BMR and Calories!

AshLinds11

I just used the MFP tool to calculate my BMR, which is 1,546 calories. When I go into "goals" it says the Calories I burn by daily activity it says 1,930. Are these not supposed to be the same thing? I'm 5'7, 24 years old and 168.2 lbs and do zumba/dance classes for 6 minutes 6times a week and I've only gained weight using MFP. MFP says to eat 1,440 calories. I feel like that's not a big enough defecit from 1,546. I guess I'm just confused how the numbers are related and where the 1,546 comes into play. Any advice and clarification on this would be welcomed Thank you!

AshLinds11

Anyone?!

belladonna786

I dont know much about this but if its not working lower your intake yourself and adjust accordingly

kris4chloe

BMR= basal metabolic rate BEFORE any extra activity

Ravenesque_

no they're not the same thing.

BMR = calories you need if you sleep for 24 hours

TDEE (your 1900 cals) = BMR plus your daily activity.

So not the same thing.

phatycake

Be sure to stay under the recommended fats and carbs. Water intake is also important. I have the same issues when I'm exercising.

californiagirl2012

Those calories are just a starting point for you. You may need to adjust in 100 calorie increments until you find what is right for you.

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban

If you have a lot of body fat reserves you would be surprised at how little you can eat (unless you have emotional eating issues or disorders). The leaner you get the less your body has to draw from and then you have to taper up your calories. There is no such thing as starvation mode for woman over 12% body fat or men over 6% body fat. I pretty much proved that for myself by staying strong and building muscle and doing what I did. I'm the leanest, most muscular, and most fit that I have ever been in my life at almost 52 years old.

Seperating out the the two things worked for me:

1) Eat less to lose fat.

2) Exercise to gain or maintain lean body mass.

Ignore exercise calories because it's insignificant when you don't have to worry about starvation mode anymore and it's highly over rated. Of course you burn energy, but not nearly what any of the devices say you do.

If you are not doing a weight training routine you need to start one and do it the rest of your life to ward off osteoporosis.

positivepineapple

the 1,546 is how much you burn just sitting around, what your body needs for your organs to function, to breath and to pump your blood.

you burn additional calories through daily activity, working, grocery shopping, cleaning, etc.... That's the 1930.

Depending on how much weight loss per week that you set your account at, you should be netting no less than 1200 calories, (food minus exercise).

You don't count your exercise in the daily expenditure, set your account according to what you burn through normal activity, then track your exercise separate on a day to day basis.

hope that made sense.

sarahg148

Not sure why there aren't any responses. But the BMR is the base calories your body needs just to be alive. If you add in sedentary, light activity, etc etc for daily level of activity it raises the calories/day you can eat. By doing to around 1450 for you, it's doing a deficit of about 500 cal/day which may be around one pound per week loss for you. If you workout, you can choose or not choose to eat those calories, too. It also depends upon HOW you gauge your daily level of activity...not the exercise you do...that's considered separate...if I'm correct.

crazylovergrl

Yeah, BMR is how many calories you would burn if you just sat doing absolutely nothing. BMR calculators are usually really inaccurate. I did mine in a physiology class using oxygen displacement and it was really different from what a calculator will tell you. Most gyms or dietitians can point you in the right direction to get a real BMR readout.

sarahg148

Damn...ask you you SHALL receive...all at ONCE it seems, lol. I'm sure you've got it by now.

positivepineapple

Those calories are just a starting point for you. You may need to adjust in 100 calorie increments until you find what is right for you.

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban

Wow thanks for this!

If you have a lot of body fat reserves you would be surprised at how little you can eat (unless you have emotional eating issues or disorders). The leaner you get the less your body has to draw from and then you have to taper up your calories. There is no such thing as starvation mode for woman over 12% body fat or men over 6% body fat. I pretty much proved that for myself by staying strong and building muscle and doing what I did. I'm the leanest, most muscular, and most fit that I have ever been in my life at almost 52 years old.

Seperating out the the two things worked for me:

1) Eat less to lose fat.

2) Exercise to gain or maintain lean body mass.

Ignore exercise calories because it's insignificant when you don't have to worry about starvation mode anymore and it's highly over rated. Of course you burn energy, but not nearly what any of the devices say you do.

If you are not doing a weight training routine you need to start one and do it the rest of your life to ward off osteoporosis.

bongygs

As you know BMR is for the normal adult with no muscle major muscle mass. Correct me if I am wrong, the more muscle mass the more cal. needed to maintain current weight with out doing any exercise at all. Then you had just add food and exercise to the mix. Also metabolic rate can change this as well. But if you see no change in weight just tweek the amount cal taking in verses going out until you see loss. Don't be discouraged, I have heard of people taking up to three months trying to find that magic number with out straving themselves. Keep you head up and keep working, you will find your sweet spot. Good Luck

2hobbit1

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Good info here.

BMR calories you burn in a coma it does not include daily activity or exercise. This is the number you should not go below on a regular basis.
TDEE total daily energy expenditure this is your BMR + what you burn living you life + twhat you burn with your exercise.

Eat less than you TDEE and more than your BMR and you will lose weight. A 20% cut from TDEE is the usual recommendation. If you are obese then you can do 30%, if you are within 10-15 lbs of your gaol then use a 5-10% deficit.

Weigh and measure you foods so your intake is accurate - measure your exercise burn with a HRM/bodybug/fitbit so that number is accurate as well. Be accurate with your activity level - you are sedentary only if you are confined to bed.

AshLinds11

WHOA! Thanks for all of the responses!

bongygs

Anytime!!!