Confused about BMR

alisonmcgrail1986
alisonmcgrail1986 Posts: 2
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I'm new to this site so I apologise if this question has been asked and answered previously! I am slightly confused about the BMR. I read on another post on this website that the BMR is the absolute minimum you need to function daily and you should not go below this. It was also said that any reduction in calories should come from your 'maintenance' amount NOT your BMR. I understand that in theory, my confusion however is this... I used the BMR calculator on this website and it gave me a total of 1402 calories per day, however after entering all my details upon registerind and opting to try and lose 2 lbs a week this same website gave me a goal of 1200 calories a day! I am really confused by this conflicting information. On the one hand I'm being told it's dangerous to go below my BMR but on the other hand I'm being giving a goal of 1200! I also understand the idea of eating your 'exercise calories' but even if I eat them all it will only take me back to a net intake of 1200 which is 200 below my BMR! Which should I be following...my BMR or my goal target given to me?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Alison

Replies

  • rockinmomto3
    rockinmomto3 Posts: 97 Member
    No, your BMR (or basal metabolic rate) is how many calories you'd burn in a day laying in bed, doing nothing. In order to lose weight, you need to create a defacit in calories eaten and calories burned. So if your BMR is 1400, you should eat at least 1200, and then at least half of your exercise calories (how ever much you burn doing your workouts).
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I would try to go above your BMR with a few hundred calories to start off with. Make sure that you are choosing good, healthy foods, and try it with your workout routine for a couple of weeks. Carefully monitor how you feel on a day to day basis as well as how you are progressing with your goals. If you feel you need to adjust things, then do it!

    I manually changed my goals given to me on this website, because I was given around 1200 calories as well as my goal. However, I am extremely active and do hour long sessions of intense weight training 3 days a week plus intense interval cardio training 3 days a week that also lasts 60 minutes. If I don't get at least 1500 calories, I will go into starvation mode!

    Just listen to your body and do what it is right for you. After a couple of weeks of trial and error, you will find out what works best.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    No, your BMR (or basal metabolic rate) is how many calories you'd burn in a day laying in bed, doing nothing. In order to lose weight, you need to create a defacit in calories eaten and calories burned. So if your BMR is 1400, you should eat at least 1200, and then at least half of your exercise calories (how ever much you burn doing your workouts).

    Which is another way of saying what I said. :) Don't go as low as 1200 completely. Start there and go up a little until you find what is right. Don't undereat, though! :)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    No, your BMR (or basal metabolic rate) is how many calories you'd burn in a day laying in bed, doing nothing. In order to lose weight, you need to create a defacit in calories eaten and calories burned. So if your BMR is 1400, you should eat at least 1200, and then at least half of your exercise calories (how ever much you burn doing your workouts).

    This isn't accurate. The deficit comes from Maintenance not off of BMR.

    If over a prolonged period you eat below BMR your metabolism may slow down, but for many maintenance is only slightly higher than BMR so you may have to eat below BMR to lose more than a pound/week. MFP suggests you set your goal at 1 lb/week but will allow you to go up to 2 lbs/week. As long as you stay at or above the 1200 cals plus your exercise cals, you should be fine.
  • jaxterbom
    jaxterbom Posts: 73
    2 pounds-a-week is a fast clip! Perhaps if you plugged in 1 pound-a-week you'd get a more reasonable calorie allowance.

    I think that you are going to have to go with a best-guess and then see how it goes. I have had to adjust the figure up and
    down many times, going between impossible (can't eat that little) to too high / ineffective. There is a spot in-between that works well.

    Dieting is one edge of the sword. Don't forget exercise! I eat some of my exercise calories when I feel the need to. Bicycling
    is my new thing in addition to walking. Someday I'll try running when enough of the spongecake comes off.

    Much Luck!
    Hank

    223140.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • alisonmcgrail1986
    alisonmcgrail1986 Posts: 2
    Thanks for all the advice! I guess I'll just keep going with the trial and error method until I start getting results!

    Thanks again

    Alison
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