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

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  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    I eat ~1.5x my BMR to lose.
  • SueGeer
    SueGeer Posts: 1,169 Member
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    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
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    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
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    above BMR, below TDEE = lose weight, stay healthy!
  • FitMrsR
    FitMrsR Posts: 226 Member
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    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
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    WAY above! i eat TDEE -10%
  • travlinjess
    travlinjess Posts: 243 Member
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    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!
  • mich1902
    mich1902 Posts: 182
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    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.

    This is the way it has worked out for me too!
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
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    I eat between 850 and 1250 above my BMR and I'm maintaining. Workout 4 days a week and walk at least a mile every day.
  • katedevall
    katedevall Posts: 240 Member
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    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.

    ^^ this
  • jdhoward_101
    jdhoward_101 Posts: 234 Member
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    My BMR is 1200 net, and i am usually either spot on or under by between 100-200 calories. However, because i do a lot of exercise, i'm generally eating between 1300 and 1500 calories a day.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Above my BMR because I like to be able to do things like move and think straight! I use TDEE (calculated via FitBit and corroborated by hard sums) -15%.
  • frasergentles
    frasergentles Posts: 11 Member
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    Recalculate TDEE every seven days based on plabbed activity and target 90% intake (give me room if I decide not to do some exercise or if I go over on a day).
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    I should add, when I calculated my TDEE and took a 20% cut, it was pretty close to what I do now (off by maybe 500 calories per WEEK). The biggest difference is that with my method, I have to earn my extra calories every day. For me, that's a very important distinction to make. If I didn't do that, I would be slacking on the exercise.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    I recalculate my TDEE every week based on that week's activity to reflect my actual activity, it's just as motivating as doing it on a daily basis, and means I do more non-exercise activity too.
  • HotrodsGirl0107
    HotrodsGirl0107 Posts: 243 Member
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    My bmr is just over 1400 and I eat 1900 to 2000 calories a day and have been losing .5 or more a week. I wasn't trying to lose anymore but had a drastic increase in my activity level (job wise) and it has increased my calories to maintain. I am slowly increasing back up to my new maintenance goal.
  • nettletea_
    nettletea_ Posts: 7 Member
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    I net way below my BMR, but since I'm recovering from an eating disorder I'm trying not to worry about it. If I force myself to eat more I know I'm going to relapse (tried it), so it's actually healthier for me this way. Eventually I'd like to net way above it, but it's hard right now...

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