BMR/ TDEE/Weight Loss

I appreciate everyone's help. Thanks again!!! I'm gonna try to now figure out how to change my settings on MFP.

Glad I could help! To change your settings go under "settings" --> "update diet/fitness profile" and put in your info. See if what it recommends once you put in everything is similar to what we figured out. I'm curious.

It says 1360 for wanting to lose 2lbs a week at a sedentary lifestyle. I'm thinking I should just change it to 1700 calories a day and try it for a few weeks.

Yeah that would make sense for 2 lbs (your 2,300 TDEE - 1000) . If you have it at around 1700 you should lose about a pound a week!

Sorry, i think I am slow on the pick up... what is TDEE?
I have not lost any weight since June, well actually 4lbs and I have been wondering if I am eating enough calories or too many. How do I figure this out?

TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure.

Your BMR (which you can figure out using the BMR calculator under "tools") is how much your body would burn by just being alive and laying there.

Your TDEE is how much your body therefore needs to maintain its weight when taking into account your normal daily activities. Your TDEE is your BMR x multiplier. This multiplier depends on your activity level, as follows:

Sedentary = 1.2
Lightly active = 1.375
Moderately active = 1.55
Very active = 1.725

To lose weight, you want to eat less than your TDEE. 1 lb = 3,500 calories. So, if you eat 500 calories less than your TDEE per day, you will lose about one pound per week.

Hi Curlyclo!
Thank you for all your information!
According to mfp my BMR is 1581 for my current weight. I am fairly active; working out at least 4 or 5 days a week, usually burning about 400 cals each workout. My job is also somewhat physical so I multiplied by 1.55 giving me a TDEE of 2450. I currently have my daily cals at 1630. I also almost always eat most of my exercise calories.

Seems great! You should be right on target. But if you're not losing, you might try lowering to "lightly active" and letting MFP calculate it for you, because your 4-5 exercise sessions per week SHOULDN'T be counted as part of your baseline activity level.

Thanks Curlyclo! Hopefully the lbs will start moving in the downward motion!

bump

Thank you so much Curlyclo! Actually my "guided" goals were a little above (100 calories), but now with your explanation I found out my real goal to reach 1lb per week

100 cals isn't a big difference. Every calculation varies a bit. Keep doing what MFP says. I use MFP's guidelines, which are also about 100 over what I would get with the equation I posted, and I am losing steadily. I put my whole-hearted trust in the calculations of this site.

So I am so confused by this now. Can someone help me please? My BMR is 1361 so how many calories should I be eating a day? I was set at 1200 and just upped it to 1300 does that sound right?

So I am so confused by this now. Can someone help me please? My BMR is 1361 so how many calories should I be eating a day? I was set at 1200 and just upped it to 1300 does that sound right?

It depends on how much you have to lose. What is your weekly weight loss goal? How much do you have to lose? I have no problem with people eating below their BMR, but if someone's weight loss stalls eating at their BMR will still result in a small deficit (usually about .5 pounds per week depending on their activity level) and will often be what is needed to get weight loss going. The OP may very well be eating too much or she could be eating too little. Eating at her BMR will mean she is likely in a deficit, but not a huge one which should get things going. Has your weight loss stopped? If not, don't try to fix what isn't broken.

Yes my weight loss has stopped,that's why I asked someone for help.The whole thing just has me confused as to how many calories I should be eating a day.