1200 cals or 1600

clover0820
clover0820 Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
My BMR is somewhere around 1600. My question to you guys if I am really dedicated and want to lose weight by april 10th, should I stick the to 1200 cals or my BMR? I read in an article somewhere that it takes around a month to get your body used to getting the amount of calories it needs and then you will start losing.

Replies

  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    You need, at a minimum, to net your BMR. Going below that can lead to loss of lean muscle, meaning you'll lose weight, but you'll look bad because you'll be soft and squishy. Losing muscle means that your BMR will be lower, so it will be easier for you to gain the weight back.

    Starving your body of the fuel it needs is not a smart way to try to lose weight.
  • clover0820
    clover0820 Posts: 15
    Why does MFP supports the 1200 calorie plan?
  • focuseddiva
    focuseddiva Posts: 174 Member
    I have wondered the same thing. In the past, I've not been successful eating 1600 cals. My BMR is about 1500. So even with exercise, eating 1500 or 1600 cals a day (and being honest about it) doesn't produce a loss for me. It generally only allows me to maintain. I'v eonly really seen decent weight loss eating 1200-1330 per day. And not eating exercise cals back.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    My BMR is somewhere around 1600. My question to you guys if I am really dedicated and want to lose weight by april 10th, should I stick the to 1200 cals or my BMR? I read in an article somewhere that it takes around a month to get your body used to getting the amount of calories it needs and then you will start losing.


    You have to decide.....is it the "number" on the scale that's the most important thing? OR do you want to lower your body fat %?

    Eating below your BMR for a long period of times leads to muscle loss.....but the number on the scale may read exactly what you want it to by April 10th.....but your body fat % will not as low as it could be.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Why does MFP supports the 1200 calorie plan?

    because the assumption is that you will be eating back your exercise calories. also because many people are too aggressive in their weight loss goals, so many people who dont have enough weight to easily lose 2 pounds still put that as their goal.
  • clover0820
    clover0820 Posts: 15
    That is how it is with me too! ><
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    MFP supplies a basic math equation for weight loss, you need to use your own good sense to determine if it's right for you personally. That is why it spits out 1200 when you put in 2lbs per week.

    Change your goal to lose 1lb per week and I bet that it will be a lot closer to your BMR.
  • clover0820
    clover0820 Posts: 15
    Why does MFP supports the 1200 calorie plan?

    because the assumption is that you will be eating back your exercise calories. also because many people are too aggressive in their weight loss goals, so many people who dont have enough weight to easily lose 2 pounds still put that as their goal.


    I have one more question sorry. If I ate 1600 calories a day (My BMR) should I burn 400 to make the net 1200?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Why does MFP supports the 1200 calorie plan?


    1200 is as low as MFP will go......it's just math. You provide "I want to lose XX pounds per week" and MFP goes to 1200 when the weight loss goal is aggresive enough....or when a really petite (or older) person uses it.

    1200 is the calories (I can't think of the source) .....but it's based upon USDA nutritional standards.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I have wondered the same thing. In the past, I've not been successful eating 1600 cals. My BMR is about 1500. So even with exercise, eating 1500 or 1600 cals a day (and being honest about it) doesn't produce a loss for me. It generally only allows me to maintain. I'v eonly really seen decent weight loss eating 1200-1330 per day. And not eating exercise cals back.


    Ummm....no.

    There's something wrong if you are maintaining while eating at your BMR and adding exercise. Either your BMR is lower than you think.....some people have used various BMR calculators & had lab testing for BMR ....the results are not equal for some.

    Your expectations might be too high......weight loss is not linear. You might lose 1 week & not the next. Close to goal (15 pounds) .....1/2 pound a week is good progress. You might be eating more than you think. You might be double counting exercise & activity level....the list goes on.

    You should NOT have to NET less than 1000 calories a day to lose weight.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    Why does MFP supports the 1200 calorie plan?

    because the assumption is that you will be eating back your exercise calories. also because many people are too aggressive in their weight loss goals, so many people who dont have enough weight to easily lose 2 pounds still put that as their goal.


