BMR and Goal Question

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MelanieBHow
MelanieBHow Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
After reading the boards and everyone commenting on figuring out your BMR and TDEE, I have finally done it. My question now is, my BMR is 1657 and my MFP goal is 1490 calories/day, which number is best to go by? I have kind of hit a plateau this month and I am wondering if it has to do with not eating enough. I work out 4-6 times per week and have struggled (sometimes) to eat over my 1490 calories per day after my workout. And my sedentary day job is no help in the weight loss department :)

Thanks for the advice :)

Replies

  • sgmomma
    sgmomma Posts: 299 Member
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    I would personally eat more. You are supposed to eat more than your BMR...BMR is essentially what your body would burn if you stayed in bed all day.
  • Livinz
    Livinz Posts: 9 Member
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    What is your TDEE? I would eat more too. My TDEE is 2200 so I eat 1800 per day. I also have a desk job.
  • ashleybreuer
    ashleybreuer Posts: 51 Member
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    I would always eat at least at BMR or above PLUS your workout calories unless if you are going off TDEE - 20%. If you go off TDEE - 20% it's already factoring in exercise calories for you :)
  • MelanieBHow
    MelanieBHow Posts: 6
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    My TDEE is 2560 which is more calories than my husband eats. 20% below my TDEE would be 2048.
  • Weebs628
    Weebs628 Posts: 574 Member
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    My TDEE is 2560 which is more calories than my husband eats. 20% below my TDEE would be 2048.

    I would eat at TDEE -20% and don't eat back exercise calories.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    A couple of reasons why MFP set your calorie goal below BMR.

    1) you entered a greater than 1 lb/wk weight loss goal
    2) you set it a sedentary when your actually working out 4-6 time/wk which is actually lightly to moderately active

    IMO: you need to adjust your goals and at least net your BMR in calories per day. That is a safe an healthy level to lose fat.
  • tsta1350
    tsta1350 Posts: 28
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    So technically you should be eating 2048 a day and loosing weight at a consistent and healthy pace. But if you have been eating 1400 calories for a long time you may have slowed down your metabolism and BMR so you might need to do a reset (eat at maintainence for a while- as long as it takes for you to maintain your weight on this amount) and get your BMR back up to where it should be.
  • conniehv40
    conniehv40 Posts: 442 Member
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    The way I understand it (and I am new to all of this) is:

    bmr= the amount of calories you need to sustain living--breathing, sleeping, nothing else

    tdee=total daily energy expenditure. To figure out your tdee:

    Take your bmr x 1.2 (if you are sedentary) or x 1.375 if you are busy during your days. bmrx1.375 or 1.2=tdee

    to lose weight, you take your tdee and subtract either the 250 cal a day (to lose 1/2 pound a week) or 500 cal a day (to lose 1 pound a week). When you have a cardio workout/strength training, you eat your calories back.

    I hope this helps!! connie
  • marathonmom72
    marathonmom72 Posts: 191 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/501511-great-read-on-plateau-ing?page=8#posts-7150335

    Highly suggest reading this and checking out the group Eat More to Weigh Less. I am 10 weeks into a metabolism reset myself. After having gained 2 pounds, my weight has finally leveled off and I've started steadily losing the last few days. It's scary going through the process, watching your weight go up when all you are trying to do is lose more. I second guessed myself a lot; going back and crunching the numbers over and over again to be sure I had my BMR and TDEE figured right. But if you hang in there, it works!
  • DarrelBirkett
    DarrelBirkett Posts: 221 Member
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    Have a peek at my blog here, I've put some notes about this (and yes, I done it to be lazy so didnt have to write it out again ;) )

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/DarrelBirkett/view/post-contents-503047

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