Optimize Your Health Journey with Accurate TDEE Calculation

The calorie estimations should be within ~10% if you are honest about your activity level. For example, if you need about 2,300 calories per day, the calculator could be off by around 230 calories. Over the course of a month, this equals about 7,000 calories (2lbs). Most people overestimate their activity level, so it's important to be honest with yourself. Use the TDEE calculator as a reasonable estimate to start with, and adjust your calories based on your weight change over time.

There are 5 activity levels to choose from, based on scientific research:

• Sedentary: Little or no exercise
• Lightly Active: Light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week
• Moderately Active: Moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week
• Very Active: Hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week
• Extra Active: Very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training

Note that "workouts" mean real, legitimate workouts. If you exercise 7 days per week but take it very easy, this doesn't qualify as "Heavy Exercise". Be honest with yourself, and fine-tune your calories based on your results after a few weeks.

If you're not losing weight, you're likely eating too many calories. For best results:

• Use a food scale and track your calories with precision
• Be patient - sustainable weight loss takes time
• Decrease your daily calories if you haven't lost weight after 4 weeks
• Consider increasing your calories to maintenance for a few weeks to normalize hormones

Many people find success with eating at maintenance calories once per week while cutting, then maintaining a deficit during the other 6 days.

BMI is based on average weight for your height and was designed for population groups, not individuals. People with more muscle mass often score as "overweight" or even "obese" on the BMI scale, even though they have low body fat. Think about football players - they may be short but weigh more because they have significant muscle mass. Don't be discouraged by BMI if you're fit and exercise regularly.

No, you can lose almost as much weight as you want through diet alone. However, you'll be much healthier and look better if you include exercise in your routine. Remember: working out is for general health and fitness, while calorie intake is the primary factor for weight loss or gain.

If the gym intimidates you, focus on your diet first to lose weight, then start working out at home when you're ready. Even 10 minutes per day is better than nothing, and your fitness will improve over time until you can do longer workouts.

It's recommended to recalculate your TDEE every 3-6 months or whenever there's a significant change in your body weight (±5-10 lbs), fitness level, or daily activity routine. As you gain muscle or become more active, your TDEE may increase, even if your weight remains the same.