BMR and TDEE Explained for Those Needing a Guide

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  • animalgurl000
    animalgurl000 Posts: 27 Member
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  • kathendo1984
    kathendo1984 Posts: 111
    saving for later x
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    tz2187 Posts: 250 Member
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    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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  • alexisdc
    alexisdc Posts: 117 Member
    Bumping for later! thanks
  • kanadian_bear
    kanadian_bear Posts: 70
    BUMP <<
  • CrazyC
    CrazyC Posts: 284 Member
    WOW, thank you so much! I understand now!

    ^^^^ This... Thank you SO much!!! High five on the explanation... It FINALLY makes sense to ME... :smile:
  • JemS_21
    JemS_21 Posts: 27 Member
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  • Mammym
    Mammym Posts: 12 Member
    My bmr is 1349 and my Tdee is 1646 so I have set my food tracker at 1450 so that will be mid way between the too. Hopefully this will help my weight loss. Thanks for the information.
  • ssizmur
    ssizmur Posts: 14 Member
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  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    My bmr is 1349 and my Tdee is 1646 so I have set my food tracker at 1450 so that will be mid way between the too. Hopefully this will help my weight loss. Thanks for the information.

    You do no exercise.
    You have a totally sedentary desk job.
    You drive a long time for work.
    You come home and sit as bump on the log the whole night.

    That is the sedentary level TDEE you selected.

    Or are you planning on eating back exercise calories, MFP style, rather than TDEE Deficit style?

    Don't shoot your body in the metabolism by doing it wrong, or you might think playing it safe.
  • Rotten_Apple
    Rotten_Apple Posts: 58 Member
    Saving for later.
  • kmcosgrove115
    kmcosgrove115 Posts: 260 Member
    mammym -

    Those calcs look perfect - keep in mind that it could take weeks for the body to re-learn - this is what I went thru - around 3 weeks after my reset was when I noticed the weight starting to come off - I had been way under eating for a long time and also about a month into plant based eating went along with MFP at 1200 and most days less. As much as I wanted the reset to be instant, it just wasn't so I had to constantly remind myself that the body had learned to hang on to food to survive and it would take a while for it to re-learn that I was now feeding it and to let go of the fat.

    So don't be too panicked if it takes a few weeks - hang in there! I just got into my cutest sexiest dress today that I have not been able to do in a long time - planning to post a pic as I look thin today - first tie I passed a mirror and stopped to really look b/c I was amazed at how much thinner I was looking - it really does work so hang in there and email anytime for support!

    Kristen
  • fifteentogotogo
    fifteentogotogo Posts: 8
    Superbly informative!!! I have plateaued for months and now realize what I need to change and why. Thank you so much (:
  • MrsWells1983
    MrsWells1983 Posts: 160
    I'm trying to load those calculators and I can't! They've worked for me before though!
  • maxpain3323
    maxpain3323 Posts: 3 Member
    awesome post. thanks i appreciate it
  • happystars82
    happystars82 Posts: 225 Member
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    ddarold Posts: 15 Member
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  • Nufraser
    Nufraser Posts: 87 Member
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  • johnguitarman
    johnguitarman Posts: 56 Member
    This all sounds great.

    I am a bit confused though. I am in week 7 of using MFP and have steadily been losing a pound and a half to 2 pounds a week. It seems to be working and it has me eating around 1900 calories a day. I exercise 5 days a week and burn on average between 400 and 700 cals a workout and I just recently started eating back those burned cals.

    I am reading all about the BMR and TDEE and wonder if I need to change my routine up or keep going like I am since its working? Are there any downsides to just following the MFP formula for losing weight? I do a cardio/weight lifting split.

    After I lose about 60 more pounds I want to start trying to add muscle mass. At the rate Im going I should hopefully hit my goal around nov or dec.

    I just joined the forums last week and I thought I had everything figured out with just using MFP but now I hear about all these other methods and I want to make sure I'm on a good path and I dont screw my metabolism up in the long run. Once I hit my goal I know I will have to raise my calories over maintenance slowly as I try to add mass. I currently lift to keep the mass I have now.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    This all sounds great.

    I am a bit confused though. I am in week 7 of using MFP and have steadily been losing a pound and a half to 2 pounds a week. It seems to be working and it has me eating around 1900 calories a day. I exercise 5 days a week and burn on average between 400 and 700 cals a workout and I just recently started eating back those burned cals.

