TDEE vs. BMR vs. HOW MANY CALORIES SHOULD I BE EATING???

You might want to go over to the Eat More 2 Weigh Less Forum. There is a world of good information over there.

I calculated my BMR a bajillion times using a bunch of online calculators... Most said my BMR was higher than MFP calculated. I always eat more than that, and adjusted my MFP goal to reflect it.

If I were you, I'd set your goal somewhere between 1950 and 1650, and see what happens over a 12 week period. Readjust in three months if necessary... It took you a while to gain, it will probably take a while to find what's right for you to lose.

OK folks, I'm trying to do this the right way so that I can keep the weight off once I lose it. My first step is to focus on what I'm eating, then eventually work in the exercise and shaping up. I know if I try too hard at first and try to change everything at once I'll give up and fail because I've tried that before.

So for now, I need to know if MFP's calculation of 1250 net calories is what is best for me? I entered that I'm sedentary (work a desk job) and my goal is to lose 1.5#/wk.

I'm 5'7", 180, and I caculated my TDEE at 1958 and BMR at 1632. The numbers just aren't adding up...please help enlighten me someone! I mean if you create a 750 cal/day deficit from 1958 I'm in the range of 1250 which caculates out to 1.5#s lost per week, but then I've read that I shouldn't be eating below my BMR, so what is it?!?

You can eat below your BMR. There is nothing dangerous about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAvFsIUxvY

I went to that website and it says my intake should be 1751 and burned cals should be 292 netting to around 1459 or 500 below my TDEE...but my question now is does my body burn those 292 in everyday activity or do I need to reduce the cal intake to 1459 since I do not intend to do much excercise as of now?

Which website?

Good advice on the taking on too much at once. But, with respect, I submit that it looks like you're still doing it.

My recommendation: Focus less on "how much" and more on "what".

Use MFP's calculations for now. They may not be right but you'll find that out once you've followed them. The site, if you don't go overriding its recommendations, won't allow you to pick anything dangerous. So don't worry about that and just go with what it says to start with.

As to the "what", start tracking carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Try to meet not only your calorie goal but some semblance of the balance of calories MFP is recommending. You won't be perfect and don't expect to be, but look for trends in your daily eating.

I jumped in, exactly as you did, and started focusing on "am I eating enough/too many calories"? After a few weeks of losing weight (yay!) but being hungry (ugh!), I started fooling around with calorie levels. Then someone pointed out that I was eating way too many carbohydrates and not nearly enough protein, and by dropping some fruit and adding some lean meat to my daily diet, my weight loss REALLY kicked into gear, and the hungries subsided a lot. On the same caloric intake.

So I'd recommend that you start by doing the most beneficial thing I overlooked - focus on getting a good BALANCE of calories into your body, and the correct quantity of them will become pretty obvious pretty fast.

Here are the guy speaking on YouTube's credentials.

My formal education background is a degree in human biology and nutrition from the University of Guelph (Ontario Canada), and a Masters In Human Biology and nutrition also from U of Guelph.

I did further graduate research and taught exercise physiology at the University of Florida (Go Gators!)

I’ve taken a bunch of personal training certifications, all the usual ones such as the NSCA CSCS, ACE PT, CSEP etc. I was also a certified kinesiologist blah blah, if you’ve taken any of these certifications you know how BS they are…I personally don’t put any value in these certificates because they’re not hands on and just require a simple written test…so yeah I have em’ but I don’t think they mean anything.