Questions about BMR and calorie intake!

Soundbodysoundmind

Okay hopefully I can word this right. If my BMR is 1500 and I eat 1600 calories a day, but burn 500 calories a day doing exercise that puts my calories to 1100 calories. "They" say women shouldn't eat below 1200..so does that mean I have to eat more? I'm at a plateau and I can't figure out if i need to eat more or less or exercise more.. I'm already eating right above my BMR so it's frustrating. I'm 163 lbs 5'4 and I want to weigh 130. I exercise between 30-50 minutes a day 6 days a week, it just depends on what I decide to do that day. Also I don't have a job at the moment so I'm sitting on my butt all day (but I have an interview next week so yay!)

IllustratedxGirl

The only way to really know is to find out! Your body will tell you with results.

I eat at a net 1350 net calories and lose weight. I workout a lot.. Over an hour every day and 3-5 hours probably 4 times a week.

Try a higher number and see if it works for you.

IllustratedxGirl

Also my BMR is about 1450

geebusuk

They generally mean shouldn't net below BMR. So if you did 500 calories that would be 2000.
However, choosing BMR is a guideline that's plucked out of the air just like 2000 and neither are based on much bar "don't eat too little".

For me, the only time I've had a plateau increasing my calories helped; but I was only a few pounds from my goal weight and was at my expected body composition, so I just started the planned transition to bulk. I will cut further in the future.

brianpperkins

If your BMR is 1500 then your sedentary needs to maintain are about 1800 (BMR * 1.2) ... and that is the number to subtract your deficit from, not your BMR.