MFP warning about eating under BMR

Rowell29s

Never mind I found it. It says my TDEE is 2261 and my BMR is 1459. How many calories should I be eating?
I have felt like I was eating way to few of calories at 1200 but thought this site would know better than me.

StephySands

I checked out the website that Jennie posted and I am TOTALLY SHOCKED!!! This explains why I had such a long plateau :noway:

CoderGal

Here is my issue. I have good days and bad days. So if I eat really healthy all day and only get around 1200 calories and then I eat more like 2000 the next day wouldn't it all average out? No one can take in the exact same amount of calories everyday unless they at the same things everyday. Maybe setting the goal at 1200 isn't a bad thing because you will have days where you eat more.

I disagree. Plus, there's probably a reason why your body is giving you those 'bad days'. First off I would have to over eat weekly by about 1000 calorie every few days for that to work out for me. Not healthy. I can still have my bad days and eat over what I have set and still manage to loose weight every week. I've been lying in bed the past 2 weeks with strep throat eating at least 500 calories above 1200 each day and I've been loosing weight. 1200 is dangerously low for some people and hundreds of calories below the amount some would need in a coma.

Lisseth03

wow good thing I read this, MFP has me eating 1380 but I just checked and my BMR is 1565
So I should be eating at least 1500 calories?
I can adjust my intake on this site right?

CoderGal

Never mind I found it. It says my TDEE is 2261 and my BMR is 1459. How many calories should I be eating?
I have felt like I was eating way to few of calories at 1200 but thought this site would know better than me.

Somewhere between or at the top of those 2 numbers. Don't go below your BMR.

CoderGal

wow good thing I read this, MFP has me eating 1380 but I just checked and my BMR is 1565
So I should be eating at least 1500 calories?
I can adjust my intake on this site right?

You should be eating at or below your TDEE, which is above your BMR, and above 1565. See the link JennieAL posted on the first page.

CoderGal

JUST TO CLARIFY again...BMR is suppose to be the average amount of calories your body and organs burn at rest, lying down, not moving, for the full day. So if you didn't need to sit up, use the bathroom, look around, your body would appreciate that amount to live. If you sit up, move, eat, look, live, sneeze, work outside of your bed lying down, move around more then you would in a coma or use the bathroom on a regular basis, your body burns and appreciates calories that are over your BMR. I suggest eating somewhere OVER your BMR and AT or below your TDEE (the guestimates can be over sometimes, which is why I say AT).

Personally (and this isn't everyone I suppose) my goal is AT TDEE and I manage to loose a pound a week.

Why eat less when you can stuff more nutrition into you and loose weight? It's a win win loose situation!

Lisseth03

TDEE is said to be 2138

that seems like a lot of calories.

I read to subtract 15-20% so if I do 20 that has me eating around 1710.
so that's what I should aim for?

ironanimal

TDEE is said to be 2138

that seems like a lot of calories.

I read to subtract 15-20% so if I do 20 that has me eating around 1710.
so that's what I should aim for?

Correct Your TDEE (2138) would be maintenance, so anything under that and you will lose weight.

CoderGal

TDEE is said to be 2138

that seems like a lot of calories.

I read to subtract 15-20% so if I do 20 that has me eating around 1710.
so that's what I should aim for?

Correct Your TDEE (2138) would be maintenance, so anything under that and you will lose weight.

Not a whole lot, most nutritional information I've read is based on a 2000 calorie diet. So you're still eating below what most nutritional information assumes your eating. But eat anything below that and above your BMR and you will loose. Yesterday I ate 2400 calories and woke up a pound lighter today. Believe me, all the food was worth the chance :P

lvondy

I agree. I thought this site was correct as i've been eating 1200, where can I go to find out my real Cals??

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ is a good one.

MFP uses good calculations (Mifflin St Jeor, if I'm not mistaken), it just takes out the activity factor and gives you back "exercise calories"... which can be misunderstood, misused, abused, etc.

All this info has been really helpful to me today. I've been feeling overwhelmed with all the different information. I plugged in my stats to the above site and received this information:

Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1699
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1947
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2195
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2443
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2690

If I workout for 30-45 minutes, 5 days a week should I be eating 2195 calories? I still have a few pounds and love handles I am working hard to lose but I'm pretty sure I'm not eating enough. At least that is what I am gathering from this thread. It is all so confusing!

Lisseth03

TDEE is said to be 2138

that seems like a lot of calories.

I read to subtract 15-20% so if I do 20 that has me eating around 1710.
so that's what I should aim for?

Correct Your TDEE (2138) would be maintenance, so anything under that and you will lose weight.

