Can someone confirm my math (RMR/TDEE question)?

lisaepell

I did an RMR test at my gym last week - breathing mask, dark room, headphones to reduce noise for 30 minutes - and the results gave me an RMR of 1140, plus 342 for "lifestyle burn" (not including exercise), for a total of 1482 TDEE. Based on everything I've read here (and other places), if I subtract 20% from my TDEE, to lose less than a pound a week, I'd be at 1240, before exercise. Is that correct? Ugh.

FYI, I'm 5'5 and I weigh about 150 and the (inaccurate, I'm sure) gym scale puts me at 19% BF. TIA for any thoughts or advice.

deannalfisher

that seems a tad low - i'm 5'3" and 155 and my RMR was 1350ish, not including lifestyle burn

PAV8888

Your RMR or BMR is whatever it is. I don't know how much of a deviation from the expected value your measurement is. And I don't know how well the equipment was calibrated.

So if the measurement is not extremely unlikely I would take it at face value. If it looks a little bit random I would do at least a confirmatory test.

Having said all that... who the heck determined your lifestyle value?

Measuring your base rate does not measure your total and complete day. The multiplier is still a guess based on your understanding and ability to evaluate it.

It looks to me like a 1.3 multiplier for someone who sets TDEE for sedentary at one point three.

Mfp sets it at 1.25 and adds exercise separately on top.

Only you know if you move around non seated or in bed for more than 35 or so minutes a day.

Because once you exceed 35 or so minutes or say around 3500 steps in the day you're above the sedentary multiplier....