How many of you eat at your BMR (net calories)?

larovers

Does it work for weight loss? I have been doing a ton of reading about the TDEE-20% method and my exercise routine is too inconsistent because of my work schedule to be able to use that method so I thought maybe eating net at my BMR would work the same. I also love to track my exercise and eat back calories as it motivates me to workout.
I wondered how many of you used that method and if so what type of weight loss to expect per week.
I have over 70lbs to lose, currently obese category, my BMR is 1620 and I weigh 213 (female, 5'4, 41 years old)
Would this method work or because I am obese do I need to shoot lower than my BMR (seems like body NEEDS to use my fat to operate, right?)

shadow2soul

I net around my BMR It works for me better than TDEE method, since my exercise is kind of all over the place and never really consistent.

I'm 5'4", 23 years old, and weigh 200.6lbs. MFP estimates that I should lose around 0.8lbs a week. But this is what things have looked like since April 10th when I started eating this way:



The chart is a little hard to read, but:
black line = Net Calories
Multi Line = Weight
light purple multi line = fitbit total burn estimate

I'd say try it for 4-6 weeks and see what happens.

larovers

I net around my BMR It works for me better than TDEE method, since my exercise is kind of all over the place and never really consistent.

I'm 5'4", 23 years old, and weigh 200.6lbs. MFP estimates that I should lose around 0.8lbs a week. But this is what things have looked like since April 10th when I started eating this way:



The chart is a little hard to read, but:
black line = Net Calories
Multi Line = Weight
light purple multi line = fitbit total burn estimate

I'd say try it for 4-6 weeks and see what happens.

I am terrible at reading these type of graphs but if I am reading this right it looks like you have lost 7lbs in less than 4 weeks...right?
so, what should I do....just custom put in my BMR as the calories?
I have also noticed if I set my activity on MFP to sedentary, and choose to lose one lb a week it puts me around 1500 calories net...but that is below my BMR so not sure if that is a better way or just eating at my BMR.

shadow2soul

I am terrible at reading these type of graphs but if I am reading this right it looks like you have lost 7lbs in less than 4 weeks...right?

Yep.

I have a custom goal set to my BMR and activity level set to sedentary.

I'd try eating at your BMR for 4-6 weeks. If it doesn't work then try Netting at 1500 like MFP suggests.

larovers

cool thanks....so this is basically the same thing as eating at TDEE - 20% right?

shadow2soul

cool thanks....so this is basically the same thing as eating at TDEE - 20% right?

I think the main difference between doing this and TDEE - 20%, is that you do eat exercise calories back. (well at least I do) I have noticed that on days I workout, my total calorie intake can get pretty close to TDEE- 20% (sometimes over, sometimes under, and sometimes exactly at).

I also don't stress my goal too much. As you can see on the chart, sometimes I go over by a couple hundred calories, and sometimes I'm under. As long as I'm still in a deficit at the end of the week, I'm happy.

lightdiva1

I tried eating under my BMR- here is what happened. I lost a lost of weight, about 30 pounds in 3 months. (I started at 305.8 and was eating about 1500 calories a day) My setting for MFP were set to sedentary and a loss of 2 pounds per week. After 3 months I stalled. Went to the doctor, and he set me straight. He said to net my BMR bare minimum. I did that and noticed that I gained weight at first for 2 weeks, than for 2 weeks sat at the same number. I was more than frustrated. Than poof lost 5 pounds. Lost the gained weight, and an additional pound. Back on track. I feel stronger now as well. Not as tired, as I am eating much more now.

larovers

thanks everyone. I have never heard of the TDEE method before until the past couple of weeks but I still like to use the MFP system (tracking exercise and eating back calories as it motivates me to work out more) so I hope this will work for me....sort of scared but we will see.