If you shouldn't go below your BMR

peppapig24_

then why does myfitnesspal give you 1,200?

On an exercise day my NET would be about 1,300, when my BMR is 1,450!

Does it matter?

I think I'm going to be following the TDEE-20% rule which would take me slightly under BMR NET on exercise days - does it matter? It would all balance out over the week?

Many Thanks

MMB5222

would like to know the answer too

peppapig24_

I worked out that by eating 1805 a day, my NET would be around (average) 1275 a day (I know how much I burn through exercise on a weekly basis). Which is below my BMR.

Perhaps its one or the other - you do the TDEE-20% or you stick to your BMR as a NET :-S

Hopefully someone can guide us!

popzork

I have been struggling with this question for a very long time now. I have an appointment with a registered dietitian next week and will get her answer/opinion and post it then. I keep waffling between MFP guidelines (which when I eat I don't lose), TDEE-20% which didn't work for me, and the fact that people go on extreme low calories and lose big weight but that blows the whole starvation mode theory out the window.

I'll let you all know what she says about the whole issue.

peppapig24_

Its very confusing, I would be interested to hear what you find out

I'm not sure if when people say 'don't eat below your BMR' people perhaps mean make sure your eating more than 1,200, rather than NET'ing at it. Like I say, with TDEE-20% formula I'm NET'ing at around 150 lower than my BMR on average each day.

popzork

I have been trying to review my progress charts to try and figure out what weeks worked and why, but it really doesn't seem to make sense either. Hopefully, the dietitian can gleam some good information from my records.

mcarter99

There is no reason you need to eat above your BMR. Well, that is as long as you have excess fat on your body which you're trying to burn off.

mibrewer413

I base my calorie amount on TDEE minus 500 calories. I have a Bodymedia Fit armband and my total daily calorie burn is around 2000-2400 without even stepping foot in a gym and so from there I take a 500 cut to lose 1 lb a week and it already has your exercise calories built in and so I don't eat them back. Therefore I eat around 1600-1900 calories depending on my activity for the day. MFP had me set at 1300 calories and I couldn't function on that amount. I felt weak, tired and hungry and I'm an RN and I need fuel for my work, plus I have a 4 year old to chase around! Yes, we need a calorie deficit to lose weight but we also need enough nutrition to function for the day.

rose313

MFP just does what you tell it to. If your maintenance calories are 2000 and you tell it you want to lose two pounds a week, it's going to set you at 1200 because a 1000 calorie per day deficit is too dangerous to be at daily. (500 calories per day = 1 pound)

If I wanted to lose two pounds a week I'd be at 760 sad little calories per day. That's why, if you don't have a lot to lose, set MFP to have you lose half a pound a week. You'll still be under your TDEE and you won't starve.

If you eat under your BMR it's not like you'll die, but if you feel tired, can't complete your workouts, and can't focus, up those calories.

mcarter99

I wonder how much of the 'tired, angry, weak' stuff is from blood sugar effects. I feel fine below BMR but I also tend to eat in ways that support blood sugar levels (eating small meals often, high fiber, low sugar, low GI).

DanaDark

This is confusing indeed.

And then, top that off with several different BMR calculators giving slightly different results... I figure go middle ground. Fine the two numbers you are looking at and go right in the middle!