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Do YOU eat below, above, or at your BMR?

jennagoogles13
jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
edited January 22 in Food and Nutrition
I've recently learned how unhealthy it is to eat below your BMR, but I did it anyways because I was losing weight doing so. Anyways, I was just wondering how all of you are managing to lose weight? (P.S. I'm now aiming to eat at least my BMR every day and will see if I still lose!)
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Replies

  • Springfield_Rocks
    Springfield_Rocks Posts: 289
    go here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map

    tons of info on TDEE, BMR, etc.

    :flowerforyou:
  • jen_fitnhappy
    jen_fitnhappy Posts: 102 Member
    I'm going the net my BMR route. I tried doing TDEE -20%, but since my exercise is not consistent netting my BMR is easier to work with. I plugged my numbers into MFP using sedentary and eat my exercise calories back. I chose sedentary since I have a desk job with long hours. The goal MFP gave me (1430) is very close to my BMR (1400) anyway!

    So to answer your question, on exercise days I eat above my BMR so that I net my BMR.
    On non-exercise days I try to eat at my BMR.
    Some days I'm over or under, therefore I just go by the weekly average on the app.

    Good question! I'd like to see what others have to say.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I net below my BMR. I usually gross above it. I've done this for 2 years now and it hasn't hurt my metabolism at all. I had it checked at a hospital after over a year on MFP and it was significantly higher than the online calculators estimate.
  • mmddwechanged
    mmddwechanged Posts: 1,687 Member
    Well above!
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    My BMR is 1303 and I gross 1700 a day or so. (weight training days - 3 each week - I typically net below my BMR)
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    MFP calculated my BMR at 1575, Katch Mcardle calculated it at 1375, I have eaten around 1200 for the past 8 months and have steadily lost, and have yet to hit a plateau. If you have extra fat stores, I have found no evidence that supports the theory that eating a bit below your BMR is unhealthy. The more important number is your TDEE. This number is what you create your calorie deficit from. I eat 500 cals below my TDEE for a steady 1 pound a week loss. Because I am fairly sedentary, this puts my cal level below my BMR.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    Well above!

    ^ This.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    Well above!

    ^ This.

    ^This some more. My BMR is 1193 or something ridiculous like that. I generally net 1500 (gross 1700-1800) to lose, 1700 (gross 1900-2000) to maintain, and over 2100 to gain. That is presuming a 250 average calorie burn from working out. If I do cardio, it's a great deal higher.
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
    I gross above my BMR and net below it.
  • vcric
    vcric Posts: 3
    I set my calorie goal to my BMR and try to eat over that. I add back exercise cals as well. I found that this works for me better than setting it to TDEE-20%.
  • lyninit2winit
    lyninit2winit Posts: 70 Member
    Always over. I try to eat stay within 500 cals of my 15% cut of my TDEE. I use custom settings to try to find what works for me.
  • dondimitri
    dondimitri Posts: 245 Member
    I'm usually at or below my BMR. Roughly 1000 cal/day deficit. Roughly 2 lbs/week loss. No plateau after 3 months and 24 pounds.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I never net below my BMR. I figure BMR is coma calories, and I am most definitely not in a coma, so I aim to net at least a couple hundred cals above that every day.

    I have reached goal weight and dropped plenty of fat and inches by eating at about 20% below TDEE and netting above BMR over the past year+. Best results I've ever had. :bigsmile:
  • lovemitch125
    lovemitch125 Posts: 257 Member
    Definitely ABOVE! I probably net an average of 1300-1600 and gross anywhere between 1600-2000 and I am losing.
  • Yeller_Sensation
    Yeller_Sensation Posts: 373 Member
    Way, way above.

    My BMR is 1188. My TDEE is 2100. I eat up to 1898 a day, every day.
  • ThinUpGirl
    ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
    I eat my BMR of 1560 or above, BUT I NET BELOW. I don't eat all my exercise calories. i try to net BELOW 1400.
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    I'm currently eating at my BMR. When I'm done losing weight I'll eat at my TDEE, which will be around 1600 before exercise.
  • naturallyme36
    naturallyme36 Posts: 155 Member
    Im just starting out and im eating 25% under my TDEE. i wont know the results until next week. Good luck to you.
  • aronao
    aronao Posts: 112 Member
    I eat above my BMR but below my TDEE - about 30% below.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    ABOVE: I eat BMR plus most if not all my workout calories.



    21525558.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
    I don't use BMR to set my calorie goals. But, I have noticed that am usually eating at my BMR, frequently below it, rarely above. I think today was an above BMR day.
  • Rbacchiega
    Rbacchiega Posts: 52 Member
    my BMR is roughly 1600. I'm eating 1800 calories a day, working out 3-5 days a week
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    I eat well above my BMR, and most days net over it--I see maybe 2 or 3 days this month where I netted slightly below because I didn't manage to eat all my exercise calories back that day. But my average is above.

    BMR is somewhere around 1430, daily target is 1760, run or exercise 6 days a week so usually eat 1900-2500, and lose half a pound a week.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I eat ~1.5x my BMR to lose.
  • SueGeer
    SueGeer Posts: 1,169 Member
    I eat TDEE-15% (1525) and net no less than my BMR (1232).

    Not right for weveryone but it's working for me! Losing about a pound every couple of weeks.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    Net much closer to my TDEE after exercise; I've set activity to "sedentary" and log most activity that gets me out of the building. See ticker for how that's working out.
  • vicmonster
    vicmonster Posts: 297 Member
    above BMR, below TDEE = lose weight, stay healthy!
  • FitMrsR
    FitMrsR Posts: 226 Member
    I eat above it. My BMR is about 1389 and I eat around 1750 (TDEE -20%). I do p90x with insanity mixed 1-2 days per week. I'm actually slowly increasing my calories by 100 every couple of weeks so I can get all buff and things :drinker:
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    WAY above! i eat TDEE -10%
  • travlinjess
    travlinjess Posts: 243 Member
    I'm going the net my BMR route. I tried doing TDEE -20%, but since my exercise is not consistent netting my BMR is easier to work with. I plugged my numbers into MFP using sedentary and eat my exercise calories back. I chose sedentary since I have a desk job with long hours. The goal MFP gave me (1430) is very close to my BMR (1400) anyway!

    So to answer your question, on exercise days I eat above my BMR so that I net my BMR.
    On non-exercise days I try to eat at my BMR.
    Some days I'm over or under, therefore I just go by the weekly average on the app.

    I do exactly the same thing for the same reasons. I eat at a base of 1500 and up to 1900 on exercise days(depending on cals burned). My BMR is between 1430-1500. Works for me!
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