If I'm not supposed to eat below my BMR...

Alexstrasza
Alexstrasza Posts: 619 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Why does MFP tell me that in order to lose weight I should eat below it? When I do the guided setup it puts me at a set of calories that is below my BMR.
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Replies

  • Alexstrasza
    Alexstrasza Posts: 619 Member
    Shameless self bump....
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    It's a calculator. It calculates your energy expenditure, and then if you say you want to lose a pound a week, it subtracts 500. If you say 2 pounds a week, it subtracts 1000. It's a simple tool.
  • Alexstrasza
    Alexstrasza Posts: 619 Member
    It's a calculator. It calculates your energy expenditure, and then if you say you want to lose a pound a week, it subtracts 500. If you say 2 pounds a week, it subtracts 1000. It's a simple tool.

    Yes, but what I don't understand is that people say never eat below your BMR.....but then MFP tells you to eat below it.....

    So do you, or don't you?
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    I net at least my BMR.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    I'm waiting to read these answers. Should be good ones.
  • angng
    angng Posts: 137 Member
    I don't really get it either. Should I eat above my BMR? Isn't that why people are overweight? How much above is bad?

    My BMR is only like 1250 anyway. I'm a shawty.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    It's a calculator. It calculates your energy expenditure, and then if you say you want to lose a pound a week, it subtracts 500. If you say 2 pounds a week, it subtracts 1000. It's a simple tool.

    Yes, but what I don't understand is that people say never eat below your BMR.....but then MFP tells you to eat below it.....

    So do you, or don't you?
    This is what I'm telling you... MFP does not tell you to eat below your BMR. It tells you how much you would need to eat to lose at the rate you entered. It's not saying "This is healthy for you personally." It's only doing a simple calculation based on information you gave it.

    It's the same as if you took out your pocket calculator and entered 2000 - 500 and then claimed your calculator told you to eat 1500.
  • angng
    angng Posts: 137 Member
    I don't really get it either. Should I eat above my BMR? Isn't that why people are overweight? How much above is bad?

    My BMR is only like 1250 anyway. I'm a shawty.

    Oh crap, my BMR is only 1162. So it already has me eating above mine.
  • DarlingThief
    DarlingThief Posts: 78 Member
    BMR calores are as if you did absolutely nothing all day. That's usually never the case. I believe that New Rules of Lifting for Women says BMR X1.6=calorie intake for NON-workout days & BMRx1.8=Calorie intake for workout days.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    change your goal to lose 1 lb a week then you're calories will go up. If you don't have a lot of weight to lose you don't really need to set it to lose 2 lbs a week.
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
    bump
  • DB_1106
    DB_1106 Posts: 154 Member
    It's all very confusing, if you ask me. I am still educating myself on BMR / TDEE and the effects on weight loss.

    There are so many factors involved with calculating your BMR and TDEE. The best way is through trial and error, upping and loweing calories to see what works for a weight loss. These BMR TDEE calculators can only ESTIMATE for you. Personally, I am sticking to MFP recommendations. I would rather be in a caloric deficit and know it. I am still old school and believe that weight loss comes from burning more calories than you take in regardless if you are below you BMR or not.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    There are a lot of people here who seem to think BMR is the end all be all answer for everyone. It's not. My BMR is 2767, tried that method for a couple of months and after gaining 15 pounds decided it was wrong. I'm now on a doctor supervised diet 1200 calories, high protein, low carb, not allowed to eat back the exercise calories and low and behold I'm down 27 pounds in 4 months. BMR may be a good number to follow for those people already in good shape and in the prime of their life but if you are not the ideal or have any other health issues BMR doesn't take them into account. Find out what works for your body and do that.
    If you gained weight eating that amount, it's not your actual BMR.
  • DarlingThief
    DarlingThief Posts: 78 Member
    There are a lot of people here who seem to think BMR is the end all be all answer for everyone. It's not. My BMR is 2767, tried that method for a couple of months and after gaining 15 pounds decided it was wrong. I'm now on a doctor supervised diet 1200 calories, high protein, low carb, not allowed to eat back the exercise calories and low and behold I'm down 27 pounds in 4 months. BMR may be a good number to follow for those people already in good shape and in the prime of their life but if you are not the ideal or have any other health issues BMR doesn't take them into account. Find out what works for your body and do that.
    If you gained weight eating that amount, it's not your actual BMR.
    Adding:
    To calculate RMR (Resting Metabolic rate [not sure if there's a differnce...]):
    -Take your weight (if you're in lbs) and divide by 2.2 to get kilograms.
    -795+(7.18 x body weight in kilograms)=RMR
  • douglasmobbs
    douglasmobbs Posts: 563 Member
    The most important thing is to make sure you get enough nutrition. Getting the right amount of protein, fat, fiber etc in your diet along with all the vitamins and minerals.

