Calculation on base metabolic rate WAY off
michaeljosephmoreau
Posts: 9 Member
Hi there. I'm a 34 year old male, 259lbs, 5'7", and am mostly sedentary. Going off of that info MyFitnessPal says that I burn like 2073 calories a day. I just wore a heartrate monitor for the last 24 hours to check that calculation and with only about 30-40 minutes of moderate exercise yesterday I am right at the 5000 calorie mark for the 24 hour period.
I am not overly muscular, though I would say that I probably have more muscle than most guys of the same height and weight. My heart rate isn't super high either, it hovers at about 80-85 most of the time. I'm just astonished that I burn that many calories with little/no activity. Have any of you checked your BMR with a heartrate monitor and found it to be so far off?
I am not overly muscular, though I would say that I probably have more muscle than most guys of the same height and weight. My heart rate isn't super high either, it hovers at about 80-85 most of the time. I'm just astonished that I burn that many calories with little/no activity. Have any of you checked your BMR with a heartrate monitor and found it to be so far off?
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Replies
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You are not, in any way whatsoever, burning 5000 calories a day with 30-40 minutes of exercise. Or you're about 10 standard deviations from the mean. I'm going with the former.0
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MFP says you burn 2073 calories a day? Are you sure that's not what it thinks you need to eat to lose weight? I put your stats in and got 2,590 calories a day for how many it thinks you burn.0
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michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »I just wore a heartrate monitor for the last 24 hours to check that calculation and with only about 30-40 minutes of moderate exercise yesterday I am right at the 5000 calorie mark for the 24 hour period.
Did you use a HRM or an activity tracker (which may or may not have a HRM function as well) to get to the 5,000 calorie mark?
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Unless you are spending several hours doing high intensity exercise, you are not burning 5000 calories per day
You need to find out how to properly use your heart rate monitor (which btw is supposed to monitor heart rate and does not provide accurate calorie burns - but in any case it is not that inaccurate).
Maybe you have entered your weight in kgr?0 -
Did you use a heart rate monitor that's designed for something other than steady-state cardio? Most of them won't give an accurate calorie estimation being worn all day like that.0
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Heart rate monitors are only accurate when doing aerobic activity. They calculate your calorie burn based on a series of mathematical formulas, using data pulled from statistical information from various studies done on various people in various forms of exercise.
They are designed to get an accurate(ish) burn between 70-80% of your max heart rate. Outside of this range, they get inaccurate. The further away from this range, the less accurate.
Sitting on your butt and sleeping is not exercise, therefore, the heart rate monitor is going to be wildly inaccurate.
But hey, go ahead and stat eating 5000 calories a day. Let us know how that works for you.0 -
If your resting heart rate is 80 to 85, there's a chance that the HRM's calculations are assuming you're in a fat burning zone when you're just resting.0
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thank you. "stick in the mud" isn't how I'd describe that asinine comment. this is not the place to be so negative, go somewhere else dude.
it's a Polar FT4. as for my BMR I calculated it both here and on some other sites online and always get around 2000 to 2100 calories per day, which seems insanely low to me. I've always been one to lose weight extremely fast when I restrict my calorie intake so I deduce the actuality of it to be somewhere in the middle of what MFP says and what the tracker says.
going off of past weight loss when using MFP to track calories and what I've just learned I'd estimate that my actual resting metabolic rate must be somewhere around 2750-3250 calories per day, depending on level of physical activity. I do have rather dense musculature for someone who does practically no strength training at all, that's the only explanation I can find for the variation. doing the "2 pounds a week" on MFP usually results in more like 3 pounds a week for me.0 -
But you don't use BMR to work out how many calories you should eat to lose weight - you use TDEE. BMR are the calories you'd burn if you were in a coma. Your TDEE will be a lot higher (as you say, closer to 2750, as I said earlier, MFP gives 2590 for your stats), and that's what you need to eat a deficit from to lose weight.0
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michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »thank you. "stick in the mud" isn't how I'd describe that asinine comment. this is not the place to be so negative, go somewhere else dude.
it's a Polar FT4. as for my BMR I calculated it both here and on some other sites online and always get around 2000 to 2100 calories per day, which seems insanely low to me. I've always been one to lose weight extremely fast when I restrict my calorie intake so I deduce the actuality of it to be somewhere in the middle of what MFP says and what the tracker says.
going off of past weight loss when using MFP to track calories and what I've just learned I'd estimate that my actual resting metabolic rate must be somewhere around 2750-3250 calories per day, depending on level of physical activity. I do have rather dense musculature for someone who does practically no strength training at all, that's the only explanation I can find for the variation. doing the "2 pounds a week" on MFP usually results in more like 3 pounds a week for me.
