Novice needs help. Why is my TDEE so HIGH?

Hi,

Why do all the calculators give different results, and they are all so high! :( If I do Scoobys calculator it gives a TDEE of 2760, if you use this paid package were it uses excel it gave TDEE of 2870. They both seem so high.

Stats below I used to calculate:

Step 1: Gender: male
Step 2: Weight: 77kg/170lbs
Step 3: Height: 5ft 9in/175cm
Step 4: Age: 32
Step 5: Activity Level: Desk job 9-5 then 1 hour gym training 5 nights a week)
Step 6: Enter your goal: Clean bulk
Step 7: Meals per day: 4
Step 8: Body fat percentage = 15% body fat


Given an average of 2800 calories, this seems really high. I have been recording a food diary and meeting this target is bloody hard. And that's even before I add the 500 calories for the bulk.

Here are some records from my food diary (calories):

Chicken salad: 220
Chilli con carne and rice: 470
Protein shake: 100
Pizza: 465
KFC mini bucket meal: 904
Chicken breast: 165
Rice: 170
Chereo cereal: 210
1/4 bag of Almmonds: 150


Given some of these meals and trying to clean bulk, reaching 2800 calories is damn hard! An average day for me is:

Breakfast
Cereal: 210
Protein shake: 100

Lunch
Chicken Breast, broccoli, rice: 335
Almonds as snack: 150

Dinner
Chilli con carne, rice: 470
OR Chicken Breast, broccoli, rice: 335
OR Chicken stirfry, noodles: 335

Supper
2 Eggs: 140
Protein shake: 100


So roughly a day, I'm eating only 1400 calories if I'm eating clean and if I have kfcs, subways or pizzas, it can bring it up to around 2000 calories (eating dirty). But that's still 800 less just to reach my TDEE! Things don't make sense to me. Where am I going wrong?

You should start eating some more real food.

Your maintenance calories may be around 2400cals but you'll only know that if you eat that amount of calories every day for 10 days or so and see what happens to your weight.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Back In Black

You should start eating some more real food.

Your maintenance calories may be around 2400cals but you'll only know that if you eat that amount of calories every day for 10 days or so and see what happens to your weight.

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2400 is still high. As mentioned, if I'm eating around 2000 calories a day, I've been gaining weight/body fat slightly. So could it be possible my TDEE is around 2000? Does that seem right? If so, why do all the TDEE calculators come up around 2800?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by superflyanimal

2400 is still high. As mentioned, if I'm eating around 2000 calories a day, I've been gaining weight/body fat slightly. So could it be possible my TDEE is around 2000? Does that seem right? If so, why do all the TDEE calculators come up around 2800?

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The calculators are not the word of God.
They are an estimation.
Different people have different metabolism.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by superflyanimal

2400 is still high. As mentioned, if I'm eating around 2000 calories a day, I've been gaining weight/body fat slightly. So could it be possible my TDEE is around 2000? Does that seem right? If so, why do all the TDEE calculators come up around 2800?

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As I said, eat a set amount of calories for 10 days and see what happens to your weight. Yes of course if you are gaining weight your maintenance cals are less than you are eating.

I've been eating around 2000 calories so I will keep this up for another week and keep a track of my weight. Back to my original post though, I can only hit that if I eat dirty. If I eat clean, it's so hard to make this up to 2000. :/ A breast of chicken is only a measly 165 calories.

Any tips?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by superflyanimal

I've been eating around 2000 calories so I will keep this up for another week and keep a track of my weight. Back to my original post though, I can only hit that if I eat dirty. If I eat clean, it's so hard to make this up to 2000. :/ A breast of chicken is only a measly 165 calories.

Any tips?

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you must not be training hard enough to make you hungry

i try to eat at 2000 cals a day and eat that easily. my problem is eating under that, hard as hell!

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Originally Posted by RaginCajun

you must not be training hard enough to make you hungry

i try to eat at 2000 cals a day and eat that easily. my problem is eating under that, hard as hell!

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Sh*t I can eat 2k in one meal lol. I'm always f'ing hungry!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by superflyanimal

I've been eating around 2000 calories so I will keep this up for another week and keep a track of my weight. Back to my original post though, I can only hit that if I eat dirty. If I eat clean, it's so hard to make this up to 2000. :/ A breast of chicken is only a measly 165 calories.

Any tips?

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Then eat more chicken. In fact Just eat more of everything.

Add some carbs and veggies and remove the salad. Up the rice weight. Just eat more man.

I'll just have to up my portion sizes, eat more carbs and and snack more on eggs, nuts etc. Thanks.

Is your job Ok with u eating well your at your desk? If so eat though of the day at work. Things like hard boiled eggs, homemade protien bars, grilled chicken strips with some honey(cold or hot). Peanut butter. These are all Easy things to eat well working or on the go. Just make sure u do your macros

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Originally Posted by 73rr

Is your job Ok with u eating well your at your desk? If so eat though of the day at work. Things like hard boiled eggs, homemade protien bars, grilled chicken strips with some honey(cold or hot). Peanut butter. These are all Easy things to eat well working or on the go. Just make sure u do your macros

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Yes, they are okay with me eating at the desk. I usually have almonds and salted nuts to snack away on, I'll bring in boiled eggs too. The bastards took away the microwave last week and it's a bloody nightmare because I was bringing in my pre cooked meals for lunch, helping me to avoid take outs, saving money and eating healthy! I'll bring in peanut butter sandwhiches and chicken strips too, thats a good idea, thank you! I've never made homemade protein bars, something I could look into I suppose, but I have my protein shakes which are useful to make up the protein macros.

I would suggest trying to eat more clean. Eat your meals cold if u don't have away to warm The meals up! It's just what u have to do to get big. Read up on all the stuff in this diet section. There is even lists of foods u want to eat instead of all that fried shit it seems like you're eating. My other suggestion is watch out how much bread your eating. (Bread for some reason really f'*cks with my waste line)

1 gram of fat = 9 calories
Whereas 1 gram of protein & carbs = 4 calories.

Eggs, nuts, oils etc all contain healthy fats and are calorie dense.

OP,

If you are having trouble eating enough...

One cup of mixed unsalted nuts has about 800 calories. Have it with some water before you go to sleep.

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Originally Posted by The Deadlifting Dog

OP,

If you are having trouble eating enough...

One cup of mixed unsalted nuts has about 800 calories. Have it with some water before you go to sleep.

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Truth!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Deadlifting Dog

OP,

If you are having trouble eating enough...
One cup of mixed unsalted nuts has about 800 calories. Have it with some water before you go to sleep.

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1 cup is around 690/700 from the ones I looked up, but they are 90% fat. A cup of Almonds is 820 calories and only 30% fat. Should I go with a pack of almonds a day?

Is it not bad that I am getting too much fat though? I suppose it's okay as long as I'm hitting my calorie target? I've so much to learn. :0lamo:

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Originally Posted by tice1212

Truth!

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Is that you in the pic, tice1212? If it is, nice physique!! Impressive! That's the kind of aesthetic I'm aiming for. Can you send me your training routine and diet and I'll get right on that! :) Lol

bump.