Resting metabolic rate between 1311-1483, is 1200 calories too much?

chasingthesun85

ok so I've plugged my stats into several (about 7) RMR calculators on various sites and get a number between 1311-1483. This is my maintenance calorie intake not accounting for exercise calories. I'm a petite female, 5'1 and 125 lbs. my ideal weight is between 110-115. Healthy for my height. I would have to be under 98 lbs to be considered underweight. So my goal of 110-115 is both healthy and what I feel best at. I get it that mfp doesn't want to encourage eating disorders by advising people to eat under 1200. But, I am significantly shorter/ smaller than the "average" person, and I don't have any desire to hurt myself by denying my body food. So if I am trying to lose 1-2 lbs a week, would it be ok for me to go less than 1200 to achieve this solely with dieting? Obviously on days I work out or do other physically strenuous things I would log it and eat more accordingly, but adjusting for size, and taking into account my RMR wouldn't 900-1000 calories be proportionate to a more "average" person eating in a deficit that may equal to 1200-1400 a day?

TeaBea

No

Your RMR is NOT the number you need a deficit from (unless you are bedridden). Find your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and take calories from there. This number includes activity level and exercise.

When you are closer to goal a moderate weekly weight loss goal is 1/2 pound a week (or a daily 250 calorie deficit).

Really aggressive weight loss goals make it hard for your body to support existing lean muscle. Do you want to lose fat? OR Just move the number on the scale.

2 pounds a week is moderate for some that is > 75 pounds overweight.

Abby2205

RMR is not your maintenance calorie intake. You multiply it by an activity factor to estimate your maintenance calories (total daily energy expenditure). For example, the factor for sedentary is usually given as 1.2, so for your numbers that would suggest maintenance at 1573-1880 calories per day. Subtract 250 for a deficit corresponding to 1/2 pound per week, and you are left with 1323-1530. Pick a number (maybe in the middle?) try it out for at least a month, then adjust as needed.

chasingthesun85

TeaBea wrote: »

No

Your RMR is NOT the number you need a deficit from (unless you are bedridden). Find your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and take calories from there. This number includes activity level and exercise.

When you are closer to goal a moderate weekly weight loss goal is 1/2 pound a week (or a daily 250 calorie deficit).

Really aggressive weight loss goals make it hard for your body to support existing lean muscle. Do you want to lose fat? OR Just move the number on the scale.

2 pounds a week is moderate for some that is > 75 pounds overweight.

Ok I see, what's the best way to calculate my TDEE? I'm pretty sure it varies from day to day, I'm a stay at home mom, I do strength training 3 times a week, cardio 2-5 times a week) my activity levels vary, some days we hang at the house, some days we go to the zoo, park, beach etc and walk quite a bit, once a week I do a deep cleaning of the house and of course do regular cleaning and laundry, cooking etc everyday. What would be the best way to figure out that number since my activity level varies quite a bit?

Liftng4Lis

As mentioned, you want to look for your TDEE. Also, why is someone that weighs 125 looking to lose 1-2 pounds a week? It should be a half a pound.

juggernaut1974

You can use one of several online calculators and plug your stats and activity level into it, and it will give you an estimate based on population averages. It probably won't be perfect, but is a good starting point to work from.

chasingthesun85

Also is one pound a week too much for someone my size? I do strength training to maintain my muscle, since I'm trying to lose fat. I know I can't really build muscle on a deficit, but don't want to be skinny fat either which is why I lift pretty heavy. Half a pound a week just seems like so little? It can be frustrating.

juggernaut1974

chasingthesun85 wrote: »

Also is one pound a week too much for someone my size? I do strength training to maintain my muscle, since I'm trying to lose fat. I know I can't really build muscle on a deficit, but don't want to be skinny fat either which is why I lift pretty heavy. Half a pound a week just seems like so little? It can be frustrating.

Yes, at 125 lbs I would expect to average closer to 1/2 lb per week. There may be a week or two that you'll lose a pound...but there will be other weeks that you don't lose or *gasp* may even gain a pound. That's just how it works.

