net = BMR

:heart: Good morning girls!!
Just wondering if your net always has to be at BMR? On a typical work out day I eat 2100 calories, and burn about 1200 at the gym which brings my net to 900, and my BMR is 1311. Do I have to eat the extra 400 calories in order for em2wl to be effective? Or can I just eat 2100 every single day, regardless of my work out, and it all even out in the end??
Thanks!
Shaylee

Replies

  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Yes your BMR is the minimum amount you should be having, so I'd make sure you have at least 1311 net :)
  • bradthemedic
    bradthemedic Posts: 623 Member
    You should eat up your net BMR for sure
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
    :heart: Good morning girls!!
    Just wondering if your net always has to be at BMR? On a typical work out day I eat 2100 calories, and burn about 1200 at the gym which brings my net to 900, and my BMR is 1311. Do I have to eat the extra 400 calories in order for em2wl to be effective? Or can I just eat 2100 every single day, regardless of my work out, and it all even out in the end??
    Thanks!
    Shaylee

    Shaylee, I know you've already asked me and just wanted other opinions.

    Here's a great article on setting your deficit

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/setting-the-deficit-small-moderate-or-large.html

    In short, with an adequate diet, high in protein, the deficit doesn't really matter. There is no research that I am aware of that proves that "net" eating below BMR has ANY affect on anything.

    In short, stop worrying about it. It's not an issue.

    Think about it in common sense terms. What is BMR? Basal Metabolic Rate. What is fat? Store energy. What happens to fat when your body is operating in an energy deficit? Where does the energy that is needed to power your body come from? It comes primarily from fat tissues.

    Your body will metabolize fat to provide the energy needed to power your body. You only need to worry about your deficit when you get exceedingly lean. <10% for guys, <17% for women. You eat a ton of protein, so your deficit is what you're happy with as far as your fat loss goals per week is.

    Here's another great link

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-fundamentals-of-fat-loss-diets-part-1.html
  • DaysFlyBy
    DaysFlyBy Posts: 243 Member
    Errrr, ok but when I was netting 500-900/day my hair fell out...?
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
    I wasn't losing when I was netting below BMR.
  • Raynn1
    Raynn1 Posts: 1,164 Member
    if you are eating 2100 cals and burning so much thats you are netting below your BMR, then you are not eating enough. You are essentially giving your body 900 calories to do what your body NEEDS 1300 calories to do. If you needed a tank of gas in your car to travel a distance of say 500 km (or miles if you like), why would you think that you could make it there on say 3/4 a tank of gas? You wouldnt make it at all. You are essentially giving your body 3/4 the amount of fuel it needs and expect it to run on that.

    You have two options.. either eat more food to make sure your NET is over BMR daily if you want to burn that much at the gym.. OR lessen up on the amount you are doing at the gym. Based on how many cals you are burning in a day, I will assume you are doing mainly cardio? While cardio is great for the heart, it does very little in terms of fat loss. I would recommend maybe swapping out some cardio for some weight training to help build your muscle and help burn the fat more efficiently. But if you are a cardio lover, and live for it, then you need to eat more for sure.
  • DaysFlyBy
    DaysFlyBy Posts: 243 Member
    Think about it in common sense terms. What is BMR? Basal Metabolic Rate. What is fat? Store energy. What happens to fat when your body is operating in an energy deficit? Where does the energy that is needed to power your body come from? It comes primarily from fat tissues.

    Your body will metabolize fat to provide the energy needed to power your body. You only need to worry about your deficit when you get exceedingly lean. <10% for guys, <17% for women. You eat a ton of protein, so your deficit is what you're happy with as far as your fat loss goals per week

    Okay actually this makes sense, I have enough fat left on me that my body can meet my BMR whether I eat or not. It still doesn't explain my hair falling out...
  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 Member
    bump
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    :heart: Good morning girls!!
    Just wondering if your net always has to be at BMR? On a typical work out day I eat 2100 calories, and burn about 1200 at the gym which brings my net to 900, and my BMR is 1311. Do I have to eat the extra 400 calories in order for em2wl to be effective? Or can I just eat 2100 every single day, regardless of my work out, and it all even out in the end??
    Thanks!
    Shaylee

    If you are using the TDEE method there is no eating back etc, activity levels are factored in already, your daily allowance should be a figure between your TDEE and BMR which you consume every day regardless of activity.

    As for you burning 1200 calories at the gym.....im afraid this is almost certrainly not the case. Even the most strenuous heavy weight lifting session is not going to expend that much energy. The figures for calorie expenditure given by machines at the gym and on MFP are extremely inaccurate IMO, But as i say, if you are using the TDEE mnethod, you don't have to worry about it.
  • mommamuscles
    mommamuscles Posts: 584 Member
    Errrr, ok but when I was netting 500-900/day my hair fell out...?

    I had the same experience, and its only been by MONTHS of netting above BMR, working to increase calories, and now doing my second metabolism reset that my body's symptoms of starvation are starting to go away, and I feel like my metabolism is starting to reset. Its been a long journey and I don't recommend it to anyone. Its not worth obsessing over calories, but it is worth getting a handle on.Trust me, you do not want to be in the place I was... Honestly, I think you would be better off cutting back on some of the exercise, but I know you love what you're doing, and I would hate for you not to do what you love. But in my experience, even tons of exercise did not make a big difference for me on the scale, and I actually saw more losses when I cut back on my activity (thereby reducing my deficit). I think its a combination of not overtraining, less stress (cortisol response) on the body, etc.
    I know on paper it looks really good, and I was addicted to seeing those big calorie burns as well. However, your body is very good at adapting. You may do an exercise that once burned 500 calories, but over time, you will only burn 350 calories doing the same exercise.
  • FitnSassy
    FitnSassy Posts: 263 Member
    bump
  • ladyace2078
    ladyace2078 Posts: 460 Member
    if you are eating 2100 cals and burning so much thats you are netting below your BMR, then you are not eating enough. You are essentially giving your body 900 calories to do what your body NEEDS 1300 calories to do. If you needed a tank of gas in your car to travel a distance of say 500 km (or miles if you like), why would you think that you could make it there on say 3/4 a tank of gas? You wouldnt make it at all. You are essentially giving your body 3/4 the amount of fuel it needs and expect it to run on that.

    I don't particularly like this analogy because your car doesn't have a back up gas tank like your body does - muscles, fat & organs. However I still subscribe to the net above BMR because your body still has basic functions to do plus daily life and any exercise. If your cut is too high (you are netting below BMR on a regular basis is one indication of that), then your body might use some of your fat storage to make up for it, but it may also use some of your muscle as well. Plus why deal with all the side effects of too few calories like hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, attitude/emotional changes, etc, when you can just eat a little more or burn a little less and feel better?