Do I eat my BMR or below it?

Alexstrasza

I am getting frustrated because according to my scale I gained weight. Do I eat my BMR or do I eat below it in order to lose weight?

deksgrl

BMR means Basal Metabolic Rate. This is the amount of calories just to keep your organs functioning if you laid in bed all day. You need that amount of calories to live, plus more calories to fuel any activity like getting out of bed and walking around and going to your desk job. TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure. The amount you need to fuel you based on how active you are. Also called "Maintenance", the amount you need to stay the same weight and not gain or lose. Eat less than that number, but more than BMR.

fxst78

BMR means Basal Metabolic Rate. This is the amount of calories just to keep your organs functioning if you laid in bed all day. You need that amount of calories to live, plus more calories to fuel any activity like getting out of bed and walking around and going to your desk job. TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure. The amount you need to fuel you based on how active you are. Also called "Maintenance", the amount you need to stay the same weight and not gain or lose. Eat less than that number, but more than BMR.

^^^^For The Win^^^^

sexforjaffacakes

eat what mfp tells you too.

Also you can eat below your BMR if you're overweight, but you dont need to to lose weight, just need to eat below maintenance

lilyjay_

Erm... how do you know what your BMR & TDEE are? :S

deksgrl

I think MFP should have this information in the tools because it is very confusing for people and they go around thinking BMR means TDEE. And then they choose "I want to lose 2 pounds a week" and they end up eating below their real BMR.

Stacyanne324

I eat my BMR right now but I just started the Spike diet so that is part of my plan. I'll have one day a week where I eat twice BMR and the rest stay between 1200 and BMR (and not eat exercise calories back). I almost never stay at 1200 though...ok, I never do.

JeSuisPrest

Eat at it, or slightly above.

deksgrl

eat what mfp tells you too.

Also you can eat below your BMR if you're overweight, but you dont need to to lose weight, just need to eat below maintenance

MFP set me to 1200 calories because I told it I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week. That was not enough because my REAL BMR is about 1400, the amount for my body to function properly without moving out of bed even. It is really distressing to me that people don't have all the information they need when setting up their goals to make informed choices unless they do some more research. Initially I did lose some weight eating 1200, but then it stopped.

Erm... how do you know what your BMR & TDEE are? :S

Google BMR and TDEE calculators. There are a lot of them out there.

Alexstrasza

My BMR is like 1900, how is it that I should eat more than that? That already seems like a lot.

I'm just so frustrated.

deksgrl

My BMR is like 1900, how is it that I should eat more than that? That already seems like a lot.

I'm just so frustrated.

Please go to Google and use a BMR calculator NOT on this site. Then look up TDEE calculator. I explained in the post above what BMR and TDEE means. This website uses the terms interchangeably and that is where a lot of people have trouble.

Alexstrasza

My BMR is like 1900, how is it that I should eat more than that? That already seems like a lot.

I'm just so frustrated.

Please go to Google and use a BMR calculator NOT on this site. Then look up TDEE calculator. I explained in the post above what BMR and TDEE means. This website uses the terms interchangeably and that is where a lot of people have trouble.

So if I want to lose fat but gain lean muscle would I eat just below my TDEE?

deksgrl

For safe weight loss you should eat 20% less than TDEE.

So if your TDEE is 2500, then you would want to eat 20 % which = 500 calories less than that.

Tweety1983

Im just as confussed!!!!

sexforjaffacakes

eat what mfp tells you to.

Also you can eat below your BMR if you're overweight, but you dont need to to lose weight, just need to eat below maintenance

MFP set me to 1200 calories because I told it I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week. That was not enough because my REAL BMR is about 1400, the amount for my body to function properly without moving out of bed even. It is really distressing to me that people don't have all the information they need when setting up their goals to make informed choices unless they do some more research. Initially I did lose some weight eating 1200, but then it stopped.

You can eat below your BMR! You're not going to die eating below your BMR, your body makes up the calories by burning fat for fuel, just as it does for other activities. The whole point is to create a deficit, and that is one way to do that. When i weighed over 200 lb, it was perfectly safe for me to aim for 2lb a week loss, if I'd only eaten at my BMR I would have lost less than 1lb a week...

ladyraven68

Erm... how do you know what your BMR & TDEE are? :S

Try this

Have a look at the spreadsheet posted yesterday - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/491087-my-gift-excel-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-cut-build-and-ma

deksgrl

Then you will hear around here the debate about "should I eat my exercise calories back".

If you use MFP settings, then YES because MFP calculates you for the calorie deficit so that you will lose weight without exercising. You will end up with too large of a calorie deficit than is healthy if you don't eat them back.

If you do your own calculations and eat 20% less than TDEE, then NO if you do moderate exercise, but perhaps eat back some on heavy exercise days.