    I have one more question sorry. If I ate 1600 calories a day (My BMR) should I burn 400 to make the net 1200?

    Your BMR is what your body would burn if you stayed in bed all day, or, as people like to say, "if you were in a coma." Even if you're fairly sedentary, with a BMR of 1600, you should be burning close to 2100 every day BEFORE EXERCISE. So if you consume 1600 calories a day, you'll lose a pound a week before adding exercise. So unless you have a lot of weight (say, at least 40+ lbs) to lose, you should eat all or most of your exercise calories back, so you net 1600.

    Or are you confusing your BMR with your TDEE or MFP's "Calories Burned from Normal Daily Activity" (which is a sort of pre-exercise TDEE)?
  • clover0820
    clover0820 Posts: 15
    Why does MFP supports the 1200 calorie plan?

    because the assumption is that you will be eating back your exercise calories. also because many people are too aggressive in their weight loss goals, so many people who dont have enough weight to easily lose 2 pounds still put that as their goal.

    I would like to lose 50 pounds but my goal is 30 for april ( not too set on it just hoping for the best ) Ive got a variety of BMR results but the MFP put me at 1550, another one put me at 1660 (lol) . I hesitate to do the TDEE because eating 2100 calories a day seems too good to be true!? at 1500 calories a day I feel guilty that I am eating way too much... But the thing with TDEE, I burn about 400 calories a day with exercise and I dont know what that would fall under. Lightly active? and the only other exercise I get is walking from class to class ( not that far ) or walking around the mall or the market.
    By the way thank you for answering and helping me

    I have one more question sorry. If I ate 1600 calories a day (My BMR) should I burn 400 to make the net 1200?

    Your BMR is what your body would burn if you stayed in bed all day, or, as people like to say, "if you were in a coma." Even if you're fairly sedentary, with a BMR of 1600, you should be burning close to 2100 every day BEFORE EXERCISE. So if you consume 1600 calories a day, you'll lose a pound a week before adding exercise. So unless you have a lot of weight (say, at least 40+ lbs) to lose, you should eat all or most of your exercise calories back, so you net 1600.

    Or are you confusing your BMR with your TDEE or MFP's "Calories Burned from Normal Daily Activity" (which is a sort of pre-exercise TDEE)?
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Why does MFP supports the 1200 calorie plan?
    Because 'you shouldn't eat below your BMR' is forum myth.
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    BMR is a mathematical calculation, based on good research but also based on statistical averages, and so its accurate for a fair number of people, but not for everyone. I know from a great deal of personal experience that I cannot lose weight eating "My BMR plus exercise." I literally laughed out loud when I read WalkingAlong's comment.

    How long have you been dieting (or however you prefer to label this activity related to food and exercise)? How have your results been? And lastly, how do you feel? My advice, which I want you to remember is non-medical and informed only by a whole lot of personal experience, is that you should assess yourself every couple of weeks, and adjust your intake goals based on your progress toward your other goals, and how you feel (tired, constantly hungry, cranky, etc).

    P.S. I don't know what is happening on April 10th, or how much you hope to lose by then...but whatever the event, I hope you enjoy it regardless of your weight at that time, and that your health goals can be a slightly separate matter.
  • clover0820
    clover0820 Posts: 15
    BMR is a mathematical calculation, based on good research but also based on statistical averages, and so its accurate for a fair number of people, but not for everyone. I know from a great deal of personal experience that I cannot lose weight eating "My BMR plus exercise." I literally laughed out loud when I read WalkingAlong's comment.

    How long have you been dieting (or however you prefer to label this activity related to food and exercise)? How have your results been? And lastly, how do you feel? My advice, which I want you to remember is non-medical and informed only by a whole lot of personal experience, is that you should assess yourself every couple of weeks, and adjust your intake goals based on your progress toward your other goals, and how you feel (tired, constantly hungry, cranky, etc).

    P.S. I don't know what is happening on April 10th, or how much you hope to lose by then...but whatever the event, I hope you enjoy it regardless of your weight at that time, and that your health goals can be a slightly separate matter.

    Thank you for your kind response and informational answer! :D

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