Explain BMR to me
mollz007
Posts: 168 Member
I dont get it. It your BMR the minimum amount of calories you need to eat to survive? Mine is like 1900. Other diet plans I have been on have tried to put me on a diet of 1200 calories a day... no wonder I was feeling so sh*tty.
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Replies
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Your BMR is the amount of calories you need for your body to survive (keep your heart pumping, brain and organs working, ect) at least this is what i think lol0
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yes BMR is what your body burns if you were to stay in bed 24 hours every single day...its what your body burns to keep you alive basically. and i said the same thing with previous tries! wish i had found this site before i did!0
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sounds like you don't need anything explained to you.
eat 1900 calories, and eat your exercise calories back for a nice, steady weight loss. you'll have more energy to live and work out, and feel better while doing it.0 -
Thats crazy! How come some diet plans make you wanna eat less than your BMR? When I was doing Jenny Craig they had me on 1500 calories a day and I felt like crap... no wonder!!0
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Related -- this is a subject of confusion to me, as well: If, according to MFP, my BMR as a 29/131-lb. female is 1,288, why is MFP then assigning me only 1,240 calories per day?0
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Related -- this is a subject of confusion to me, as well: If, according to MFP, my BMR as a 29/131-lb. female is 1,288, why is MFP then assigning me only 1,240 calories per day?
now this is splitting hairs. you are talking about 48 calories. thats a cup of coffee with cream and sugar.0 -
Sorry, not meaning to "split hairs." As I see it, 48 calories is 48 calories, I don't want to unintentionally not give my body what it needs (else I'd not have asked)... Simply trying to understand how this all works.0
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Basal Metabolic Rate
It's the minimum amount of calories that your body requires to function without any extra movement. Think about coma patients-- They aren't moving or using up extra calories to talk or move. They're completely sedentary, but their bodies still need enough calories to breathe and keep the heart pumping. If you're in a coma, the hospital will feed you your BMR requirement-- no more, no less.
We can survive on fewer calories than our BMR requirements because we do have extra fat stores to pull energy from for a limited amount of time-- and that's what causes weight loss. However, you shouldn't eat below your BMR for extended amounts of time because your body will only dig into those fat stores for so long before it will break down muscle for fuel, and when you break down muscle, your metabolism will slow down because it needs fewer calories to maintain your body.
Edit:
MFP is programmed to calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), and remove 10-15% of that to cut calories. If you set it to sedentary, your TDEE isn't going to be very much higher than your BMR, so removing that 10-15% might be below your BMR. The only restriction on the calculator is that it won't tell anyone to go below 1200 calories because that's what they have deemed to be the average "safety" limit.
But if you're serious about losing weight, don't just rely on cutting calories. Exercise more, lift weights, build muscle. Fuel your body enough to sustain a more active lifestyle.0 -
Basal Metabolic Rate
It's the minimum amount of calories that your body requires to function without any extra movement. Think about coma patients-- They aren't moving or using up extra calories to talk or move. They're completely sedentary, but their bodies still need enough calories to breathe and keep the heart pumping. If you're in a coma, the hospital will feed you your BMR requirement-- no more, no less.
We can survive on fewer calories than our BMR requirements because we do have extra fat stores to pull energy from for a limited amount of time-- and that's what causes weight loss. However, you shouldn't eat below your BMR for extended amounts of time because your body will only dig into those fat stores for so long before it will break down muscle for fuel, and when you break down muscle, your metabolism will slow down because it needs fewer calories to maintain your body.
Wonderfully put. :-)0 -
I dont get it. It your BMR the minimum amount of calories you need to eat to survive? Mine is like 1900. Other diet plans I have been on have tried to put me on a diet of 1200 calories a day... no wonder I was feeling so sh*tty.
BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate
it's the amount of calories your body needs to perform all of its functions daily. this does not include extra, such as exercise.
