I have a stupid question about bmr

I feel stupid for asking this but I read bmr is the very least amount of calories to keep my body alive. Like if I was in a coma, this is the calories I would need to keep my organs functioning and whatnot. But I typed in my info on the bmr calculator and it says I would need 2200 a day to keep my body alive? I don't get it. The calories fitness pal gives me is 1760. Can someone explain this to me? I'm 5'8 dude at 240

Replies

  • darintexas
    darintexas Posts: 20 Member
    Hi ya ;)

    I think the calories they give you on MFP might be the minimum number of calories for you to hit to lose weight????? Does that make sense? If that's the case, then that's why they would be lower maybe ;) I'm just guessin' though...
  • hararayne
    hararayne Posts: 261 Member
    BMR means basal metabolic rate. This is the number of calories used by the body each day while AT REST. Many of us are sedentary though, so it works very well as your maintenance calorie amount. You won't die by not eating 2200 calories, you are creating a deficit, which is how you lose weight as a sedentary, at rest person.

    MFP I would guess is subtracting approx 500 calories from your BMR to give you a calorie amount to lose weight as a sedentary person of about 1 lb per week.

    If you exercise, you can eat back some or all of those calories and MFP will help you keep track of that.

    That help?