You are confusing BMR with TDEE
Your BMR might be 2000 and your TDEE 3000.0 -
michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »thank you. "stick in the mud" isn't how I'd describe that asinine comment. this is not the place to be so negative, go somewhere else dude.
it's a Polar FT4. as for my BMR I calculated it both here and on some other sites online and always get around 2000 to 2100 calories per day, which seems insanely low to me. I've always been one to lose weight extremely fast when I restrict my calorie intake so I deduce the actuality of it to be somewhere in the middle of what MFP says and what the tracker says.
going off of past weight loss when using MFP to track calories and what I've just learned I'd estimate that my actual resting metabolic rate must be somewhere around 2750-3250 calories per day, depending on level of physical activity. I do have rather dense musculature for someone who does practically no strength training at all, that's the only explanation I can find for the variation. doing the "2 pounds a week" on MFP usually results in more like 3 pounds a week for me.
Firstly, nobody said anything negative. Being truthful does not equal being negative. Secondly, what you said that I have bolded implies that you are confusing BMR with TDEE. They are not the same thing at all. Thirdly, if your BMR were actually 3000 then you would lose more than 3lbs a week doing the 2lbs a week on MFP - because that would mean that your TDEE would be very high. People who weigh more will always lose more to start with. I lost 3lbs a week for a few weeks when I started, and I was only 210lbs. It doesn't mean that your BMR is more than the calculators say.0 -
To be honest if you have a sedentary job and do no strength training you do not have a dense musculature.0
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You can't use a HRM like that!!
Completely the wrong tool.0 -
This is funny.chivalryder wrote: »Sitting on your butt and sleeping is not exercise, therefore, the heart rate monitor is going to be wildly inaccurate.
But hey, go ahead and stat eating 5000 calories a day. Let us know how that works for you.
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You do not, in any way whatsoever, have a 3250 RMR.michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »
going off of past weight loss when using MFP to track calories and what I've just learned I'd estimate that my actual resting metabolic rate must be somewhere around 2750-3250 calories per day, depending on level of physical activity. I do have rather dense musculature for someone who does practically no strength training at all, that's the only explanation I can find for the variation. doing the "2 pounds a week" on MFP usually results in more like 3 pounds a week for me.
A pound of muscle burns few calories a day. I'd look somewhere else for the error in your numbers.0 -
ok, let me clarify. I'm not whatsoever suggesting a change to my allotted calories.
I'm just trying to get a more accurate read on how many calories I am actually burning during the course of a day just so that I'll know for my own edification
and sorry, but MFP gives me 2073 for my specs no matter how many times I plug it in, so does the other online calculators, and that seems mighty low.0 -
It isn't low. I'm 6'9" 220-225 and mine is about 2100.michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »ok, let me clarify. I'm not whatsoever suggesting a change to my allotted calories.
I'm just trying to get a more accurate read on how many calories I am actually burning during the course of a day just so that I'll know for my own edification
and sorry, but MFP gives me 2073 for my specs no matter how many times I plug it in, so does the other online calculators, and that seems mighty low.
You aren't burning 5000 calories a day. You aren't burning 4000 calories a day. Chances are, with 30-40 minutes of exercise, you aren't burning 3000 calories a day, though you might be somewhere in that ballpark.
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michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »ok, let me clarify. I'm not whatsoever suggesting a change to my allotted calories.
I'm just trying to get a more accurate read on how many calories I am actually burning during the course of a day just so that I'll know for my own edification
and sorry, but MFP gives me 2073 for my specs no matter how many times I plug it in, so does the other online calculators, and that seems mighty low.
If you want accuracy, go and get a DEXA scan. Heart rate monitors are not meant to be used in the fashion you used yours, and the results are not at all accurate.0 -
Why not just weigh and log your food and drink over a month, and check your weight each week. Then, try reducing your calories by 500 a day to see what that does to your weight over a month?0
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michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »and sorry, but MFP gives me 2073 for my specs no matter how many times I plug it in, so does the other online calculators, and that seems mighty low.
Really?? Are you sure? Because this:
Always gives me:
Other websites also give higher results than 2079:
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Do you maybe mean an indirect calorimetry test? DEXA tells body fat percentage.michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »ok, let me clarify. I'm not whatsoever suggesting a change to my allotted calories.
I'm just trying to get a more accurate read on how many calories I am actually burning during the course of a day just so that I'll know for my own edification
and sorry, but MFP gives me 2073 for my specs no matter how many times I plug it in, so does the other online calculators, and that seems mighty low.
If you want accuracy, go and get a DEXA scan. Heart rate monitors are not meant to be used in the fashion you used yours, and the results are not at all accurate.
