MFP vs BMR- confusion!

Poutie

Hey guys,

I entered my details into MFP and got a calculation of 1250 calories a day for a weight loss of 2lbs per week. But my BMR is 1670, and a lot of the posts on here say to eat at least your BMR. So should I be eating my BMR or the MFP recommmendation?

Also if I eat calories to MFP's 1250, and go running, earning me 400, should I eat them back, or just stick with the 1250?

Thanks

deksgrl

Hey guys,

I entered my details into MFP and got a calculation of 1250 calories a day for a weight loss of 2lbs per week. But my BMR is 1670, and a lot of the posts on here say to eat at least your BMR. So should I be eating my BMR or the MFP recommmendation?

Also if I eat calories to MFP's 1250, and go running, earning me 400, should I eat them back, or just stick with the 1250?

Thanks

MFP's calculations do not include exercise, so yes, you eat those calories back. This is why it adds more calories when you log your exercise.

2 pounds per week is probably too aggressive. You might want to start with 1.5 pounds per week, and then after you lose some, change it to 1 pound.

bethannien

IMO I would recommend you eat back at least a portion of exercise cals if you're eating at such a high deficit already. I personally haven't found conclusive proof either way to suggest that eating at below your bmr in the short term is harmful but I'd do research if you're worried.

cwolfman13

MFP is just a calculator...it just spits out numbers...it isn't smart....it leaves that part up to you.

Also, MFP assumes no exercise for your calorie goal...it is unacounted for activity which is why you "earn" those calories and get to eat them back. Other calculators assume some estimate of exercise in your activity level and thus accounts for that activity up front...but those other calculators aren't MFP.

WalkingAlong

Your BMR has nothing to do with your daily food intake. Your body burns both today's calories and all the un-burned calories from prior days (in your stored fat).