BMR is NOT the minimum daily calorie intake requirement you need to survive. if you have fat stores, your body can metabolize those to make up any daily deficits from restricted calorie intake. this phenomenon leads to... (drum roll please)... weight and fat loss!
you could lose weight just by exercising, but it would take a long time. you can lose weight by burning your fat stores. that happens faster. you can lose weight with both components. that's the fastest way.
so it's perfectly fine to eat less than your BMR until you get to a point where your body has exhausted your fat stores. however, you probably shouldn't run a massive deficit (i.e., starvation diet) because it will make you crave food and will be harder to stick to this new lifestyle change.
maintain a moderate BMR deficit daily. add cardio exercise. over time, watch the weight come off. add strength training to tone and shape your muscles so that when the fat goes, you're left with lean, attractive physique.0 -
Sorry, not meaning to "split hairs." As I see it, 48 calories is 48 calories, I don't want to unintentionally not give my body what it needs (else I'd not have asked)... Simply trying to understand how this all works.
you can customize your calorie intake in the settings. bump it up to 1,300 calories, but honestly, even that feels too little to me. how tall are you??0 -
Related -- this is a subject of confusion to me, as well: If, according to MFP, my BMR as a 29/131-lb. female is 1,288, why is MFP then assigning me only 1,240 calories per day?
It depends on what you're telling MFP. It won't go below 1200, but it also won't say, "Hey... you should aim for a half pound a week at this stage of the game."0 -
I dont get it. It your BMR the minimum amount of calories you need to eat to survive? Mine is like 1900. Other diet plans I have been on have tried to put me on a diet of 1200 calories a day... no wonder I was feeling so sh*tty.
BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate
it's the amount of calories your body needs to perform all of its functions daily. this does not include extra, such as exercise.
BMR is NOT the minimum daily calorie intake requirement you need to survive. if you have fat stores, your body can metabolize those to make up any daily deficits from restricted calorie intake. this phenomenon leads to... (drum roll please)... weight and fat loss!
you could lose weight just by exercising, but it would take a long time. you can lose weight by burning your fat stores. that happens faster. you can lose weight with both components. that's the fastest way.
so it's perfectly fine to eat less than your BMR until you get to a point where your body has exhausted your fat stores. however, you probably shouldn't run a massive deficit (i.e., starvation diet) because it will make you crave food and will be harder to stick to this new lifestyle change.
maintain a moderate BMR deficit daily. add cardio exercise. over time, watch the weight come off. add strength training to tone and shape your muscles so that when the fat goes, you're left with lean, attractive physique.
you are confusing BMR with TDEE.
If you eat your BMR, you are ALREADY in a deficit. you can eat your BMR and your exercise calories every day and still lose weight.
all the other posts in this thread are accurate.0 -
I dont get it. It your BMR the minimum amount of calories you need to eat to survive? Mine is like 1900. Other diet plans I have been on have tried to put me on a diet of 1200 calories a day... no wonder I was feeling so sh*tty.
BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate
it's the amount of calories your body needs to perform all of its functions daily. this does not include extra, such as exercise.
BMR is NOT the minimum daily calorie intake requirement you need to survive. if you have fat stores, your body can metabolize those to make up any daily deficits from restricted calorie intake. this phenomenon leads to... (drum roll please)... weight and fat loss!
you could lose weight just by exercising, but it would take a long time. you can lose weight by burning your fat stores. that happens faster. you can lose weight with both components. that's the fastest way.
so it's perfectly fine to eat less than your BMR until you get to a point where your body has exhausted your fat stores. however, you probably shouldn't run a massive deficit (i.e., starvation diet) because it will make you crave food and will be harder to stick to this new lifestyle change.
maintain a moderate BMR deficit daily. add cardio exercise. over time, watch the weight come off. add strength training to tone and shape your muscles so that when the fat goes, you're left with lean, attractive physique.
no, this is wrong. you have mistaken BMR with TDEE, which is Total Daily Energy Expenditure. For instance, my TDEE is about 3,200 calories.
i say about, because really, all these numbers are just guesses. you have to go by feel. and you have to be willing to experiment for a few weeks.0 -
Damn, you guys beat me to the reply. Im still in love with your back Robin.I dont get it. It your BMR the minimum amount of calories you need to eat to survive? Mine is like 1900. Other diet plans I have been on have tried to put me on a diet of 1200 calories a day... no wonder I was feeling so sh*tty.
BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate
it's the amount of calories your body needs to perform all of its functions daily. this does not include extra, such as exercise.
BMR is NOT the minimum daily calorie intake requirement you need to survive. if you have fat stores, your body can metabolize those to make up any daily deficits from restricted calorie intake. this phenomenon leads to... (drum roll please)... weight and fat loss!
you could lose weight just by exercising, but it would take a long time. you can lose weight by burning your fat stores. that happens faster. you can lose weight with both components. that's the fastest way.
so it's perfectly fine to eat less than your BMR until you get to a point where your body has exhausted your fat stores. however, you probably shouldn't run a massive deficit (i.e., starvation diet) because it will make you crave food and will be harder to stick to this new lifestyle change.
maintain a moderate BMR deficit daily. add cardio exercise. over time, watch the weight come off. add strength training to tone and shape your muscles so that when the fat goes, you're left with lean, attractive physique.
you are confusing BMR with TDEE.
