BMR and goal settings

girlinahat

Okay, so MFP has my BMR calculated at 1,252. So why does it set my goal calories to 1,200? My understanding is that regardless of whether I want to lose weight or not, I MUST eat my BMR just to survive.

Looking around the internet, I find that most sites use a different equation for calculating BMR, which actually gives me between 1,381 and 1,386 calories. Which is again more than the 1,200 MFP gives me to eat.

My background here - I have very slowly over the last 10 years put on about 20 lbs. This is the result of gradually becoming more sedentary, and developing a fondness for fish batter (having hated it previously).

Since the beginning of the year, I have been working on increasing my exercise (now at least 3 times a week mixture of strength (yoga, climbing, weights) and cardio. I have also cut out all extra snacks like crisps, chocolate etc. andI haven't been to the chippy for months.

Despite clear measurable changes to my diet and exercise level, I lost 4 lbs early on, and then have stayed exactly the same ever since, apart from daily fluctuations. My measurements have not changed.

To my mind, given the changes to my diet and exercise level (note that it took me about 2 years to put on about 6lbs) it is impossible for me not to be losing weight.

And yet I am not.

Is this because my goal setting for MFP is too low? What happens if I target my goal to match my BMR of 1380? That is my target for the next few weeks and I will see what happens.

Any other suggestions gratefully received!!!

ProTFitness

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Calculator
By Dennis Thompson Jr.

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD You burn most of your daily calories with little to no conscious effort. Whether you're talking on the phone, working at a keyboard, or just watching television, your body is burning calories to keep your heart pumping, your lungs expanding and contracting, and your organs functioning. The calories used to maintain these basic bodily functions add up to your basal metabolic rate, or BMR. Basal essentially means base — think of it as the number of calories that are just enough to cover all your body’s bases.

"These are what I call your couch-potato calories," says dietitian Sari Greaves, RD, CDN, of Step Ahead Weight Loss Center in Bedminster, N.J,. and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "It amounts to 60 to 75 percent of the total calories you use daily, and there's no physical activity required for this."

In other words, this is what you burn without lifting a finger. That’s why BMR is also is called the resting metabolic rate, or RMR, by some.

Knowing your BMR can help you create a more effective strategy for weight loss, allowing you to better keep your calorie count on track and better understand the effect exercise will have on your waistline.

Calculating Your BMR

The easiest way to measure your BMR is to use an online calculator, like the one at My Calorie Counter. This calculator factors in your height, weight, gender, and age, and activity level, then assesses how many calories you need to eat daily just to maintain your current weight.
You can do the math yourself, using the appropriate equation:

• If you’re a man, your BMR is equal to: 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years). For example, if you’re 170 pounds, 5’11”, and 43, your BMR is 66 + (6.23 x 170) + (12.7 x 71) – (6.8 x 43) = 1734.4 calories.

• If you’re a woman, your BMR is equal to: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years). For example, if you’re 130 pounds, 5’3”, and 36, your BMR is 665 + (4.35 x 130) + (4.7 x 63) – (4.7 x 36) = 1357.4 calories.

Next figure out your total daily calorie requirement by multiplying your BMR by your level of activity:
• If you rarely exercise, multiply your BMR by 1.2.
• If you exercise on 1 to 3 days per week, doing light activity, multiply your BMR by 1.375.
• If you exercise on 3 to 5 days per week, doing moderate activity, multiply your BMR by 1.55.
• If you exercise 6 to 7 days per week, doing vigorous activity, multiply your BMR by 1.725.
• If you exercise every day and have a physical job or if you often exercise twice a day, multiply your BMR by 1.9.



If the man in the example exercises 3 days a week, doing moderate activity, his daily caloric requirement is 1734.4 x 1.55, or 2688.3 calories.

If the woman in the example exercises 6 days a week, her daily caloric requirement is 1357.4 x 1.725, or 2342.5 calories.

This calculation gives you the number of calories you burn in one day at your current level of activity; in other words, this is the number of calories it takes to stay at the weight you are if you don’t change anything.

Applying Your BMR Calculation to Weight Loss


Once you know your BMR and the number of calories you burn for your activity level, you can improve your weight-loss efforts by setting a lower daily calorie-intake limit and crafting a plan for increasing your physical activity:

Set your daily calorie limit. To lose weight, you need to reduce your caloric intake below your total daily calorie requirement indicated by your BMR + activity level. Putting yourself in a 500-calorie deficit every day should result in the loss of one pound per week (since there are 3,500 calories in a pound), Greaves says.

