How do people eat 1600+ calories and still lose weight?

snixxit
snixxit Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
I've seen some people say they eat anywhere from 1600-2000 calories a day and still lose 1-2 pounds a week. How do they do that? If their BMR was around 1500 or something, wouldn't they have to burned 100-500 calories every single day just to not gain anything? Am I missing something here?
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Replies

  • YorriaRaine
    YorriaRaine Posts: 370 Member
    Some reasons are:

    If they are overweight, it is very easy to eat that number and lose weight still, my goal was 1 pound a week and it set my calorie goal to 1750ish. (I changed my goal to 1.5 pounds a week and now I'm at 1490)

    Another thing is many people exercise, then eat back their exercise calories, so while the number you see in calories consumed is 1600-2000, their net calories may be lower than that depending on the amount of exercise they did.

    The younger you are, the more calories you need.

    They may have an active lifestyle outside of exercise, as in their job and daily activities burn calories for them, so they activity level above sedentary.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    I burn about 5000 calories a week exercising....that's how :)
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    You're confusing BMR and TDEE.

    Your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the average amount of calories your body burns in a day going about about your normal activities. If you eat your TDEE, you will maintain your weight. Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the amount of calories your body requires to maintain optimal functioning of your vital organs and body systems if you were totally inactive or otherwise physically incapacitated. To lose fat while maintaining muscle mass, particularly if you have a small amount of weight to lose, it's generally recommended to eat between your BMR and your TDEE.

    Your TDEE is dependent upon a variety of factors, including age, height, gender, current weight, and activity level, so your TDEE may be very different from that of someone else. But as long as you eat fewer calories than your TDEE, you will lose weight. My TDEE is approximately 2100 calories, and my BMR is approximately 1500 calories, so I eat around 1700 calories a day and lose, on average, about a pound a week. :smile:

    There's a lot of good information here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    And here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    BMR is the number of calories needed if you are in a coma. TDEE is BMR + exercise + all the movements we do in a day. If you eat between your BMR and TDEE , you lose weight
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I've seen some people say they eat anywhere from 1600-2000 calories a day and still lose 1-2 pounds a week. How do they do that? If their BMR was around 1500 or something, wouldn't they have to burned 100-500 calories every single day just to not gain anything? Am I missing something here?

    You don't have to eat less than your BMR to lose weight...your BMR is what your body burns just being alive....if your BMR is 1500 calories, you "burn" that if you just slept all day. I presume one would do more than that. This is what the math looks like...

    BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate

    NEAT - Non Exercise Activity Thermogensis...all of you day to day stuff form crawling out of bed to dropping a deuce to driving to work, etc

    EAT - Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

    When you combine these things, you arrive at your TDEE...your Total Daily Energy Expenditure...this is the amount of calories you would need to maintain everything as is....so let's say someone was of average height and weight and worked out some...

    BMR - 1500 calories (~ 65% of daily requirements)
    NEAT - 450 calories (~ 20% of daily requirments (to include TEF))
    EAT - 350 calories (~ 15% of daily requirements)

    1500+450+350 = 2,300 calories. Given roughly 500 calories per day deficit would equate to roughly 1 Lb per week weight loss, someone with this BMR and NEAT and EAT could lose 1 Lb per week grossing 1,800 calories per day (2,300 - 500 = 1800)

    It is highly dependent on you height, weight, lean body mass, NEAT activity level, and exercise.

    I'm a pretty active male and I lose weight pretty steadily right now at 2400 - 2500 calories...but I'm also training hard for a metric century so my weekly EAT can be rather substantial and I may have to up my calorie requirements to slow my rate of loss in the coming weeks.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I eat 1800-2000 and lose because it's less than my TDEE. My BMR is around 1400, so I definitely want to eat more than that since I am an active person and not in a comatose state. :tongue:

    As Yanicka1 said, eat between your BMR and TDEE and you lose weight.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    BMR is completely different to TDEE.
    BMR is the amount your body needs at a minimum, to keep your basic functions going, like if you were in a coma. Even sitting around at a desk job all day long, you'd burn more than your BMR. TDEE is how many calories your body needs to maintain it's weight in your usual daily activities inclusive of exercise. Your deficit should come off from your TDEE, not your BMR.

