Can a few ppl clarify this for me?

MelonJMusic

I've read differing things about BMR. I want the right info bc from what I hear, I should not be eating below it.

I'm 5'6 at 166.2lbs currently. I started here at 176 on April 7th. When I check for my BMR on iifym.com it says it is 1511 and my TDEE is 2210. I am currently eating between 1200 and 1600 calories a day. I weigh most of my food and what I don't weigh I make sure I portion as accurately as possible. If I'm ever unsure, I try my best to overestimate my intake of calories, no sense in being untruthful to myself. My calories burned are pretty erratic but I try to average a minimum of 250 calories a day 6 days a week. I have days where I eat most of my calories back, and days when I don't touch them. It's about 50/50.

My honest confusion is... I'm losing the weight and getting closer to my goal, but I have no clue what I'm supposed to be aiming for with this acronym? I read that I shouldn't be going below BMR or else I "can't" lose weight. I also read that it doesn't matter if I eat below BMR and that as long as I'm keeping below TDEE I'll lose weight. And I've also read that I CAN'T eat below BMR because it is physically impossible. So...which is it? The forum surfing and the internet in general are really confusing me on this topic.

If I were "in a coma"... (Like many start with on here when discussing this topic) does it mean BMR is the minimum calorie intake necessary for my body to continue functioning in that state? And if so, how could my calculations on food be so thoroughly off that it appears I'm netting below my BMR? Or am I just totally misunderstanding how this works?

Someone help a gal out here...LOL

jenilla1

BMR is basically the minimum calories you should be eating in order for your body to function in a healthy manner. If you drop below that for too long, your metabolism can get all screwed up and it's not healthy.

TDEE is basically the number of calories you need to eat to maintain where you are at your current activity level.

TDEE - whatever% is you eating at a deficit.

You are supposed to eat above BMR and below TDEE for healthy weight loss. Too big of a deficit often leads to insane cravings, eating binges and failure, as well as loss of lean muscle mass.

ETA: Your BMR and TDEE will change and need to be adjusted down over time as you get closer to goal. From your numbers, you probably want to be eating between 1600 - 2000 to lose weight. If you are using TDEE you don't eat back your exercise calories. If you are using MFP method (which I use) eat back your exercise calories. Since you say your exercise is "erratic" I would suggest keeping your deficit closer to the 1600 than the 2000 side.

SIMAKRA

As I understand it, the BMR is what your body needs to breath and your heart to beat, nothing else, if you brush your teeth, you need more calories.
Now if you eat less then what your BMR is, the body takes the calories where it can get them, since no more food calories, it eats your body fat. That's what you want.

However do not go too far bellow the BMR, as starvation mode will kick in, but MFP will give you a message in that case.

ninerbuff

It's really going to depend on how much you have to lose. If it's between 50-100lbs, then eating BMR wouldn't be a detriment for that person.
If it's under 50lbs, then the deficit may be too high and affect how one may be losing weight.

EX: A female who's 5'5, 25 years old and 250lbs has a BMR of 1930 and a TDEE of 2700. She can eat 1700 and be fine. But a female with the same stats except weighs 140lbs and a BMR of 1452 and a TDEE of 2200 may not want to eat below BMR.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MelonJMusic

BTW, I failed to mention that MFP has me at a 1200 calorie limit. I try to be somewhere between 1200 and 1600 at the end of my day. I had 50lbs to lose when I started. The weight loss seems to be fine and I only eat when I'm hungry. I honestly am not too strict about how many calories I eat so long as I burn enough to stay within the 1200-1600 range; and I listen to my body, so if I'm getting a hunger pang, I drink water, wait to see if it passes, if it doesn't, I'll eat. I haven't physically felt the need to eat more than 1600 since I've started calorie counting.

When should I adjust my calorie intake?

MyChocolateDiet

I've read differing things about BMR. I want the right info bc from what I hear, I should not be eating below it.

I'm 5'6 at 166.2lbs currently. I started here at 176 on April 7th. When I check for my BMR on iifym.com it says it is 1511 and my TDEE is 2210. I am currently eating between 1200 and 1600 calories a day. I weigh most of my food and what I don't weigh I make sure I portion as accurately as possible. If I'm ever unsure, I try my best to overestimate my intake of calories, no sense in being untruthful to myself. My calories burned are pretty erratic but I try to average a minimum of 250 calories a day 6 days a week. I have days where I eat most of my calories back, and days when I don't touch them. It's about 50/50.

My honest confusion is... I'm losing the weight and getting closer to my goal, but I have no clue what I'm supposed to be aiming for with this acronym? I read that I shouldn't be going below BMR or else I "can't" lose weight. I also read that it doesn't matter if I eat below BMR and that as long as I'm keeping below TDEE I'll lose weight. And I've also read that I CAN'T eat below BMR because it is physically impossible. So...which is it? The forum surfing and the internet in general are really confusing me on this topic.

If I were "in a coma"... (Like many start with on here when discussing this topic) does it mean BMR is the minimum calorie intake necessary for my body to continue functioning in that state? And if so, how could my calculations on food be so thoroughly off that it appears I'm netting below my BMR? Or am I just totally misunderstanding how this works?

