscle. You have to challenge the muscle if you want it to change.
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
    I have a body bugg that tells me what I burn in a day. I follow enough of a pattern at this point, and have enough data, that I have a good idea of about how much I'm likely to burn depending on what kind of day it is.

    For kicks I still log my food and exercises here just for comparison's sake. It's more book keeping, but I don't really mind.

    As far as what that means for me, MFP calculates my TDEE a bit lower than it is, but it kind of balances out because it over estimates the exercises.
  • KeriW626
    KeriW626 Posts: 430
    hmmm ok, maybe I need to not even bother with TDEE and stick with BMR. there is only about 171 calorie diferance. I log my cardio and leave the calories the way they are. I dont eat my calories back, If I am understanding TDEE and BMR correctly, Only one is needed?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Lifting heavier and heavier weight is not a goal of mine, more interested in the toning aspect.

    Not sure what "toning" means in this context. Staying the same?
  • amnski
    amnski Posts: 251 Member
    I add my workouts so I know what I did, but don't put emphasis on the calories burned. I stick to a overall calorie goal. You may consider doing what other posters have suggested and entering the workout with 1 calorie burned.

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