TDEE question

Hi there, trying to work out what activity multiplier i should use to work out my TDEE so i can work out how many cals i need to lose weight. Here they are below.

Activity Multiplier

Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

Now if i work in an office, sit at the computer all day, option 1 seems like the obvious choice @ 1.2
But if im that same person working in an office but go to gym 3 times a week should i be using option 3 @ 1.55?
As i understand it your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is how many cals your body needs to maintain its current weight.

What has me puzzled is what option to choose if i go to the gym 3 times and work in an office at a computer? Option 1 or 3? Im thinking option 1 as doing option 3 would mean im working in an office, and going to gym 3 times a week just to maintain my weight.

So option 1, 3, or another?

Don't people over-complicate this?  If you find that you are currently maintaining your weight, count those calories.  Slowly get to the point where you are consuming 350 calories less a day, and that will give you a pound loss a week on average.  If the loss rate is not what you want, adjust accordingly.  But I imagine all that math and looking for a multiplier would be an exercise in futility.

Good workin' out!  :)

Do them both and you shall see that the calories, won't be that far off of each other, probably in the 100 cal range (I have done that in the past for myself... the difference is not extreme).. pick the high one if you don't have the desired result drop a few more calories...

Thanks for the answers, i was afraid i was looking into this too much. Ill take a step back and pick a number then adjust from that instead if needed.

The difference between the two was a fair amount, 1420 cals to 1980 cals, basically a whole meal. Ill pick something midway using 1.375 and use that as a guide.

Will somebody please help me here?!:  Why the need for these multipliers?  Why can't you calculate whatever calories allow you to maintain and just adjust from that?

That is what they are trying to do... There are many formulas to calculate daily calories, the better ones use activity multipliers... because the more active you are the more calories burned...

My point is:  How can those multipliers possibly be accurate and take into account the many ways an individual uses energy, and at what rate for their particular body?  Whatever multiplier that is determined is going to have to be adjusted for individual experience, right?  Why not just say, "Okay, whatever I'm eating, I'm at maintenance.  Calories consumed = calories burned.  So just add up the calories of the food you eat on a typical day, and voila, there's you're maintenance level.  Subtract 350 from that and you'll lose a pound a week.  If you don't, then tweak (tweek?) away!  Why the need for these multipliers based on some wildly subjective perceived activity level?

It helps as a base to start from. It may not be right or wrong for the individual but its somewhere to start, and on average its going to be close to it. Its all maths and theory, and really all weight gain/loss is maths.

JMBS


My point is:  How can those multipliers possibly be accurate and take into account the many ways an individual uses energy, and at what rate for their particular body?  Whatever multiplier that is determined is going to have to be adjusted for individual experience, right?  Why not just say, "Okay, whatever I'm eating, I'm at maintenance.  Calories consumed = calories burned.  So just add up the calories of the food you eat on a typical day, and voila, there's you're maintenance level.  Subtract 350 from that and you'll lose a pound a week.  If you don't, then tweak (tweek?) away!  Why the need for these multipliers based on some wildly subjective perceived activity level?

No, for many reasons... not necessarily pertaining to Safwah....These calculator are mostly (only) valuable to the beginner.

Most people do not eat the same amount of calories daily. Their diets fluctuate... typical is too subjective...

Many people are continually gaining weight, or ecto's often are not eating enough... at bare maintenance... just barely holding on to what they have, running in starvation mode, practically... most people need to see just how much they should be eating.

When your new to training, the added calories out is very difficult to ball park, if you are new, and have never worked out seriously before...

If you have done one once, you'll probably never need to do the math again, if you stick with it, it will all be intellectualized, you can just add some more, if you want to bulk, or if you have gained enough weight that you need more calories, drop some if you want to cut...

But in the beginning it helps to have a reasonable base to work from.

thehardway


No, for many reasons... not necessarily pertaining to Safwah....These calculator are mostly (only) valuable to the beginner.

Most people do not eat the same amount of calories daily. Their diets fluctuate... typical is too subjective...

Many people are continually gaining weight, or ecto's often are not eating enough... at bare maintenance... just barely holding on to what they have, running in starvation mode, practically... most people need to see just how much they should be eating.

When your new to training, the added calories out is very difficult to ball park, if you are new, and have never worked out seriously before...

If you have done one once, you'll probably never need to do the math again, if you stick with it, it will all be intellectualized, you can just add some more, if you want to bulk, or if you have gained enough weight that you need more calories, drop some if you want to cut...

But in the beginning it helps to have a reasonable base to work from.

Thanks hardway!  That makes sense!  :)

oh except for intellectualized???? that was supposed to be internalized. Yikes!