Your body needs fuel in order to not lose muscle mass.

deksgrl

You can eat below your BMR! You're not going to die eating below your BMR, your body makes up the calories by burning fat for fuel, just as it does for other activities. The whole point is to create a deficit, and that is one way to do that. When i weighed over 200 lb, it was perfectly safe for me to aim for 2lb a week loss, if I'd only eaten at my BMR I would have lost less than 1lb a week...

BMR is the amount they feed you in a coma, through a tube. You shouldn't eat less than this unless directed by a doctor.

If I only eat BMR or below, AND I exercise, then I am going to be burning up my lean body mass.

My weight loss stopped when I was eating 200 calories below my BMR.

My point here is for people to do the research and really understand this. People go around talking about BMR and TDEE interchangeably and there is a crucial difference. Not understanding it can be harmful to your health.

ladyraven68

Then you will hear around here the debate about "should I eat my exercise calories back".

If you use MFP settings, then YES because MFP calculates you for the calorie deficit so that you will lose weight without exercising. You will end up with too large of a calorie deficit than is healthy if you don't eat them back.

If you do your own calculations and eat 20% less than TDEE, then NO if you do moderate exercise, but perhaps eat back some on heavy exercise days.

Your body needs fuel in order to not lose muscle mass.

My BMR is around 1500, MFP was setting me at 1200 just to lose a lb, (I am short).

Waaaay too low.

So I have switched to eating between BMR and TDEE, only just started so won't know results for a bit.
I epect a gain the first week as my body gets used to the extra, but at least I won't feel lightheaded anymore.

Lauracork2005

OK so when I'm tracking my daily intake on here how do i change my 'limit' from 1200 to what it should be. I dont want it to read as a deficit every day/

P.S Hello, I'm Laura from London and I've recently signed up.

squishycow7

Then you will hear around here the debate about "should I eat my exercise calories back".

If you use MFP settings, then YES because MFP calculates you for the calorie deficit so that you will lose weight without exercising. You will end up with too large of a calorie deficit than is healthy if you don't eat them back.

If you do your own calculations and eat 20% less than TDEE, then NO if you do moderate exercise, but perhaps eat back some on heavy exercise days.

Your body needs fuel in order to not lose muscle mass.

ahhh thank you. this is what I've been trying to find an answer for - it's what I THOUGHT but I just wanted someone else to say it

ladyraven68

OK so when I'm tracking my daily intake on here how do i change my 'limit' from 1200 to what it should be. I dont want it to read as a deficit every day/

P.S Hello, I'm Laura from London and I've recently signed up.

Settings
Goals
Change Goals (at the bottom)

ottersln

I goggled TBEE and BMR and came up with 1475 calories per day to lose 2 pounds a week. Around 1949 to lose 1 pound a week. Using the BMR on MFP I came up with 1362 per day. A big enough difference but not as big as I thought it might be after reading comments here. My issue is I have a hard time eating that much HEALTHY food! Veggies do not have a lot of calories and I'm trying to watch my carbohydrates. I want the excess weight off ASAP so I am shooting for the 2 pounds a week. How will I ever eat 2549 healthy calories to maintain???? That is a lot of food if we are eating fresh, natural, no processed foods...

Alexstrasza

Thanks for the information. I'm looking up the information now.

Lauracork2005

OK so when I'm tracking my daily intake on here how do i change my 'limit' from 1200 to what it should be. I dont want it to read as a deficit every day/

P.S Hello, I'm Laura from London and I've recently signed up.

Settings
Goals
Change Goals (at the bottom)

Thank you!

deksgrl

I goggled TBEE and BMR and came up with 1475 calories per day to lose 2 pounds a week. Around 1949 to lose 1 pound a week. Using the BMR on MFP I came up with 1362 per day. A big enough difference but not as big as I thought it might be after reading comments here. My issue is I have a hard time eating that much HEALTHY food! Veggies do not have a lot of calories and I'm trying to watch my carbohydrates. I want the excess weight off ASAP so I am shooting for the 2 pounds a week. How will I ever eat 2549 healthy calories to maintain???? That is a lot of food if we are eating fresh, natural, no processed foods...

Look up the raw number, what is your BMR and what is your TDEE, not figuring out what the numbers should be to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week.

Your BMR is the amount of calories they would feed you in a coma just to keep you breathing, heart pumping, organs working.

If 2549 is your TDEE, that is your maintenance right now. As you lose weight, that number will be less at your goal weight.

3shirts

The problem is that any calculator can only estimate these numbers based on things like hight and weight. If you want an accurate number you need a proper body stat analysis with calipers etc. Ask your doctor or google for a local place that will do this. I had mine done and it turned out my real BMR was lower than MFP thought by 200+ calories.

deksgrl

Yes, as is the estimate of calories burned through exercise. It is just that, an estimate. There is some trial and error in this, unless you go the extra mile to do what you can to get more accurate numbers.

It just bothers me to see so many people off track because of lack of understanding of these principles and misuse of terms adding to the confusion.

3shirts

A decent HRM strap can help on the exercise front too. Again, I found out mine estimates were way out after buying a polar HRM with chest strap (only cost £35 and well worth it for the useful info)