Do YOU eat below, above, or at your BMR?

jennagoogles13

I've recently learned how unhealthy it is to eat below your BMR, but I did it anyways because I was losing weight doing so. Anyways, I was just wondering how all of you are managing to lose weight? (P.S. I'm now aiming to eat at least my BMR every day and will see if I still lose!)

Springfield_Rocks

go here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map

tons of info on TDEE, BMR, etc.

:flowerforyou:

jen_fitnhappy

I'm going the net my BMR route. I tried doing TDEE -20%, but since my exercise is not consistent netting my BMR is easier to work with. I plugged my numbers into MFP using sedentary and eat my exercise calories back. I chose sedentary since I have a desk job with long hours. The goal MFP gave me (1430) is very close to my BMR (1400) anyway!

So to answer your question, on exercise days I eat above my BMR so that I net my BMR.
On non-exercise days I try to eat at my BMR.
Some days I'm over or under, therefore I just go by the weekly average on the app.

Good question! I'd like to see what others have to say.

omma_to_3

I net below my BMR. I usually gross above it. I've done this for 2 years now and it hasn't hurt my metabolism at all. I had it checked at a hospital after over a year on MFP and it was significantly higher than the online calculators estimate.

mmddwechanged

Well above!

jzammetti

My BMR is 1303 and I gross 1700 a day or so. (weight training days - 3 each week - I typically net below my BMR)

DebbieLyn63

MFP calculated my BMR at 1575, Katch Mcardle calculated it at 1375, I have eaten around 1200 for the past 8 months and have steadily lost, and have yet to hit a plateau. If you have extra fat stores, I have found no evidence that supports the theory that eating a bit below your BMR is unhealthy. The more important number is your TDEE. This number is what you create your calorie deficit from. I eat 500 cals below my TDEE for a steady 1 pound a week loss. Because I am fairly sedentary, this puts my cal level below my BMR.

BeachIron

Well above!

^ This.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Well above!

^ This.

^This some more. My BMR is 1193 or something ridiculous like that. I generally net 1500 (gross 1700-1800) to lose, 1700 (gross 1900-2000) to maintain, and over 2100 to gain. That is presuming a 250 average calorie burn from working out. If I do cardio, it's a great deal higher.

neacail

I gross above my BMR and net below it.

vcric

I set my calorie goal to my BMR and try to eat over that. I add back exercise cals as well. I found that this works for me better than setting it to TDEE-20%.

lyninit2winit

Always over. I try to eat stay within 500 cals of my 15% cut of my TDEE. I use custom settings to try to find what works for me.

dondimitri

I'm usually at or below my BMR. Roughly 1000 cal/day deficit. Roughly 2 lbs/week loss. No plateau after 3 months and 24 pounds.

AmyRhubarb

I never net below my BMR. I figure BMR is coma calories, and I am most definitely not in a coma, so I aim to net at least a couple hundred cals above that every day.

I have reached goal weight and dropped plenty of fat and inches by eating at about 20% below TDEE and netting above BMR over the past year+. Best results I've ever had. :bigsmile:

lovemitch125

Definitely ABOVE! I probably net an average of 1300-1600 and gross anywhere between 1600-2000 and I am losing.

Yeller_Sensation

Way, way above.

My BMR is 1188. My TDEE is 2100. I eat up to 1898 a day, every day.

ThinUpGirl

I eat my BMR of 1560 or above, BUT I NET BELOW. I don't eat all my exercise calories. i try to net BELOW 1400.

onyxgirl17

I'm currently eating at my BMR. When I'm done losing weight I'll eat at my TDEE, which will be around 1600 before exercise.

naturallyme36

Im just starting out and im eating 25% under my TDEE. i wont know the results until next week. Good luck to you.

aronao

I eat above my BMR but below my TDEE - about 30% below.

Isakizza

ABOVE: I eat BMR plus most if not all my workout calories.




Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

SteelySunshine

I don't use BMR to set my calorie goals. But, I have noticed that am usually eating at my BMR, frequently below it, rarely above. I think today was an above BMR day.

Rbacchiega

my BMR is roughly 1600. I'm eating 1800 calories a day, working out 3-5 days a week

majope

I eat well above my BMR, and most days net over it--I see maybe 2 or 3 days this month where I netted slightly below because I didn't manage to eat all my exercise calories back that day. But my average is above.

BMR is somewhere around 1430, daily target is 1760, run or exercise 6 days a week so usually eat 1900-2500, and lose half a pound a week.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

I eat ~1.5x my BMR to lose.

SueGeer

I eat TDEE-15% (1525) and net no less than my BMR (1232).

Not right for weveryone but it's working for me! Losing about a pound every couple of weeks.

RllyGudTweetr

Net much closer to my TDEE after exercise; I've set activity to "sedentary" and log most activity that gets me out of the building. See ticker for how that's working out.

vicmonster

above BMR, below TDEE = lose weight, stay healthy!

FitMrsR

I eat above it. My BMR is about 1389 and I eat around 1750 (TDEE -20%). I do p90x with insanity mixed 1-2 days per week. I'm actually slowly increasing my calories by 100 every couple of weeks so I can get all buff and things :drinker:

TavistockToad

WAY above! i eat TDEE -10%

travlinjess

I'm going the net my BMR route. I tried doing TDEE -20%, but since my exercise is not consistent netting my BMR is easier to work with. I plugged my numbers into MFP using sedentary and eat my exercise calories back. I chose sedentary since I have a desk job with long hours. The goal MFP gave me (1430) is very close to my BMR (1400) anyway!

So to answer your question, on exercise days I eat above my BMR so that I net my BMR.
On non-exercise days I try to eat at my BMR.
Some days I'm over or under, therefore I just go by the weekly average on the app.

I do exactly the same thing for the same reasons. I eat at a base of 1500 and up to 1900 on exercise days(depending on cals burned). My BMR is between 1430-1500. Works for me!