Question about Basal Metabolic Rate

photo_kyla

I've seen quite a few posts about eating *at least* your Basal Metabolic Rate to keep your metabolism up.

My BMR is 1619 calories/day
My net calorie goal (on MFP) is 1200 calories/day
That's a 419 calorie difference

Some days I easily burn 700-1000 calories through exercise, other days I'm in the 400 calorie range; and then some days, like today, I don't have time/energy for a workout and don't burn any exercise calories. Most days I'm in the 400-1000 exercise calorie range and I'll be eating 1700+ calories and netting 900-1100.

My question is: On the days that I don't get to work out at all, is it better to eat my MFP goal or my BMR?

photo_kyla

[Taps microphone] Hello? Anyone out there?

hewhoiscd

Some of this you probably already know, but just to make sure we are on the same page:

Your BMR is how much you would burn if you just stayed in bed all day; based on your height, gender, current weight, and age.

Your BMR plus how many calories you burn through activity on any given day is your maintenance calories to remain at your current weight.

The BMR calculators are estimates. As are, in reality, any calorie burn calculations we do for our activities. They should be used as starting points and then adjusted based on results.

IMO, unless a doctor that knows what they are talking about says other wise, you should have at least 1200 NET calories per day. *Especially* on the days you work out.

Question for you before I go any further: With an MFP goal of 1200 NET cals, how many pounds per week does it estimate you should be losing?

DirtbikeGal

Hey, I was given a more accurate formula to calculate BMR. You first have to determine your lean body mass and body fat % (I use calipers bought from GNC $20). Once you know you LBM in lbs you have to convert it to kg (online converters). Here is the formula:
370 + (21.6 x LBM(in kg)) = BMR

Then you take BMR and mutiply by:
1.2 = Sedentary (Little or no exercise + desk job)
1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active (Little daily activity & light exercise 1-3 days a week)
1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active (Moderately active daily life & Moderate exercise 3-5 days a week)
1.7-1.8 = Very Active (Physically demanding lifestyle & Hard exercise or sports 6-7 days a week)
1.9-2.0 = Extremely Active (Hard daily exercise or sports and physical job)"

Here is mine as an example:
Ok, so here is my info. 126.72lbs of LBM = 57.4792kg

BRM=370+21.6x57.4792 = 1611 x 1.55=2497.90

Then reduce by 15%-20% if you would like to lean out.
So I eat 1997 per day I work out 5-6 days per week P90X Insanity hybrid. Also, Ive been told to eat 1g-1.25g of protein for every pound of LBM.

Hope this helps:)

photo_kyla

Eating a net of 1200 calories, my weight loss is supposed to be about 1.5 lbs/week. I'd *like* to be losing more, since I still have 30-50 lbs to go, but MFP limits it at 1200. In reality I fight tooth and nail to lose about a pound a week and gain it back within days if I make a misstep.

For example: I was stuck at 180 for 2 months. I finally got below it, and we had a bad round of winter weather that closed the gym for a week and restricted activity. When they reopened I had gained back to 185 - in 5 days. I have been working by butt off for the 3 weeks since and finally managed to get under 180 again today.

If I can't exercise and try to stick to the 1200 calories, I'm INCREDIBLY hungry at the end of the day. If I eat 1600-1800 calories (with exercise) I feel pretty normal. If I try to eat over 2000 (some of my hard exercise days I easily burn over 1000 calories), which still doesn't reach the 1200 calories net, I'm uncomfortably stuffed.

hewhoiscd

Only suggestion I can give you is to change what you eat. No refined sugars, make as many of your carbs complex as possible and limit the simple carbs as much as possible. No refined flours, make it all multi-grain or wheat. Just a couple suggestions

DirtbikeGal

What type of work outs do you do? You have to continually change things up as your body is very adaptive. Are you doing any weights? If not you definetely should as muscle mass is a huge part of your metabolism. Do you take measurements? Dont get so hung up on the scale....it plays tricks with your mind. For instance...I do P90X/Insanity hybrid I was so frustrated not losing much in the 1st 30 days only like 4.5lbs. BUT .... I measured my body fat and found that I lost 6.222lbs of actual fat, and gained 1.72lbs of lean muscle...so yeah, the scale didnt move a ton. But infact I made good progress, and only stressed myself out for nothing.

good luck:)!