The more I read the more confused I become...

alwaysapirate
alwaysapirate Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I appreciate all the help from the kind people of MFP in advance :-)

That said...this is another BMR/TDEE/MFP/WTF! post.

MFP has had me at about 1540 calories daily. In reading and doing numerous BMR calculations, I'm looking at an average of 1882. For TDEE, I've gotten averages of 2253 if I mark sedentary or 2581 if I mark lightly active. -20% and averaging the two (between sedentary and lightly active) gives me 1934.

So my concern is, before I continue down a path of not eating enough or eating too much, is where I need to be. In messing with the MFP settings, at one point it told me to eat 1300 calories a day! I've read not to eat below BMR but also that people who are heavier may wind up eating below BMR to start with. I am 5'6, 27 y/o, 240lbs.

I have been averaging about 2 lbs a week weight loss aiming for the 1540, however, I'm concerned that since it's so far below my BMR I'm going to be setting myself up for failure down the road. All of this is hard enough but the constant worry of "OMG am I doing this right or wrong?!" is enough to drive you batty. So I appreciate all the help and input and advice, I know this is a repeated topic and I tried to search through and find my answer. It just seems strange that MFP would put suggested calories so low.

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    When you are obese the BMR calculations tend to be a bit off. It's based on the average person and gets strange on either end of the weight scale. If what you are doing is working I'd stick with it and re evaluate as you get closer to goal.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    Try eating 1900. Do not eat exercise calories back with this method. Give it 4 weeks. Adjust results accordingly. 1540 sounds quite low to me...you are similar to where I started, and I started at 1800 calories.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    When you are obese the BMR calculations tend to be a bit off. It's based on the average person and gets strange on either end of the weight scale. If what you are doing is working I'd stick with it and re evaluate as you get closer to goal.

    DITTO
  • pavrg
    pavrg Posts: 277 Member
    I explain it here:

    www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/301611-bmr-what-does-it-mean-in-weight-loss

    Bottom line: don't worry about bmr. Follow mfp's suggestion or tdee - 500 and adjust once you have several weeks of data for weight loss vs calories eaten.

Categories