Calories/day, BMR, TDEE..??? i'm confused

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beyond_beauty87
beyond_beauty87 Posts: 48 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
i know there have been many posts on calories per day etc.m but i'm so confused.

i have been at 280 for the past month with no weight change, i've restricted my calories to 1560/day for a 2lb weight loss a week.. and nothing. I exercise 1-3hrs a week, doing the c25k every second day for total of 30min of cardio.

I recently went to http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and it says that my TDEE is 2840, my BMR is 2065.

And for a 20% calorie reduction it has my calories set for 2272 for a 1lb/ week loss.

Does this seem right? Should not eat less than my BMR or to loose weight eat less than my BMR???

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    If you haven't read the first post in this thread already, give it a look:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Dan explains everything and gives you the calculators to figure it all out. Many people have had success with his method.
  • kr1ssy23
    kr1ssy23 Posts: 270 Member
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    If you haven't read the first post in this thread already, give it a look:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Dan explains everything and gives you the calculators to figure it all out. Many people have had success with his method.

    I was just going to say the same thing lol
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
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    I eat 1200 calories and exercise 2 hours daily. It is the only thing that has made my weight move in a downward direction. I wasted months worrying about all the numbers and different formulas and just sabotauged myself. I am not recommending you do what I do as that's just what works for my body, what I am recommending is try some different things, find what works for YOU and stick with it!!!
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    At your weight, you can actually afford to take on a larger deficit (up to 40% for short-term but rapid weight loss) and your TDEE seems right as your cardiorespiratory system works very hard to assist in fat metabolism. Eating below your BMR or RMR is fine because you have plenty of fat stores which will be used to fuel the difference. After a brief period at that large deficit, reduce it to a moderate value of 25% and ride that out for 12 weeks or so before ending your first "cutting" cycle. From there, slowly up calories near maintenance so hormones can return to optimal levels. You could probably expect true fat loss to be about 3-5 lbs per month right now but as you drop weight, it will drop down to 2 lbs per month. Just do cycles of cutting and going back to maintenance to help maximize true fat loss and do not remain in a caloric deficit for too many consecutive months.

    If you are not including resistance training, I highly recommend you start as the extra lean muscle mass will help increase active metabolic rate.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
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    At your weight, you can actually afford to take on a larger deficit (up to 40% for short-term but rapid weight loss) and your TDEE seems right as your cardiorespiratory system works very hard to assist in fat metabolism. Eating below your BMR or RMR is fine because you have plenty of fat stores which will be used to fuel the difference. After a brief period at that large deficit, reduce it to a moderate value of 25% and ride that out for 12 weeks or so before ending your first "cutting" cycle. From there, slowly up calories near maintenance so hormones can return to optimal levels. You could probably expect true fat loss to be about 3-5 lbs per month right now but as you drop weight, it will drop down to 2 lbs per month. Just do cycles of cutting and going back to maintenance to help maximize true fat loss and do not remain in a caloric deficit for too many consecutive months.

    If you are not including resistance training, I highly recommend you start as the extra lean muscle mass will help increase active metabolic rate.

    Though I wasn't as specific with numbers, this is almost exactly what I did. Started with a big cut to drop weight quickly since I was so obese. Took several spike days and a full week here and there. Slowly increased calories as I lost weight. Weight trained consistently, no exceptions, the whole time. Now I'm quite grateful for how I did it because it appears that my metabolism is not damaged based on the rate I lose and the deficit I have (they match almost perfectly - I don't seem to have the issue lots of dieters do where they need to eat 20% less than predicted).
  • beyond_beauty87
    beyond_beauty87 Posts: 48 Member
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    At your weight, you can actually afford to take on a larger deficit (up to 40% for short-term but rapid weight loss) and your TDEE seems right as your cardiorespiratory system works very hard to assist in fat metabolism. Eating below your BMR or RMR is fine because you have plenty of fat stores which will be used to fuel the difference. After a brief period at that large deficit, reduce it to a moderate value of 25% and ride that out for 12 weeks or so before ending your first "cutting" cycle. From there, slowly up calories near maintenance so hormones can return to optimal levels. You could probably expect true fat loss to be about 3-5 lbs per month right now but as you drop weight, it will drop down to 2 lbs per month. Just do cycles of cutting and going back to maintenance to help maximize true fat loss and do not remain in a caloric deficit for too many consecutive months.

    If you are not including resistance training, I highly recommend you start as the extra lean muscle mass will help increase active metabolic rate.

    thank u this makes alot of sense. I will keep doing my cardio like i have been and incorporate strength training.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    Though I wasn't as specific with numbers, this is almost exactly what I did. Started with a big cut to drop weight quickly since I was so obese. Took several spike days and a full week here and there. Slowly increased calories as I lost weight. Weight trained consistently, no exceptions, the whole time. Now I'm quite grateful for how I did it because it appears that my metabolism is not damaged based on the rate I lose and the deficit I have (they match almost perfectly - I don't seem to have the issue lots of dieters do where they need to eat 20% less than predicted).
    One reason why the 20% deduction below predicted TDEE does not work for many is due to their long-term dietary habits. If someone has been truly eating at their maintenance calories, then their hormones are functioning properly along with an active Resting Metabolic Rate. Naturally, even then the estimates are just that - estimates. However, there are those who have been "dieting" without actively trying to lose weight - in other words, they continued to eat less and less over time without being consciously aware of it. Thus, when they actually do wish to reduce body fat, and they perform the calculations, their estimates are way off and they do not know what to do.
  • mystikalbeanz
    mystikalbeanz Posts: 192 Member
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    Though I wasn't as specific with numbers, this is almost exactly what I did. Started with a big cut to drop weight quickly since I was so obese. Took several spike days and a full week here and there. Slowly increased calories as I lost weight. Weight trained consistently, no exceptions, the whole time. Now I'm quite grateful for how I did it because it appears that my metabolism is not damaged based on the rate I lose and the deficit I have (they match almost perfectly - I don't seem to have the issue lots of dieters do where they need to eat 20% less than predicted).
    One reason why the 20% deduction below predicted TDEE does not work for many is due to their long-term dietary habits. If someone has been truly eating at their maintenance calories, then their hormones are functioning properly along with an active Resting Metabolic Rate. Naturally, even then the estimates are just that - estimates. However, there are those who have been "dieting" without actively trying to lose weight - in other words, they continued to eat less and less over time without being consciously aware of it. Thus, when they actually do wish to reduce body fat, and they perform the calculations, their estimates are way off and they do not know what to do.

    This makes alot of sense and now im unsure of what i should be doing since i dont have alot of weight to lose. I dont know how many calories i was eating before joining MFP but i maintained the same weight (although it was still a few pounds overweight for me) for a few years. When i quit smoking in july i gained 8 pounds because i was snacking more etc. Right now im doing the TDEE-20% do you think this wont work for me?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    the standard BMR formula used here loses its way a bit with obese people, better to work out your % fat and use the Katch-McArdle formula which goes off lean weight.

    If I take a guess that your lean weight is 110 lbs then the BMR is 1410 which puts a different light on it, so best to work out the % fat from http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bf/ or hazard a guess what a skinny version of you would be at 20% fat and figure it out from there.
  • texas_cutie75
    texas_cutie75 Posts: 15
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    Bump, so I can read this with a clear mind. Thanks everyone!

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