HELP with how to know how much to eat using the BMR?

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beckybubbles
beckybubbles Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hi!

So I used the BMR tool and it told me that I need about 1350 calories a day just to lie around and be alive. Does that mean that I need to eat more than that or less than that to lose weight? I have been aiming for 1200 calories a day and pretty much hitting it (sometimes a little less). However, I only lost 1 pound this week. I am starting my exercise program this week, but after logging that in it tells me to eat more. What is the magic equation to figure out how much you should eat to lose weight? My doctor started me on Adipex and I really don't have much appetite at all, I force myself to eat b/c I know i need to, but at least I am making wise choices while I eat. I just figured I would lose more with such a reduced calorie diet. Any help anyone could give me would be great!

Thanks!

Replies

  • beckybubbles
    beckybubbles Posts: 36 Member
    Options
    hi!

    So I used the BMR tool and it told me that I need about 1350 calories a day just to lie around and be alive. Does that mean that I need to eat more than that or less than that to lose weight? I have been aiming for 1200 calories a day and pretty much hitting it (sometimes a little less). However, I only lost 1 pound this week. I am starting my exercise program this week, but after logging that in it tells me to eat more. What is the magic equation to figure out how much you should eat to lose weight? My doctor started me on Adipex and I really don't have much appetite at all, I force myself to eat b/c I know i need to, but at least I am making wise choices while I eat. I just figured I would lose more with such a reduced calorie diet. Any help anyone could give me would be great!

    Thanks!
  • beanface25
    beanface25 Posts: 41
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    This is what I've heard which seams to make sense. If you don't eat enough calories, your body will think that you are going into starvation mode and start storing the fat.

    When you excercise, you're burning calories. On this site when you enter in your excercise it gives you more calories to eat. As it is my understanding, you need to eat those calories in order to keep your metabolism from going into starvation. For example, if you eat 1500 calories, and you burn 500 of those from excersicing, your body will only think that you've eaten 1000 thefore causing your metabolism to think it's being starved.

    I hope this helps, and if anyone else has insgiht on this theory, let me know!
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
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    First, you don't need to figure out anything. MFP does it all for you based upon your input. Follow MFP's guidelines, and you'll be fine.

    "Only 1 pound"??? That's great. That is all you should be aiming to lose given the small amount you are trying to lose. In fact, 1 pound a week is the max you should be aiming to lose. Yes, we all want it to go faster but faster ain't healthy.

    AND, read these posts linked below--you really should not be on 1200 calories a day, That is too little given the amount you wish to lose.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/12250-1000-calorie-deficit-not-for-people-with-healthy-bmi

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/20035-just-because-you-can-have-a-2-pound-per-week-goal

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/post/new/9614-newbies-please-read-me

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6832-eating-all-of-your-calories-bmr

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/8977-your-body-s-thoughts-on-calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • beckybubbles
    beckybubbles Posts: 36 Member
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    thank you for the thoughts. What is MFP? I saw that somewhere else too. See that is what I was worried about that my body was going into starvation mode. I don't want it to b/c that would negate all of my efforts. I just want to make sure that I am not eating too much or too little. I was aiming for a 2 pound a week loss. i will check into the links you added. But if someone could tell me what MFP that would be helpful too.

    Also, it makes sense on the 1500 calories with 500 burned so you need to eat 500 more so your body registers that it is being fed. i thought the same, I was just wondering if there was a way to figure out really how many calories I should be consuming a day.

    thanks!
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    Options
    thank you for the thoughts. What is MFP? I saw that somewhere else too. See that is what I was worried about that my body was going into starvation mode. I don't want it to b/c that would negate all of my efforts. I just want to make sure that I am not eating too much or too little. I was aiming for a 2 pound a week loss. i will check into the links you added. But if someone could tell me what MFP that would be helpful too.

    Also, it makes sense on the 1500 calories with 500 burned so you need to eat 500 more so your body registers that it is being fed. i thought the same, I was just wondering if there was a way to figure out really how many calories I should be consuming a day.

    thanks!

    MFP is My Fitness Pal--this website.

    2 pounds is too much to aim for you. I have a lot more to lose than you and am trying for 1.5 pounds per week myself--doc says 1 pound per week. It's simply a matter of you can try to lose too much at once for your body.

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