MFP calories 500 lower than recommended BMR?

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MrsY21
MrsY21 Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
I just checked my Basal Metabolic Rate, and different sites recommend between 1580 (My Fitness Pal) and 1700 (BMIcalculator.net).

MFP has my daily calories set at 1200, and it's been that level since I started MFP a couple of years ago.

Isn't it dangerous to eat so far below your BMR and for a prolonged period of time?

I lose more weight on "naughty" weeks when I've been over my limit for a few days, than I do on weeks when I stick to it rigidly, now I'm wondering if this could be why, and I'm going into starvation mode when I stick to the 1200 limit rigidly.

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  • jallforme3
    jallforme3 Posts: 38 Member
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    I've read that you should not net lower than your BMR. So if your BMR is 1580, NET at least that every day. So if you exercise, you should be eating back your exercise calories to reach your net daily goal. And if you've already noticed that you lose weight eating more, then by all means eat more! I changed MFP numbers too..It had be at 1200 which wasn't realistic for me. Things are just starting to move now :) Good Luck!
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
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    I just checked my Basal Metabolic Rate, and different sites recommend between 1580 (My Fitness Pal) and 1700 (BMIcalculator.net).

    MFP has my daily calories set at 1200, and it's been that level since I started MFP a couple of years ago.

    Isn't it dangerous to eat so far below your BMR and for a prolonged period of time?

    I lose more weight on "naughty" weeks when I've been over my limit for a few days, than I do on weeks when I stick to it rigidly, now I'm wondering if this could be why, and I'm going into starvation mode when I stick to the 1200 limit rigidly.

    I'm going to take a wild guess and say you have your MFP settings at "Sedentary" and "Lose 2lb a week"?
  • CouleeRunner
    CouleeRunner Posts: 267 Member
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    MFP set you at 1200 based on the information you gave it. You probably want to lose 2 lbs a week and said you were sedentary as the above poster said.

    I work at a computer for 9 hours a day, yet I am not sedentary. My Fitbit adjustment according to my movements, gives me an average of 300 extra calories a day, even above exercise calories. I don't think most of us here are truly sedentary.

    I would start by telling MFP you are lightly active then say you want to lose half a pound a week. I bet you see great results then.

    Good luck!:smile:
  • MrsY21
    MrsY21 Posts: 8
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    MFP set you at 1200 based on the information you gave it. You probably want to lose 2 lbs a week and said you were sedentary as the above poster said.

    I work at a computer for 9 hours a day, yet I am not sedentary. My Fitbit adjustment according to my movements, gives me an average of 300 extra calories a day, even above exercise calories. I don't think most of us here are truly sedentary.

    I would start by telling MFP you are lightly active then say you want to lose half a pound a week. I bet you see great results then.

    Good luck!:smile:

    Lightly Active and 2lb a week...You and SpecialSundae were pretty much correct. Changing it to 0.5lb a week has brought the calorie goal up to above my BMR.

    Thank you! :)
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
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    BMR or TDEE?
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    I just checked my Basal Metabolic Rate, and different sites recommend between 1580 (My Fitness Pal) and 1700 (BMIcalculator.net).

    MFP has my daily calories set at 1200, and it's been that level since I started MFP a couple of years ago.

    Isn't it dangerous to eat so far below your BMR and for a prolonged period of time?

    I lose more weight on "naughty" weeks when I've been over my limit for a few days, than I do on weeks when I stick to it rigidly, now I'm wondering if this could be why, and I'm going into starvation mode when I stick to the 1200 limit rigidly.

    No, they didn't. When you go through the process of setting up your goals, MFP recommends not aiming for more than a one pound per week loss. That's a deficit of 500 from what they estimate your TDEE to be. You have to have overridden their recommendation, and selected a 2#/week loss, which gives you a 1000 calorie deficit, and is pretty miserable, along with unwise if you care about keeping all of the lean mass that you can. Maybe rethink your goal?
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Isn't it dangerous to eat so far below your BMR and for a prolonged period of time?

    It depends on the person. It's easier for people with large fat stores to do that, and the less you eat, the more care is needed in maintaining nutritional (as opposed to caloric) intake.

    But there is no hard and fast rule that says you *have* to be above BMR.
  • aleggett321
    aleggett321 Posts: 186 Member
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    When I started MFP last spring, it also put my target net at 1200/day. Following that I actually gained weight. I tweaked my approach a little to correlate more with my BMR, I try to always eat a minimum of 1400 cal/day gross. Not net. On more active days I consume the recommended net as it climbs higher.. I am consistently losing about a pound a week. Hope this helps
  • MrsY21
    MrsY21 Posts: 8
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    I had never heard of TDEE until I just read it in your post, links_slayer. Clearly I need to do more research!

    I'm sure MFP must've asked me if I wanted to do 2lb a week if it's against their system recommendations...But I set it up so long ago I don't remember so it didn't trigger me to think "hey, maybe that's why it looks wrong!".

    Thanks for all the advice everyone.

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