Know my BMR now what?

Notthatapple

I had an inbody scale assessment done today at my local YMCA. It was very informative! I am 5,1 and weigh 161.4 with 72 pounds of fat and 89 pounds of lean body mass. It also gave my BMR as 1247, so low I'm confused because I'm not really sure what this means as far as my daily calories. So far I've been using MFP and eating most of my exercise calories but I wondering if I should do something else now that I know this information.

WBB55

At 5'1", that sounds like about the right BMR and not very low at all. Are you losing weight at a steady pace?

If yes. Do you get hungry or cranky?

If no, then I'd say don't change a thing.

bologna111

I think those numbers are pretty good for your height. I am 5' 6.5 and my RMR tested at 1257 and 92lbs lean body mass. I was told that was 10% low for my height. I just switched to TDEE -10% so I can eat the same amount of calories on my rest days. I'm eating 1500 calories a day and hope to lose about .5 to 1 lb a week.

Notthatapple

Well, maybe it's not so low after all. Of course, I love food just like everyone else so i was hoping it was higher The first three weeks I lost weight but for the last two I have just bounced up and down between 160 and 164. Some of that was salt I know. I'm not hungry or grumpy but I am thinking of how I can eat a more consistent amount everyday without feeling the pressure of earning exercise calories. On the other hand does earning exercise calories keep everyone motivated to keep working out?

Ready2Rock206

Well you should eat above your BMR and below your TDEE - so now you just need to figure your TDEE...

I like this link: http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

WBB55

You don't have to earn exercise calories. You could just figure out your average week, divide that by 7, and eat that amount every day. Lots of people do that.

I don't know if it helps, but I thought I'd share. I lost 100 lbs. back in 2006-08 and have mainly kept it off. I have to tell you, I love food. I love beer. Being "happy" while dieting is a really important thing. There's so many habits I did at 200+ pounds that I could NEVER do now. But I'd rather be "happy" than be back down to my original goal weight. Spending two years eating the same calories every day, day in, day out, taught me how to "feel" what 1800 calories a day was like. Or when I sit down to a big meal, I can "tell" that I've eaten 1200 calories. Getting a healthy relationship with my brain and food I think is what helps me not gain the weight back.

One of the things I've done is channel my love of eating food into cooking. That way I still get to think about yummy, delicious food. And I eat it, too. But that "love" of EATING is now turned into an ART of MAKING the food I love. It's helped me be happier about not overindulging the things I used to love every day.

If you're happy with what you're doing. Awesome. If you'd be happier eating another 150 a day, go for it. You'll lose weight slower. But happiness is something not everyone has. Be happy.

deksgrl

I had an inbody scale assessment done today at my local YMCA. It was very informative! I am 5,1 and weigh 161.4 with 72 pounds of fat and 89 pounds of lean body mass. It also gave my BMR as 1247, so low I'm confused because I'm not really sure what this means as far as my daily calories. So far I've been using MFP and eating most of my exercise calories but I wondering if I should do something else now that I know this information.

With BMR you can calculate your estimated TDEE. You want to eat more than BMR but less than TDEE. TDEE is the number also known as "maintenance" where you would not gain or lose weight.

A common safe weight loss goal is to eat at TDEE - 20%.

A properly set MFP + exercise calories goal should be in the same ballpark as a properly set TDEE - % goal.

It is up to you if you want to play with the numbers for educational purposes. People who go by the TDEE-% goal find it convenient because you don't have to track exercise, exercise is already included in the equation. Unlike the MFP method where you have to eat more for exercise.

Notthatapple

Thanks for sharing! I agree, happy matters. When I was in my twenties I just wanted to look good now in my almost forties I need to feel good. I really like the idea of spreading those exercise calories over 7 days. I'm okay with slow weight lose as long I keep moving in the right direction. I already gave up drinking beer when I started, except in social situations once or twice a month. I'm not going to kill myself getting healthy!