calories lower than BMR?!

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cupcakecarnivore
cupcakecarnivore Posts: 267
in Health and Weight Loss
Im just sort of wondering about this and if I should be setting my limit higher manually? Im 5'3 and weight 135 and Im trying to lose the last 10-15 pounds. When I calculated my BMR it says that even if I lay in bed all day it would be 1420. This site gave me 1200 calories a day....does that seem odd/low to anyone else? Wouldn't I be putting my body in starvation mode by eating under my BMR rate? I exercise 5-6 days a week for an hour, so even if I burn 350 calories, it ups my caloric intake limit to around 1600. What should I do?

I even played around with the amount of weight I want to lose per week, and it doesn't change even if I put 0.5 pounds a week.

Thanks for any advice/recommendations:)

Replies

  • theatr3geek
    theatr3geek Posts: 101
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    I have a similar body frame to you. I am 5'3'' and 121 pounds. I don't believe that that is true. Because if you work off (through exercise) more calories than you take in, your body does not go into starvation mode. I'm not expert on the topic, so do not listen to me, but I would assume you'd be alright.

    If you eat 1200 and you start to feel very hungry, cranky, tired (etc.) you might have to switch to 1400 or 1500. Just up the intake. Feeling hungry is a product of dieting. But if you feel other side effects, I'd boost your intake. Good luck!!
  • insearchofpeace
    insearchofpeace Posts: 3
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    I find it both frustrating and accurate. The shorter you are and the closer you are to your goal weight, the less you can eat if you want to lose weight. Probably not all that encouraging, but truthful. At least with only 10-15 pounds to lose you won't have to tolerate it for very long. Hang tough! ~m
  • DoralisM
    DoralisM Posts: 80
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    I'm kind of wondering the same because I'm 5'1" and it suggested eating 1200 cals (I'm burning 300 cals with exercise) but i pushed it up slighthly. Now I'm eating1350 calories and STILL be hungry at night =( I'm exercising 4 days a week for 45 mins. I hope someone can directs us to the right way of setting our calories intake.
  • ouryear002
    ouryear002 Posts: 325 Member
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    Are you eating your exercise calories? I'm on 1200/day too. IF I work out, I can eat 200 more calories. The day I didn't work out I was so hungry!! But working out and eating those calories, I'm good to go.
  • jennylynn84
    jennylynn84 Posts: 659
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    The reason it might not be changing when you change how much weight you want to lose a week is because MFP will not let your calorie goal go below 1200. That is the standard health-world recognized minimum for women. So when you set it for 1 or 2 lbs a week, it gives you 1200, but if you look at expected weight loss per week, it's not gonna be 1 or 2 lbs.

    It just takes longer to lose the last 10-15 lbs because you're body can't sustain as much of a deficit. Personally, I bumped up my calories regularly, and I did find it helped me lose weight. You might want to try gradually moving toward your BMR.

    Don't forget to eat back some of those exercise calories as well, the caloric goal is NET.

    Good luck!

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