If you eat your BMR, you are ALREADY in a deficit. you can eat your BMR and your exercise calories every day and still lose weight.
all the other posts in this thread are accurate.
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Some good, accurate information, some poor, and some totally wrong.
As said, but in brief terms - BMR = the amount of caloric intake you need to MAINTAIN your present state of mass.
TDEE = BMR + any caloric burn by doing some form moving your butt (Like a walk you dont normally do, or a run, or lifting, swimming, ANYTHING other than the norm)
To Lose weight, you need to burn more than you intake. To lose a pound in a week, you need to eat an estimated 500 calories LESS per day. So, if your BMR is 1900, your daily goal (NOT YOUR BMR) is 1400. If you exercise, wear an HRM that gives a calorie burn reading. Add this to your goal (personally AFTER you burn it) and eat within 97% of this new goal. And dont forget ...DRINK WATER!!!!!!!!!
Good luck!0 -
you are confusing BMR with TDEE.
If you eat your BMR, you are ALREADY in a deficit. you can eat your BMR and your exercise calories every day and still lose weight.
all the other posts in this thread are accurate.
Your statement on BMR is incorrect. BMR does not consist of a deficit0 -
This is incorrect. Basal Metabolic Rate is TDEE - about 20 to 40 %you are confusing BMR with TDEE.
If you eat your BMR, you are ALREADY in a deficit. you can eat your BMR and your exercise calories every day and still lose weight.
all the other posts in this thread are accurate.
Your statement on BMR is incorrect. BMR does not consist of a deficit
It is the energy needed to sustain autonomic systems.
BMR + activity + thermic effect of food = TDEE or maintenance.0 -
This is incorrect. Basal Metabolic Rate is TDEE - about 20 to 40 %
It is the energy needed to sustain autonomic systems.
BMR + activity + thermic effect of food = TDEE or maintenance.
Actually, we are both right. What I quoted is RESTING, without exercise.
In most topics, TDEE is what you are quoting - BMR is the NORM to Maintain
Also, you are ADDING to BMR to get your TDEE :laugh:
Basal metabolic rate (BMR), and the closely related resting metabolic rate (RMR), is the amount of energy expended daily by humans and other animals at rest or sleep . Rest is defined as existing in a neutrally temperate environment while in the post-absorptive state. In plants, different considerations apply.
Also see: basal metabolic rate an expression of the rate at which oxygen is used by body cells, or the calculated equivalent heat production by the body, in a fasting subject at complete rest. Abbreviated BMR. (This is MEDICAL terminology for BMR.
Former Medic in the US Army. As pertaining to this discussion, I would lean more to my answer. Yes, I am biased.0 -
Sorry, not meaning to "split hairs." As I see it, 48 calories is 48 calories, I don't want to unintentionally not give my body what it needs (else I'd not have asked)... Simply trying to understand how this all works.
What did you select for your weight loss goals? If you selected lose 1 pound per week, then they would put you at the 1248 calories per day in order to give you a deficit of 3500 calories. If you select to lose a half pound per week, then you will get more calories. Also, MFP's program is set up so you eat your exercise calories back so they expect you to workout and earn more calories to eat more. It also depends on what you selected for your activity level. If you select sedentary, then it gives you less calories. It'll increase the calorie intake for the higher activity levels.0 -
This is incorrect. Basal Metabolic Rate is TDEE - about 20 to 40 %
It is the energy needed to sustain autonomic systems.
BMR + activity + thermic effect of food = TDEE or maintenance.
Actually, we are both right. What I quoted is RESTING, without exercise.
In most topics, TDEE is what you are quoting - BMR is the NORM to Maintain
Also, you are ADDING to BMR to get your TDEE :laugh:
Basal metabolic rate (BMR), and the closely related resting metabolic rate (RMR), is the amount of energy expended daily by humans and other animals at rest or sleep . Rest is defined as existing in a neutrally temperate environment while in the post-absorptive state. In plants, different considerations apply.