    I do not think there is a one size fits all solution. For those who are morbidly obese there is no way they need to be eating up at around the 3000 calorie mark to be healthy, even if this still gives a weight loss. When people are nearing an ideal weight BMR is a good minimum figure.
  • WingMan380
    WingMan380 Posts: 2,139 Member
    To maintain your weight you need to eat your BMR. If you are looking to lose weight then you need to eat at least 500 under your daily BMR. Hope this makes sense.

    Many people get confused on this
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    To maintain your weight you need to eat your BMR. If you are looking to lose weight then you need to eat at least 500 under your daily BMR. Hope this makes sense.

    Many people get confused on this
    Nope. BMR is the amount you burn doing absolutely nothing - the amount it takes just to run your internal organs and such. What you're thinking of is TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Why does MFP tell me that in order to lose weight I should eat below it? When I do the guided setup it puts me at a set of calories that is below my BMR.
    If your BMR Is low, if you don't need to lose a lot of weight, if you want to lose it quickly, the math will put you below your BMR. MFP won't "forbid" you from doing that. It's just not a good idea.
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    To maintain your weight you need to eat your BMR. If you are looking to lose weight then you need to eat at least 500 under your daily BMR. Hope this makes sense.

    Many people get confused on this
    to maintain your weight?? Yeah, if you're in a coma...
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    To maintain your weight you need to eat your BMR. If you are looking to lose weight then you need to eat at least 500 under your daily BMR. Hope this makes sense.

    Many people get confused on this
    No!
    Here are my numbers:

    315hma1.jpg

    Note the difference between BMR and "calories to maintain"

    FROM: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • cbh142
    cbh142 Posts: 270 Member
    From what I understand your BMR is what you burn even if you were in a coma. Eating below your BMR is not a good idea.
  • angng
    angng Posts: 137 Member
    This was helpful to me: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    Can someone please answer this: Should I never net under BMR? I mean if I eat my BMR calories around 1600 and then burn 600, do I need to eat all of my exercise calorie back? Or if I eat 1800 (200 above BMR) and burn 600, should I only eat back 400 exercise calories? I am asking because I have not netted below my BMR for 8 weeks now and have only lost 2 pounds. I usually eat my exercise calories and gauge my burn with a HRM.

    Thanks!

    Edited to say 2lbs...lost 2lbs..I typed 8 lost by accident and that would be fantastic!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    This was helpful to me: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    Me too.
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    If you don't have alot to lose, you ARE going to have to eat below your BMR if you want to lose at any seeable (.5 lbs a week or 1 lb a week) weight. It's just the way the math works. However, don't be trying to lose at too quickly of a rate for your weight (ie: 2 lbs a week if you only have 15 lbs to lose is too quickly).

    Just don't go way below your BMR, ignore the fear mongers (starvation mode is largely a myth), and you will be fine. :flowerforyou:
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    To maintain your weight you need to eat your BMR. If you are looking to lose weight then you need to eat at least 500 under your daily BMR. Hope this makes sense.

    Many people get confused on this

    Close, but not correct.

    Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is your maintenance calories. This is your BMR times a multiplier (1.2 for sedentary lifestyle, for example). This is where you want to get your cut from.
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    Can someone please answer this: Should I never net under BMR? I mean if I eat my BMR calories around 1600 and then burn 600, do I need to eat all of my exercise calorie back? Or if I eat 1800 (200 above BMR) and burn 600, should I only eat back 400 exercise calories? I am asking because I have not netted below my BMR for 8 weeks now and have only lost 8 pounds. I usually eat my exercise calories and gauge my burn with a HRM.

    Thanks!

    It is ok to eat under your BMR, as long as you aren't WAY below. It is more common when you don't have alot to lose. However, when you don't have alot to lose you shouldn't be trying to lose at 2 lbs a week either.

    If you are accurately calculating your cals burned with a HRM, then yes you should eat them if you are close to your BMR. However, please note that your cut should be off your TDEE, not your BMR. You can create your cut with exercise, eating or both. So if your goal is 1800, you eat 1600 cals and exercise 200 off and don't eat them back, your cut is 400. (If you aren't eating them back they just add to your cut.)

    8 lbs in 8 weeks is a good rate, 1-2 lbs a week is healthy and from your discussion I assume you don't have awhole lot to lose.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
    It's BASIC MATH people.

    I really wish this was true. In my 20's it was. Now not so much!! However, I will find my magic number:)
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    It's BASIC MATH people.

    I really wish this was true. In my 20's it was. Now not so much!! However, I will find my magic number:)

    Your BMR is your BMR. Yes, it slows down as you age, just like it slows down as you lose weight. But this is because you are burning less (and therefore NEEDING less). AGE IS NOT AN EXCUSE.

    It requires a 500 cal cut to lose 1 lb a week, whether you are 20 or 80 years old, 500 lbs or 150 lbs. PERIOD.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    It's BASIC MATH people.

    I really wish this was true. In my 20's it was. Now not so much!! However, I will find my magic number:)
    I whole heartedly agree. As someone in my late forties, in menopause, it IS HARDER.

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