BMR vs Net Calories.

kooshajan · July 2011

So ive been following this site with no success yet. Im trying to understand what Im doing wrong so that I can correct it and get things right! I am wanting to lose 40-45lbs by my wedding next August.

Ive read various threads on this site about eating your BMR or higher. Some agree, some dont. My BMR according to MFP is 1539. My net calorie goal on MFP is 1200 at 1.8lbs per week, a 880 calorie deficiency. I am 5ft 3 and 185lbs, 27 years old. If I burn 400 calories during the day I will eat those back, making my total calorie intake 1600 calories. So am I following this right by eating 1200 calories on days I dont workout but eat back the calories I burned off on days I work out? Should I be eating more than my BMR? Im aiming for no less than 1.5lbs a week but would love to have it at 2lbs per week.

Im desperate at this point. I need to get the ball rolling here!!!

GypsyRose25 · July 2011

Your BMR is just the amount of calories you burn while at rest. Basically what is "recommended" is to eat at least 1200 calories a day NET. Unless a doctor recommends or okays lower. If, however, you aren't losing weight eating that few calories, then you might want to up your calorie intake a bit for a couple days before lowering it back down.

jagoochie · July 2011

i seem to be having the same issue
not really loosing anything - keeping my net to 1200 as it states, exercising more, but no real weight lose....

hydranger · July 2011

Me too, I haven't lost anything this week. I can't get my head round it, every previous diet recommends exercise to loose weight but this seems to tell me I'll lose the same amount of weight if I eat less and don't exercise or eat more and exercise. (apart from the fitness point of view what's the point)

kooshajan · July 2011

If I exercise burning say, 700 one day and if I eat those calories back its still the equivalent of a 880 deficiency that MFP has created for me? I really dont have a choice but to eat them back because otherwise my calorie intake would be well under 1200. So confusing.

GypsyRose25 · July 2011

It's really not... Do what your body feels is right. If your body doesn't feel the need to eat 1200 net calories, then don't. See how your body responds to what you are doing, and make adjustments from there.

kooshajan · July 2011

So im being told by a few people that my Daily Caloric Expenditure is 2120 and to eat 1500 calories a day which results in a daily deficit of 620. 620x7 days a week=4340. 4340/3500 (calories per pound)=1.24lbs loss per week. Is this correct? But that defeats the purpose of this site for me than! I dont understand why losing 1.5-2lbs per week results in apparently a "too low" amount for me? Especially if 1.5-2lbs is what is deemed as safe! I have 40-45lbs to lose. Bah!!!!! I dont get it.

If I eat 1200 a day without going out of my way to exercise is that considered safe? And if I burn say 200-700 daily but eat those back, isnt that still keeping me in the safe area as technically I wouldnt be going over my daily deficit of 880?

kooshajan · July 2011

According to this nifty little tool:

http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

my basal metabolic rate is 1732 and my daily expenditure is 2650 with 6 hours of sleep and 1 hour of brisk walking daily.

Deduct 1000 from this (2lbs) and it brings me to 1650 cals. So should I be eating this amount? And what about exercise? If this is already a 1000 deficit? And if so, even though my net calories are 1200 on this site if I burn enough to give me 450 extra calories and I eat them would I than be at the recommended 1650 that the above site gave me?

I love MFP and dont want to leave the site. Im just trying to figure out how to do this so that it starts working for me! I really appreciate all your help, people. Your very kind!

pstaceyca · July 2011

Yes I think you aren't eating enough. I have a trainer and she says to eat your BMR. If however you work out an extreme amount, you may need some extra calories or your body will go into starvation mode and store what you eat as fat. So at least try upping you calories, it may take some time for your body to adjust to all this so have patients for a couple of weeks. Good Luck!!

cheshirechic · July 2011

It seems like you just need a really accurate read for what your BMR actually is, so you can subtract accordingly. I know some people who use a Body Media Fit to get an accurate picture of their BMR.

Also, depending on your height and weight, 2 lbs. a week might be too much for your body to handle losing in a week. The closer you are to your goal, the harder it is to lose. Finally, have you just measured success via the scale? Using a tap measure in addition can help you see other types of progress as your body shifts itself around, even if the scale isn't moving.

I've been thinking of lowering my weekly weight loss goal and upping my calories, since I'm getting closer to my goal weight.

Congrats on the upcoming wedding; I'm also getting married next August! Feel free to add me if you'd like.

kleavitt1992 · July 2011

So ive been following this site with no success yet. Im trying to understand what Im doing wrong so that I can correct it and get things right! I am wanting to lose 40-45lbs by my wedding next August.

Ive read various threads on this site about eating your BMR or higher. Some agree, some dont. My BMR according to MFP is 1539. My net calorie goal on MFP is 1200 at 1.8lbs per week, a 880 calorie deficiency. I am 5ft 3 and 185lbs, 27 years old. If I burn 400 calories during the day I will eat those back, making my total calorie intake 1600 calories. So am I following this right by eating 1200 calories on days I dont workout but eat back the calories I burned off on days I work out? Should I be eating more than my BMR? Im aiming for no less than 1.5lbs a week but would love to have it at 2lbs per week.

