Here's why you're not losing weight! Follow this equation!

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Replies

  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I've been trying to make sense of eating back exercise calories and calorie deficits for a while now and none of it has really made much sense. This equation is the only one that hasn't seemed as confusing.

    According to the equation, my calculations are as follows:

    My bmr is 1434.
    My TDEE is 1434 * 1.375= 1971
    1971-500= 1471
    1471+ 800 calories burned= 2271

    So, then, does this mean that if I want to continue to burn 800 cals/day I need to consume a total of 2271 calories?

    And on days that I don't work out, do I only have to consume 1471 calories?
    How many net calories should I aim for?

    If you have MFP calculate your calories, then you should eat back your exercise calories as well. Because MFP only calculates your needs for BMR (the amount you need for your body to function if you laid in bed) + NEAT (the amount you burn for normal daily activities, working, going to school, taking care of children, etc). It DOES NOT INCLUDE calories for working out. So when you do exercise, you need to eat more for that activity. MFP takes a set number of calories off per week depending on how much you say you want to lose (500 calories a day for 1 pound, etc).

    If you calculate your own TDEE minus a certain %, this includes your exercise calories and so then you do not eat more for that.

    You can use an online calculator instead of trying to figure out the formula yourself. Here is one that many people here use:
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • silverpeach37
    silverpeach37 Posts: 2
    cranky! Have some cheesecake.
  • Pamela_June
    Pamela_June Posts: 324 Member
    Thanks... it makes a lot of sence!:smile:
  • sans5souci
    sans5souci Posts: 3
    Thank you so, so much! :happy:
  • Hopingforchange
    Hopingforchange Posts: 108
    Ok, so my BMR is 1323 and if I use sedentary since I have a desk job, that is 1587. So, if I deduct 500 to lose, than I have only 1000 per day? I typically net around 1200 on days that I exercise (which is most days) and I am not losing anything and I have gained 5 pounds in the last year.
  • OnceAgain2013
    OnceAgain2013 Posts: 4 Member
    I read through 9 pages of this and am still not sure that I understand or agree with the eat your "BMR" calories. 5'6, 45 y/o female, 229 lbs. When I tried all the links to the different BMR, RMR, TDEE calculators, I got the following: My BMR is 1735 or pretty darn close on each of the websites, my TDEE is 2082. I put in the correct measures/weight etc. and sedentary lifestyle on MFP, and asked for 1.5 pound loss per week, as I thought since I have a mini goal of 60 pounds to lose, that I could safely lose 1.5 pounds per week.

    MFP has my calorie consumption at 1340/day, which I've been following. I've also eaten any exercise calories that I've gained during that time.

    Tell me again why I shouldn't eat below my BMR of 1735? That's the part I don't understand.

    I guess I've missed some important point of your BMR. I "get" that it's what I would need to survive and MAINTAIN this weight I am at right now if I were in a coma. I'm sure if I was in a coma I wouldn't come out still weighing 229. ;-) My BMR will decrease as I lose weight, so there's that adjustment too. Somebody 'splain this to me.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    People with a lot of weight to lose can safely eat below BMR for a time, but at some point you will have to adjust your calories up. When your weight loss slows, you won't be able to safely cut further calories much. Your MFP goal plus exercise calories probably puts you pretty close to your BMR.

    For people who come here with less weight to lose and who also don't eat their exercise calories, this sets up a bad scenario.
  • fit4justme
    fit4justme Posts: 92 Member
    bump
  • dominiqueruns
    dominiqueruns Posts: 82 Member
    Hmmmm it's still not happening for me. My sedentary BMR of 1766, less the 500 = 1266. My calorie intake is between 1200 & 1300 per day and my carb, protein and fat ratios fall roughly in line with the pie chart recommendations. I've been using the app for 4 weeks and not lost so much as an ounce.
    Obviously, I'm going wrong somewhere but don't know where/how?
    Any suggestions
    :grumble:

    your diary isn't accessible, so it's hard to make any recommendations.
  • probb10
    probb10 Posts: 7 Member
    Bump - Bringing this back up. It has helped me and I want others to have access to it.
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