Not a whole lot, most nutritional information I've read is based on a 2000 calorie diet. So you're still eating below what most nutritional information assumes your eating. But eat anything below that and above your BMR and you will loose. Yesterday I ate 2400 calories and woke up a pound lighter today. Believe me, all the food was worth the chance :P

Great, thanks guys! I will adjust my calorie intake on fitpal to just over 1700

lvondy

Sorry if I sound like an idiot here, just wanting to figure this out. After reading this post I realize I have been eating under my BMR. So using the links I found out my BMR is 1431 and my TDEE is 2218 since I exercise 5-6 days a week. So I should be eating between these two to lose weight? Do I still need to log my exercise? Thanks for all the information, it has been so helpful!

stephie4111

Im still confused on it all lol. if Im 42 weigh 134 and 5 foot 3 working out 6 days a week how many should i be eating

ironanimal

Im still confused on it all lol. if Im 42 weigh 134 and 5 foot 3 working out 6 days a week how many should i be eating

Your BMR is 1347.
Your TDEE as Moderately Active (I assume you have a desk job or such as you work out so much) is 2088. Cutting 20% from this gives you a daily goal of 1767. :flowerforyou:

Using TDEE, your exercise is accounted for so it's the same number every day, regardless of exercise UNLESS it takes you under your BMR on Net Calories - so, if your Net Calories is less than 1347, eat up - you can eat a little over BMR all the way back up to 1767 - choice is yours.

stephie4111

thank you and no Im a stay at home mom who exercises doing the brazil butt lift and walking mixed in somedays

stephie4111

can i change it so it shows daily calories as 1347 cause right now it says 1540

ironanimal

can i change it so it shows daily calories as 1347 cause right now it says 1540

No, but I'll tell you how to make it say 1767 :P

Go to home, then Goals, hit Change Goals, custom, then it's the first box on the left

TeachTheGirl

I've read the thread and now I'm concerned...

BMR: 1,410.
Sedentary.
Breastfeeding too. (Adding on an additional 300-500 calories...)

What does that put me at? Because with the 1200 standard, I only just meet that requirement daily and I'm usually not hungry enough to eat more....

stephie4111

cversey thanks so now it shows 1907 left for day with exercise. I usually go to 1400 maybe 1500 a day

ElPumaMex

I think that we can find the actual TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), after a couple of months of consistent weight loss.

For example:

In my case, I had set MFP to lose 1 lb/week (sedentary, since I hardly have been exercising)

Following the calorie limit that MFP came up with to lose 1lb, I have actually been losing 2 lbs per week, since last November.
Since one pound of fat is about 3500 calories, that tells me right there that the MFP calculations are estimating my TDEE at about 500 calories less per day than actual.

So now I can tell what my real TDEE is !! I will use that information for when I reach maintenance mode.

In numbers: MFP is setting my calorie limit at 1810 calories per day, for 1 lb/week loss
Therefore MFP estimates my TDEE at : 1810+500 = 2310
Since I am losing 2 lbs/week, when eating 1810 calories, that means actual TDEE is: 1810+500+500 = 2810 calories

Once I reach maintenance mode, I expect my TDEE will be about 100 calories less than 2810 (since at lower weight I will burn less)

msmith2020

Well I recently found out about the BMR and TDEE, since I have been eating at 1700-1850 a day I stay full ALL THE TIMe I never feel like bingeing I eat roughly 5 small meals a day to eat all my calories and still somtimes down hit it. My BMR is 1592 my TDEE is 2181 (I havent started working out yet) when I do my TDEE will be 2459- but I will still hit 1850 with not eating back my workout calories (since I wont burn more than 200)

I have just surpassed a week of eat 1850 vs 1440 thta I was consuming, I "gained" liek 2 pounds on and off for a week and now all I have been doing is slowly losing .2 pounds every day or so till I am .6 away from my lowest weight. It is healthy- you feel healthy eating at it and I really hope this breaks my plateau and that I can hit another low in like 5 days!!

tmpayton

So I am a bit confused....
I went to the BMR Calculator website and they calculated my BMR as 1946. MFP lists my BMR as 1916 and I have 1410 calories to eat daily. On MFP, I listed that I plan to hit the gym 3 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each (Personal Trainer supervised), so they have me burning 910 calories a week on the exercise tab. Calculations are as follows for sedentary, lightly active and moderately active:

Sedentary 1916 x 1.2 = 2299 - 1000(2 lbs/wk) =1299 calories to consume daily
Lightly Active 1916 x 1.375 = 2635 - 1000 = 1635
Moderately Active 1916 x 1.55 = 2970 - 1000 = 1970

I cannot get to the calorie amount MFP has calculated for me. If I use the MFP site only for tracking calories and stay between 1299 & 1970, I should be in the ballpark to lose the 2 lbs a week I am hoping for (have 97 lbs to go). If I stay within that range, do/should I "eat back" my exercise calories? It seems that they are already calculated in the multiplier I used.

Does the calorie amount that MFP calculated not take into account the exercise calories and that is why so many recommend to "eat back" the exercise calories?

Thanks for any input.

obsidianwings

BMR: 1,410.
Lightly Active. (3 2-hour workouts per week, walking 60 minutes every other day...maybe I should change to moderate?)
Breastfeeding too. (Adding on an additional 300-500 calories...)

I don't think your activity level is supposed to include the exercise you do as you are logging that seperately as extra calories anyway, more your activity level based on what you do all day ie do you sit at a desk or are you a cleaner etc.

