Spreadsheet for BMR/TDEE Deficit calc, Macro calc, HRM

actresskat · July 2012

This is truly great! Thanks for sharing it!

Tanitam · July 2012

bump

marianne_s · July 2012

Isn't this pretty much what the MFP site does for you? The data is displayed a little differently, but it's still based on the idea of figuring out your TDEE, picking a reasonable deficit and giving you macro targets.

It is not actually.

MFP doesn't calculate a TDEE that includes exercise, unless you don't exercise, in which case it is correct.
You'll notice their activity levels are totally without reference to exercise.

MFP calculates a non-exercise maintenance, takes a deficit, and then you add on exercise when really done - and eat at that level.

Most weight loss programs calculate a true exercise included TDEE, take a deficit, and then you eat at that level.

May end up about the same.

So 2 ways to look at it.
Motivated to eat more, you workout and do it the MFP way.
Motivated to meet the goals you setup and are already eating at, do it a TDEE deficit method way.

The other big difference is on MFP you select your own possibly unreasonable weight loss amount, and given a calorie goal that may not be realistic for the amount you have to lose. It may give great results for 1-3 weeks before slowly tapering off, but if you read all the posts about stalls and plateaus, that stops for far too many. But you are hooked and here and advertisers are happy.

Whereas taking a % off your true TDEE allows more reasonable deficit for how much you have to lose.

So very different as the many that got out of stalls by NOT taking MFP's suggestions will tell you.

excellent response....!

MDamoun · July 2012

haybales I have downloaded your excel workbook. Having everything in one file I believe is an excellent work.

In fact the tools, calculation and reference in its own way forvery educational for me to start understanding the whole working.

Thanks!

dlwyatt82 · July 2012

MFP doesn't calculate a TDEE that includes exercise, unless you don't exercise, in which case it is correct.
You'll notice their activity levels are totally without reference to exercise.

MFP calculates a non-exercise maintenance, takes a deficit, and then you add on exercise when really done - and eat at that level.

Most weight loss programs calculate a true exercise included TDEE, take a deficit, and then you eat at that level.

May end up about the same.

So 2 ways to look at it.
Motivated to eat more, you workout and do it the MFP way.
Motivated to meet the goals you setup and are already eating at, do it a TDEE deficit method way.

I guess I just don't see the distinction. Regardless of how you reach the number, your TDEE is your TDEE. How does that change one's motivation? I used MFP as a tool to help me log and plan meals, not as a guide for how I should do those things. Your spreadsheet is another tool that accomplishes the same thing, though without the food database and smartphone apps (which are the main reason I use MFP).

In any case, many other people obviously like and/or prefer what you've done, and that makes it a good thing. Even if it only helped one person improve their health, it would still be valuable.

The other big difference is on MFP you select your own possibly unreasonable weight loss amount, and given a calorie goal that may not be realistic for the amount you have to lose. It may give great results for 1-3 weeks before slowly tapering off, but if you read all the posts about stalls and plateaus, that stops for far too many. But you are hooked and here and advertisers are happy.

Whereas taking a % off your true TDEE allows more reasonable deficit for how much you have to lose.

So very different as the many that got out of stalls by NOT taking MFP's suggestions will tell you.

Pretty much same as above. MFP and the spreadsheet are tools, not my diet nanny. I selected my deficit based on some research and a little bit of personal experimentation.

Annafly3 · July 2012

bump

JeSuisPrest · July 2012

Wow....that gives me way more than any other calculator I have used before. This gets so confusing after awhile. Why does each calculator vary so much?

heybales · July 2012

So 2 ways to look at it.
Motivated to eat more, you workout and do it the MFP way.
Motivated to meet the goals you setup and are already eating at, do it a TDEE deficit method way.

I guess I just don't see the distinction. Regardless of how you reach the number, your TDEE is your TDEE. How does that change one's motivation? I used MFP as a tool to help me log and plan meals, not as a guide for how I should do those things. Your spreadsheet is another tool that accomplishes the same thing, though without the food database and smartphone apps (which are the main reason I use MFP).

The method you go about it is motivating factor for many.

Same really hate the varying amount of calories each day when you log workouts and are given credits - they'd rather eat the same amount every day.
Sadly for many that means just skipping eating back exercise calories to keep the deficit the same.

Others totally love the idea they get to eat more when they log exercise, and it sounds like reason they get into the gym.
Sadly for some that may mean over-training just to get that calorie count they want.

Some are motivated by having the goal down that they will exercise 5 hrs this week, and because they know they are eating at that level, that gets them to workout.

And your right, spreadsheet is mainly tool for getting MFP setup in manner it really wasn't intended for as weight loss method, but rather using the method that majority of sites use, TDEE deficit method.
Spreadsheet just bringing several of the BMR calcs together in one place to finally see why someone may have seen differences depending on where they go.
Why differences between MFP activity levels and those other sites.
Different deficit methods seen elsewhere.
And a place to log that info for reference as weight is lost.