    I am reading all about the BMR and TDEE and wonder if I need to change my routine up or keep going like I am since its working? Are there any downsides to just following the MFP formula for losing weight? I do a cardio/weight lifting split.

    After I lose about 60 more pounds I want to start trying to add muscle mass. At the rate Im going I should hopefully hit my goal around nov or dec.

    I just joined the forums last week and I thought I had everything figured out with just using MFP but now I hear about all these other methods and I want to make sure I'm on a good path and I dont screw my metabolism up in the long run. Once I hit my goal I know I will have to raise my calories over maintenance slowly as I try to add mass. I currently lift to keep the mass I have now.

    I just answered in the other thread you posted in: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/969616-who-uses-mfp-with-2-lb-week-loss-hows-it-working-for-you?page=1

    I also wanted to mention here, MFP assumes you will eat back all of those calories burned.
    Also, MFP will let you set the goal for 2lbs/week even if that number is below your BMR. It won't let you go any lower than 1200, but for many people, the 2lb/week goal is still way too low for healthy weight loss.
  • Alan
    Alan Posts: 30 Member
    Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to follow a TDEE of Lightly Active and eat back some or all of the calories burned while exercising (MFP-Style)? The reason I ask is that although I go to the gym every morning before work, the quality of my workout varies depending on how much time I give myself. I might have a 20 minute cardio, or a full hour - either split cardio/strength, or cardio warmup with more strength. I have a sedentary desk job the rest of the day, homelife is inactive.
  • cfredz
    cfredz Posts: 292 Member
    So in order to LOSE weight, i need to take my TDEE and take out 15% (if i want to lose 10-15lbs) and that number is what i should be eating? Sorry I'm still just a little confused haha :[
  • laura6009
    laura6009 Posts: 24 Member
    Bump x
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    So in order to LOSE weight, i need to take my TDEE and take out 15% (if i want to lose 10-15lbs) and that number is what i should be eating? Sorry I'm still just a little confused haha :[

    You have the concept, but you better reread to make sure you understand.

    The basic idea is you of course have to burn more than you eat.

    MFP food logging is one side of equation.
    estimating TDEE is other, and taking reasonable deficit.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to follow a TDEE of Lightly Active and eat back some or all of the calories burned while exercising (MFP-Style)? The reason I ask is that although I go to the gym every morning before work, the quality of my workout varies depending on how much time I give myself. I might have a 20 minute cardio, or a full hour - either split cardio/strength, or cardio warmup with more strength. I have a sedentary desk job the rest of the day, homelife is inactive.

    That is exactly method used by many.
    Just take 20% off the exercise calories also for what you really eat back.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    Plenty of people eat healthily on 1200. You are not starving yourself. A forum member who has a 4-year degree in nutrition science has said that you can eat below your BMR and morbidly obese people sometimes do. The issue is sustainability. Some people have no trouble staying at around 1200. They're more motivated for whatever reason to lose weight at a faster pace.

    Don't confuse motivation with health.


    It also has been discussed as a myth of diet and fitness that losing slowly is the only way. Some people do better not dragging out the process and they maintain their weight.
  • taylorckt1
    taylorckt1 Posts: 263 Member
    I've been doing well on my journey but have felt that my caloric intake should be a bit higher but just haven't understood all of this...I will admit that while your post has been very helpful, I am still not 100% confident about my understanding but I will certainly try it.

    Thanks for posting! :smile:
  • Alan
    Alan Posts: 30 Member
    Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to follow a TDEE of Lightly Active and eat back some or all of the calories burned while exercising (MFP-Style)?
    That is exactly method used by many.
    Just take 20% off the exercise calories also for what you really eat back.

    So, just so I have this right.. Using the tools from Fat2FitRadio, my BMR is either 1906 (Harris) or 1735 (Katch). From what I read, Katch is more accurate as it takes into account body fat (27.8%). Basically, I don't want to be below 1735.

    Lightly Active = 2621, less 20% (524.2) = 2078.8

    I aim to eat 2079 calories per day.

    I do some cardio and burn, say, 400 calories. 20% off of that (80) means I eat back 320 calories, for a total of 2399 for the day.

    Does that sound about right?
  • MegWilbe
    MegWilbe Posts: 56 Member
    bump for later

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