BMR? TDEE? What does it all mean for me?

jessicalynch817

I always see that you should eat at least at your BMR. I am nowhere near that. Is that unhealthy? I have a lot of weight to lose, does that make a difference? Is everybody different? To give you my stats I am a 5'6 Female. 23 years old. 240 pounds. Looking to lose 100 pounds. I work in a daycare but I would say that I sit and am on my feet equal amounts of time during the day. Currently I am alotted 1,330 calories (I have my lifestyle set to sedentary because it seemed more accurate than lightly active.) I posted before about eating back calories according to what I burned through my Fitbit but I am just trying to see if I am doing damage to my body that I can't see. I appreciate any feedback! Feel free to send me a request!

Silentpadna

What I can see by your stats is that 1330 gives you close to a 2 lb/wk goal. Given that, you should be eating back at least some of your exercise calories. Your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculates to roughly 2232. If you are active, that number would be higher. For example, if you were lightly active, your TDEE would be roughly 2651. If you actually were lightly active, your fitbit should adjust your MFP totals upward so that its recommended calories in would be about 1651. Most on the site would recommend eating a portion of that back.

It doesn't look like you have anything to worry about in your plan to me.

TimothyFish

Think of BMR as a type of exercise that you do without going to the gym. Would you be worried if you didn't eat all of your exercise calories? Then why would you worry about not eating all of your BMR calories?

StaciMarie1974

There is no scientific reason to eat at/above/below your BMR. Its 'broscience' that has been going around saying not to go below. You want to eat enough to have proper nutrition and feel satisfied, and generally its recommended that women not eat below 1200. Beyond that, judge by how you feel.

jessicalynch817

Thanks everyone! I have been consistently losing 2 pounds a week and am feeling fine! Some days I am a little hungrier than others but that's expected. I've just read a lot about BMR lately and it freaked me out about losing muscle over fat. I'm trying to also lower my carbs and eat more protein so I figure that should be help build muscle as well.

AnnPT77

Your own weight loss rate is always the most accurate gauge. One rule of thumb is to avoid losing more than 1% of your current body weight weekly, less as you get within 50 or so pounds of goal weight. The biggest variables in retaining muscle as you lose fat are (as you say) getting adequate protein, and also doing exercise that helps maintain muscle (i.e., same exercises that would build muscle if you weren't in a calorie deficit).