MFP's daily calorie goal less than my BMR

tigersgrowl1093
tigersgrowl1093 Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Based on MFP's BMR calculator, my BMR is 1592 cal/day. I have my app set to lose 1.5 lbs/week, as I have more than 40 lbs but less than 75 lbs to lose. The app has my daily goal at 1460.

What am I missing?

I have tried the TDEE calculators, and if I do TDEE - 20%, it has me at more than 1500, but still under MFP's BMR of 1592.

I am really confused. I know eating under my BMR will be starving my body, which is counter-productive.

Replies

  • Mr_Starr
    Mr_Starr Posts: 139 Member
    It was confusing to me for a long time as well. I may still be wrong....but...

    1460 is your daily net goal to lose 1.5 lbs a week.

    So for example you can eat 1860 calories a day, and burn 400 in exercise daily, your net calories will end up being 1460.
  • tigersgrowl1093
    tigersgrowl1093 Posts: 45 Member
    It was confusing to me for a long time as well. I may still be wrong....but...

    1460 is your daily net goal to lose 1.5 lbs a week.

    So for example you can eat 1860 calories a day, and burn 400 in exercise daily, your net calories will end up being 1460.

    That is what I was thinking as well, but I thought the net had to at least meet the BMR.

    I figured out the issue with the TDEE calculator being below my BMR. I put sedentary, when I should have put light activity. That upped it to 1,700 cal/day.

    I don't know if 1,460 or 1,700 will be more effective...
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Having your goal a touch under your bmr is fine if you're going to eat your exercise calories.

    You HaVE to net your bmr every day isn't set in stone. Your bmr will drop with your weight. So if you're eating to a net target near your bmr at your goal weight you should be fine. Just be sure to get lots of protein.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    This may help:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1058378-oh-noes-i-am-eating-below-my-bmr
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    1) with MFP you're supposed to eat back your exercise calories
    2) Scooby's goal should still be over your BMR. If not, it means your goal is too aggressive and you should go down to a 15% deficit... or exercise more to increase your TDEE and your goal.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    As other's have stated, it's not that big of a deal to be at or slightly below your BMR...just make sure you're eating your exercise calories as MFP is designed to do...where this becomes a problem is that people don't understand the whole net calorie thing and eating back calories and they're goal is less than BMR and then on top of that they're exercising off 400 - 500 more calories and not fueling that activity.

    I personally never net under my BMR...I was always at least at my BMR but usually netting a couple hundred calories over that. What I figured out early on (because I initially had the same issue) was that despite having a desk job, I wasn't really as sedentary as MFP would have me believe per the descriptors. I was losing too quickly at that setting and changed to light active. I do have a desk job, but I still get up and walk around and I have kids at home and there's always something getting cleaned, cooked, or fixed, etc. I really think MFP's "sedentary" activity level is literally crawl out of bed, take a dump...walk out to the couch, pick up remote...rinse and repeat. I really do feel that most people who are "sedentary" per MfP really should have there setting at light active...at least there's more wiggle room for adjustments.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I know eating under my BMR will be starving my body, which is counter-productive.
    Eating under your BMR is not dangerous, which is why the app here uses 1200 as a calorie floor, not your BMR.
  • tigersgrowl1093
    tigersgrowl1093 Posts: 45 Member
    I appreciate the replies.

    I will stick with what MFP has set for my daily net goal and if in a month it is not working, I can figure something else out.

    Thanks!

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