Eating above & below your BMR..Questions??

Allup2Me78
Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I am at 1300 calories a day but my BMR is 1622 and I am told by several people that I shld be eating atleast at my BMR, is this really so? I want more advice on this. I am not questioning what anyone has already told me but would just like to hear more opinions on this. I am thinking about starting the TDEE method minus 20% but I am terrified because that is like over 1700 calories and currently I am at 1300-The increase of course is going to cause me to gain which I do not want to do!!..But back to my initial question-Are you really supp to eat atleast over your BMR? I am not loosing at 1300 so I am really starting to think I need more food. Was at 1500 forever and stopped loosing and lowered it to 1300 but maybe I shld have upped it instead??!!??

I am 4'10-197.5 lbs and workout abt 4 times a wk for 30 min-1 hr each time..I have exercised induced asthma so I cant workout really hard but I do what I can..I am only loosing like 2 lbs a month so could it be because I am not eating enough??

Replies

  • jennyann117
    jennyann117 Posts: 34 Member
    as soon as I went from the MFP rec of 1200/day to my tdee recommended minus 20% I started losing weight. I find it slower, but in the long run slow and steady wins the race :) good luck!
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
    You should eat between your BMR and your TDEE.

    Eating too little for too long will increase muscle loss along the way. It may be a bit slower of a loss while eating more but more of your loss will come from fat.

    I personally eat just above my BMR. I have my weekly goal set to 1lb per week however I average a bit more than 1 lb per week.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    See that is what scares me because I am already loosing slow so doing TDEE-20% and I start loosing slower-scares me even more! :(
    as soon as I went from the MFP rec of 1200/day to my tdee recommended minus 20% I started losing weight. I find it slower, but in the long run slow and steady wins the race :) good luck!
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    Well, on the 1300 that mfp gives you, you are supposed to eat your exercise calories back (which you don't do on tdee). 30 min - 1 hour gives you probably something like 250-400 calories depending on what you do. So mfp would have you on 1550-1700 anyway. The tdee method just makes it easier as you eat the same amount every day.
    When I did the mfp way I lost 1 pound a week when I switched to 100 over my bmr I lost about 1.5 a week, even though I ate more.

    I mean as long as you still have a lot to lose you could go down 25 or even 30% as long as it is still or bmr.
    I personally eat a lot more now, cause I'm close to goal and work on strength but it really does work! Maybe while you're at it you should also change your macros to get 1 gramme of protein per pound lean body mass
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Thanks for the info..BMR is actually 1622 and TDEE-20% is 1779 so for now I am going to shoot for maybe 1650 a day I guess and not eat back exercise calories.
    Well, on the 1300 that mfp gives you, you are supposed to eat your exercise calories back (which you don't do on tdee). 30 min - 1 hour gives you probably something like 250-400 calories depending on what you do. So mfp would have you on 1550-1700 anyway. The tdee method just makes it easier as you eat the same amount every day.
    When I did the mfp way I lost 1 pound a week when I switched to 100 over my bmr I lost about 1.5 a week, even though I ate more.

    I mean as long as you still have a lot to lose you could go down 25 or even 30% as long as it is still or bmr.
    I personally eat a lot more now, cause I'm close to goal and work on strength but it really does work! Maybe while you're at it you should also change your macros to get 1 gramme of protein per pound lean body mass
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    So I am at 1300 calories a day but my BMR is 1622 and I am told by several people that I shld be eating atleast at my BMR, is this really so?
    Not really, you won't hear it much anywhere other than here.

    You don't actually know your BMR precisely, and no obesity research at all ever has suggested that it is in some way a benchmark in setting calorie intake for weight loss - it's just a large part of your TDEE.
  • ProjectJepo
    ProjectJepo Posts: 19
    Hey, Firstly it's understandable to be a bit worried about the tdee thing making you put on weight.

    Secondly Tdee will more than likely make you put on weight in the first week or two but you will start to lose weight by this. Eating below bmr is dangerous because that is what you would be fed if you was asleep all the time doing nothing.

    Try the TDEE you will be shocked at the results, They may seem high but that's only because you're brainwashed by all these diet fads.

    Good Luck!

    Also Ignore all the people that say " no evidence about the bmr thing" They're all brainwashed too.. Look at it this way you're starving your organs of the nutrition they need to function.
  • Synapze
    Synapze Posts: 499
    See that is what scares me because I am already loosing slow so doing TDEE-20% and I start loosing slower-scares me even more! :(

    But whats scarier? Losing weight slowly or gaining the weight back?

    TDEE is the best thing ive done in the past 7 months. Give it a shot.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Also Ignore all the people that say " no evidence about the bmr thing" They're all brainwashed too.. Look at it this way you're starving your organs of the nutrition they need to function.

    You appear to be ignoring all the calories available from fat stores. You can also get adequate nutrition (or not) on an amount of calories that bears no relation to your BMR.

    Can you show us a single reference that might substantiate the "eat your BMR" myth ?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    See that is what scares me because I am already loosing slow so doing TDEE-20% and I start loosing slower-scares me even more! :(
    as soon as I went from the MFP rec of 1200/day to my tdee recommended minus 20% I started losing weight. I find it slower, but in the long run slow and steady wins the race :) good luck!

    If your BMR is truly 1622, it is mathematically impossible for you to gain weight eating that much. You lose weight eating between your BMR and TDEE...it's science...you aren't a special snowflake. Weight loss is slow...1-2 Lbs per week is safe and healthy weight loss. The big weight loss numbers you see people getting is due to dropping a lot of water, not fat.

