Eating to few calories and ? about exercise calories

treetop57

So my question is that if this eating below your "BMR is bad" is so apparent to all on MFP, then why does MFP continue to give you a daily allotment below that number?? I read somewhere on these threads someone said that the BMR is a constant.

Not following you exactly. People (and websites) use equations to estimate BMR. These equations use the person's weight, age, height, and gender. Presumably, these equations are developed by measuring the actual BMR for a group of people and finding the function of weight, age, height, and gender that puts the estimated BMR closest to the actual measured BMR (multi-variable least squares, I would guess). But for a given person, the actual BMR is probably different from the estimated BMR from the equations, with probably a greater difference the further a given person is away from "average" in terms of weight, height, or body fat percentage.

So I have no idea why someone would say "BMR is constant." For a given person, the estimated and actual BMR will both change if the person loses weight. Even at the same weight, the actual BMR will change if the person changes body composition (body fat percentage), even though the standard equations will not change the estimated BMR. And the estimated BMR will change every year on your birthday, even though your actual BMR doesn't know the day before your birthday from the day after. (My understanding is that the age factor in the standard BMR equations are designed to account for the fact that on average, people lose muscle and gain fat as they age. So age is in the BMR equations as a sort of indirect accounting for body composition.)

heybales

So my question is that if this eating below your "BMR is bad" is so apparent to all on MFP, then why does MFP continue to give you a daily allotment below that number?? I read somewhere on these threads someone said that the BMR is a constant. Well, the fat2fit calculators won't allow me to go the whole distance to my goals because it says my calories is below BMR but to set a higher goal and recalc it when I get there - implying (what we already know) the BMR will be lower when bodyweight is also lower thus allowing a new daily input to achieve the end goal.

My nefarious answer.

MFP knows that when you first drop daily eating by a big amount, even below BMR, you are likely to create a great deficit for a while before the metabolism drops.

You'll have perhaps a couple weeks or longer depending on how bad the drop below. Losing great weight potentially.
You are enthralled with this great program, look at the weight drop.

It stalls, you check out why, you get advice, you keep going.

How does MFP benefit? Subscribers. Which means ad sales, which is how money is made. Besides how much of our statistical stuff is sold too I wonder.

MFP knows slow and steady is NOT the initial desire. Look how many women select 2lb weekly when that is not a realistic amount, combined with selecting Sedentary.

So give the folks what they want to get the sub's over other sites, and once hooked, when problems arise, they'll stick around.

Shoot, don't have to be here long to see the credit for exercise is not explained very well at all, the whole principle for what is attempting to be done is confusing to many people. Instead of trying to make that clear, just give warnings if really bad, but otherwise, we'll assume users are underestimating calories eaten and over-estimating calories burned, so it'll equal out when they don't eat it back.

It would be very simple to not allow the goal to be set below the BMR. But they don't even really show people potential weight loss when they stop at 1200. You have to go to Goal page to discover "that's not 2lbs weekly", because the math doesn't allow it.

huntindawg1962

well you did define the nefarious intent

heybales

well you did define the nefarious intent

Ohhh, I actually forgot the more nefarious part of it.

The ads are for other diet products usually it seems. And who is more willing to buy, someone that was having success and now it stopped?
Or someone who is doing just fine?

hml86

Listen to fat2fitradio.com try avocados, olive oil, cheese, and bananas, oh and almond butter or peanut butter.

Thanks...:I'll try them!!

hml86

Thank you everyone for your input!! Each of your replies were wry helpful!! I will try my beat to eat more calories to keep my body fueled and be able to function!!

hml86

Every physical body is different listen to yours...What works for someone may not work for you and vice a versa. If you plan to be in the "red" often make sure you factor in a high calorie day here and there just to keep your metabolism interested. Again that has worked for me in the past I won't promise it will work for anyone else.

So far it seems to be working for me...& I do include a few higher calorie days here and there! Maybe that's what's helping me!! So true everyone is different and lose differently!! Thanks!

sophearvyphe

if your calorie intake dips too low, says Lummus, your body could go into starvation mode. "Your body will start to store fat because it thinks it is not going to get anything," says Lummus. "You will be at a point where your body is kind of at a standstill."

Lummus says that when your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism slows to a crawl, burning calories as slowly as possible to conserve its energy stores. This is why people who cut their calories too much may reach a plateau and stop losing weight.

Eating too few calories can be the start of a vicious cycle that causes diet distress. When you cut your calories so low that your metabolism slows and you stop losing weight, you probably will become frustrated that your efforts are not paying off. This can lead you to overeat and ultimately gain weight.