Confused on BMR

committowalk

So I read the post on TDEE and BMR that is for newbies and did the military BMR calculator and a TDEE calculator. The military BMR gives you two calculations, based on two different formulas (one that takes into consideration body fat % and one that only uses height/weight). The numbers are vastly different! I'm currently 5'2" and weigh about 208. One BMR calc said around 1700 and the other said just under 1300. My TDEE was calculated to be about 2200 (more on days I use my elliptical and not just walk).

I don't want to lose weight too fast (more than 2.5 pounds per week consistently) but I would like to be at about 1.5 - 2 lbs a week on average. MFP tells me to net just under 1600 calories. That is under one of the BMR calcs, but well over the other BMR calc (the one that is based on my body fat %). Should I stick to around 1500-1600 net calories and just see how fast the weight comes off and how I feel?

Prior to finding MFP I was using another calorie counting app and I had set my goals at only 0.5 lbs per week. I was netting about 1900 calories a day and the weight was coming off very, very slowly.

I'm not sure what info to trust and want to make sure I'm doing this efficiently but still well within healthy limits. Any advice? Thoughts?

Bonny619

IMO, 1500-1600 is a very good place to start.

IbiH

I've just reassesed my BMR, check this website out, think I was eating too little....

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-and-daily-calorie-calculator.html

yarwell

Should I stick to around 1500-1600 net calories and just see how fast the weight comes off and how I feel?

That would be a good start, give it 3-4 weeks.

Prior to finding MFP I was using another calorie counting app and I had set my goals at only 0.5 lbs per week. I was netting about 1900 calories a day and the weight was coming off very, very slowly.

So taking 400 off should add 0.5 lbs/week or so to the previous rate.

rvicini

Why don't you let MFP calculate everything for you and set your cal budget? It's been good to me...

WinnerVictorious

So I read the post on TDEE and BMR that is for newbies and did the military BMR calculator and a TDEE calculator. The military BMR gives you two calculations, based on two different formulas (one that takes into consideration body fat % and one that only uses height/weight). The numbers are vastly different! I'm currently 5'2" and weigh about 208. One BMR calc said around 1700 and the other said just under 1300. My TDEE was calculated to be about 2200 (more on days I use my elliptical and not just walk).

I don't want to lose weight too fast (more than 2.5 pounds per week consistently) but I would like to be at about 1.5 - 2 lbs a week on average. MFP tells me to net just under 1600 calories. That is under one of the BMR calcs, but well over the other BMR calc (the one that is based on my body fat %). Should I stick to around 1500-1600 net calories and just see how fast the weight comes off and how I feel?

Prior to finding MFP I was using another calorie counting app and I had set my goals at only 0.5 lbs per week. I was netting about 1900 calories a day and the weight was coming off very, very slowly.

I'm not sure what info to trust and want to make sure I'm doing this efficiently but still well within healthy limits. Any advice? Thoughts?

1700 is your base BMR. if you work a desk job, then your daily BMR is about 2000 (that's base BMR x 1.2 for sedentary daily activity). that doesn't include any extra calorie needs due to exercise (e.g. jogging at night to help you lose weight). you add those to your daily BMR to get your daily TDEE. on days with no exercise, that's a "0" to be added. on days with extra exercise, it's an amount >0 based on what exercise you did and how long you did it.

TDEE = 2000 --- on days with no exercise
TDEE = 2000 + extra exercise --- on days with exercise

IbiH

I've been almost at my goal weight for 2/3 months but haven't been able to ready it..... if I followed MFP BMT I would have been eating less that 1200!!!
Re looked at it, I've now upped it and I'm bakc to losing again.

Koldnomore

My TDEE was calculated to be about 2200 (more on days I use my elliptical and not just walk).

You have quite a bit to lose according to your ticker so 20% from your TDEE will give you a safe, sustainable loss. That will put you in the area of @1760. If you use your elliptical more often you can be safe at 1800 steady thru the week. If not then stay a little lower.

bigknight78

Finding my BMR & TDEE really has helped me up my game on losing body fat. I am now eating more than I was before, yet I am dropping the weight.
You obviously need to eat right to make it work. But I would def aim for 20% below your TDEE to maintain consistent losses.

BlackKat75

Why don't you let MFP calculate everything for you and set your cal budget? It's been good to me...

That's great, but for some people MFP dramatically underestimates calories. I had it set for a 1 lb / week weight loss, and it had me eating 1240 calories per day. I rigidly tracked all my food in September and ate back all my exercise calories and I lost nearly 10 pounds in 30 days - far too quickly for my comfort. According to all the BMR calculators I was eating far below my BMR, which may be okay for quick weight loss, but isn't sustainable in the long run. I've upped my daily calorie goal and I'm still losing weight. I want my change to be sustainable for the long run, and, for me, 1200 calories per day doesn't work.