    If I ate 1600 calories, even with exercise cals added back, the weight would come off me far too quickly (not that I could stick to that amount anyway) I have no idea what my BMR is, but my TDEE is approximately 2800ish.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Age, height, weight, lean body mass, activity level...all come into play.

    I lose ~1 lb per week @ 3,000 a day. 5'10" @ 190 - 198 lbs.

    It's mostly activity level for me.
  • MikesGirl0692
    MikesGirl0692 Posts: 29
    I set my daily calorie goal to 1600. My TDEE is apparently 2100 (which seems like a lot). I'm 5'6/150 lbs. Can I lose 1 lb/week this way?
  • sally884
    sally884 Posts: 51
    It says my maintenance level with no exercise and no weight loss is 2100 so to lose a pound I eat 1600...
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    I lose on 2200-2800 a day, as a 5'10 female.
    I workout hard and I eat hard too.
    I also have a lot of lean mass.
  • LMDEN2014
    LMDEN2014 Posts: 8 Member
    That is my question too...to lose 1 lb you must have 3,500 calorie deficit...the problem is that the formula for BMR formula is general, it does not work for everyone the same.....my BMR is 1200 (based on formula, but in reality I think 1,000), I workout 4-5 times/week and burn 2,500 (conservative nr) calories, but I would lose a lb/week only if I go to 800cal/day...my metabolism is very slow, other people are lucky and their metabolism is good and they burn quickly what they eat.
  • LMDEN2014
    LMDEN2014 Posts: 8 Member
    Males and females losing weight......whole different thing; much easier for males
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I burn about 5000 calories a week exercising....that's how :)
    This is eat exactly (except I don't burn that many calories per week). I exercise five days a week- weight lifting three times a week and three of the other days I run anywhere from 3.5 to 6 miles at an average of 6.3 mph (sometime faster). My base calories for maintenance is supposed to be 1960. I burn 350-550 calories on running days depending on intensity and distance, and then I burn some on my weight lifting days. Add my 1990 to my exercise calories and I can eat anywhere from 2.000 to 2,500 a day, depending. I try to spread my calories over the week so that I eat about the same amount each day, which can average to about 2,200 and something each day. Well, I thought I was maintaining but I am still slowly losing.

    If I had not lost 41 pounds, been very active all along, then I probably would not be eating what I am now.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Males and females losing weight......whole different thing; much easier for males
    Not always true. I've had no problems losing weight.
  • easjer
    easjer Posts: 219 Member
    Others have clarified BMR and TDEE.

    My BMR is ~2100. My TDEE averages (over a week) ~3300. A 1,000 calorie deficit (to lose 2 lbs. per week) is ~2300.

    I lost 1.8 lbs last week. Granted, I'm a massive human being (+300 lbs), but even so - clearly it is possible. It's about intake versus burn. You burn more, you can eat more.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    I burn about 5000 calories a week exercising....that's how :)

    Same here. Pretty much 5000 calories a week.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    u have to work out and maintain a calorie burn as well. Get on the treadmill & hit the hill method option. 600 calories burned an hour.....
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    My answer to your question is to go to this website: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    My stats:
    I am 31 y/o female 5'3" and 162 lbs. On average, I exercise 4 times a week.

    TDEE is 2015 - the most cals I can eat in a day before I start gaining weight
    BMR is 1420 - the least cals I'm allowed to eat in a day

    This means I have to eat below 2015 calories a day, and above 1420 calories a day. I average 1550-1700 a day.

    Some days I do eat 2,000 calories, but then the next couple days I'll drop down to 1300-1400 so that for the entire week I have a calorie deficit.

