Confused on BMR right now

tenajh
tenajh Posts: 208 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just went to MFP apps section and calculate my BMR, it states "Your estimated BMR is: 1,159 calories/day*"
MFP has me on 1200 calories per day and I need to add in additional calories burned by exercise, which leaves me with
cutting back 41 calories/day. Are they just counting on me gaining muscle mass and increasing my BMR???
Thanks

Replies

  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    I think you're mixing up BMR and TDEE. Your BMR is your basal metabolic rate, which is the amount of calories your body burns to keep you alive. You should eat at or above your BMR.
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
    bump, get back soon with links
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Above is the link to a page that describes how to work out your BMR and your TDEE along with the calculators so that you can work out how many calories you should be eating and what your deficit is.

    BMR is the numbers of calories your body needs even if you never got out of bed.
    TDEE is the total daily energy expendture which is your BMR plus the amount of calories that your body uses in 24 hours.

    You then usually take a % off the TDEE figure which gives you your deficit, ensuring that you don't go below your BMR.

    Hope this helps, the information is all self explanatory.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    That is pretty low of a BMR...

    Anyway, 1200 would be fine. Given you only have 15 pounds you want to lose, would be best for you to shoot for 0.5 pounds a week.
  • tenajh
    tenajh Posts: 208 Member
    Thanks, confusion lifted, I don't care about my wt as much as my body fat %, that will take months for me, probably 6 or 8. I haven't exercised in so many yrs that I am really very weak and need to take baby steps. MS was hard on me, but no longer in a w/c and no longer using walker or a cane. At least I am able to do pilates and walking.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    Never eat below your BMR. Since your numbers are so small I'd shoot for 0.5 pound a week of loss. Omron makes a great handheld body comp meter that will help you with your body fat tracking.

    As for your TDEE, if you set your activity level as sedentary when you calculated it then yes, you need to eat back your exercise calories daily. If you don't you will risk metabolic shutdown.

    Take it slow.

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