BMR Question

Luciabella07

I know crazy amounts of people have already asked this type of question but I have been reading the posts on BMR and TDEE.
My BMR is 1699.
My TDEE is 2039.
I know that in order to lose a pound of fat a week you have to create a 500 calorie deficit. But I have also read that you should not eat below your BMR, which makes sense. So here is my question, when I subtract 500 calories from my TDEE I end up with 1539, which is below my BMR. So how many calories should I be eating? I am working out for at least 30 minutes a day. Also, after exercise should I be eating back my calories? Thanks for the input, Im sure some of you are completely sick of posting answers to these type of questions. But it is appreciated! :happy:

postrockandcats

This is a rather hot topic here!

According to MFP, you're supposed to eat back what you exercise away as a calorie deficit is already taken into account with your goals. Is that 2039 before or after workouts? If it's before, than you should probably be eating more, but I'm speaking out of personal not professional experience.

How did you figure out your TDEE, with the MFP goal thing? Some people here find that the MFP calulations were too low for them. Google "scooby's calculator" and see what that tells you.

But, at the end of the day, if you're making progress and are healthy, then you're doing it right. You shouldn't feel deprived or lethargic if you're getting the right amount of food.

I actually got a Fitbit, which made me realize I move more than I think I do. I'm also going to get a HRM for working out. Once I understood the theory of what MFP was doing, I felt really good about it. It's nice being able to eat like a normal human and not worry about trying to starve myself!

ETA- some people don't eat their calories back and it's working for them. If I didn't, I'd not loose. So, you have to figure out what's right for you.

littlejobo120

Hi. With regards to the 500 calories, that's to lose a lb a week. If a 500 calorie deficit takes you below your BMR then your goal should be set at less than 1lb a week. With regards to eating back your exercise calories, I'm not particularly comfortable eating them all back but just as long as your net caloric intake isn't too much below your BMR consistently then you should be fine. The BMR/TDEE thing is important to know but it's more important if you're consistently eating 1200 calories when your BMR is 1500 or something like that - it becomes much more important then than if your BMR is 1500 and you consistently eat 1450 for example.

I hope that makes sense...

gp79

It sounds like your figures may be off.

If your BMR is 1700 and you're working out for 30 minutes per day, my question to you would be what are you doing for exercise?

Your TDEE is what you've burned at the end of the day, including your exercise / daily activity such as your job etc.

mikeschratz

there are spreadsheets in this folder that help you figure out all those important numbers that you are looking for.
And one of the word docs has the info on using all this info.... please feel free to check it out and use what is useful...
Good luck and you can thank HelloitsDan for all the info and the sheets!

https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B3kFzsaVmRjmd1k4YjA1SlVWaFU/edit

secretlobster

Your ticker says you're around 190lbs with a goal weight of 125... I'm going to go out on a limb and say that a 1-2lb week deficit is fine, so if your deficit from your TDEE is 500 cals, I wouldn't really worry that it's slightly below your BMR.

WendyTerry420

When I first started, my TDEE was just a few hundred calories over my BMR. The solution is to do more exercise, imo. That's how I created a deficit. I eat right at my BMR and then try to burn 200-300 calories per day through exercise. It gives me the 500/day average deficit that I need.

Luciabella07

Thanks for all the input...
I got the numbers from a few different websites I saw mentioned on here. I put sedentary (desk job) because aside from my exercise I sit at a desk all day at work and then sit at a desk during night classes. lol, i dont know if I need to put lightly active? That would bring my TDEE up to 2336 according to fitnessfrog.com. Right now all I am doing are workout videos for 30 minutes a day, but will soon be incorporating either the elliptical/running outside (C25K).

Littlejobo - thanks for the advice! Maybe I shouldnt focus so much on the TDEE/BMR. I'm not used to eating a ton and would have a hard time eating back exercise calories anyways. I just increased my calorie goal yesterday from 1200 which it had originally set me at. I will see how it goes with keeping up to about 1700 calories.

secretlobster

Thanks for all the input...
I got the numbers from a few different websites I saw mentioned on here. I put sedentary (desk job) because aside from my exercise I sit at a desk all day at work and then sit at a desk during night classes. lol, i dont know if I need to put lightly active? That would bring my TDEE up to 2336 according to fitnessfrog.com. Right now all I am doing are workout videos for 30 minutes a day, but will soon be incorporating either the elliptical/running outside (C25K).

Ok, so if your TDEE is "sedentary", just eat your BMR plus any calories from exercise. That's what I do and it works really well for me. If you'd rather be more CONSISTENT with your calorie intake, then set yourself to "lightly active" and then eat your TDEE minus 500. Either way I bet you will see good results, it's just a matter of what's more comfortable for you.

Remember that exercise is more for cardiovascular and athletic efficiency than for weight loss. Weight loss comes from calorie deficit, but having a high-performing body is even better than being thin

gp79

What's your height / weight, age and if you know it, an estimation of your body fat?

SPNLuver83

When you don't have much to lose your deficit gets smaller.....

just go to http://www.fat2fitradio.com, do the BMR calculator, and scroll down on the results page. There will be a chart. Match up your activity and eat the calories it tells you too. done and done.

you can either chose the sedentary option AND eat back your cals (like i do)

or

choose the correct matching activity level and not eat back your cals.

it's about the same number regardless.

ppl make this too complicated lol

Luciabella07

"What's your height / weight, age and if you know it, an estimation of your body fat?"

Im 5'5" and a half, 197lbs, 24 years old....I've never had my body fat checked so I couldnt tell you that...I don't think its crazy high, I have worked out off and on over the years, I just carry mostly all my weight in my stomach area. (Most people can't tell I weigh as much as I do)

gp79

Assuming you are sedentary - meaning you do no exercise, you exist only to work / school etc, your TDEE would be estimated around 2050 calories / day.

You said you exercise for 30 minutes daily which I would then put you into the lightly active category. This bumps your estimated TDEE up to 2300'ish.

You may believe that to be a high figure, but at your current weight, it requires energy to get around. As you lose weight, this number will drop slightly - something to keep in mind.

On days you exercise, shoot for 1500 - 1800 calories
On days you don't exercise, shoot for 1300 - 1500.

If the scale isn't moving down on these figures, go down a little bit lower on your calories or increase the duration / intensity of your exercise.

Luciabella07

Assuming you are sedentary - meaning you do no exercise, you exist only to work / school etc, your TDEE would be estimated around 2050 calories / day.

You said you exercise for 30 minutes daily which I would then put you into the lightly active category. This bumps your estimated TDEE up to 2300'ish.

You may believe that to be a high figure, but at your current weight, it requires energy to get around. As you lose weight, this number will drop slightly - something to keep in mind.

On days you exercise, shoot for 1500 - 1800 calories
On days you don't exercise, shoot for 1300 - 1500.

If the scale isn't moving down on these figures, go down a little bit lower on your calories or increase the duration / intensity of your exercise.

Thanks, I will try that see what happens.