bmr /net cals

MFP doesn't consider BMR by itself when calculating your calorie goal.

It calculates your normal daily activity calorie burn - which is BMR + normal daily activity (NO EXERCISE) and then subtracts from that your deficit to lose your goal weight. This is your net calorie goal. The key is, MFP won't suggest a net goal lower than 1200.

So, I burn 1880/day before exercise - this is my BMR plus normal daily activity. If I want to lose a pound a week, that's a 500 cal/day deficit, so my eating goal will be 1380. If I set a goal of 2 lbs/week, that's a 1000 cal/day deficit and would only leave me with a net of 880/day (1880 - 1000) - this isn't safe, and MFP will default to the lowest recommended net of 1200.

Some people think you shouldn't eat a net below your BMR... (So they'd recommend you have a net of 1242 at least) but many people do and don't have any problems. You have to figure out what works for you.

BMR FORMULA

Women: BMR=655+(4.35xweight in pounds)+(4.7x height in inches) - ( 4.7x age in yrs)

Men: BMR=66+(6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in yrs)

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Thursday, January 14, 2010

Do You Know Your Active Metabolic Rate?
The number of calories you burn in a day is known as your active metabolic rate (AMR). Rates vary from person to person, so it is cruical that you take the time to figure yours out — if you don't, you run the risk of consuming too many calories or even consuming too few.
A part of determining how many calories you burn in a day, you need to know is your physical activity level. Determine which one of these descriptions best fits your day-to-day routine, then give yourself the appropriate score.
a. Sedentary Physical Activity Level
Do you have a desk job or do some other kind of work that keeps you in your chair for most of the day? If the answer is yes, your score is 1.1.
b. Light Physical Activity Level
Are you on your feet and walking around for at least half the day? Stay-at-home moms, salespeople, and doctors fall into this category. If this is you, your score is 1.2.
c. Moderate Physical Activity Level
If you're on the move pretty much all day, with a few limited periods of being sedentary, this is the level for you. People in this category include gardeners, carpenters, and mail carriers. If you're in this category, your score is 1.3.
d. High Physical Activity Level
Does your job require being constantly on the move, and does it entail significant amounts of manual labor? Construction workers, farm workers, and movers are among those who land in this category. If you're in this group, your score is 1.4.
If you are a member of my online team and want the Web site to do the math for you, visit my Calorie Calculator.
Oherwise, another element you need to calculate your AMR is the number of calories you burn from exercise on an average day. The number of calories you burn during any exercise session depends on a few things, primarily your body weight.
Use this chart to help you determine the number of calories you burn from exercise on an average day according to your weight, the type of exercise you do, and its duration. You can also use a heart rate monitor to get an accurate number. Write the number down.
Now comes the math. If you don't know your BMR, it's influenced by a number of factors, including age, weight, height, gender, environmental temperature, and diet and exercise habits. Because of these varying factors, it's hard to pin down your BMR to the precise calorie, but we can get pretty close. Here are some formulas for figuring out your BMR. Get out your calculator and plug your numbers into whichever formula applies to you.
MALE: 66 + (6.3 × body weight in pounds) + (12.9 × height in inches) − (6.8 × age in years)
FEMALE: 655 + (4.3 × weight in pounds) + (4.7 × height in inches) − (4.7 × age in years)
Now you have all three numbers: your BMR, daily activity score, and exercise expenditure. Simply multiply your BMR by your daily activity score, and then add your exercise expenditure. Whatever you get from this final calculation is your magic number.

I find that this help explain it well to those who have a hard time understaning what there BMR is :-)

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