beating a dead horse

squishycow7
squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
Newbie here <---

Ssssoooooo

Should I make my goal to eat my BMR calories (about 1400) or should I eat the 1200 MFP has suggested? This is not including exercise calories... Seen suggestions for both. What confuses me is why MFP would tell me one thing while suggesting another? Grarr

Thanks, sorry if I'm being blonde

Replies

  • OSUalum
    OSUalum Posts: 449 Member
    I believe that if you know your true BMR you should follow that. The 1200 seems like a guide line.
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member
    I've had better success keeping my calories around my BMR. 1200 was just too few (and anyway, I've only got about 20 more pounds to lose, so 1200 is just ridiculous in my case).
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
    phew. 1400 sounds a lot more fun :)
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
    phew. 1400 sounds a lot more fun :)
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    It's not that MFP is telling you something different - it's that you're in control of your goals. Usually when this happens, you've chosen a loss per week goal that is too high for what you have to lose. So I'd recommend dropping it down. It is usually best to not have an intake below BMR.
  • sandman27959
    sandman27959 Posts: 32
    If I understand you correctly, you should eat the 1200 MFP is suggesting if you want to lose weight. Your BMR is approximately what your body burns in a day just to maintain your body temperature, fuel your heart, etc. It looks like MFP is suggesting you create a 200 calorie deficit each day which will over time cause weight loss. (A pound is about 3500 calories.)
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    If I understand you correctly, you should eat the 1200 MFP is suggesting if you want to lose weight. Your BMR is approximately what your body burns in a day just to maintain your body temperature, fuel your heart, etc. It looks like MFP is suggesting you create a 200 calorie deficit each day which will over time cause weight loss. (A pound is about 3500 calories.)

    The defict should come from maintenance, not BMR. You're correct in what BMR is. But you need to add what is burned through daily activity level (usually another 300-500+) and then create the deficit. This means that usually a good goal is somewhere above BMR and below maintenance.
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member
    The defict should come from maintenance, not BMR. You're correct in what BMR is. But you need to add what is burned through daily activity level (usually another 300-500+) and then create the deficit. This means that usually a good goal is somewhere above BMR and below maintenance.

    Yes. My BMR is around 1500 and my maintenance is around 2100. So I usually eat somwhere around 1600.
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