I'm so confused!

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crnorwood
crnorwood Posts: 29
in Motivation and Support
I know all of this has been asked a gazillion times but I am so confused and I think my head is spinning.

My BMR according to MFP is about 1400 calories. When I set up my account, I put that I was mostly sedentary. I do workout about an hour a day, 5-6 days a week. All that said I get 1200 calories a day for eating. I have stayed right at that. But, I have also read that you need a deficit of 500 a day to lose a pound a week. Can anyone give me any input? I hope this isn't that confusing!

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  • ballwindawn
    ballwindawn Posts: 5
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    That's what it told me I get too. It won't let you go below 1200 calories a day consumed, as that will put you into "starvation" mode. if you work out though it gives you "credit" for those calories you burn and reduces your "net" amount. So if you eat 1200 calories and burn 300 exercising, your net for the day would be 900.
  • leslielove
    leslielove Posts: 251 Member
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    couple things.

    you'll have to exercise to finish creating your deficit. also, how tall are you and how much do you weigh right now? as you get closer to your end weight the deficit you can safely create gets smaller so you may be tracked to lose less than a pound a week. i'm set to lose .5 pounds a week and last week i lose over 3. its not an exact science, it all depends on your body but you need to make sure you're eating enough. the weight will basically come off how it wants to at the ending stages.

    lift weights, do varied cardio, eat clean, sleep, get sun. boom weight loss :)
  • cnyagu
    cnyagu Posts: 1
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    If you work out 5 days a week 1200 calories is the least amount of food you should consume. Are you losing any weight if i may ask?
    Are you truly sedentary?
    The reason i ask is because , not eating enough may cause initial rapid weight loss but has consequences such as bone loss (especially in women) etc. not to mention the quick gain in weight when normal intake is resumed.
    I hope this helps.
    Also like leslie said eat clean ... 200 calories of broccoli is definitely filling and better than a candy bar.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    The 1,200 calories MFP gives you includes the deficit you need for weight loss. Even though by your calculations you'd expect it to give you 900 calories, 1,200 is the lowest limit it will allow for healthy, safe weight loss.

    Any more you add through exercise will be automatically added to your daily food allowance and you can eat up to that (and should, as close as you can). Hope that helps.
  • crnorwood
    crnorwood Posts: 29
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    So does my "net" amount need to be below the 1400 that my bmr is?
  • swbmcknight
    swbmcknight Posts: 19
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    To find out your basic calorie deficit per day, Add the 200 from the difference of your BMR (1400) and your calorie intake (1200) and then add that to the number of calories you expend from excercise. So in order for you to get your 500 daily deficit, you would need to burn off 300 calories excercising.
  • crnorwood
    crnorwood Posts: 29
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    couple things.

    you'll have to exercise to finish creating your deficit. also, how tall are you and how much do you weigh right now? as you get closer to your end weight the deficit you can safely create gets smaller so you may be tracked to lose less than a pound a week. i'm set to lose .5 pounds a week and last week i lose over 3. its not an exact science, it all depends on your body but you need to make sure you're eating enough. the weight will basically come off how it wants to at the ending stages.

    lift weights, do varied cardio, eat clean, sleep, get sun. boom weight loss :)



    I am 5'7 ish..and I weight about 160.
  • Patecakers
    Patecakers Posts: 39
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    If I'm correct and dear God I think I am they calculate that 500 deficit into your caloric intake amount so the program should already be set for you within that 1200 calorie limit....keep up the good eating and try to move a little more too since that helps speed up the weight loss process!! Dancing and walking have done wonders for me! find something fun that you enjoy doing that makes you move...gardening,walking,dancing, aerobics, play kickball or something else you enjoy....even walking around the mall is exercise!!
  • crnorwood
    crnorwood Posts: 29
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    To find out your basic calorie deficit per day, Add the 200 from the difference of your BMR (1400) and your calorie intake (1200) and then add that to the number of calories you expend from excercise. So in order for you to get your 500 daily deficit, you would need to burn off 300 calories excercising.


    Thank You SO much....now, that makes sense!!
  • crnorwood
    crnorwood Posts: 29
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    If you work out 5 days a week 1200 calories is the least amount of food you should consume. Are you losing any weight if i may ask?
    Are you truly sedentary?
    The reason i ask is because , not eating enough may cause initial rapid weight loss but has consequences such as bone loss (especially in women) etc. not to mention the quick gain in weight when normal intake is resumed.
    I hope this helps.
    Also like leslie said eat clean ... 200 calories of broccoli is definitely filling and better than a candy bar.

    1. I have lost 6 pounds since the beginning of January
    2. I sit behind a computer in an office 8 hours a day. But, after work, I do spend atleast an hour in the gym. I'm also participating in a women run clinic that's 2 days a week.
    3. No candy bars for this girl..I don't even like chocolate! Weird, I know! lol
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
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    I think you are confused your BMR is not your maintenece calories.... your BMR is your comatose calories or the minimum calories needed if you were to sleep all day or were in a coma...

    Your Maintenece calories are probably much higher... probably more around 1700 because my BMR is 1400 as well....


    If your maintainence calories are closer to 1700 then 1200 plus 500 is 1700 and your deficit is there. This also means that you need to eat your calories back from exercise. Read the link in my signature if you are confused as to why.

    you can check what MFP set your maintainence calories at underneat your goals tab... go to customize goals and it is there at the top.
  • kgerling1976
    kgerling1976 Posts: 12
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    I hear ya, I'm in the same boat! I try to always eat around that 1200 calorie mark and I've been doing Zumba! It's fun exercise and it's def a work out!:wink:
  • crnorwood
    crnorwood Posts: 29
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    I think you are confused your BMR is not your maintenece calories.... your BMR is your comatose calories or the minimum calories needed if you were to sleep all day or were in a coma...

    Your Maintenece calories are probably much higher... probably more around 1700 because my BMR is 1400 as well....


    If your maintainence calories are closer to 1700 then 1200 plus 500 is 1700 and your deficit is there. This also means that you need to eat your calories back from exercise. Read the link in my signature if you are confused as to why.

    you can check what MFP set your maintainence calories at underneat your goals tab... go to customize goals and it is there at the top.


    Thank you so much for posting on my thread!! You have helped me tremendously!! My maintenance calories is what you you said, about 1700. So let me make sure I get this right..lol. MFP has me eating 1200 and my maintenance is 1700..which is already the difference of the 500 that I'm looking for?..
    Ok, so now I'm going to take a look at the article in your sig!
    Thanks again!! :)

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