Confused about BMR and calorie goals

phoenix417
phoenix417 Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
I recently re-joined and read that I should set my calorie goal based on my BMR. The MFP app had me at 1200 calories per day.The number that I got (based on a link withing an MFP post) was 1866 calories/day-466 calories higher than what the MFP app calculated for me. I used the same information and activity level for both. I am usually fairly sedentary due to a back injury, but sometimes I have good days that allow me to walk for 30 mins without too much pain. So, I'm wondering which calculation I should use and if it needs to be adjusted for the days I am able to work out since they're sometimes far between. I estimate that I burn 200-300 calories on more active days. I know it automatically has me eat the calories I've burned, but both daily totals are for a sedentary activity level. I have gained a lot of weight since my accident and am looking at taking control and losing it the healthy way. I want to make sure I'm not eating too many or too few calories. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

Replies

  • kristinashelton
    kristinashelton Posts: 18
    How much weight do you have to lose? I stopped trusting the MFP calculation for how many calories I needed to eat daily, when I noticed how many people it set that the 1200 mark. Most people need more than 1200 calories per day to actually lose weight.. I use a different program now that doesn't involve counting calories, but even that says that the number of calories I need to eat a day is around 1800, after the deficit of 750 is accounted for.
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
    I'm very practical with setting calorie goals. What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows you to drop 1-2 lbs/week. This assumes an average calorie burn from you getting in all of your workouts. This will be different for everyone, so you'll have to do some trial and error to figure it out. I'd start ~1600 cal/day. Hit this goal, along with your macros and getting in your workouts, for a week. If you lose 1-2 lbs, you're good to go. If you lose too much, increase your intake and repeat. If you don't lose enough, reduce your intake a bit and repeat. After a few weeks, you'll figure out what works for you in your situation.

    Allan
  • GlennTipton
    GlennTipton Posts: 19
    Considering your injury and inability to get around much, 1200 sounds right to me. I wouldn't worry about the extra 30 minutes you can endure every few days. Think of that as bonus calorie burning.

    I always tell people to see how you feel. BMR is a good number to start with but as you've found, the variation of different calculators are huge! Try starting at whichever number you like. Give it a 2 week induction then adjust. If you feel light headed, dizzy, have headaches, feel tired all the time and falling asleep you will want to up your calories. If you feel good and energetic (which may take longer than 2 weeks) then try cutting out 50-100 for another week or 2. Your body will tell you exactly what it needs. Just start with a number and adjust to suit.

    You may also want to consider your macro's, too. I would suggest customising and cutting a lot of the MFP default carbs. A person forced to be inactive so much does not need refined carbohydrates for their body to function each day - thats what fat is for.
  • ruthejp13
    ruthejp13 Posts: 213 Member
    Before you start cutting your calories, try finding out how many you normally eat. If you are currently eating 1600 calories than you know that 1866 is too high. If you are currently eating 3000 calories a day then 1200 is way too low. You can still start your "diet" today by choosing better foods such as home cooked chicken instead of restaurant breaded and fried chicken but don't be concerned with calories for the first 2-3 days.
  • LazyBearGrrr
    LazyBearGrrr Posts: 35 Member
    The reason I think so many people have their goal set to 1200 is because they are unrealistic about weight loss speed and set their goal at two pounds per week. This will put many people at the 600-800 range for daily calories, but MFP won't let them go below 1200. And you're right, 1200 isn't enough, but until people readjust their expectations, they will keep seeing that 1200 number a lot.

    To the OP, the 1200 from MFP already has a calorie deficit built in. It's not your BMR. If you want to lose weight based on your BMR, take that number and FIRST multiply by an activity multiplier. 1.2 is for a sedentary lifestyle. Then subtract an amount from that based on how much you want to lose.

    -500 for 1 pounds per week
    -1000 for 2.0 pounds per week

    So, based on your TDEE of approx 2239 (I got this from multiplying 1866 x 1.2) calories, to lose 2.0 pounds per week, you'd have to eat a net calorie amount of 1239.

    This is in fact exactly how MFP calculates your daily calorie amount.

    Some people prefer to take their TDEE and eat less by 10-20%. But, I personally think it's easier to just go with MFP's calculations, as long as you're realistic about appropriate speed of weight loss.

    P.S. This is NET calories. This means that you should track your exercise and eat back any calories burned.

    How much weight do you have to lose? I stopped trusting the MFP calculation for how many calories I needed to eat daily, when I noticed how many people it set that the 1200 mark. Most people need more than 1200 calories per day to actually lose weight.. I use a different program now that doesn't involve counting calories, but even that says that the number of calories I need to eat a day is around 1800, after the deficit of 750 is accounted for.
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