MFP has my calories lower than my BMR?

monkeygirl351
monkeygirl351 Posts: 33
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, I know that there are a lot of posts on the whole sedentary vs lightly active ect and BMR, TDEE and what not. Well, my BMR is roughly 1590. My TDEE is 2101 roughly, I went to a site called Scoobys fitness workshop to get a calorie amount of 1745 to lose to my goal weight. I have checked various sites recommended from here to get an average of all these numbers. Now on MFP if I set my activity level to Sedentary cause I have a desk job, it gives me 1200 calories which is below my BMR. My desk job is at home so I am up and down alot and do alot of home stuff every day. My morning routine consists of get up, clean three large parrot cages, feed various critters, straigten up and vacumn everyday without fail. I also take my dog for a walk every day without fail for 1.5 to 2.5 miles at approximately 2.5 to 3.0 mph. (Slow I know but he is 12 yo and loves to sniff everything lol) Now this is my normal routine before I started MFP so I really don't count this as exercise at all. The exercise that I've added to help with my goals is powerwalking on an incline on the treadmill for 60 minutes Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I burn roughly 4-600 calories sometimes more doing this. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I do weight training and pushups, crunches, ect for 30-40 minutes and then 30 minutes on the elliptical. Don't know how much lifting weights burns, but I'm sweaty when all is said and done. Saturday and Sunday are my rest days.
Now I was thinking of switching to lightly active on MFP which gives me 1330 calories and then just log my actual gym exercises. I don't want to eat too much or too little. I also have a borderline lower thyroid function. Not low enough to warrant medication yet but I don't want it to hinder me here, so Im thinking my BMR and TDEE might be a little lower anyways. I just fear eating too little and causing more havoc with my metabolism as that is probably what got me here. I would skip breakfast and lunch alot and binge on dinner and that is probably also what has hurt my metabolism. Now I eat three small meals and sometimes 1-2 snacks. Anyways, long post just want to get it right before getting too much further along. I was sidelined last week from doing any significant exercise cause of an injury, but I was starving on 1200 calories and unfortunately went over most days last week:( Now I am back on track and ready to get healthy!

Replies

  • monkeygirl351
    monkeygirl351 Posts: 33
    *bump*
  • JonathonMars
    JonathonMars Posts: 358 Member
    I just say ignore MFP, generally. I don't think there is any reason anyone needs to be hungry. If you have information that MFP might not have--like that people say you should eat above your BMR--put it to use.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    The 1200 calorie target is a result of MFPs calculation using the data you gave it. If you want a higher target put in a lower weight loss rate. If you're more active than sitting all day then don't use sedentary.

    There is no particular issue with eating above or below your BMR, especially as we don't accurately know what it is.

    MFP's calculations assume you log your gym exercise and it steps up your food accordingly.

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