BMR question

spammyanna
spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I am only 5lbs away from my goal, so I changed my calorie goal to lose 0.5lbs per week. This increased my calorie intake goal from 1200 to 1400. However, when I looked up my BMR on a couple of different sites, it was around 1400. Will I still actually lose weight if I eat my BMR?

Thanks!

Replies

  • mommy2squish
    mommy2squish Posts: 126 Member
    If your still exercising then yes. If not then no. If your BMR is 1400 and your eating 1400 then your not loseing any calories.
  • Savemyshannon
    Savemyshannon Posts: 334 Member
    Your BMR is how many calories your body burns just by being alive, even if you lie in bed all day. If you eat your BMR and do not exercise, then you will maintain your weight. You need to create a deficit, either by increasing your caloric output (exercise) or decreasing your caloric intake (diet) to lose weight.
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
    Yes. BMR is what you burn if you were to lay in bed all day. I assume you do some form of movement and walking throughout the day, so you're probably looking at a natural 500 calorie burn just by moving around in a sedentary fashion. Exercise will increase your burn.

    Here's a site that explains it pretty well. http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    If your still exercising then yes. If not then no. If your BMR is 1400 and your eating 1400 then your not loseing any calories.

    Incorrect. I think you are confusing BMR with TDEE.
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
    I run 3-5 days a week, at an average of 3 miles per day, and I usually eat my calories back. I am not concerned with how fast the weight comes off, just that it will. I also feel like I need to up my calories closer to where maintenance will be.


    I understand what BMR is, I just wasn't sure if I would still lose if I ate that much!

    Thanks!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    As stated BMR is what your body burns simply to stay alive. If you move at all, such as getting out of bed, you burn more than your BMR. Thus eating at BMR even without exercise, you will lose weight because of those calories you burn from moving and doing stuff.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    I run 3-5 days a week, at an average of 3 miles per day, and I usually eat my calories back. I am not concerned with how fast the weight comes off, just that it will. I also feel like I need to up my calories closer to where maintenance will be.


    I understand what BMR is, I just wasn't sure if I would still lose if I ate that much!

    Thanks!

    Definitely. Pretty much by definition, as long you do something more than lay in bed all day, you would be in a calorie deficit if you ate your BMR, and hence you would lose weight.
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
    I run 3-5 days a week, at an average of 3 miles per day, and I usually eat my calories back. I am not concerned with how fast the weight comes off, just that it will. I also feel like I need to up my calories closer to where maintenance will be.


    I understand what BMR is, I just wasn't sure if I would still lose if I ate that much!

    Thanks!

    Definitely. Pretty much by definition, as long you do something more than lay in bed all day, you would be in a calorie deficit if you ate your BMR, and hence you would lose weight.


    Thank you! This makes sense to me. Phew, didn't want to stall all my hard work!
  • futiledevices
    futiledevices Posts: 309 Member
    I wish there was actually a way to calculate my BMR and TDEE, because every website is telling me something different. Oh well.
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
    If your exercise is always the same, 3 miles/day , it will decrease your calorie burn over time. Your body is used to the run, is more efficient and won't burn as much. Mix up your routine, do some weight training (muscle expends more calories naturally), try some other forms of cardio to shake it up. All of this is estimates based on the average person. There are machines out there that can supposedly tell you your precise (as best can be) calorie expenditure , such as a breath test.

    Track for a few weeks and see how your body reacts to the food/exercise.
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
    I wish there was actually a way to calculate my BMR and TDEE, because every website is telling me something different. Oh well.

    Check out doctors or gyms in your area who might offer the indirect calorimetry test. It is a 10 minute breathing test.
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
    If your exercise is always the same, 3 miles/day , it will decrease your calorie burn over time. Your body is used to the run, is more efficient and won't burn as much. Mix up your routine, do some weight training (muscle expends more calories naturally), try some other forms of cardio to shake it up. All of this is estimates based on the average person. There are machines out there that can supposedly tell you your precise (as best can be) calorie expenditure , such as a breath test.

    Track for a few weeks and see how your body reacts to the food/exercise.

    Right now I am working on increasing my run distance. I have been running 5ks for a few months now, and I am working my way up to a 10k. I know that long term, the running won't help me lose more weight, but I love doing it.

    I am going to give it a month, and see how it goes. If I don't like the results, I can always go back to 1200.

    Thanks everyone!
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
    It WILL continue to help you lose weight, just not as much as it did in the past. You'll have to run longer/harder to get the same effect you got, say a year ago. If you were to stop running and eat the same you do now, you'll find you'll probably gain weight or else maintain. Don't discount the running completely :)
    If your exercise is always the same, 3 miles/day , it will decrease your calorie burn over time. Your body is used to the run, is more efficient and won't burn as much. Mix up your routine, do some weight training (muscle expends more calories naturally), try some other forms of cardio to shake it up. All of this is estimates based on the average person. There are machines out there that can supposedly tell you your precise (as best can be) calorie expenditure , such as a breath test.

    Track for a few weeks and see how your body reacts to the food/exercise.

    Right now I am working on increasing my run distance. I have been running 5ks for a few months now, and I am working my way up to a 10k. I know that long term, the running won't help me lose more weight, but I love doing it.

    I am going to give it a month, and see how it goes. If I don't like the results, I can always go back to 1200.

    Thanks everyone!
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