Dreaded BMR Questions

siriusalien

OK, I have gotten myself massive confused! I am 46, 5'6", 204 (down from 220) I have a desk job, work out with a trainer 1 hour 2x a week and TRY to get 2 30 min cardio sessions in myself.

I have calculated my BMR as 1636. I have subscribed to several online diet/fit apps that suggest a calorie intake of anywhere between 1380(MFP) to 1535.

Since my weight loss has stalled I fear I've messed up math or just not understanding what to do with it.

Thanks in advance for advice

snowchj

Ignore online calculators.

1. Eat normally for two weeks, but diligently track your calorie intake and body weight.
2. Total up all your calories during that time period.
3. If you lost weight, add pounds lost x 3500 to the calorie total. If you gain weight subtract pounds lost x3500 from the total.
4. Divide the total by the number of days (14 in this case).
5. The resulting number is your TDEE. Eat 500 calories less than your TDEE everyday to lose 1lb per week.

cmriverside

Ignore online calculators.

1. Eat normally for two weeks, but diligently track your calorie intake and body weight.
2. Total up all your calories during that time period.
3. If you lost weight, add pounds lost x 3500 to the calorie total. If you gain weight subtract pounds lost x3500 from the total.
4. Divide the total by the number of days (14 in this case).
5. The resulting number is your TDEE. Eat 500 calories less than your TDEE everyday to lose 1lb per week.

This is way too sensible. What will we all argue about? :laugh:

FitLink

Ignore online calculators.

1. Eat normally for two weeks, but diligently track your calorie intake and body weight.
2. Total up all your calories during that time period.
3. If you lost weight, add pounds lost x 3500 to the calorie total. If you gain weight subtract pounds lost x3500 from the total.
4. Divide the total by the number of days (14 in this case).
5. The resulting number is your TDEE. Eat 500 calories less than your TDEE everyday to lose 1lb per week.

This is way too sensible. What will we all argue about? :laugh:

Agreed. How dare you actually suggest something scientifically and mathematically sound? Where is the broscience, goddammit!?!

lporter229

Administrators-please lock this thread now!

callikia

Eat less carbs!

*smirk* Sorry, I just had to...

Really, though...that's some sound advice right there.

cbart2818

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

ladykaisa

Well, I'm flabbergasted that no one has mentioned detoxing with a juice diet for 2 weeks!!

siriusalien

Please tell me this is all sarcasm and ya'all don't really believe some of this stuff! Eating unguided for 14 days as a math experiment doesn't sound like a great idea. Cutting carbs- I'm there

yarwell

Eating unguided for 14 days as a math experiment doesn't sound like a great idea. Cutting carbs- I'm there

The worst outcome would only be 2 - 4 lbs of weight put on ? If it went on that quick you could change direction sooner, a phone app like Libra trends your weighing results and shows rate of loss / gain as calories per day.

I'm surprised the eat more to lose more cult hasn't put in an appearance, the proposed approach applied to a stall would have the staller reducing calories and getting burned at the stake.

susannamarie

Please tell me this is all sarcasm and ya'all don't really believe some of this stuff! Eating unguided for 14 days as a math experiment doesn't sound like a great idea. Cutting carbs- I'm there

That's actually a really reasonable way to find out what your maintenance actually is rather than an estimate. Most people, eating unguided but tracking food, wouldn't eat enough to put on a significant quantity of weight during 2 weeks. Clearly if you start gaining a pound a day, you should halt the experiment much sooner than that.

mcarter99

Ignore online calculators.

1. Eat normally for two weeks, but diligently track your calorie intake and body weight.
2. Total up all your calories during that time period.
3. If you lost weight, add pounds lost x 3500 to the calorie total. If you gain weight subtract pounds lost x3500 from the total.
4. Divide the total by the number of days (14 in this case).
5. The resulting number is your TDEE. Eat 500 calories less than your TDEE everyday to lose 1lb per week.

Or do the same but replace "eat normally" with "eat 1400 calories/day", if you don't want to stop restricting calories for 2 weeks.

Or if you have a good record of calories for the past 2 weeks, use that.

Be aware that weight loss comes in fits and starts. If you were losing fine at 1400 calories (or whatever) and then you stopped losing, it could just be a normal slowdown and things will pick back up. Or if your body weight changed enough to change your BMR a little, you might need to try a little bit lower calories.

lporter229

Please tell me this is all sarcasm and ya'all don't really believe some of this stuff! Eating unguided for 14 days as a math experiment doesn't sound like a great idea. Cutting carbs- I'm there

That's actually a really reasonable way to find out what your maintenance actually is rather than an estimate. Most people, eating unguided but tracking food, wouldn't eat enough to put on a significant quantity of weight during 2 weeks. Clearly if you start gaining a pound a day, you should halt the experiment much sooner than that.

Who says it has to be unguided? Anyone who has diligently logged their calories and recorded their weight for two weeks could use this approach.

siriusalien

I'm surprised the eat more to lose more cult hasn't put in an appearance, the proposed approach applied to a stall would have the staller reducing calories and getting burned at the stake.
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I'm starting to get annoyed with that metality as well