inconsistent BMR, MYFITNESSPAL contradictory BMR

steelx3
steelx3 Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

been using the myfitnesspal app for a few months now. today i noticed an inconsistency in the Goals area. when it comes to BMR. my goals say i need to drop 1k in calories a day. from 2540 to 1540. no problem there,thats what ive been doing. then i go to the bmr calculator on myfitnesspal and it tells me that my BMR is 1954. so im confused. I googled several more BMR calc, and received a broad range of results as well, anywhere from 1800 cals a day upto 2900+ cals a day (these are not diet goals).

soooooo. my my deduction, in using this app, i am slowly slowing down my own weight loss by following the drop 1000 cals a day because it may be false. when i started i was 276 lbs and my BMR was 2540 and i needed to cut 1K in cals. now i am 243 and it still says that my BMR is 2540? that doesn't make any sense, at least not to me.

any insight would be great. i have tons more questions on this app but id rather start with this one. great app, i love it and tell everyone about it.

thanks in advance.

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    MFP does math, it expects you to supply the common sense. You ask it to have you lose 2 lbs per week if it's deducting 1000 calories. The MFP calculations are based on your TDEE without exercise and using the activity level you provided.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you're very overweight you will want to use a BMR calculator that uses the Katch Mcardle formula as it only takes into account your LBM. You will need to determine your BF%. Personally I've used a lot of calculators and I've never seen BMR numbers that wildly erratic. 1800 sounds about right...are you confusing BMR with TDEE where you are getting the 2500 and 2900 numbers? Those sound like TDEE to me.
  • steelx3
    steelx3 Posts: 13
    my point exactly. its not doing the math.
  • steelx3
    steelx3 Posts: 13
    i know what BMR is. and i found the dif ones i tried on bodybuliding.com, and www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/‎, and web md, amongst others.
  • steelx3
    steelx3 Posts: 13
    myfitnesspal 2028 (now its changed for some reason)
    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ 1862
    calculator.net 2028
    bodybuildong.com 2218
    web md 2438
    runners world 2214
    muscle and strength 2653

    sorry, probably woulda helped if i posted this in my original post
  • rwam
    rwam Posts: 13 Member
    I use MFP as a great place to track calories consumed, much better database than bodymedia for example. I have found, for myself, that MFP over estimates my calories burned. My best results have been since I used another BMR/RMR calculator and used the RMR (resting metabolic rate) x the factor for my sedentery life style as my estimated calories burned each day before execise. Here is a link. http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php
    You can do custom settings for your daily targets based on this. So basically you end up doing the math yourself.
  • landrethjm
    landrethjm Posts: 1 Member
    There are a lot of different factors that go into the BMR (weight, age, activity level, etc). It could be that your BMR has increase as a result of being more active, so you need to re-evaluate and adjust your caloric intake.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    There are a lot of different factors that go into the BMR (weight, age, activity level, etc). It could be that your BMR has increase as a result of being more active, so you need to re-evaluate and adjust your caloric intake.

    BMR is calories needed to maintain body function in a coma. It has nothing to do with your activity level.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    myfitnesspal 2028 (now its changed for some reason)
    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ 1862
    calculator.net 2028
    bodybuildong.com 2218
    web md 2438
    runners world 2214
    muscle and strength 2653

    sorry, probably woulda helped if i posted this in my original post

    When you give a BMR number for MFP are you using the calculator in the apps section or the number MFP gives you before a calorie deduction? MFP isn't deducting your deficit from your BMR. What does MFP give you for a calorie budget if you put that you want to maintain your weight at a sedentary setting?

    It would help to know your height as well as weight and age.
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
    Just here for that awesome cat pic.
  • donjessop
    donjessop Posts: 186
    myfitnesspal 2028 (now its changed for some reason)
    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ 1862
    calculator.net 2028
    bodybuildong.com 2218
    web md 2438
    runners world 2214
    muscle and strength 2653

    sorry, probably woulda helped if i posted this in my original post

    There are different formulas on how to calculate BMR, MYFitnessPal abd Calculator.net, use the Mifflin-St. Jeor method (created in 1990) that is promoted by the American Dietetics Association. BodyBuilding.com and Runners World are using the older Harris-Benedict formula (created in 1919 and revised in 1984) which over estimates BMR for overweight people. WebMD is not telling you your BMR, it is telling you your TDEE number using Mifflin-St.Jeor. Muscle and Strength is telling you your TDEE based on Harris-Benedict.

