Calorie Intake-too high, too low, or good?

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FutureSkinnyMama03
FutureSkinnyMama03 Posts: 250 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I keep coming across posts where people say they're not eating enough and to use BMR to figure it out. I'm a little confused so I'm hoping someone can help me figure this out!

MFP has my calorie intake set for 1200 to lose 1.5lbs per week. My BMR is 1557. Is 1200 about right? My TDEE is around 2140 including some exercise. I'm not sure if TDEE matters when figure this out or not. I just keep seeing something mentioned about both the TDEE and BMR so I'm posting info for both.

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  • FutureSkinnyMama03
    FutureSkinnyMama03 Posts: 250 Member
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    I have also been eating my exercise calories back. Should I not do that?
  • mabelbabel1
    mabelbabel1 Posts: 391 Member
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    People that work off the TDEE count tend to go for a reduction of between 10 and 20% depending on how much weight you have to lose. BMR is the figure you should keep above.

    That's a simple summary. :smile:
  • mabelbabel1
    mabelbabel1 Posts: 391 Member
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    I have also been eating my exercise calories back. Should I not do that?

    If you factor in your activity level to your TDEE then you wouldn't eat back your exercise calories.
  • alishamarioliver
    alishamarioliver Posts: 9
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    No don't eat them back!!! go to this website http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/
  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
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    No. You are not eating enough. Never set your daily calorie goal below BMR. Set your calorie goal between 10%-20% below your TDEE. At 20% you should be eating at the least between 1700 and 1950 calories.
  • mrstravisjones
    mrstravisjones Posts: 104 Member
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    how tall are you? it's hard to tell you if 1200 calories is too few or if 1537 (i've forgotten the number you posted) is too many. but if your tdee is up over 2000 calories, then i would say that either of those previous caloric amounts would be a plenty large enough deficit to lose weight. as for eating the exercise calories back - if you are hungry, you should eat them. if you don't feel like you need them, then there is no need to eat them.
  • FutureSkinnyMama03
    FutureSkinnyMama03 Posts: 250 Member
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    I'm 5'5". The TDEE is exercise included. My TDEE without any exercise included is 1868.
  • FutureSkinnyMama03
    FutureSkinnyMama03 Posts: 250 Member
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    Why would MFP put me at 1200 if it's too low? :( It's super confusing to me! I'm also scared to eat more calories since weightloss seems to be crawling like a turtle lately.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    Why would MFP put me at 1200 if it's too low? :( It's super confusing to me! I'm also scared to eat more calories since weightloss seems to be crawling like a turtle lately.

    Because you selected to lose a LARGE amount of weight per week.

    The way it works is MFP creates a 500 calorie deficit from your TDEE for ever 1 pound per week you select to lose. It also CANNOT suggest less than 1,200 calories. So if your TDEE is 2,000 for example and you select lose 2 pounds per week- MFP goes "Okay to lose 2 pounds per week they would have to eat 1,000 calories. We can't suggest less than 1,200 calories. Okay! Her goal is 1,200!"

    Generally as your TDEE IS 2000 calories and your BMR is 1500, then you should eat 1500. This gives you a deficit of 1 pound per week.

    A general guideline is eat your BMR atleast and less than your TDEE for weight loss. So technically anything below your TDEE you will lose weight. And anything at or above your BMR would be considered healthy.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I keep coming across posts where people say they're not eating enough and to use BMR to figure it out. I'm a little confused so I'm hoping someone can help me figure this out!

    MFP has my calorie intake set for 1200 to lose 1.5lbs per week. My BMR is 1557. Is 1200 about right? My TDEE is around 2140 including some exercise. I'm not sure if TDEE matters when figure this out or not. I just keep seeing something mentioned about both the TDEE and BMR so I'm posting info for both.

    BMR = Basal metabolic rate (this is the MINIMUM number of calories your body requires to maintain proper organ function - it is what they would feed you if you were in a coma in a hospital). In order to lose weight safely and with a much better chance of keeping it off, you should eat at a deficit from your TDEE. So, you could eat 1640 each day for a 500 calorie deficit which roughly equals 1 pound loss a week. Also, do not eat back exercise calories as the TDEE method already factors that in.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Why would MFP put me at 1200 if it's too low? :( It's super confusing to me! I'm also scared to eat more calories since weightloss seems to be crawling like a turtle lately.

    If your TDEE is over 2000 calories, just cut 20% from that number (to include exercise) and do not eat back exercise calories. Also, you don't have much to lose so it's going to be slow. And if you over extend your goal, then your body will just release hormones to prevent weight loss. Also, when you under eating, you increase the chances you will lose muscle as well as fat. And the more muscle you have, the tighter your body will be, the more definition you will have. Fat loss is what you really want, not weight loss. As i always say, weight loss makes you look good in clothes but fat loss makes you look good naked.


    Also, what kind of exercise are you doing? Additionally, it's impossible to gain fat if you are eating under your TDEE.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    yeh you shouldn't reaaally eat below your BMR, but the real question is, is your BMR correct? most of the online calcs can be off by up to 40% because they dont take into account body fat.

    this is the most accurate BMR you can get as it takes into account your BF%

    Katch-McArdle BMR:Considered the most accurate formula for those who are relatively lean.

    Use ONLY if you have a good estimate of your bodyfat %.

    calculate your body fat here
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/

    KM BMR
    http://www.calculatorpro.com/calculator/katch-mcardle-bmr-calculator/

    Equation

    BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - bodyfat %)]/100

    give it s try, its helped a lot of people.

    see if that matches up with what you have.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    Additionally, it's impossible to gain fat if you are eating under your TDEE.

    if your TDEE is correct, which it may not be without factoring in your BF% into the BMR calc.
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
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    If you eat below your BMR, there is a change you could slow your metabolism.
  • wizbeth1218
    wizbeth1218 Posts: 358 Member
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    Bumpity bumpity boo.
  • ShaSimone
    ShaSimone Posts: 276
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    Not to add to the confusion but I currently eat the TDEE of a person my height weighing 150 pounds. I do not currently weigh this, currently at 175 pounds and higher but as close as I am to my goal this was the best solution and made the most sense to me. I do not eat back exercise calories.

    Check out scooby's workshop for a great calculator.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Additionally, it's impossible to gain fat if you are eating under your TDEE.

    if your TDEE is correct, which it may not be without factoring in your BF% into the BMR calc.

    The formulas meet the needs of 70% of the people out there. There is a greater chance of these working than not.
  • CasablancasTX
    CasablancasTX Posts: 108
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    You have to figure out what's right for you. My doctor said my BMR is 1907 and my TDEE is 2309. I was eating 1700 cals and losing less than a pound a week. I switched to 1200-1400 and now I'm losing 2lbs per week and I'm never hungry.

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