Someone help a gal out here...LOL

all this shet is so confusing to me too. sometimes i wish i just was in coma so a damn dr could just decide how many cals to put in my IV's and i can wake up skinny.

MyChocolateDiet

BTW, I failed to mention that MFP has me at a 1200 calorie limit. I try to be somewhere between 1200 and 1600 at the end of my day. I had 50lbs to lose when I started. The weight loss seems to be fine and I only eat when I'm hungry. I honestly am not too strict about how many calories I eat so long as I burn enough to stay within the 1200-1600 range; and I listen to my body, so if I'm getting a hunger pang, I drink water, wait to see if it passes, if it doesn't, I'll eat. I haven't physically felt the need to eat more than 1600 since I've started calorie counting.

When should I adjust my calorie intake?

THANK YOU SO MUCH for using hunger PANG correctly.

If you knew how many people think it's hunger PAIN and starve themselves with a no pain no gain mentality.

gotolam

When should I adjust my calorie intake?

Why do you feel like you need to change what's working? Stay the course and keep doing whatever you're doing until it stops working.

MelonJMusic

When should I adjust my calorie intake?

Why do you feel like you need to change what's working? Stay the course and keep doing whatever you're doing until it stops working.

I'd agree normally, but I also want to make sure I'm going about it in a healthy manner.

MelonJMusic

all this shet is so confusing to me too. sometimes i wish i just was in coma so a damn dr could just decide how many cals to put in my IV's and i can wake up skinny.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for using hunger PANG correctly.

HAHA, you made me literally LOL. It's 3am, no bueno. :laugh:

_KitKat_

For health it is recommended that people who are not very obese to never eat below BMR. Your basil metabolic rate is what your body burns just to function at the most basic level. Eating below BMR can cause things listed above but also hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue and just poor health and can cause extra loss of lean body mass (this looks bad and decreases the calories your body burns at rest). It will not kill you and does not mean your count is off, it just will cause more harm than good.

As for adjusting, just check your BMR and TDEE numbers every 10 lbs. or so. They will decrease as you lose weight (takes less energy to run a smaller body). Weight loss will slow when you have less to lose also so there may not be much adjustment needed, just check, if you ever have a 4 week stall check what your doing and adjust then give it a month. Weight loss isn't linear as people like to say and will come in pauses and spurts, also us females vary with our cycle by a few lbs.

MelonJMusic

Makes sense, thank you!

SezxyStef

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1058378-oh-noes-i-am-eating-below-my-bmr

Eating below your BMR is not as dangerous as most think...

There is no starvation mode....where your body starts not losing weight because you are eating below BMR etc...

as for the 1200 do you have your weekly weight loss goal set at 2lbs a week...with less than 50lbs it should be 1lb...which will give you more calories to eat.

MelonJMusic

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1058378-oh-noes-i-am-eating-below-my-bmr

Eating below your BMR is not as dangerous as most think...

There is no starvation mode....where your body starts not losing weight because you are eating below BMR etc...

as for the 1200 do you have your weekly weight loss goal set at 2lbs a week...with less than 50lbs it should be 1lb...which will give you more calories to eat.

I do have it at 2lbs a week. I currently eat more than 1200 on most days. I actually follow MFP loosely as I know it can suggest quite extreme calorie limits for most people. I don't really feel much need to eat a lot more than 1200-1600. Is that a bad thing? I guess what I mean to ask is: Is there something I should be worried about having a 2lb/week goal?

ninerbuff

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1058378-oh-noes-i-am-eating-below-my-bmr

Eating below your BMR is not as dangerous as most think...

There is no starvation mode....where your body starts not losing weight because you are eating below BMR etc...

as for the 1200 do you have your weekly weight loss goal set at 2lbs a week...with less than 50lbs it should be 1lb...which will give you more calories to eat.

I do have it at 2lbs a week. I currently eat more than 1200 on most days. I actually follow MFP loosely as I know it can suggest quite extreme calorie limits for most people. I don't really feel much need to eat a lot more than 1200-1600. Is that a bad thing? I guess what I mean to ask is: Is there something I should be worried about having a 2lb/week goal?

Just one: Once you're near goal (say 140lbs), 2lbs a week probably won't happen and it may frustrate you causing you to give up.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

gotolam

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1058378-oh-noes-i-am-eating-below-my-bmr

Eating below your BMR is not as dangerous as most think...

There is no starvation mode....where your body starts not losing weight because you are eating below BMR etc...

as for the 1200 do you have your weekly weight loss goal set at 2lbs a week...with less than 50lbs it should be 1lb...which will give you more calories to eat.

I do have it at 2lbs a week. I currently eat more than 1200 on most days. I actually follow MFP loosely as I know it can suggest quite extreme calorie limits for most people. I don't really feel much need to eat a lot more than 1200-1600. Is that a bad thing? I guess what I mean to ask is: Is there something I should be worried about having a 2lb/week goal?

No. Keep doing what you're doing. Stop reading the internets. If A causes B, and you desire more B, continue to do A.