Weight loss vs. Maintenance calories

Tatarataa

Do you think I could lose weight if I eat at a weekly average my BMR (1200 cal) plus about half of my exercise calories? And maintain by eating my BMR at a weekly average plus all of my exercise calories? Note: I only use MFP to track exercise calories and also count things like brisk walking as exercise....What do you think? Or should I eat less?

ncboiler89

So many questions so little sense. I'm going to say....hmmmm....yes???

Christine_72

I've read 5 times, and I still don't get it...

TavistockToad

Tatarataa wrote: »

Do you think I could lose weight if I eat at a weekly average my BMR (1200 cal) plus about half of my exercise calories? And maintain by eating my BMR at a weekly average plus all of my exercise calories? Note: I only use MFP to track exercise calories and also count things like brisk walking as exercise....What do you think? Or should I eat less?

Yes you will lose weight eating BMR + half your exercise cals. No you will not maintain your weight eating BMR plus all your exercise calories.

Vailara

No. BMR plus exercise calories would not equal your TDEE, so you would lose rather than maintain (if you were absolutely accurate with calorie counting). You wouldn't be including all the calories you burn from other activities such as walking around, housework and all the rest of it (NEAT).

I don't see why BMR plus half exercise calories shouldn't work fine for weight loss, though.

Tatarataa

Many thanks for your answers!

I am sorry that my question was not understandable, but I am not a native English speaker so this might explain why...
Again my question:
1.) For weight loss, it is good to eat my BMR (given by MFP) plus around half of the calories earned through exercise (calculated from MFP)? I ask this because I heard several times that MFP overestimates calories burnt by exercise and that also people seem to make tracking mistakes.
2.) For maintenance, is it good to eat my BMR plus around all of the sports calories. The overestimation in calories for sports might make up for the burn from things like housework...(but this is not exact of course).

I do not have any activity decive to track activity so far as I do a lot of activity that can not be tracked acurately by it anyway (eg aqua classes with lots of lateral movement and strength training)...

What do you think? Many thanks again for any opinion or advice!

Tatarataa

And just to add: in general I was thinking about tracking my calories that I reach the weekly average and not the daily.

Tatarataa

I meanwhile also read about other methods like calculating the daily TDEE of my goal weight and eating this or a bit less to lose. And then eating the daily TDEE in maintenance as well.

sijomial

Why not just this tool the way it was designed to be used? No need to make it more complex. That will give you a start point - a calorie goal + exercise calories.

If that doesn't give you the results you expect after a few weeks then adjust your calorie goal.

Don't get caught up in complex calculations - they are all just estimates. Go by real results over a period of time.

Sued0nim

yup, keep it simple

Eat MFP calories, plus half your exercise calories with a goal set to lose weight

Then eat MFP calories, plus half your exercise calories with a goal set to maintenance

Adjust amount of exercise calories you eat dependent on how your weight moves over time

lemurcat12

BMR doesn't matter. As others have said, don't overthink it. Eat your MFP goal after you put in your information plus half your exercise calories. (And adjust as rabbitjb said.)

When you get to maintenance you will be able to figure out maintenance calories from your logs plus trial and error.

esjones12

CI < CO = weight loss
CI = CO = maintain
CI > CO = weight gain

It's that simple. It is REALLY not advised to eat at or below your BMR. That is what your body uses if you literally laid in bed all day and did nothing. Your TDEE is taken into account for weight loss and maintenance, not BMR.

Tatarataa wrote: »

1.) For weight loss, it is good to eat my BMR (given by MFP) plus around half of the calories earned through exercise (calculated from MFP)? I ask this because I heard several times that MFP overestimates calories burnt by exercise and that also people seem to make tracking mistakes.

BMR + half exercise calories = LESS than your BMR, which means you are not even supplying your body the energy it needs to exist. NOT good.

MFP is designed to do: TDEE - deficit + exercise calories.

Tatarataa

Many thanks for your helpful answers!!

StaciMarie1974

Going by the #s, assuming you are correct about BMR & exercise calories: if you ate BMR + exercise you would lose weight, not maintain. Because you'd be eating less than your total daily burn. The energy you expend to handle your normal daily activity is not accounted for in BMR or exercise, so you'd still have a deficit.

Tatarataa wrote: »

Do you think I could lose weight if I eat at a weekly average my BMR (1200 cal) plus about half of my exercise calories? And maintain by eating my BMR at a weekly average plus all of my exercise calories? Note: I only use MFP to track exercise calories and also count things like brisk walking as exercise....What do you think? Or should I eat less?

StaciMarie1974

I am not sure you understand what 'BMR' is.

You burn calories in 3 ways.

1. BMR is the calories your body uses for bodily functions to keep you alive. Heart beating, breathing, food digestion, maintaining your body temperature, etc.

2. You also burn calories to move thru your day, more or less depending on how active your life is.
3.
4. Then there is intentional exercise. (Any movement not in 'intentional exercise' would fall under daily activity.)

MFP considers BMR. They factor in activity by having you set your activity level as sedentary, lightly active, etc. Then you log exercise.

Tell MFP your goal (such as lose 1 pound per week) and it will tell you what to eat based on BMR & activity. Then you can choose to eat additional, as needed, to fuel your exercise.

When you are ready to maintain, change your goal from weight loss to maintenance and that will adjust your calorie intake goal.

cwolfman13

Do you even know what BMR is?