Suggested calories vs BMR?

So MFP gave me a daily goal of consuming 1200 calories but when I punch in my number for my BMR is says 1500. What's the difference?
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Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited February 2015
    BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate....in other words the calories your body burns before you do anything.
    MFP Goal = Number of calories to consume based on how many lbs per week you said you want to lose and estimated TDEE without exercise...MFP will add calories in as you log exercise so that your daily deficit doesn't get too large
    TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure.....BMR + daily Activity + exercise

    You need to eat below your TDEE to lose weight.
  • oh ok so if i go say 100 calories over my daily intake but I exercise I'm fine?
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
  • is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    Use this calculator to find out how many calories a day (even on days you dont workout) you should be eating. With this you would not eat back your exercise cals as it is already figured in. :smile:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

  • thank you. I dont think I've been eating enough and I stay hungry throught the day even while doing the small 6 meals throughout the day.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I'm guessing you chose "lose 2 pounds per week" when you set it up. Set it to lose 1 pound per week. and see if it doesn't give you more calories.
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    If you eat too low and exercise you will lose weight, but that weight might not be fat, more than likely muscle and water. So, yeah, up those calories according to the calculator and see what happens. You should not be hungry! This is a lifestyle not a punishment.
  • yeah initially i chose to lose 3 pounds a week and it changed somehow to lose 2 pounds a week. i'll try putting 1 and see what happens.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?
  • i just did the calculator and it said my bmr is actually 1615. @Pickles175
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    3 pounds a week is not healthy! 1 pound is more sustainable. If you are going to go by the mfp method, with the number they give they expect you to eat back your exercise calories.
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?

    Because your bmr is how many calories your body needs to burn just to stay alive and function (say if you were in a coma and did nothing else). Why would you eat below what your body needs to function?
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    What did it give you for daily calorie goal?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?

    Because your bmr is how many calories your body needs to burn just to stay alive and function (say if you were in a coma and did nothing else). Why would you eat below what your body needs to function?

    Well it doesn't matter if you do as long as you get your nutritional spread. The body will still stay alive and function, if eating below BMR lets you hit a safe goal of weight loss then it's no big deal

    Why, what do you think is going to happen if she eats fewer calories than her BMR?
  • i read it wrong. BMR: 1532 TDEE: 2643
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Some people would never create a deficit if they only ate above their BMR. That said, BMR is not the data point from which a deficit gets calculated.
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?

    Because your bmr is how many calories your body needs to burn just to stay alive and function (say if you were in a coma and did nothing else). Why would you eat below what your body needs to function?

    Well it doesn't matter if you do as long as you get your nutritional spread. The body will still stay alive and function, if eating below BMR lets you hit a safe goal of weight loss then it's no big deal

    Why, what do you think is going to happen if she eats fewer calories than her BMR?

    If she eats below her bmr she will not lose fat, but water and muscle. The scale may go down but she wont be fit and toned. I want to lose fat and not just weight. I want to be healthy. I dont want to feel hungry, exhausted and moody. I dont want my hair to fall out. All these things can happen if you eat below your bmr for too low. Your body will function, yes, but not in a healthy way.

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?

    Because your bmr is how many calories your body needs to burn just to stay alive and function (say if you were in a coma and did nothing else). Why would you eat below what your body needs to function?

    Well it doesn't matter if you do as long as you get your nutritional spread. The body will still stay alive and function, if eating below BMR lets you hit a safe goal of weight loss then it's no big deal

    Why, what do you think is going to happen if she eats fewer calories than her BMR?

    If she eats below her bmr she will not lose fat, but water and muscle. The scale may go down but she wont be fit and toned. I want to lose fat and not just weight. I want to be healthy. I dont want to feel hungry, exhausted and moody. I dont want my hair to fall out. All these things can happen if you eat below your bmr for too low. Your body will function, yes, but not in a healthy way.

    Yeah

    It doesn't work that way
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    i read it wrong. BMR: 1532 TDEE: 2643

    Your TDEE is 2600, what's your age, height, weight, activity level and workout programme
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?

    Because your bmr is how many calories your body needs to burn just to stay alive and function (say if you were in a coma and did nothing else). Why would you eat below what your body needs to function?

    Well it doesn't matter if you do as long as you get your nutritional spread. The body will still stay alive and function, if eating below BMR lets you hit a safe goal of weight loss then it's no big deal

    Why, what do you think is going to happen if she eats fewer calories than her BMR?

    If she eats below her bmr she will not lose fat, but water and muscle. The scale may go down but she wont be fit and toned. I want to lose fat and not just weight. I want to be healthy. I dont want to feel hungry, exhausted and moody. I dont want my hair to fall out. All these things can happen if you eat below your bmr for too low. Your body will function, yes, but not in a healthy way.

    Ummm ... no.