Adjust your exercise output. Our BMR calculator asks you for your level of physical activity for a very good reason. You can influence your BMR through exercise, spurring your body to burn more calories even after you’ve finished and are just lounging about.

• Aerobic exercise provides a temporary boost to your BMR, an effect sometimes referred to as after-burn or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, says Noelle Lusardi, a certified personal fitness trainer who also works at the Step Ahead Weight Loss Center in Bedminster, N.J. Your BMR will return back to its normal level anywhere between 15 minutes and 48 hours.

• Strength training provides a more-lasting boost to BMR by altering your body's composition. Muscle at rest burns more calories than fat at rest. That's why men enjoy a naturally higher BMR than women, as they tend to have more muscle mass, Greaves explains.

• If you cut calories and increase your BMR by exercising, you’ll see results even faster. Increase the amount of calories you burn by 250 each day, and you’ll lose a half-pound more on top of the calorie cuts made in your diet. You could exercise longer or you could increase the intensity of your workouts to burn more calories — either way will increase the calorie deficit.

The advantage of knowing your BMR is that you can learn the number of calories you need to consume and expend to meet your personal goal for weight loss.

Keefypoos

I'd go wih the BMR you have researched as it is more accurate than MFP's base reference of 1200 cals.
also please post your results.
thanks

jo_marnes

Your BMR doesn't take in to account what you want to lose. MFP calculates a calorie deficit so you lose weight. If you were maintaining your current weight, your BMR and your daily calories would be the same.

jo_marnes

Your BMR doesn't take in to account what you want to lose. MFP calculates a calorie deficit so you lose weight. If you were maintaining your current weight, your BMR and your daily calories would be the same.

morganadk2_deleted

Are you eating your exersise calories ? Are you drinking enough water? getting enough sleep?

You might also find the links below helpful...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


This is just a part of it! please read the link above


Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)



Good luck on your journey

Marjorielk

bump

girlinahat

Your BMR doesn't take in to account what you want to lose. MFP calculates a calorie deficit so you lose weight. If you were maintaining your current weight, your BMR and your daily calories would be the same.

Not true. My BMR is what my body needs to function if I were lying on a bed all day doing nothing. The calculations posted by ProTfitness show how to calculate your ACTUAL calorie needs for normal daily life (getting up and going to work) which I believe is correctly termed TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). This is not BMR. Your BMR and daily calorie needs to maintain are not the same. My daily calorie needs (if I were not to exercise) are 1,546.


My question is also - should we eat below BMR?

girlinahat

Are you eating your exersise calories ? Are you drinking enough water? getting enough sleep?

You might also find the links below helpful...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


This is just a part of it! please read the link above


Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)



Good luck on your journey

I have upped my water, my sodium levels are pretty low anyway (not using added salt at all helps) and I am eating most of my exercise calories. I agree that we should eat exercise calories and think some of my problem may well be due to not eating enough. (and yes, not getting enough sleep!!!)

May struggle to actually eat what my revised BMR say but we'll see!!!!

SHBoss1673

take a peek at this girl,

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/12250-1000-calorie-deficit-not-for-people-with-healthy-bmi

someone with 20 or less lbs to lose should probably be above their BMR. But remember BMR is simply what your body needs to run major organs and a few body processes, the actual formula is BMR is about 60 to 75% of your maintenance calories, then you need to tack on exercise above that.

girlinahat

hmmm.

well, as I am not one for 'dieting' but am one for healthy eating and being more active, I am thinking I am on the right tracks (so thank you for confirming this).

My reason for being here is because of the podge around my belly and the wish for more muscle tone. Plus I scuba dive a lot in the season and want to be able to use less air (better fitness = less air consumed = smaller cylinders = less weight to carry = less air needed = longer dives). The last few months I am aware that my previously healthy eating (I am a Real Food fan) has deteriorated into the chocolate craving type. Being on here is great because it has made me think more about sustainable calories - ie. how to feel fuller for the same calorie level as a bar of chocolate.

So whilst I want to lose 20 lbs, that is almost a sideline. I reckon if I cut the rubbish out of my eating, and do more exercise, it'll happen automatically. For now, well, the next few months because this site is free, I'm upping my calories and moving on.