BMR/Calorie Question

futuresize8

Tue 01/31/12 06:34 AM (I posted this in Food and Nutrition...no responses there so I think maybe better suited here? Let's see! )

Hi!

So, after reading the brilliant posts on BMR and eating for your goal weight, I calculated mine. I used a couple different sites to do it to make sure I had the right number.

I then calculated it for my goal weight.

For both I factored in moderate activity to account for my daily bike rides. (I ride a stationary recumbent bike for about 40 - 45 minutes a day.)

I have to say that even using my goal weight BMR information, I'm eating way fewer calores (close to 1000)than the goal calories on most days. (If I use my current weight BMR information, I'm eating like 1300 - 1700 less.)

However, I am eating/drinking some of my exercise calories each day.

I really want to do this right. Should I eat calories for my goal weight and stop logging/eating exercise calories?

(Please note, I'm not a math wizard, so the more simple your suggestions are for the math, the better!)

Other stats - I'm at 193 lbs, I'm 5'7" and I'm 40 years old. My goal was to lose 2 lbs a week, so I'm to consume 1200 cals per day. I'm pescatarian and eat very little processed food, no fast food, no sugars. I do drink alcohol (which I know is sugar/empty cals) but I log those calories honestly...and I'm considering giving that up to see if it helps.

But even still, I feel like the weight should be falling off me...I've been at this since the 1st week in January and I've lost just 5 lbs. I totally know it takes time and I'm in it for the long haul, but ???

Thank you!

Gshields42

Here are a few thoughts and suggestions, for what they are worth.

If the math isn't matching what is happening in the real world, then some assumptions are probably off somewhere. Your food diary looks pretty good.

Did you set the 1200 calorie goal, or did MFP? If you aren't watching what you are dealing with, some calculators can be giving you TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) instead of BMR, and they are probably going to be estimating TDEE as 1.3-1.4 * BMR. MFP does this, but it is also going to reduce your calorie intake level by 500c per lb of desired weight loss per week (with a floor of 1200 calories minimum). If you are sitting at anything less than 2200 TDEE, you won't be able to do 2 lb /week safely without increasing your activity level.

What are you estimating your BMR at? Are you fairly sedentary or active during the day?

futuresize8

Thanks for your reply!

I just tried a different one that said to maintain I'd consume about 2100 cals per day.

I sit at a desk all day (8 hours) but at home, I'm seldom sitting. I'm doing housework, up and down stairs.

I exercise most days, recumbent bike, and walking our pooch. I get about an hour of actual exercise per day.

Does this help? Oh, and MFP said to lose 2 lbs per week, 1200 cals.