Confused about BMR

sheppeyescapee
sheppeyescapee Posts: 329 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a long time listener of fat2fit radio and they always hammer on about not eating below BMR which for me is 1800-1900 yet if I set myself as sedentary I get 1700 on MFP. I get rather confused as to what to set my activity level, I am a wheelchair user and a student when I'm not in lectures I push myself around campus a lot (rather hilly campus!). I do pilates 3 times a week and normally go for a push around the block prob around 45 mins a time 3 times a week. When I set my calories at around 1700 my weight tends to plateau around 195-196. Can anyone help me out what I should be doing?

My stats are
Age: 27
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 196.8lbs
Surgery target weight: 160lbs

Replies

  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
    Your BMR is the calories you would burn if you didn't do anything all day, so if you are getting some exercise too you should be eating more than that. Are you logging your exercise and eating those calories too?
  • surfinbernard
    surfinbernard Posts: 53
    I hope I can help you with the confusion. BMR stands for basal metabolic rate which is the estimated number of calories your body needs (based on weight age and sex) to do nothing all day. Obviously very few people do absolutely nothing so this number is multiplied according to your normal daily activity level (not exercise, this is factored in later) so for example if you are an average person who drives most places or has a desk job etc. you would be sedentary and the number would be multiplied by 1.4 which no doubt gives you your 'sedentary total' you have there. If you were a manual labourer your total would be multiplied by a different factor giving you a higher number of calories. Then you add on any calories you burn through exercise.
  • nectarie
    nectarie Posts: 3
    i dont know if this helps but i think fat2fit uses the harris benedict equation to determine your bmr while myfitnesspal uses the mifflin st jeor equation, hence the difference. The mifflin st jeor is supposedly more accurate tho.
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
    Hi

    I'm also wheelchair user and interested in fact you mentioned Pilates... is it possible to do most of those routines from sitting in chair or laying on floor mat?

    I'm also struggling to find the right amount of calories for me... and struggling to lose even though I have involuntary movements so am never completely still even at rest.. you'd think the weight would be dropping off! I can only think its cos I'm not on the right calories and body is in starvation mode... but on here only tells me I need 1,200.. though another said 1670 sedentary.
  • sheppeyescapee
    sheppeyescapee Posts: 329 Member
    Hi Shakybabe, most of my routine is floor work and core based as my core is one of my big problems so am working on that.
  • surfinbernard
    surfinbernard Posts: 53
    I forgot about the plateau question... trial and error is a better way to figure out how many calories you need to be eating and it seems you have figured out your actual BMR is 1700 at your current weight. If you work with this figure to create your deficit based on this I'm sure you will have excellent results. Remember that the equations used to work these things out cannot ever be more than a rough estimate because there are so many invisible factors, we are all different.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    from emma leigh...

    1/ Harris-Benedict formula: Very inaccurate. It was derived from studies on LEAN, YOUNG, ACTIVE males MANY YEARS AGO (1919). Notorious for OVERESTIMATING requirements, especially in the overweight. IF YOU CAN AVOID IT, DON'T USE IT!
    MEN: BMR = 66 + [13.7 x weight (kg)] + [5 x height (cm)] - [6.76 x age (years)]
    WOMEN: BMR = 655 + [9.6 x weight (kg)] + [1.8 x height (cm)] - [4.7 x age (years)]

    2/Mifflin-St Jeor: Developed in the 1990s and more realistic in todays settings. It still doesn't take into consideration the differences as a consequence of high BF%. Thus, once again, it OVERESTIMATES NEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN THE OVERWEIGHT.
    MEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] + 5
    WOMEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] -161

    3/Katch-McArdle:Considered the most accurate formula for those who are relatively lean. Use ONLY if you have a good estimate of your bodyfat %.
    BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - bodyfat %)]/100
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