    If you do it right, there is literally no difference between MFP (NEAT method) and the TDEE method. My MFP net goal was 1850 to lose 1 Lb per week...add my exercise calories and I was grossing between 2100 and 2200 with MFP. My TDEE - 20% to lose 1 Lb per week is 2,120 calories. See...virtually no difference.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Thanks for the advice. I started today and will never again be below my BMR of 1622 and shooting for 1700 calories a day. For some reason I feel this is going to be the fix for me not loosing on a consistent basis! :)
    Hey, Firstly it's understandable to be a bit worried about the tdee thing making you put on weight.

    Secondly Tdee will more than likely make you put on weight in the first week or two but you will start to lose weight by this. Eating below bmr is dangerous because that is what you would be fed if you was asleep all the time doing nothing.

    Try the TDEE you will be shocked at the results, They may seem high but that's only because you're brainwashed by all these diet fads.

    Good Luck!

    Also Ignore all the people that say " no evidence about the bmr thing" They're all brainwashed too.. Look at it this way you're starving your organs of the nutrition they need to function.
  • Sushifish87
    Sushifish87 Posts: 40
    I don't believe in the whole BMR thing and eating to much/to few calories. They have already proven 'starvation mode' is pretty much a myth unless you eat under 500cal for years. WebMD even has a thing about eating 1200-1075cal a day is a HEALTHY way to lose weight fast for a woman.

    There is a lot of info out there and a lot of people that will support each and every one of those items. I say personally eat what you feel you need. If you're hungry eat something healthy. If you're satisfied after 1200 calories, don't eat anymore. Some days I eat 1400 calories other I find it hard to hit 1200 calories. It just depends on the day, my activities and my body.

    As long as you're eating healthy foods 80% of the time and only eating when your body needs it you'll be fine. Don't focus to much on the calories in and out. Also new research is showing the way we 'count' calories is out dated and wrong so for all we know we're eating way more or less than we think
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Please STOP replying on my post! Thanks and have a great day!!
    Also Ignore all the people that say " no evidence about the bmr thing" They're all brainwashed too.. Look at it this way you're starving your organs of the nutrition they need to function.

    You appear to be ignoring all the calories available from fat stores. You can also get adequate nutrition (or not) on an amount of calories that bears no relation to your BMR.

    Can you show us a single reference that might substantiate the "eat your BMR" myth ?
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    I am already not loosing but about 2 lbs a month if that so YES I will be giving it a try..I won't eat up to the 1779 just yet because I am coming from 1300 but I will be eating no less than 1622 (BMR) and highest 1700 for now..Ty for the positive reply!

    See that is what scares me because I am already loosing slow so doing TDEE-20% and I start loosing slower-scares me even more! :(

    But whats scarier? Losing weight slowly or gaining the weight back?

    TDEE is the best thing ive done in the past 7 months. Give it a shot.
  • 20kb13
    20kb13 Posts: 161
    Don't be afraid to increase your calories. I felt the same way but as soon as I switched to the TDEE method I actually lost more. MFP just allows room for you to eat exercise calories, but the TDEE method includes that already. There are great posts on here that really help to explain it and depending on how much you want to lose you can choose to subtract 20%, 25% or 30% from TDEE. Good luck!
  • Sushifish87
    Sushifish87 Posts: 40
    Please STOP replying on my post! Thanks and have a great day!!
    Also Ignore all the people that say " no evidence about the bmr thing" They're all brainwashed too.. Look at it this way you're starving your organs of the nutrition they need to function.

    You appear to be ignoring all the calories available from fat stores. You can also get adequate nutrition (or not) on an amount of calories that bears no relation to your BMR.

    Can you show us a single reference that might substantiate the "eat your BMR" myth ?

    OMG I'm so sorry I didn't realize that it was against policy to give my opinion, help others, and reply to a public form post! Please accept my apologize and I'll be sure to never post on public forms in which you start! I didn't realize if was for 'special' people only!
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    That was not towards you! Sorry Sweetheart! I was trying to put it on another post-In which I thought I did-FEEL FREE to voice whatever you feel. That is what we are on here for. :)
    Please STOP replying on my post! Thanks and have a great day!!
    Also Ignore all the people that say " no evidence about the bmr thing" They're all brainwashed too.. Look at it this way you're starving your organs of the nutrition they need to function.

    You appear to be ignoring all the calories available from fat stores. You can also get adequate nutrition (or not) on an amount of calories that bears no relation to your BMR.

    Can you show us a single reference that might substantiate the "eat your BMR" myth ?

    OMG I'm so sorry I didn't realize that it was against policy to give my opinion, help others, and reply to a public form post! Please accept my apologize and I'll be sure to never post on public forms in which you start! I didn't realize if was for 'special' people only!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Please STOP replying on my post! Thanks and have a great day!!

    It's a forum, you don't own the thread or get to dictate its content. People will discuss things that may even wander off your original topic. Welcome to the internet, I hope you enjoy it.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Thanks for your reply on my post-Is that better??..Bye Bye now..I want to hear from those who eat atleast at their BMR no less. I eat below it now and it's not helping so I may as well try eating above it-I'd think!
    Please STOP replying on my post! Thanks and have a great day!!

    It's a forum, you don't own the thread or get to dictate its content. People will discuss things that may even wander off your original topic. Welcome to the internet, I hope you enjoy it.

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