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michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »ok, let me clarify. I'm not whatsoever suggesting a change to my allotted calories.
I'm just trying to get a more accurate read on how many calories I am actually burning during the course of a day just so that I'll know for my own edification
and sorry, but MFP gives me 2073 for my specs no matter how many times I plug it in, so does the other online calculators, and that seems mighty low.
You're not listening. You are confusing BMR with TDEE. I went on my usual calculator, which put your BMR at 2299. The same calculator put your TDEE at 2758, even with no exercise. BMR is what you would burn if you were in bed all day. TDEE is total daily energy expenditure, which is what you burn with normal daily activities like walking, cooking, showering - anything, added onto your BMR.0 -
Do you maybe mean an indirect calorimetry test? DEXA tells body fat percentage.michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »ok, let me clarify. I'm not whatsoever suggesting a change to my allotted calories.
I'm just trying to get a more accurate read on how many calories I am actually burning during the course of a day just so that I'll know for my own edification
and sorry, but MFP gives me 2073 for my specs no matter how many times I plug it in, so does the other online calculators, and that seems mighty low.
If you want accuracy, go and get a DEXA scan. Heart rate monitors are not meant to be used in the fashion you used yours, and the results are not at all accurate.
I did. Quick typing, muti-tasking error. But it would at least give him an idea of his body comp since he thinks he's very muscular for being very sedentary.0 -
michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »ok, let me clarify. I'm not whatsoever suggesting a change to my allotted calories.
I'm just trying to get a more accurate read on how many calories I am actually burning during the course of a day just so that I'll know for my own edification
and sorry, but MFP gives me 2073 for my specs no matter how many times I plug it in, so does the other online calculators, and that seems mighty low.
A simple explanation for you since you seem to be getting your terms confused.
BMR (Basal Metabolic rate) - This is how many calories needed for the amount of tissue you have as part of your body to sustain life.
NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) - the amount of calories you burn doing things that are not deliberate exercise such as brushing your teeth, walking to your car, etc.
EAT (exercise activity thermogenesis) - the amount of calories you burn during deliberate exercise
TEF (thermogenic effect of food) - the amount of calories you burn digesting the foods you eat
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) - BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF
Under "apps" MFP will calculate your BMR, but it has nothing to do with your activity level. As you noticed, that number is far less than what you actually burn throughout the day.
I think it's not far off from what you're thinking, it's more a misunderstanding of what the terms are.
And agreed, the heartrate monitor is not that useful for all day. An overall activity tracker (like a fitbit) would be more accurate for that. If you don't want to spend the money, they do have apps for smart phones that act as step counters and can give a rough estimate of total calorie burn.0 -
Your BMR is estimated to be around 2300 calories. Add in "regular" walking around, getting up and down, etc. It's likely to be 2800-3000 if you're sedentary.
HRM's aren't used to measure your daily activity that's not directly cardio endurance.
As mentioned, if you're disbelieving the numbers, eat 5000 calories a day and see how that goes. I'm more than sure you'd put on weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Hey there, as others have said, the heart rate monitor isn't really accurate for your daily caloric burn. So use your TDEE. With that said, it won't be perfect -- it's just a generic number to get you in the ballpark. For me I had to tweak the numbers for awhile and watch the scale before I figured out what I can really eat. But the TDEE helped me get started. Also, my TDEE is around 2100 and I'm 5'2" and 114 pounds, so there is no way that could be right for you. 2750-3250 sounds more like it.0
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michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »Hi there. I'm a 34 year old male, 259lbs, 5'7", and am mostly sedentary. Going off of that info MyFitnessPal says that I burn like 2073 calories a day. I just wore a heartrate monitor for the last 24 hours to check that calculation and with only about 30-40 minutes of moderate exercise yesterday I am right at the 5000 calorie mark for the 24 hour period.
I am not overly muscular, though I would say that I probably have more muscle than most guys of the same height and weight. My heart rate isn't super high either, it hovers at about 80-85 most of the time. I'm just astonished that I burn that many calories with little/no activity. Have any of you checked your BMR with a heartrate monitor and found it to be so far off?
Your numbers are way off, by about 1500-2000 probably. Besides this, heart rate monitors are to be worn for steady state cardio only where you keep your heart rate elevated for certain period of time, not to measure how many calories you burn in the day, unless it was a fitbit or the like meant for that purpose.0 -
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michaeljosephmoreau wrote: »doing the "2 pounds a week" on MFP usually results in more like 3 pounds a week for me.
Then your TDEE (the amount of calories you burn per day in total) should be around 3,500 calories.
Next question.
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