But MFP is the place to do that food logging as you mention, since diet is primary way that weight will be lost.

heybales · July 2012

Wow....that gives me way more than any other calculator I have used before. This gets so confusing after awhile. Why does each calculator vary so much?

Since it uses the exact same formula's as any other TDEE calc, you may have left an example stat in there.

There are a few out there doing different things, hence the reason I left the multiplier for activity levels in there, so you can compare what other sites may be doing that varies.

But I'll bet a stat is off.

Or you normally just use age/weight/height with other sites, but using bodyfat% here you have higher BMR because you have more LBM than avg gal your age/weight/height.

Which is great - more muscle mass likely.

Compare the 3 BMR values, if Katch is higher than Mifflin - good news. Though MFP is underestimating your potential daily burn. Well, that isn't good news, but you know, it is good to know.

foranagirl · July 2012

thanks! save.

JeSuisPrest · July 2012

Thanks heybales....I corrected it and it's not as different as I thought. What does LBM mean?

heybales · July 2012

Thanks heybales....I corrected it and it's not as different as I thought. What does LBM mean?

Lean Body Mass - everything but Fat Mass.

So bones, ligaments, other stuff don't change much, water retention and muscle mass and glucose stores can.

JeSuisPrest · July 2012

Fabulous....thanks for the help. Now to figure out which calorie goal to use. I do like Fat2Fit's theory of eating at your goal weight. Maybe I'll start there. I'm so close to goal, although I'm not very concerned with losing more weight as much as I am concerned with toning, but it sure would be nice to hit that goal!

lcn1220 · July 2012

Awesome, thank you!

heybales · July 2012

Fabulous....thanks for the help. Now to figure out which calorie goal to use. I do like Fat2Fit's theory of eating at your goal weight. Maybe I'll start there. I'm so close to goal, although I'm not very concerned with losing more weight as much as I am concerned with toning, but it sure would be nice to hit that goal!

Suggestion if that close and you like that idea. Enter goal weight as current weight too.
Use same activity level.
There is your future TDEE.
Don't take a deficit at all. Or as fat2fit says, maybe 100-200 extra off when about 5lbs away.

ekaplan1020 · July 2012

Thanks for posting this. I was a little confused with the fitbit section. I use a fitbit, but was not sure where exactly I should put my fitbit numbers. Could you explain a little more?

Thanks

heybales · July 2012

Thanks for posting this. I was a little confused with the fitbit section. I use a fitbit, but was not sure where exactly I should put my fitbit numbers. Could you explain a little more?

Thanks

If just the Fitbit without HRM calorie burn data, on the right section under exercise HRM calorie burn. Misnamed, but you just want to add up an avg week. Then remove the yellow cell data for Daily non-exercise calories to use from above: since you already have that.

If using the Fitbit with HRM calorie burn data, then the section with 3 example days when you did NOT workout. You want avg non-exercise day.
Then use the exercise HRM calorie burn section for your avg real daily workouts. Then the cell for daily non-exercise calories gets the Fitbit avg.

I just didn't want to make a separate section duplicating all of that.

So you got the basic idea, if no HRM for exercise, what does Fitbit say your TDEE is basically, then you take deficit.
If HRM for exercise, what does your Fitbit say for the day outside exercise, plus the exercise, then you take a deficit.

brjustice2000 · July 2012

I use an Excel spreadsheet to track things daily and that will average some things on a weekly basis. My column headings are below. The formulas are put in using Auto sum from the formula section. After completing entries, I color code some of them to produce an easy visual to see how I am doing. You can make your own spreadsheet and track whatever you choose. I learned that not paying attention to sugar including natural sugar intake messes up expected weight loss because you just can't count calories and do it. Last week lost 0.8 lbs, electronic body fat monitor showed a decrease in body fat percentage that equaled a 1.17 lb loss of body fat, which means the weight lifting built some muscle. Track those nutrients and goals that are of importance to you. A spreadsheet can be as simple or as complex as anyone wants to make it.

Day
Calories Maintain - based on MFP
Calories Exercise
Total Calories Maintain
Calories Eaten
Calorie Deficit or Excess with my daily deficit goal
Weekly Calorie deficit goal
Weight loss in lbs
Cholesterol goal
Weekly Cholesterol average
Sodium goal
Weekly sodium avg goal
Sugars allowed based on calories eaten 1 gm/51 calories - used MFP calculations from several days to figure this out for me
sugar goal <1 gm/51 calories
Sugar % of goal <50% - I do this and I lose more weight
Weekly sugar % of goal <50%
Fiber goal 30+
Weekly fiber avg goal 30+

Lazygal53 · July 2012

Bump

newmrsdec10 · July 2012

thanks for doing this and sharing!

Spreadsheet for BMR/TDEE Deficit calc, Macro calc, HRM

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