Eat below, at, or over bmr to lose weight?

emily53212
emily53212 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
According to the formula 655 + (4.35 x Weight in pounds)+(4.7 x Height in inches) - (4.7x Age)= , my bmr is 1516. When i multiply that by my activity level, i get 1820.1.
1.2 Sedentary (little to no exercise)
1.375 Lightly Active (1-3 days a week)
1.55 Moderately Active (3-5 days a week)
1.7 Very Active (6-7 days a week)

For weightloss I'm supposed to subtract that number by 500 and i'm at 1320. I currently eat at 1200 because of MFP. To lose weight, how many calories should i be consuming because since starting 1200 calories ive actually gained around 15 pounds..

Also, I workout 6 times a week for 30-45 mins doing some kind of circuit training or HIIT. Am i considered sedentary because other than the time i workout, i'm at uni or im at home studying. I'm not too sure if i should use sedentary with my BMR or not.

Replies

  • fitmusiclifeviola
    fitmusiclifeviola Posts: 99
    Open your diary if you want specific ideas. Also, do you weigh your food? Are you preparing everything yourself, or do you eat out?
  • LH85DC
    LH85DC Posts: 231 Member
    According to the formula 655 + (4.35 x Weight in pounds)+(4.7 x Height in inches) - (4.7x Age)= , my bmr is 1516. When i multiply that by my activity level, i get 1820.1.
    1.2 Sedentary (little to no exercise)
    1.375 Lightly Active (1-3 days a week)
    1.55 Moderately Active (3-5 days a week)
    1.7 Very Active (6-7 days a week)

    For weightloss I'm supposed to subtract that number by 500 and i'm at 1320. I currently eat at 1200 because of MFP. To lose weight, how many calories should i be consuming because since starting 1200 calories ive actually gained around 15 pounds..

    Also, I workout 6 times a week for 30-45 mins doing some kind of circuit training or HIIT. Am i considered sedentary because other than the time i workout, i'm at uni or im at home studying. I'm not too sure if i should use sedentary with my BMR or not.

    You've gained 15 lbs while eating consistently at 1200? something doesn't add up there. Are you weighing your food? Do you eat things that you don't track? Do you have an underlying medical condition that might complicate things (pregnant, diabetes, thyroid, anything?)? Are you eating back exercise calories? We will need more information to give you any sort of advice.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    1) if you've gained 15 Lbs then you weren't eating 1200 calories per day. You are underestimating your intake somewhere along the way.

    2) with MFP your activity level is based on general day to day stuff...exercise is logged after the fact and should not be included in your activity level if you are following the MFP method. You log those calories and because they were previously unaccounted for in your activity level you get those calories to "eat back"

    3) Your sedentary maintenance and BMR being so close together indicates to me that you don't have a whole lot you need to lose so you should probably go slower. That said, the difference between 1320 and your BMR is not substantial...but you'll want to make sure you're fueling any workouts by eating back your exercise calories (adjusted for estimation error...do not overestimate your exercise burn...way too many people on MFP think they're burning a gazillion calories in an hour when in reality it's more like 300 or 400 tops.
  • Rizabees
    Rizabees Posts: 80
    Eat at least some of your exercise calories back. Drink plenty of water. Weigh your food.

    Are you being 100% completely honest about what you eat and how much of it? That's a big thing when trying to lose weight.
  • emily53212
    emily53212 Posts: 2
    I do not eat back exercise calories. Is it true that eating 1200 puts your body in starvation mode?
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    You don't have to worry about starvation mode. It's mostly a myth.

    You are either...

    A. eating more than you think
    B. have a medical condition

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