Calorie loss math

So, if my BMR is 2000. And, I want to drop 2 lbs. each week. And, it takes minus 3500 calories to drop a pound. Then I need to lose 7000 calories a week or 1000 calories a day. That leaves me max 1000 calories per day intake. How is losing 2 lbs. per week even possible?

Replies

  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    you take calories away from your TDEE not BMR.

    and 2lb per week loss isn't always appropriate

    Yep, what she said.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    So, if my BMR is 2000. And, I want to drop 2 lbs. each week. And, it takes minus 3500 calories to drop a pound. Then I need to lose 7000 calories a week or 1000 calories a day. That leaves me max 1000 calories per day intake. How is losing 2 lbs. per week even possible?

    ...because your BMR is the amount of energy you would use if you spent all day flat on your back in bed staring at the ceiling. Since I assume you don’t, you’re actually expending more than 2000 calories, and so can eat more than 1000.
  • Seanb_us
    Seanb_us Posts: 322 Member
    Ahhh, I need to look at TDEE. And the calculator I found says 2600. So, it's kinda doable if I want to be unhappy. Thanks all!
  • rj0150684
    rj0150684 Posts: 227 Member
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Ahhh, I need to look at TDEE. And the calculator I found says 2600. So, it's kinda doable if I want to be unhappy. Thanks all!

    You don’t need to find a calculator online - MFP will do all that math for you. Also, MFP calculations don’t include exercise, so if you want to eat more, move more.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    rj0150684 wrote: »
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Ahhh, I need to look at TDEE. And the calculator I found says 2600. So, it's kinda doable if I want to be unhappy. Thanks all!

    You don’t need to find a calculator online - MFP will do all that math for you. Also, MFP calculations don’t include exercise, so if you want to eat more, move more.

    I use both. They should essentially agree. If your activity level is relatively consistent, you'll get to the same target. For me, it's easier to use my average expenditures and have a consistent intake based on a target deficit than it is to constantly adjust up and down depending on the day.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Ahhh, I need to look at TDEE. And the calculator I found says 2600. So, it's kinda doable if I want to be unhappy. Thanks all!

    Is a two-pound a week goal a reasonable goal for you, though? If 1600 calories a day is miserable for you, would 2100 be better?
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,120 Member
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  • Seanb_us
    Seanb_us Posts: 322 Member
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Ahhh, I need to look at TDEE. And the calculator I found says 2600. So, it's kinda doable if I want to be unhappy. Thanks all!

    Is a two-pound a week goal a reasonable goal for you, though? If 1600 calories a day is miserable for you, would 2100 be better?

    No, 2 lbs. per week is not reasonable, because I won't stick to it if I hate it. Am aiming for 1.5 lbs. I would maintain with 2100 I suspect, and not lose.
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
    If your TDEE is 2600, 2100 is a 500 calorie per day deficit, and you'd loose 1lb per week on average, if all your maths and logging is correct. The energy has to come from some where else if its not coming from food.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Ahhh, I need to look at TDEE. And the calculator I found says 2600. So, it's kinda doable if I want to be unhappy. Thanks all!

    Is a two-pound a week goal a reasonable goal for you, though? If 1600 calories a day is miserable for you, would 2100 be better?

    No, 2 lbs. per week is not reasonable, because I won't stick to it if I hate it. Am aiming for 1.5 lbs. I would maintain with 2100 I suspect, and not lose.

    If your TDEE is 2600 that is about where you would maintain. At 2100 you would be at a 500 calorie deficit or 1lb per week projected lose rate. 1950 is 1.5lbs per week.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    So, if my BMR is 2000. And, I want to drop 2 lbs. each week. And, it takes minus 3500 calories to drop a pound. Then I need to lose 7000 calories a week or 1000 calories a day. That leaves me max 1000 calories per day intake. How is losing 2 lbs. per week even possible?

    Your BMR is the calories you burn merely existing...you do more than exist I'm sure. You don't cut from BMR, you cut from your TDEE.

    My BMR is around 1800 calories...My TDEE is 2800-3000 calories so I lose about 1 Lb per week eating 2300-2500 calories and would lose 2 Lbs per week eating 1800-2000 calories.
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Ahhh, I need to look at TDEE. And the calculator I found says 2600. So, it's kinda doable if I want to be unhappy. Thanks all!

    Is a two-pound a week goal a reasonable goal for you, though? If 1600 calories a day is miserable for you, would 2100 be better?

    No, 2 lbs. per week is not reasonable, because I won't stick to it if I hate it. Am aiming for 1.5 lbs. I would maintain with 2100 I suspect, and not lose.

    I doubt that very much considering the average male with little in the way of activity is going to maintain on 2500ish calories.
  • Seanb_us
    Seanb_us Posts: 322 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Also, I remember that a few weeks ago you and I discussed some thing and you admitted you liked to go at things backwards. You are still kind of doing it by making things more complicated than they need be and not getting out of your own way. What is wrong with entering your information into MFP, selecting an appropriate activity level, your desired weight loss and just giving it a try for 3 weeks?

    If you want more control and to look at numbers that might help get yourself a food scale and diligently weigh and log your food to confirm you are in a deficit so you don't have an unknown variable out there keeping you from losing weight. It might give you the peace of mind you seem to struggle getting.

    Good point.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Also, I remember that a few weeks ago you and I discussed some thing and you admitted you liked to go at things backwards. You are still kind of doing it by making things more complicated than they need be and not getting out of your own way. What is wrong with entering your information into MFP, selecting an appropriate activity level, your desired weight loss and just giving it a try for 3 weeks?

    If you want more control and to look at numbers that might help get yourself a food scale and diligently weigh and log your food to confirm you are in a deficit so you don't have an unknown variable out there keeping you from losing weight. It might give you the peace of mind you seem to struggle getting.

    ^ This!
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,198 Member
    You maintain when you eat your TDEE. if you don't leave your bed your maintain at your BMR. MFP sedentary is pegged at 1.25x BMR. So you can easily have a 20% deficit (25% deficit while obese) and still end up eating at or above your BMR.

    Not everyone can sustain a 2lb a week deficit. I find it useful to consider maximum deficits as **UP to** 20% of TDEE (or up to 25% of TDEE while obese).

    Realistically most people with a TDEE of less than 2500 should only be trying for a 1lb a week loss. however you might be surprised as to how high your TDEE might get if you seek to add incidental activity throughout your day!

    Best of luck! You've got some good advice and at least one knowledgeable friend from what I see.
  • Seanb_us
    Seanb_us Posts: 322 Member
    Still going. 19 down since mid-May-ish. 235 now. At some point am going to look at my chaotic eating patterns and try to overlay a reasonable eating plan, plus schedule mild exercise.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Seanb_us wrote: »
    Still going. 19 down since mid-May-ish. 235 now. At some point am going to look at my chaotic eating patterns and try to overlay a reasonable eating plan, plus schedule mild exercise.

    Good Lord man, eat more!
  • Seanb_us
    Seanb_us Posts: 322 Member
    I am not going hungry. Got a few beers in there, too, and some walking/jogging. Rate of loss is already slowing.