BMR, What's the use?

kaylanlynnNW · July 2010

Ok so I did the little BMR test and my results were 1600 or so calories... What do I do with this information and how/if it can be used to my advantage with weight loss. Can someone explain?:noway: :noway:

jheller · July 2010

Your BMR gives you a guide a to how many calories you'd burn by doing nothing. If you are taking in more calories then your body needs you'll gain weight. That's why most of us are here .

So if you use this site to log your food intake and keep it under 1600 calories you'll probably lose some weight.

kaylanlynnNW · July 2010

Thanks, that makes sense.

erickirb · July 2010

Your BMR gives you a guide a to how many calories you'd burn by doing nothing. If you are taking in more calories then your body needs you'll gain weight. That's why most of us are here .

So if you use this site to log your food intake and keep it under 1600 calories you'll probably lose some weight.

This is not correct information, BMR is not the same as maintenance calories. Many people suggest not to eat less than your BMR as this is the amount your body needs to function, and doing so may cause your metabolism to slow down, making it harder to loose weight.

Maintenance calories is your BMR plus regular energy expenditure from things such as sitting up, moving, going to work. The number you should eat less than, is your maintenance calories. To loose weight effectively you should eat somewhere in between your BMR and your maintenance calories.

robstot · July 2010

Here is an equation to figure it out. I hope that this helps. I found this a few months ago on a wesite called Bodybuilding Hub

Step 1:
Take your current body weight in pounds (lbs) and multiply by 11.
Example: 194 lbs x 11 = 2134 calories

This is what I need to just keep what I have, without moving. But remember, you do move. So you have to then calculate your metabolic factors into this... so off to step 2...

Step 2:

Figure out your metabolic factor according to the table below.
But first, some definitions to help you determine where you might fit in:

Slow Metabolism: You basically look at food and you seem to put on pounds. You can gain weight by eating salads but it's difficult to lose the weight.

Moderator Metabolism: You can gain weight if you try. You can lose weight if you try. You really don't have trouble losing weight depending on what you want to do.

Fast Metabolism: You are the skinny guy or gal who can eat *ANYTHING* and it makes no difference. Gaining weight is difficult. Losing weight can happen overnight. Just by watching T.V. you seem to shed pounds.

Metabolic %
Under 30 years old
Slow Metabolism- 30%
Moderate Metabolism- 40%
Fast Metabolism- 50%

30-40 years old
Slow Metabolism- 25%
Moderate Metabolism- 35%
Fast Metabolism- 45%

Over 40 years old
Slow Metabolism- 20%
Moderate Metabolism- 30%
Fast Metabolism- 40%

Example: 2134 calories x 35% = 746.90

I took my calories needed above just to sit here and not move and multipled it by my metabolic factor and I find that I need an additional 746.90 calories because of my specific metabolism.

Step 3:
Put it together.
2134 + 746.90 = 2880.90 calories
I need 2,880.90 calories to maintain my current weight with my current activities.

Note: You can also adjust your metabolic factor if you do something that might take you to the next level. If you are a moderator metabolism person but you do distance running, it might make more sense to put your self in the fast category since you burn a lot more calories.

Step 4:
Now change the above with about 500 calories every day to reach your goals!

Lose Weight: I would take 2880.90 - 500 = 2380.90
Maintain Weight: I would just leave it at 2880.90 and continue what I was doing in my activities
Gain Weight: I would take 2880.90 + 500 = 3380.90

Note: 500 calories a day is just a general term everybody uses to say that adding this amount is within safe limits. Eat too much, and you end up storing fat. Cut too many calories and your body just goes into starvation mode and ends up retaining more fat. 500 is a safe, recommended guideline.

Step 5:
You must track what you are eating so you'll know if you've made your goal for the day. And tracking food does not have to be complicated with weights and scales.
It's a shame that so many people just start training and never figure out what they need to eat daily to reach their goals.

