Don't eat below my BMR?

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Feelnyoung
Feelnyoung Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
According to the MFP tool, my BMR is 1559 cal/day. However, MFP calculated my net calories to be 1200 cals/ day. ( I'm overweight, sedentary, and am trying to loose 1.5 lbs/ week). I've been reading these posts and am hearing an overall warning to not follow a daily net calorie below your BMR. Well, as you can see my daily net calories is below my daily BMR. Did MFP make a mistake on my profile? It seems like it set me up for starvation.

Replies

  • Autry403
    Autry403 Posts: 88
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    Mine is the same thing... It says to eat 1200 calories and my BMR is calculated for 1490 calories. Someone told me I shouldn't be eating below my BMR & for the past two months I haven't been losing weight or inches. :(
  • Feelnyoung
    Feelnyoung Posts: 11
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    I'm glad I'm not the only one who is still puzzled by this. I tried asjusting my goal to lose 1 lb/ week (which is recommended) and my net calories is STILL below my daily BMR. It finally surpasses at 0.5 lb/ week loss. But really, all this calorie counting for just a 0.5 lb/ week loss. I'll be old by the time I reach my target weight :( . Anybody, feel free to clear up my confusion!
  • definitelyval
    definitelyval Posts: 104 Member
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    Mine was originally set my MFP at 1200 daily, and that was to lose at least 2lbs per week. First few weeks, I gained. I did some research, and really learned about TDEE and BMR. My BMR is almost 1800! Wow, so I edited my settings and set my calories for 1600 daily - BAM, dropped 4lbs in a week!!! I would say try adjusting your daily calorie goal for yourself; make it closer to (but not quite) your BMR, and see how you do after a couple of weeks. The biggest thing? Be patient and give yourself some time to see and feel results. If after you make some changes, if you don't see results, make a decision on what change you will make and at what increment. If you think you should be eating a little less, move your daily calorie budget down only 100 a day, and then keep it there for a while and see how it goes. Patience, and time...you can do it!!! :)
  • Feelnyoung
    Feelnyoung Posts: 11
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    Thanks for the advice defintelyval. I just bumped up my daily net calories and now waiting on results. It's closer to my BMR than before. Waiting to see if this makes a difference.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Hi! This is a good thread that will explain BMR and TDEE. It will help you make decisions about what you need each day. Good luck to you all!!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    There's no science that says anything about eating above or below your estimated BMR.

    MFP will nearly always put you on a target below your BMR if you set it to sedentary ( TDEE = 1.2 * BMR) and then ask it for a loss rate of 1 lb/week or more (500 cals/day). This is because 500 cals is more than 20% of almost anybody's BMR.
  • rogerswm
    rogerswm Posts: 11 Member
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    There's no science that says anything about eating above or below your estimated BMR.

    MFP will nearly always put you on a target below your BMR if you set it to sedentary ( TDEE = 1.2 * BMR) and then ask it for a loss rate of 1 lb/week or more (500 cals/day). This is because 500 cals is more than 20% of almost anybody's BMR.


    These are the choices to select from below and sedentary best descibes my job type. My MFP calculated BMR is 1777 but to lose 1.5/week (I need to lose 46 more) it has me at a net calorie goal of 1470! Well Below the BMR of 1777.

    Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)

    Lightly Active: Spend a good part of the day on your feet (e.g. teacher, salesman)

    Active: Spend a good part of the day doing some physical activity (e.g. waitress, mailman)

    Very Active: Spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. bike messenger, carpenter)

    I cant understand why this is as everything I read is that a sustainable calorie intake is above BMR and below maintenance. Why have a app or website that we have to tweek numbers when the sole purpose of the idea was for it to do it for you?

    r/WR
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    MFP follows FDA standards in making its recommendations in terms of minimum allowable calories, percent of calories for each macro, etc. The US government advises not to eat below 1200 calories per day because a lot of people on diets go way below that, which is a recipe for malnutrition and slowed metabolism.

    But, yeah, that's why MFP will say 1200 when the absolute minimum should be your BMR. Information on customizing the recommendations to your specific situation are why the forums are a great place to hang out.
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
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    Mine was originally set my MFP at 1200 daily, and that was to lose at least 2lbs per week. First few weeks, I gained. I did some research, and really learned about TDEE and BMR. My BMR is almost 1800! Wow, so I edited my settings and set my calories for 1600 daily - BAM, dropped 4lbs in a week!!! I would say try adjusting your daily calorie goal for yourself; make it closer to (but not quite) your BMR, and see how you do after a couple of weeks. The biggest thing? Be patient and give yourself some time to see and feel results. If after you make some changes, if you don't see results, make a decision on what change you will make and at what increment. If you think you should be eating a little less, move your daily calorie budget down only 100 a day, and then keep it there for a while and see how it goes. Patience, and time...you can do it!!! :)
    this^ ^
    and If you set to one pound per week you will be closer
    If your cals are lower than your BMR you can do exercise each day to lift the cals to above the BMR.
  • tekeyla25
    tekeyla25 Posts: 84
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    I lost alot of weight at 1200 infact I didnt even factor the work out in so I ate less I had 2 slimfast and a meal but this was all pregnancy weight which I heard is really easy once you work at it so I dont know if that has anything to do with it but then I came to a certain point where i wasnt losing anymore its been about 1 month or 2 and now im trying to do my bmr which is 1500 and so far its working and I feel like wow I can eat alot more than I was able to. I think it was driving my family crazy like I couldnt eat anything. But now I feel like BMR is a way better way to go. I also read a think a ladys success she said she ate bmr and changed macros to higher protien and higher carbs 40 carbs,and 30 protein I feel like this will make a difference too! You dont have to deprive yourself just make better choices and work at it(workout) and you should see results!
  • rogerswm
    rogerswm Posts: 11 Member
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    1200 for women...1800 for men..I am a man - and MFP has my net goal at 1480. My BMR as calultated by MFP is 1777 based on my input. I have e-mailed MFP and will post a response by them one received. I input all data and activities levels correctly. Something is wrong with the calculation - IMHO - if a site is postitioning itself in helping folks with weight loss - then the site should be giving good information. Dont get me wrong - I have used this site and it has motivated me to drop 16 lbs... But i have stalled in the loss and the adjustments have me eating well below the BMR and the FDA recommended caloric intake and I perceive that as soemthing not quite right....

    Cheers

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