I know what you mean though I was concerned when I read this thread, as apart from the past few days thanks to the long weekend I usually log less than 1200 net, although I go over on the weekend, I am still under net for my entire week, but I looked up my BMR and its only just over 1200 anyway, phew because I don't think I could get much higher without pigging on chocolate all the time LOL.

msmith2020

wow good thing I read this, MFP has me eating 1380 but I just checked and my BMR is 1565
So I should be eating at least 1500 calories?
I can adjust my intake on this site right?

you should hit at LEAST 1565, not 1500 but yes you can change it under Home>goals>change>continue then put in the exact # you want it to calculate your daily calories.

TeachTheGirl

I don't think your activity level is supposed to include the exercise you do as you are logging that seperately as extra calories anyway, more your activity level based on what you do all day ie do you sit at a desk or are you a cleaner etc.

Thanks for clearing that up, in that case it's probably best I lower myself as I'm a SAHM with far too much time on my hands for the internet. XD

I'm still concerned that I'm not getting the right nutrition in order to lose weight. I wish it were as simple as eat less = weigh less.

Sarauk2sf

So I am a bit confused....
I went to the BMR Calculator website and they calculated my BMR as 1946. MFP lists my BMR as 1916 and I have 1410 calories to eat daily. On MFP, I listed that I plan to hit the gym 3 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each (Personal Trainer supervised), so they have me burning 910 calories a week on the exercise tab. Calculations are as follows for sedentary, lightly active and moderately active:

Sedentary 1916 x 1.2 = 2299 - 1000(2 lbs/wk) =1299 calories to consume daily
Lightly Active 1916 x 1.375 = 2635 - 1000 = 1635
Moderately Active 1916 x 1.55 = 2970 - 1000 = 1970

I cannot get to the calorie amount MFP has calculated for me. If I use the MFP site only for tracking calories and stay between 1299 & 1970, I should be in the ballpark to lose the 2 lbs a week I am hoping for (have 97 lbs to go). If I stay within that range, do/should I "eat back" my exercise calories? It seems that they are already calculated in the multiplier I used.

Does the calorie amount that MFP calculated not take into account the exercise calories and that is why so many recommend to "eat back" the exercise calories?

Thanks for any input.

You are correct in your last paragraph. The exercise you put into MFP is only for tracking - it does not get included in your target - so you need to 'eat them back' as the base number has your deficit in already.

msmith2020

So I am a bit confused....
I went to the BMR Calculator website and they calculated my BMR as 1946. MFP lists my BMR as 1916 and I have 1410 calories to eat daily. On MFP, I listed that I plan to hit the gym 3 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each (Personal Trainer supervised), so they have me burning 910 calories a week on the exercise tab. Calculations are as follows for sedentary, lightly active and moderately active:

Sedentary 1916 x 1.2 = 2299 - 1000(2 lbs/wk) =1299 calories to consume daily
Lightly Active 1916 x 1.375 = 2635 - 1000 = 1635
Moderately Active 1916 x 1.55 = 2970 - 1000 = 1970

I cannot get to the calorie amount MFP has calculated for me. If I use the MFP site only for tracking calories and stay between 1299 & 1970, I should be in the ballpark to lose the 2 lbs a week I am hoping for (have 97 lbs to go). If I stay within that range, do/should I "eat back" my exercise calories? It seems that they are already calculated in the multiplier I used.

Does the calorie amount that MFP calculated not take into account the exercise calories and that is why so many recommend to "eat back" the exercise calories?

Thanks for any input.

Your BMR is 1946 and your TDEE (if lightly active) is 2635, to lose weight you need to eat your TDEE (which calculates your activity already) -15% which means daily you need to consume 2,240, if you do not burn more than 400 calories than you do not eat back your calories for the day. If you do burn more: IE: your NET is below your BMR of 1946 then you need to eat back until your NET hits 1946.

sandown12

Ive been eating 1200-1350 a day for 11 weeks and lose 0.5lbs to 3lbs a week this week was 0 :sad: and I have been so good

If I ate 1500 calories a day I wouldnt lose weight it maybe because Im 42 have yoyoed weight on and off ?
My BMR is 1628 my TTDE is 2229 so -20% would be 1673 calories
I am quiet active have a bed & breakfast we have been refurbishing it the last 6 months I have 3 children walk everyday and Ive restarted zumba 3 times a week
Ive upped my calories this week to 1460 to see what happens.
The last 11 weeks Ive been so hungry 1200-1300 calories were awful I woke up feeling sick most days
Im now 210lbs and 5ft 2inch

Im worried if I go upto 1673 I wont lose and Im getting married in 35 weeks.........

TeachTheGirl

I've read the thread and now I'm concerned...

BMR: 1,410.
Sedentary. (TTDE 2299?)
Breastfeeding too. (Adding on an additional 300-500 calories...)

What does that put me at? Because with the 1200 standard, I only just meet that requirement daily and I'm usually not hungry enough to eat more....

I'm useless with the math part of this and my husband is insistent that just because I've lost a little weight so far, that it's fine to stay doing what I am. But I'm sure I have to change things up...