BMR Confusion

Barkley87

I just used the tool on here to calculate my BMR, which came to 1295. My calories are set at 1200, but I tend to burn around 300 - 550 a day through exercise, all of which I eat back. I therefore have hardly any deficit calories. Does this mean I won't lose weight / it'll be harder for me to lose weight? Should I be eating back all of my exercise calories or not?

yarwell

I just used the tool on here to calculate my BMR, which came to 1295. My calories are set at 1200, but I tend to burn around 300 - 550 a day through exercise, all of which I eat back. I therefore have hardly any deficit calories. Does this mean I won't lose weight / it'll be harder for me to lose weight? Should I be eating back all of my exercise calories or not?

Without your exercise your sedentary energy use would be 1295 * 1.2 = 1554. So the 1200 gives you a deficit of 354 from that, which is over 1/2 lb per week, without exercise. I guess you aimed for more than that but it has a 1200 minimum.

If you eat back all of your exercise calories, and they are estimated accurately, then you should lose weight at a modest rate.

If you want to perk it up eat maybe half of them instead.

Currently you're using 1554 + (300 - 550 of exercise) = 1854 - 2104 calories used. If you eat 1200 + 1/2 of exercise you'll eat 1350 - 1475 which will give you a deficit of 500 for 1 lb/week.

Barkley87

Thank you, that's great! I'll give that a try.