    I personally go to http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ because you get to pick which formula you are most comfortable believing. Based on my reading of the Wikipedia article on BMR I go with the Mifflin-St. Jeor method. However, that is because I feel, after 12 weeks of carefully monitoring my diet and my exercise, that it comes closest to being accurate, for me. Everyone is different and everyone needs to figure out which formula is best for them.

    However, it is really important to read the section in the Wikipedia article about individual differences even amongst people with the same lean body mass. Everyone's metabolism is different and as a result "calories in - calories out" is different for everyone. If you chew your food more you are able to extract more nutrients from the food. When you exercise the calories burnt is calculated based on averages. If you are above/below average the numbers don't match up. However, if you keep track of everything that goes in and all of the exercise that you do, you should be able to get closer to the solution for you.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    now i am 243 and it still says that my BMR is 2540? that doesn't make any sense, at least not to me.

    That does seem very high. Putting in average height and your weight, I get a number in the 1550s using the BF% formula.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I suspect you are confusing. BMR and TDEE. It would help if you posted your stats.
  • peachcats
    peachcats Posts: 99
    BMR != TDEE.
    BMR is the basic amount of calories your body burns in 24 hours doing nothing.
  • steelx3
    steelx3 Posts: 13
    i appreciate everyone's responses. it seems that i may have over complicated my question based on the various responses i am seeing. within that respect thanks you all for your input....
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Cat torturer!! LOL!! Seriously, this is the first good laugh I have gotten all day. :laugh: :heart:

    OK, now that I have stopped laughing, I have found fat2fitradio.com is a great place to go and get your various BMR estimations.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
  • steelx3
    steelx3 Posts: 13
    lol. i love that pic. stole it from a meme
  • steelx3
    steelx3 Posts: 13
    http://weknowmemes.com/2013/04/getting-real-tired/
  • steelx3
    steelx3 Posts: 13
    getting-real-tired-of-your-****-cat.jpg
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Have a read of this - it explains all the various terms and gives great suggestions on setting goals for macros etc....

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • steelx3
    steelx3 Posts: 13
    my question was aimed at MFP. program itself, and thats kind of it. i understand more than what most would expect and have done more than my share of research on the subject of nutrition and macro nutrients and caloric intake.

    problem is maybe some sees my post count and assumes i know nothing because i appear to be new.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    when i started i was 276 lbs and my BMR was 2540

    that would be your TDEE, of which BMR is only a part (a large part, but not the whole picture).

    MFP only recalculates your calorie goals when you do a Goals calculation, it doesn't edge it down in real time with weight loss. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,093 Member
    Hello,

    been using the myfitnesspal app for a few months now. today i noticed an inconsistency in the Goals area. when it comes to BMR. my goals say i need to drop 1k in calories a day. from 2540 to 1540. no problem there,thats what ive been doing. then i go to the bmr calculator on myfitnesspal and it tells me that my BMR is 1954. so im confused. I googled several more BMR calc, and received a broad range of results as well, anywhere from 1800 cals a day upto 2900+ cals a day (these are not diet goals).

    That number in the goals area is not your BMR. It's your TDEE less intentional exercise -- that is, it includes energy burned on the job and around the house, but not at the gym, etc. Of course, that all depends on your having understood what MFP was asking you about your activity level when you set up your profile; the MFP calculator is limited by the information you supply. Your BMR is the energy you need to lie in bed all day, and it might be roughly 15% to 30% less than that number you see in your goals, if you're sedentary or lightly active (outside of intentional exercise).

    ETA: so based on the numbers you give (2540 for calories burned from your goal page and 1954 from the BMR calculation), it sounds like you've told MFP you're lightly active, right?

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