We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

BMR vs Caloric Maintenance

rhirvo
rhirvo Posts: 162 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
So I calculated both these numbers and my BMR is around 1470 and my Caloric Maintenance is 1750 or so? Should I be basing my deficit on 30% less the BMR or the CM? I am currently eating 1200 per day which is 30% below the CM.

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    30% is a high deficit but it should be taken from your total energy expenditure not the smaller BMR
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    rhirvo wrote: »
    So I calculated both these numbers and my BMR is around 1470 and my Caloric Maintenance is 1750 or so? Should I be basing my deficit on 30% less the BMR or the CM? I am currently eating 1200 per day which is 30% below the CM.

    Weight loss is based on eating below calorie maintenance. Maintenance means the calories that keep you at a weight.
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
    30% is really high. Generally between 10 and 20% is recommended. But that would be off your TDEE which is your maintenance calories.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    My maintenance is also 1750 calories. I don't know your stats - but if that is generally your TDEE, i'd definitely suggest a 0.5lb per week loss as opposed to 1-2. I lost 0.5lb per week on 1500 calories a day. Not sure if this helps you at all - but the percentage thing confuses me :)!
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    20 percent deficit is maximum safe amount.
This discussion has been closed.