RMR plus exercise, how many calories to eat?

That's exactly why I posed the question myself. I put in that I work out for 60 minutes 6 days a week and MFP still recommends my intake to be 1900 calories. BUT, obviously as I add an exercise it increases the calorie requirements for the day, and should I eat up to that? Meaning as stated in my original question, do I treat that as my new RMR in a manner of speaking?

I do P90X, and over at Beachbody.com, if I put in the same info my meal plan says I should be eating 2700 calories. Frankly, I trust beachbody, and what I know about nutrition tells me that it is accurate, I just was hoping someone here could say it clearly enough so that the light bulb in my head goes off and I finally really get it.

The difference in the two is pretty obvious, beachbody is making an assumption on how many calories you will burn and MFP is requiring you to add that. I'm just hoping some expert here has the science to explain it all.

Ok well I've done a little research and I'm confident in that yes adding exercise does of course increase the amount of calories you can and indeed should eat, but also your RMR never changes, period, based on your activity, at least in the short term and assuming no or little change in body mass/fat percentage. That being said you'd want to re-calculate your RMR based on a change in those numbers. My RMR right now is about 1900 calories, and exercise isn't going to change those base requirements on that given day. However, the body still needs fuel and exercising takes more fuel, so if my daily caloric consumption based on my RMR is 1900, and I add a 600 calorie burning workout, then I'm at 2500, and of course since losing weight is mostly about a caloric deficit, I should come in a couple hundred under that perhaps, as long as I'm getting enough fuel for my workouts. Note the above example does not account for other normal activities above your RMR but between that and exercise. I fall into the "lightly active" category as an office worker but that still equates to about 45% of my RMR.

I found some good posts at the beachbody.com forums, and also a couple of websites, with the most concise one being this one:

http://tim-richardson.net/joomla15/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=67

If I'm reading you correctly I don't think that is right. If your body burns 1900 calories a day, literally doing nothing as if you slept for 24 hours, then that is your RMR and that is what your body needs to do basic bodily functions. But, we all wake up and do things, and it's that area that both adds to your caloric needs and is the area that your caloric deficit will be in. So my day adds say 1000 calories to my RMR of 1900, it's in that next 1000 calories that I need to find that sweet spot for a deficit. If you eat below your RMR you go into starvation mode and you won't lose weight and it's bad for you on other levels as well.

I didn't read everyone's reply, so you may already have your answer, but if your body burns 1900 calories per day doing nothing, then you need to eat 1900 calories per day to maintain your current body weight. If you are trying to maintain (not lose or gain), then you can eat 1900, or you can eat 2100 and burn 200 = 1900, etc.... just so long as your net calories are 1900.

If you are trying to lose weight, you have to create a deficit of at least 500 calories per day (3500 per week) to lose 1 pound per week, so you would want your calories intake to be 1400 per day. So, if you eat 1400 per day, or eat 1700 and burn 300 = 1400, etc. (whatever puts your net calories at 1400) you would lose 1 pund per week. I hope this helps.

P.S. I'm not saying for you to only eat 1400 calories per day; I'm just explaining the formula based on a 1900 rmr. Please consult your doctor to determine your caloric needs if you are not sure. :happy:

Hey. Sorry for any confusion. I guess I was assuming that was your RMR with adjustments for activity level. Rather than me confusing you any more, I'll just refer to to the following web page. It explains it very well. Good luck!

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_BMR.php

That's a pretty cool site thanks! I ran my numbers which are 6ft, 1in, 212lbs, and 41 yrs old and came up with this.


Calculator: BMR & RMR
Next: Make another calculation or click on Calculators.
BMR & RMR Results:
The results of your calculations are: BMR 2,038 RMR 1,920 (calories)
For an explanation of BMR and RMR and important notes on the accuracy of these calculations, see Calculating BMR and RMR. We also explain why RMR is likely to be more appropriate for your needs.
As BMR and RMR only represent resting energy expenditure or calories burned during a day of rest, an adjustment must be made to reflect activity level. This can be done by multiplying by an activity factor:
Factor Category Definition BMR RMR
1.2 Sedentary Little or no exercise and desk 2,446 2,304
job

1.375 Lightly Active Light exercise or sports 1-3 2,802 2,640
days a week

1.55 Moderately Active Moderate exercise or sports 3,159 2,976
3-5 days a week

1.725 Very Active Hard exercise or sports 6-7 3,516 3,312
days a week

1.9 Extremely Active Hard daily exercise or sports 3,872 3,648
and physical job

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