    Using your logic a sedentary person with a BMR of 1500 would never get to set a deficit over 300 calories per day because they would hit your magical limit. The part of your post I bolded is key ... a person can meet their nutritional needs at a deficit that is below their BMR .... it is once a person fails to reach those needs that the body looks inwards for nutrients beyond calories.
  • rabbitjb wrote: »
    i read it wrong. BMR: 1532 TDEE: 2643

    Your TDEE is 2600, what's your age, height, weight, activity level and workout programme

    age: 27 Height: 5'3 Weight: 181 I workout out 5 to 6 days a week and hour a day sometimes more and i'm doing zumba and resistance bands training along with sit ups and other calisthenics.

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    If you want to follow MFP method, watch how high you set your goal weight loss, you should probably aim about 1-1.5lbs. Set your activity level based on what you do excluding your exercise g desk job? Sedentary. Then log your exercise as you do it and half the calories and eat them back

    You'll probably end up eating around 1600 calories or more per day
  • Pickles175
    Pickles175 Posts: 211 Member
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?

    Because your bmr is how many calories your body needs to burn just to stay alive and function (say if you were in a coma and did nothing else). Why would you eat below what your body needs to function?

    Well it doesn't matter if you do as long as you get your nutritional spread. The body will still stay alive and function, if eating below BMR lets you hit a safe goal of weight loss then it's no big deal

    Why, what do you think is going to happen if she eats fewer calories than her BMR?

    If she eats below her bmr she will not lose fat, but water and muscle. The scale may go down but she wont be fit and toned. I want to lose fat and not just weight. I want to be healthy. I dont want to feel hungry, exhausted and moody. I dont want my hair to fall out. All these things can happen if you eat below your bmr for too low. Your body will function, yes, but not in a healthy way.

    Ummm ... no.

    Using your logic a sedentary person with a BMR of 1500 would never get to set a deficit over 300 calories per day because they would hit your magical limit. The part of your post I bolded is key ... a person can meet their nutritional needs at a deficit that is below their BMR .... it is once a person fails to reach those needs that the body looks inwards for nutrients beyond calories.

    Um, I was talking to Mommie, who exercises at a very high level every day and was told to eat 1200 calories when that is extremely low. For her, there is absolutely no reason to eat below her bmr.


  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    You spoke in absolutes and then backed it up with nothingness.
  • so then what am i supposed to do? I changed MFP from lose 2 pounds a week to lose 1 pounds a week and it changed my daily intake to 1400 a day from 1200. bmr is still 1532 and i workout hard when i do workout. I know if the body doesn't get enough it will start eating fat but eventually eat muscle and i don't want to get to that point. i shouldn't be hungry i know that but for some reason its like its not enough. i drink a cup of water before a meal, eat veggies, changed to a different kind of bread so that it would fill me up a little more to sustain myself better and even eat greek yogurt which does fill me up but its not for long. i've ignored the hunger for about 3 weeks now but im scared of pigging out on a cheat day. So i really need the right kind of advice.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?

    Because your bmr is how many calories your body needs to burn just to stay alive and function (say if you were in a coma and did nothing else). Why would you eat below what your body needs to function?

    And TDEE is the number of calories your body needs to burn to function at the activity level you actually have. However, obviously you want to eat below TDEE if you are trying to lose, since the goal is to get your body to use fat to power its activities thus getting rid of the fat.

    (Also BMR is just an estimate, of course--your body certainly doesn't know if the calories you are giving it, while active, are over or under BMR.)

    What is generally a good idea is not to have too deep a deficit. For some, like activity people or people closer to goal, that likely means a good deficit will leave you above BMR. But if you have lots to lose, so can reasonably aim for 2 lbs/week or aren't that active, a moderate deficit may be below BMR and there's nothing wrong with that. BMR is mainly useful only for calculating TDEE.

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    If your bmr is 1500, you should never have net calories below that number.
    Pickles175 wrote: »
    is that all calories consumed through the day including the ones i get back from working out?

    Yes, by the end of the day your net calories should be a number higher than bmr.

    Why do you believe that?

    Because your bmr is how many calories your body needs to burn just to stay alive and function (say if you were in a coma and did nothing else). Why would you eat below what your body needs to function?

    Well it doesn't matter if you do as long as you get your nutritional spread. The body will still stay alive and function, if eating below BMR lets you hit a safe goal of weight loss then it's no big deal

    Why, what do you think is going to happen if she eats fewer calories than her BMR?

    If she eats below her bmr she will not lose fat, but water and muscle. The scale may go down but she wont be fit and toned. I want to lose fat and not just weight. I want to be healthy. I dont want to feel hungry, exhausted and moody. I dont want my hair to fall out. All these things can happen if you eat below your bmr for too low. Your body will function, yes, but not in a healthy way.

    Ummm ... no.

    Using your logic a sedentary person with a BMR of 1500 would never get to set a deficit over 300 calories per day because they would hit your magical limit. The part of your post I bolded is key ... a person can meet their nutritional needs at a deficit that is below their BMR .... it is once a person fails to reach those needs that the body looks inwards for nutrients beyond calories.

    Um, I was talking to Mommie, who exercises at a very high level every day and was told to eat 1200 calories when that is extremely low. For her, there is absolutely no reason to eat below her bmr.


    She was told to eat 1200+exercise calories. If she exercises a lot, 1200+exercise calories is going to be over BMR. And if it's not (like on a rest day), no matter.