    I never, ever eat below 1200 more than one day in a row. I don't have to, and I've been losing 1 lb a week since Jan 1st :)

    Note: These numbers change with every 5-10 lbs you lose, so you have to continually adjust your TDEE when you've lost enough weight.
  • tracip96
    tracip96 Posts: 5
    I am now told to do just that....I have always been fit, but with high paced jobs that kept me fit. Unfortunately, due to the high paced jobs I only ate ONCE a day, plus nothing but caffeine to energize, my job was my work out....never had an issue.....then I had my son at a late age, near 40, decided to stay home at that point. Same lifestyle, eat once a day, soda, soda, tea, soda. Never water I confess. Started exercising my butt off...no weight loss. Went to weight loss clinic today, trying phentermine and hcg drops. Only thing is after 20 yrs, no caffeine, only coffee am, and have to eat 80 grams protein a day. That was very hard......and when I logged in food intake on this site I reached protein goal for my Dr., but this site states my exercise burned 1681 more calories than I ate......wth? Never had to diet or follow a plan before, but more food? Darn those jobs...lol......
  • 6ftamazon
    6ftamazon Posts: 340 Member
    I'm eating 2400 calories a day and losing about 3 lbs a week. Mostly because I weigh 300 lbs, I work a very demanding job, and in work out like a beast with my personal trainer and on my own 5 days a week. It just depends on each person :). My theory is I like to eat, so I'd rather exercise more than cut back more on food lol.
  • stripeytrousers
    stripeytrousers Posts: 23
    I just need some clarification. My TDEE is about 2100 and my BMR is 1550 so I've set my calories intake to 1700. I understand that I don't then eat any exercise calories back, is this correct?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I just need some clarification. My TDEE is about 2100 and my BMR is 1550 so I've set my calories intake to 1700. I understand that I don't then eat any exercise calories back, is this correct?
    That is correct for the TDEE method. If you lose weight faster or slower than your goals, adjust calories.
  • fredgiblet
    fredgiblet Posts: 241 Member
    Males and females losing weight......whole different thing; much easier for males

    This is a BIG one, it's something like a 400 calorie swing just by having dangly bits. My mom would need to exercise at a "moderate" pace to match my sedentary TDEE.
  • julies90
    julies90 Posts: 646 Member
    I am 5 9 , 140 pounds and I eat upwards of 2,000 to maintain my weight. I workout 6 days a week, but trust me, chances are you can eat a lot more than you think you can.
  • iRun_Butterfly
    iRun_Butterfly Posts: 483 Member
    I average anywhere from 1600-1800 most days, but I bust my *kitten* at the gym everyday too. I lose about a pound a week, give or take.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    They are probably more active. My total calories burned per day is usually 2500-2600. I have a lot of lean mass for my height, an active job, and I work out or do sports about 7-12 hours per week.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    I work out pretty hard, which takes my calories up (for that day) from 1410 to about 1600-1700.
  • LMDEN2014
    LMDEN2014 Posts: 8 Member
    My BMR is 1,200 (I am F, 5ft3in, 138lbs) I eat (log my food every day) 1100-1300 cal/day during the week and 1500-1700 on the weekends. Being very conservative, my 4 workouts burn another 2,200 calories/week. I have been doing for 3 months now and I have not lost 1 lb.....pretty frustrating
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    My BMR is 1,200 (I am F, 5ft3in, 138lbs) I eat (log my food every day) 1100-1300 cal/day during the week and 1500-1700 on the weekends. Being very conservative, my 4 workouts burn another 2,200 calories/week. I have been doing for 3 months now and I have not lost 1 lb.....pretty frustrating

    How are you estimating the calorie burn for your workouts? If you're not losing, something in the math is wrong (either you're eating more than you think you are, or you aren't burning what you think you are). I'm F, 5'2", don't weigh that much more than you do, and I eat approx. 1700 calories a day and I'm losing consistently. I work out 5 or 6 days a week at varying intensities (anything from Pilates to running). At your weight you have to work out awfully hard to average 550 calories per workout. I just ran 6 miles to get that.

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