Eating below BMR - confused?

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cheril2009
cheril2009 Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

Hope you can help... I am new MFP member and confused with the whole BMR and TDEE thing.
It seems as though I am eating below my BMR and I don't know if that is correct?

I am 33 year old female.
Weight 101kg
Height 165cm
Body fat 41.92%

MFP has me on a 1600 calorie goal but when I check on Fat to Fit it says my BMR is 1637?

I lead a pretty sedentary life and exercise outside of that 4 times a week for 1 hour (treadmill and stationary bike) - approx 240 calories per workout according to the gym machines. Which leads to another question being that the MFP calories burned seem to be way more than what the machines in the gym tell me.

Can someone please assist as I don't want to be putting myself into starvation mode but also want to loose about 0.5kg a week?!?

Replies

  • karenrich77
    karenrich77 Posts: 292 Member
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    37 calories isn't much of a difference. So you definitely wouldn't go into starvation mode over that much :)
  • EolAcalia
    EolAcalia Posts: 18 Member
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    The numbers most of these websites give you is a rough guide not exact numbers. Keep reducing / increasing calories until you are losing 0.5kg a week, and look at the intake again every time you lose 10lb.

    Don't worry about starvation mode, it's basically a myth.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    It's not really a big deal. Well, I guess it could be for people who are at a healthy weight or underweight.

    As for your goal, keep in mind MFP fully expects you to be eating your exercise calories. So in reality, your goal is:
    A) To eat 1600 on a day you don't workout
    &
    B) Eat 1600 + at least 50% exercise calorie burn on days you do work out
  • cheril2009
    cheril2009 Posts: 9
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    The thing is I am eating below the 1600 already - there are few days where I reach the 1600 and on exercise days I end up with 300 plus calories left over...

    Can this make me feel sick or be detrimental?
  • tsAii
    tsAii Posts: 2 Member
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    Stick with 1600 for a week and see if you lose weight. If you did not, cut some calories. Keep cutting your calories weekly if you still don't lose weight.
    Personally i dont track cardio/exercise <- I treat this as an extra, which leads to a double deficit.

    About starvationmode; myth or not, I have a weekly/10daily refeed day. On this day go 500 calories above your maintenance.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    I recently set my goal to lose 0.5 lb per week and have only just got back to my BMR, many of us with a sedentary lifestyle (I drive for 8 - 10 hours many days) get calorie goals below BMR.

    Not an expert but I cannot see an issue with it providing that you meet your micro and macro nutrient requirements.

    The body will gain a fair amount of energy from burning fat (sort of the goal for most of us), the trick is to minimize the amount of muscle that is lost as well.

    ETA Muscle preservation is helped by heavy lifting, good protein intake and not having too great a deficit from your TDEE
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    The thing is I am eating below the 1600 already - there are few days where I reach the 1600 and on exercise days I end up with 300 plus calories left over...

    Can this make me feel sick or be detrimental?

    No.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    The thing is I am eating below the 1600 already - there are few days where I reach the 1600 and on exercise days I end up with 300 plus calories left over...

    Can this make me feel sick or be detrimental?

    Well that really depends on how accurate your calorie counts are.
    If your not weighing food, then there is a possibility that you are eating closer to 1600 than you think.
    One of the main things you want to make sure is that your getting enough of your Macro & Micro nutrients in. Not getting enough of these can lead to health problems. Vitamin deficiencies can have a negative impact on weight loss and how you feel in general.

    Things that eating not enough can do:
    - Make you feel run down / tired constantly
    - Can lead to binge eating
    - make you hangry

    If you are weighing your foods and still find it difficult to meet the calorie goals, then maybe look at what your eating.
    - did you cut out healthy fats? if so, add them back in. (nuts, peanut butter, avocado, etc)
    - are you getting enough protein? if not, consider adding in a protein shake to help
    - did you switch to a lot of diet foods? if so, maybe switch a few of the items back to the non diet versions
  • SpicesOfLife
    SpicesOfLife Posts: 290 Member
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    you should definitely eat back the calories you burn with exercise.

    im no expert but as far as i know people should not eat below their BMR, EXCEPT when they have a lot of weight to lose, then it is ok for a while. so, seeing how you have 100kg and are 165cm tall i would say it is ok.
  • cheril2009
    cheril2009 Posts: 9
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    Thanks everyone.
    I am trying to loose a considerable amount of weight - 20kg's and just want to be sure I am doing it right so that I get results and don't give up to quickly.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    37 calories isn't much of a difference. So you definitely wouldn't go into starvation mode over that much :)

    starvation mode is a myth...
  • scottywor
    scottywor Posts: 140 Member
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    37 calories isn't much of a difference. So you definitely wouldn't go into starvation mode over that much :)

    starvation mode is a myth...

    +1000000

    Also.... I believe you are a bit confused....dont go blindly on BMR... If you use BMR Basal Metabolic Rate) for calorie consumption you are wrong. You should be using TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) Here is a good calculator http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ Set the Activity multiplier to Sedentary. By setting it this way you can be guarenteed that by eating below this number you will lose weight, with or without exercise.

    BMR is what your body would burn if you did absolutlely nothing for 24 hours a day. If you even opened your eyes, you would burn higher then your BMR. If you were to do nothing except get out of bed and exercise, and not eat, then maybe your body may go into starvation mode...


    TDEE is what calorie counting is based on. Although the calculations are pretty close. Its not BMR you are referring to it is TDEE. You are not doing youself any favours if you are eating below you BMR, exercising and not eating all those calories back. Yu can then further decide on your macros based on your TDEE, eg. Protein, Fat, Carbs, etc. for a nice consistent weight loss.

    Hope I didnt confuse anybody... :)
  • scottywor
    scottywor Posts: 140 Member
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    Oops double posted...
  • cheril2009
    cheril2009 Posts: 9
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    Thanks Scotty that made sense. I will keep at 1600 and see how I go.
    I also dont measure my food precisely as suggested above so perhaps that should be my first place of improvement.

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