TeaBea

chasingthesun85 wrote: »

TeaBea wrote: »

No

Your RMR is NOT the number you need a deficit from (unless you are bedridden). Find your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and take calories from there. This number includes activity level and exercise.

When you are closer to goal a moderate weekly weight loss goal is 1/2 pound a week (or a daily 250 calorie deficit).

Really aggressive weight loss goals make it hard for your body to support existing lean muscle. Do you want to lose fat? OR Just move the number on the scale.

2 pounds a week is moderate for some that is > 75 pounds overweight.

Ok I see, what's the best way to calculate my TDEE? I'm pretty sure it varies from day to day, I'm a stay at home mom, I do strength training 3 times a week, cardio 2-5 times a week) my activity levels vary, some days we hang at the house, some days we go to the zoo, park, beach etc and walk quite a bit, once a week I do a deep cleaning of the house and of course do regular cleaning and laundry, cooking etc everyday. What would be the best way to figure out that number since my activity level varies quite a bit?

TDEE will give you an average. If you workout 5 days a week....plug in that number. Young moms are more than just sedentary.....I would use lightly active (at least). The TDEE calculator will give you the daily average for all of that. TDEE is great for someone that WILL exercise regularly.

MFP works differently. If you plug in lightly active and 1/2 pound a week....MFP gives you the number BEFORE workouts. Then you log the workouts you do & get calories added that day. But, be careful because MFP calorie burns are typically generous. Most people eat back 50-75%. This also leaves you with the up / down calorie thing. You burn more on cardio days....so you get to eat more those days.

minties82

I'm a stay at home mother of 2 small kids, I am 4'11" and 173lbs at the moment. I clocked almost 18,000 steps by the end of the day, and 87 minutes of 'active' time (where my heart rate reached certain levels that fitbit takes to be active). There was no purposeful exercise in there. Being a stay at home mother can be busy :-). Fitbit says my TDEE for the day was about 2650kcal.

chasingthesun85

TeaBea wrote: »

chasingthesun85 wrote: »

TeaBea wrote: »

No

Your RMR is NOT the number you need a deficit from (unless you are bedridden). Find your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and take calories from there. This number includes activity level and exercise.

When you are closer to goal a moderate weekly weight loss goal is 1/2 pound a week (or a daily 250 calorie deficit).

Really aggressive weight loss goals make it hard for your body to support existing lean muscle. Do you want to lose fat? OR Just move the number on the scale.

2 pounds a week is moderate for some that is > 75 pounds overweight.

Ok I see, what's the best way to calculate my TDEE? I'm pretty sure it varies from day to day, I'm a stay at home mom, I do strength training 3 times a week, cardio 2-5 times a week) my activity levels vary, some days we hang at the house, some days we go to the zoo, park, beach etc and walk quite a bit, once a week I do a deep cleaning of the house and of course do regular cleaning and laundry, cooking etc everyday. What would be the best way to figure out that number since my activity level varies quite a bit?

TDEE will give you an average. If you workout 5 days a week....plug in that number. Young moms are more than just sedentary.....I would use lightly active (at least). The TDEE calculator will give you the daily average for all of that. TDEE is great for someone that WILL exercise regularly.

MFP works differently. If you plug in lightly active and 1/2 pound a week....MFP gives you the number BEFORE workouts. Then you log the workouts you do & get calories added that day. But, be careful because MFP calorie burns are typically generous. Most people eat back 50-75%. This also leaves you with the up / down calorie thing. You burn more on cardio days....so you get to eat more those days.

minties82 wrote: »

I'm a stay at home mother of 2 small kids, I am 4'11" and 173lbs at the moment. I clocked almost 18,000 steps by the end of the day, and 87 minutes of 'active' time (where my heart rate reached certain levels that fitbit takes to be active). There was no purposeful exercise in there. Being a stay at home mother can be busy :-). Fitbit says my TDEE for the day was about 2650kcal.

Ok thank you so much! Very helpful info