Im desperate at this point. I need to get the ball rolling here!!!

You like basically are me! im also 5ft 3 i started out at 182 Nov. 22 2010 am currently 140 for the first 4 months i ate 1200 net (i eat back excercise calories) then i kinda stopped losing so i ate 1270 for awhile lost alittle more now i eat 1360 to lose 1lb a week cause the smaller you get the less you can possibly lose and at our height its alittle more difficult anyway cause we burn less calories doing things but anyway i lost 42lbs 8 months the 22 of this month

mgmlap · July 2011

I was on 1200 calories..but went to the nutritionist yesterday..and my BMR is actually closer to 1500 which is about 136 more than what MFP is..she used some device that has electrodes or something..

So she now has me moving gradually to 1500 calories because of the amount of exercising I am doing..about an hour 6 days a week...combo of strength and cardio..

I do eat my exercise calories back..

I do believe you can lose that amount by next August..

kooshajan · July 2011

So should I stick to what I believe this site has organized for me? The whole 1200 when not exercising (although I always exercise and on days I feel lazier, I keep it at minimal a one hour walk) and id like to verify that I never just eat 1200, as I always eat back my calories burned. If I eat 1200 calories but burn 500 that day I than eat 1700 calories in total for the day, keeping my deficiency of 880 (1.8lbs a week)? My sister joined this site and has been following that method. She eats back her calories burned, keeping it to "0 calories remaining" as close as possible and lost close to 10lbs in one month.

Congratulations on your success, katieallen!

kooshajan · July 2011

I calculated my maintenance calories and got this:

655 + (9.6x83.91) + (1.8x160)- (4.7x27)=1621.64 my BMR

83.91=my weight in kgs, 160=my height in cm and 27 my age.

Multiply my BMR by my activity level. Im going with moderate (1.55) as I:

Tues and Thurs clean a building for 3 hours burning 600 cals according to my hm watch. On these days I go for an hour walk in the evening as well, burning 200 cals. On Mon, Wed, Friday and Saturday I will either go for an hour or two hour walk or do a 20-30 minute workout video).

That being said my BMR 1621.64x1.55= 2513.54 calories to maintain my weight.

Make a calorie deficit of 800 brings me to 1713.54.

800x 7 days a week=5600/3500 (in a pound)=1.6lb loss per week or 6.4lb loss per month.

So what would you recommend I do if this is valid? I dont exercise the same amount each day. Should I deduct say 800 deficit from my food bringing it to 1713.54 calories a day? And what should I do about exercise or is that already figured into the calorie intake (1.55 for moderate).

This site calculates my maintenance calories at 2230 at moderate activity level (different from what Ive calculated??) and subtracted a 750 calorie deficiency, making my net 1480. Should I try this instead?

kooshajan · July 2011

Ok so I think I may have it actually figured out.

My maintenance cals are 2500.
My BMR is 1500.

Im wanting to lose 1.5lbs a week min to 2lbs a week max.

Should I deduct 1000 cals from my maintenance cals making it 1500cals a day without exercise

or should I...

Deduct 1000 cals from my 2500 maintenance making it 1500 and any cals I burn extra I eat. Will this still balance it out making it a 1000 deficiency?

If I eat say 1480 like this site has suggested since I moved my lb loss to 1.5 at moderate exercise that comes to 10,360 cals per week. My BMR is 1500. If I add on 800 cals burned through exercise (easily achievable for me) that comes to 2300 burned daily. Multiply that by 7 days a week and it comes to 16,100 burned weekly.

So subtract 16,100 burned weekly and 10,360 eaten weekly and I get 5740. Divide this by 3500 (1lb of fat) and I get a 1.64lb loss per week. 6.56lbs per month and 7.5 months to my goal.

Please please please can someone verify if this sounds correct???

cheshirechic · July 2011

Not to throw more crazy math at you, but when I use my HRM, I subtract my BMR calories to see purely what I'm doing in addition to my BMR. But I think you only have to scrutinize this much when you have 10-15 lbs. left to lose.

Your last post seems correct, though I'm definitely no expert. You want to eat those exercise calories back.

Also, this thread is SUPER helpful: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/295140-my-hopefully-interesting-experience-with-exercise-calories

Good luck!

kooshajan · July 2011

Thanks for the post! I think were my problem lies is that this site calculates my BMR and Maintenace levels less than what I calculate using the Harris Benedict Equation. What would you suggest I use?

kooshajan · July 2011

Another thing I am curious to know is if I eat the 1400 recommended on here my deficit is. 840.

If I eat 1400 cals and burn 600 cals in activity and eat these back making my calorie intake for the day 2000 am I still getting my 840 cal deficincy?To stay at this weight I have to eat around 2500 cals...thats whats confusing me! Why on earth than would I eat so close to that weight?

BMR vs Net Calories.

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