MFP warning about eating under BMR

ironanimal

The site DOES warn!! If you complete your food diary and have consumed too few calories, there's a warning!

But that warning is a set standard and completely non-appropriate as most people need that very warning WAY before they net under 1200.

CoderGal

The site DOES warn!! If you complete your food diary and have consumed too few calories, there's a warning!

only for less then 1200. For a lot of people, thats very very little.

ANewLucia

I absolutely agree...I found out the hard way...that is why I did my own research on BMR, TDEE and started a "Eat More to Weigh Less" group...it isn't healthy to eat below BMR....

tanniewannie

My BMR is 1510.6. So what does that mean??? Do I eat 1510 cals per day to stay at this weight?? Or do I eat that to loose. I'm lost. help!!

That's the thing, it's complicated. And everything's based on averaged calculations, which makes for a good hopeful educated guess (which by my books is fine). You can find TDEE calculators online. They usually tell you which calculation they're using, and give you an estimate on how many calories you burn a day. I ended up using sedentary (office job) and eat back my exercise calories.

Google TDEE. Personally, I eat at maintenance and loose weight.

Here's an example of a calculator:
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

If you don't have any health problems or taking medications that make you magically gain weight, you should loose weight using this (I'm loosing about a pound a week)

thank you so much I will look into it for sure!!

krystle_swope

Thanks for that link!!!

CoderGal

Thanks for that link!!!

No problem, there's all kinds and a lot of them give varying answers. This is why I decided to eat at 'maintenance' to loose weight.

Edit: It just occurred to me that you might have been talking to Jennie :P On the link now. What a nice little Link! Thanks Jennie :P

CoderGal

See this thread for some frightening truths on people under eating on this site:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/555093-what-is-everyones-daily-calorie-goal
A quote from the above thread:

What in the world.... why are so many people eating below their BMR?

If you're exercing and, you know, living, you really REALLY need to be eating more than your BMR.

BMR = The calories your body needs to survive just lying there doing absolutely nothing.

Probably because MFP lets them and doesn't warn or anything... It really should calculate out BMR and issue an informative warning, if nothing else, for when people are shooting so high as to eat below their it.

I'm giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, here... I *hope* nobody would knowingly, purposely, strive to net below their BMR...

NinjaChickie

I've gotten a message a couple of times when I've submit my daily log that it was an unhealthy amount and my body would find it tough to continue at that level for very long. I'm not sure what the criteria are for that message to pop up though, I've tried submitting early a few times to see if I can trigger it. Definitely if your gross cals is under 1200, but only sometimes if your net is under 1200.

bzmommy34

bump

BaconMD

See this thread for some frightening truths on people under eating on this site:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/555093-what-is-everyones-daily-calorie-goal
A quote from the above thread:

What in the world.... why are so many people eating below their BMR?

If you're exercing and, you know, living, you really REALLY need to be eating more than your BMR.

BMR = The calories your body needs to survive just lying there doing absolutely nothing.

Probably because MFP lets them and doesn't warn or anything... It really should calculate out BMR and issue an informative warning, if nothing else, for when people are shooting so high as to eat below their it.

I'm giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, here... I *hope* nobody would knowingly, purposely, strive to net below their BMR...

I am fully in support of this. Obviously, since you just quoted me saying it was a good idea.

MFP takes off 500 cals per day if you want to lose 1lb per week, and 1000 if you choose 2lbs (which many people do despite having a rather small amount of weight to lose). Sometimes the 500 calorie deficit will put you below BMR, and often the 1000 will.

nannabannana

bump for later tks

secretiive

BUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!

aj_31

bump

Fit_Canuck

The danger with MFP I've found so far is that it attract people like myself who aren't quite knowledgeable about eating habits and caloric needs/intake and follow the recommended settings. In my case my BMR according to the site was roughly 1750calories per day and with a deficit it was putting me around 1500 calories a day!

After professional testing I found out my true BMR is 2299! A far cry from the basics this site provides and I was grossly under-eating. The site uses basic values to determine your rough BMR but without knowing your true fat % and lean body mass it's just that, an estimate. The fact that the site is recommending that you eat below your BMR is plain wrong and if you ask any dietitian who is versed in the field they will confirm it's completely wrong and unhealthy.

I use the site to track my calories from food and my macro-nutrients. Also I have made wonderful friends who guide and motivate me but that's all I use this site for, I don't follow the recommendations for calorie intake as I know for a fact they are totally false in my case.

I don't use WebMD to diagnose a mole on my back and in turn I don't use MFP to determine healthy eating habits, I use it as a tracking and collaboration tool only.

obsidianwings

The low 1200 numbers are given to people who choose "Sedentary" and "Lose two pounds a week." Almost no one is Sedentary. And unless they have 50 or more pounds to lose, they shouldn't be set at two pounds. The site will prompt you to choose more reasonably, but people override the tool.

Not necessarily, I am on 1200, my settings are lightly active, lose 1 pound a week, and I didn't have to override any warnings.
This makes me feel much better about the really naughty long weekend I just had though LOL

mrs_zilla

If I follow any BMR calculator I get something like this

There are a few different methods to calculating yourbasal metabolic rate (BMR). One of the most popular, developed in the early 1900's is called the Harris-Benedict formula. Based on this formula, your current BMR is 1221 calories.

Now what? What do you people recommend me to lose just that tiny little bit of weight that I've gained last year?
Yes, I am short.

ironanimal

If I follow any BMR calculator I get something like this

There are a few different methods to calculating yourbasal metabolic rate (BMR). One of the most popular, developed in the early 1900's is called the Harris-Benedict formula. Based on this formula, your current BMR is 1221 calories.

Now what? What do you people recommend me to lose just that tiny little bit of weight that I've gained last year?
Yes, I am short.

And your TDEE? You need that number too.

mrs_zilla

TDDE 1465. Exciting. I need to jump to "Heavy exercise" to be able to spend 2000kcal a day.

ironanimal

TDDE 1465. Exciting. I need to jump to "Heavy exercise" to be able to spend 2000kcal a day.

Eating anything below 1465 will give you weightloss. Which is good news

Microfiber_wechange

are eating 1200 calories because this is what they think is right because this site tells them to do it despite the fact it's well under their BMR.

It's what I thought was right until I was put straight by some nice peeps on 'ere