Also see: basal metabolic rate an expression of the rate at which oxygen is used by body cells, or the calculated equivalent heat production by the body, in a fasting subject at complete rest. Abbreviated BMR. (This is MEDICAL terminology for BMR.
Former Medic in the US Army. As pertaining to this discussion, I would lean more to my answer. Yes, I am biased.
you should have kept reading the wikipedia definition further.
From the same wikipedia pageAbout 70% of a human's total energy expenditure is due to the basal life processes within the organs of the body (see table). About 20% of one's energy expenditure comes from physical activity and another 10% from thermogenesis, or digestion of food (postprandial thermogenesis).[10] All of these processes require an intake of oxygen along with coenzymes to provide energy for survival (usually from macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) and expel carbon dioxide, due to processing by the Krebs cycle.
Basal Metabolic Rate, is not maintenance calories. BMR + daily activity + thermic effect of food is maintenance calories.
Daily activity being, waking up, blinking, walking to the bathroom...etc. Anything that requires voluntary muscle action.
You do NOT maintain your weight if you eat your BMR, you lose weight if you eat your BMR, that is, unless, you are in a coma or a quadriplegic and unable to move.0 -
you are confusing BMR with TDEE.
If you eat your BMR, you are ALREADY in a deficit. you can eat your BMR and your exercise calories every day and still lose weight.
all the other posts in this thread are accurate.
i'm not confused.
what i wrote about BMR is correct.
it's a function of your age, height, weight, etc.
it doesn't include activity rate.
TDEE is the BMR modified by an activity rate multiplier.
for example, the multiplier for a "light exercise" activity level is 1.375, but that is accounting for all activity above and beyond the BMR.
so TDEE is BMR + plus all other calories burned by movement, etc.
or in other words, TDEE is BMR plugged into the Harris-Benedict equation.
however, BMR is the BASE number and that's what i described (above).0 -
BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate is the amount of calories your body needs to exist.
Unless you have had it measured in the lab conditions (which I had in my physiology class), all the other calculations are estimates. It depends on your weight, gender, age, body composition, and whether or not you have any pathologies that affect metabolism (e.g. thyroid disease can dramatically decrease or increase it).
Because all these different figures make things complicated, a simple calculation that most people can do is take their weight in pounds and multiple it by 10. It isn't the accurate figure, but you will be in the right area (for most people).
So to reiterate, your BMR is your weight in pounds multipled by 10.0 -
BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate is the amount of calories your body needs to exist.
Unless you have had it measured in the lab conditions (which I had in my physiology class), all the other calculations are estimates. It depends on your weight, gender, age, body composition, and whether or not you have any pathologies that affect metabolism (e.g. thyroid disease can dramatically decrease or increase it).
Because all these different figures make things complicated, a simple calculation that most people can do is take their weight in pounds and multiple it by 10. It isn't the accurate figure, but you will be in the right area (for most people).
So to reiterate, your BMR is your weight in pounds multipled by 10.
Really? your calculation would have my BMR go up to 2100 instead of 1690 are you sure.0 -
Mads, can you give me your age and height, please? I presume you are a man and your weight is 210 lb, right?0
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OK, my over-simplification works very well for me, but it may not be so helpful for everyone:
The simplest calculation I can recommend then is
For men: BMR = 10 * weight(in kg) + 6.25 * height(in cm) - 5 * age(in years) + 5
For women: BMR = 10 * weight(in kg) + 6.25 * height(in cm) - 5 * age(in years) - 161
Let me see, how it calculates for me; I am a woman, 63.2 kg (139lb), 174 cm (5'9'') and 45 years old.
My estimate based on my weight in pounds=10*139=1390
BMR: 10*63.2+6.25*174-5*45-161=632+1832.5-225-160=1334.5
So, as I said, my simplification works pretty well for me, but, yeah, everyone should put their math hats on:flowerforyou:0 -
I wish I could figure out how that works. My BMR is 1960 and my weight is 257. MFP wants me eating 1500 cals and my doc said 1400. I am not losing weight, but losing inches.0
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Mads, can you give me your age and height, please? I presume you are a man and your weight is 210 lb, right?
Nope female 44, 211,175cm
All other calculators I've used put me around 16900 -
Yep, Mads, you are absolutely right. I got 1671 for you and 1690 using another formula.
Thank you for highlighting my error. Goes to show that what works for one person (in this case me), doesn't necessarily work for others.
Thanks and best of luck! :flowerforyou:0
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