You can keep doing the math over and over as you reach a goal. If you are bulking, your requirements will change as you progress. And when you lose weight they will as well. You might want to lose weight, reach a target weight and then maintain. So you will do this formula again when you have hit the weight you want.

khubbard1207 · July 2010

So, im wondering. My BMR is 1,429 but myfitnesspal recommends that I eat 1,280 calories a day. It says that my calories burned from daily activity was 1,790. So you are saying that I should eat between the 1429 and the 1790? Im confused.

I also did the thing robstot suggested and it ends up I have to eat 1923 calories to lose weight. So, again, why is myfitness pal telling me to only eat 1280?

erickirb · July 2010

So, im wondering. My BMR is 1,429 but myfitnesspal recommends that I eat 1,280 calories a day. It says that my calories burned from daily activity was 1,790. So you are saying that I should eat between the 1429 and the 1790? Im confused.

Short answer is yes, but everyone is different. MFP uses a mathematical calculation based on your goal and will not let you go under 1200 calories per day, but does not take into account your BMR as a minimum amount. You may want to test it yourself, if you hit a plateau eating the 1280 try upping your calories to 1430 to see if that will speed up your metabolism.

khubbard1207 · July 2010

So, im wondering. My BMR is 1,429 but myfitnesspal recommends that I eat 1,280 calories a day. It says that my calories burned from daily activity was 1,790. So you are saying that I should eat between the 1429 and the 1790? Im confused.

Short answer is yes, but everyone is different. MFP uses a mathematical calculation based on your goal and will not let you go under 1200 calories per day, but does not take into account your BMR as a minimum amount. You may want to test it yourself, if you hit a plateau eating the 1280 try upping your calories to 1430 to see if that will speed up your metabolism.

You're right, I have hit a plateau, but I was having a lot of trouble keeping it at 1280 because it didnt seem enough. I really didnt want to go less. Thanks.

missouri_rain · July 2010

I am totally confused, when I did the above calulation I come up with 2409 this can't be right, is it? mfp has me at 1570, that is a huge difference.

erickirb · July 2010

I am totally confused, when I did the above calulation I come up with 2409 this can't be right, is it? mfp has me at 1570, that is a huge difference.

Is 1570 your target per day? If so it would reduce your maintenance calories by 500- 1000 depending on your goal (1 pound or 2 pounds per week) If you are at 2 pounds per week your maintenance would be 2570 according to MFP or if you are at one pound would be 2070

Under the tools tab at the top of the page you can choose BMR and MFP will calculate it for you, the calculation given earlier in the post is for Men, women will have a slightly lower BMR as women have a lower muscle % than men.

missouri_rain · July 2010

Yes, 1570 your target per day
Okay, after going to tools, it says my BMR should be 1640, and mfp gives me 1570 calories a day......does this mean I eat between these two?

robin52077 · July 2010

This is essentially a "dumb" tool, meaning that if you say "2 lbs per week" it WILL subtract 1000 a day whether or not it puts you below your BMR, the only cap it has is at 1200.
It is recommended that you eat at least your BMR, so if it gives you a number below that, try changing it to 1 lb a week, or even 1/2 lb. Slow and steady wins the race. Perhaps 2 lbs a week is considered too fast for your body based on your current weight and your BMR.
Plenty of people have RAISED their calories and seen the weight start to fall off faster. Ask around!:flowerforyou:

missouri_rain · July 2010

Thanks Robin, I'm not in this to lose fast....I've got the rest of my life to perfect it, I'm going to start experimenting with this.

IsMollyReallyHungry · July 2010

did you get all of that.....:-) Wow!

MFP helps with this so I just go with what they say some weeks and some times I go below thier calories. So far I have done better going below wha they say for me. Righ now they recommend I eat 2030 a day. well since I eat about 2000 calories a day anyway I find if I leave it at that and I eat over that I will have not lost weight those weeks either.

But when I set it myself at 1500 to 1700 and still stay under 2000 and exercise I will lose weight. I recommend experimenting because all of us are different and what works for one person may not work for another one.

Good luck!!

kaylanlynnNW · July 2010

Ok, cool. MFP suggests I eat 1200 cal. a day which is a lot less than I calculated.... so which method do you think is better?

tcac · July 2010

bump

BMR, What's the use?

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