BMR only just over 1200.how do i get a deficit to lose?

shakybabe
shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I just calculated my BMR on here and its now dropped to 1,289 cals... on 1200 cals a day I'm only getting a deficit of 89 cals!!! :noway: .. luckily recently I've been managing to exercise a little everyday but I'm getting knackered after 2 weeks non-stop, could do with a rest day but I daren't now I've seen I only have a 89 cal deficit, unless I try the fasting thing and do the fasts on the rest day?

! 'm still 10st 2, so what's my BMR gonna be when I reach 9st something (high end) and still trying to get to 9st 3? if my BMR drops under 1200 what do I do then? ... I've been looking at very low calorie replacement meals I saw on ebay and wondering whether to drop to 500-600 cals a day on rest days so i can have a break from exercising for a few days and still have a deficit of 500cals?

At this rate I'm never gonna lose another stone and I still got a fat tummy and not in my 30" levi's yet although they are falsely advertised.. they don't actually fasten around the waist they fasten just above the hips and my tummy is still 35 " (even though my ACTUAL waist is only an inch off!) :sad:

Replies

  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    how much do you weigh now?

    if that is your bmr you must not weight that much now..why lose any more?

    i bet you havent figured in your activity level.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Your calorie deficit doesn't get subtracted from your BMR, it comes off your BMR x activity level.
    If you are sedentary, you multiply by 1.2, so your maintenance cals would be 1546 (or more, depending on your activity level). This means you can eat around 1300 cals/day and still have a 250 cal/day deficit.
    It might be time to concentrate more on getting stronger rather than just losing weight - can you do strength training?

    Don't start eating just 500 cals, that isn't going to be sustainable and can't be good for you!
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
    I'm still over 10st.. 10st 2 when weighed other day I put my height in as 5ft4 as it wont accept halves (I'm 5ft 3 and half)

    I did forget about the 1.2 though! 1546 sounds better and I try and burn at least 300 a day, mostly 500 if i can.

    say it was 300 if only managed 30 mins on passive trainer and ate 1200 then I'd get about 646 deficit from 1546-1200=346+300 (exercise) =646 deficit? .. so might manage the deficit for 1lb a week if don't eat exercise cals back when haven't managed much? The passive trainer basically pedals my legs for me.. usually whilst I'm watching telly.. lol!..

    I use it when don't have energy to keep getting out of chair onto floor to do pilates or on and off balance board... which would be about 500-600cal session for 60-90mins... I'd usually allow a treat on that day like few carbs with meal or a gluten free choc brownie, when I had loads of spare calories, though my BMR was like 1700 to start with when I was about 12st 7.

    I want to get to middle of healthy for my height which was 60kg and hit single figures (9st 6) for first time in about 16 years!! (though I'm hoping to drop to 9st 3 first to complete wii fit, then figured I'd put a few pounds back on switching to maintenance which would get me back to about 9st 6 and nicely in the middle of my healthy weight range)
  • missmacknz
    missmacknz Posts: 39
    Eating less than 1200 calories a day is not the end of the world especially for people in different situations as we both are :) I don't know how your lean body mass measures up against someone 'up and about' but I know mine is 10-20% lower than a 'normal person' (whatever they are) so therefore my calorie requirements just 'sitting about' are much lower than anyone else.

    However I dont know how this pans out for you.

    Remember the closer you get to your goal weight the slower you lose. One thing to consider is to try and live on what you think you'd need in maintenance mode for your desired (not current) weight - then see what happens from there - you'll still lose and once you are at your goal you'll already be crusing along nicely.

    Keep at it - all you can do is try and you're certainly doing an awesome job of that :)
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I don't think you know the difference between BMR and TDEE....

    My BMR is 1278, my daily deficit is 350 or so .7 lbs per week.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    I just calculated my BMR on here and its now dropped to 1,289 cals... on 1200 cals a day I'm only getting a deficit of 89 cals!!! :noway: .. luckily recently I've been managing to exercise a little everyday but I'm getting knackered after 2 weeks non-stop, could do with a rest day but I daren't now I've seen I only have a 89 cal deficit, unless I try the fasting thing and do the fasts on the rest day?

    ! 'm still 10st 2, so what's my BMR gonna be when I reach 9st something (high end) and still trying to get to 9st 3? if my BMR drops under 1200 what do I do then? ... I've been looking at very low calorie replacement meals I saw on ebay and wondering whether to drop to 500-600 cals a day on rest days so i can have a break from exercising for a few days and still have a deficit of 500cals?

    At this rate I'm never gonna lose another stone and I still got a fat tummy and not in my 30" levi's yet although they are falsely advertised.. they don't actually fasten around the waist they fasten just above the hips and my tummy is still 35 " (even though my ACTUAL waist is only an inch off!) :sad:

    Your TDEE will be higher, plus add in exercise and you might have a caloric requirement of say 1600-1800 a day. If so, reduce it by a few hundred calories. You shouldn't have too much to lose. Also, throw in some strength training, more lean muscle mass = higher BMR.
  • andrejjorje
    andrejjorje Posts: 497 Member
    Exercising more is the only answer. Increase the exercise and eat some of the calories back.:) Eating under 1200 for a petite person is not something unusual. MFP uses 1200 as the lowest possible due to possible liability.
    I just calculated my BMR on here and its now dropped to 1,289 cals... on 1200 cals a day I'm only getting a deficit of 89 cals!!! :noway: .. luckily recently I've been managing to exercise a little everyday but I'm getting knackered after 2 weeks non-stop, could do with a rest day but I daren't now I've seen I only have a 89 cal deficit, unless I try the fasting thing and do the fasts on the rest day?

    ! 'm still 10st 2, so what's my BMR gonna be when I reach 9st something (high end) and still trying to get to 9st 3? if my BMR drops under 1200 what do I do then? ... I've been looking at very low calorie replacement meals I saw on ebay and wondering whether to drop to 500-600 cals a day on rest days so i can have a break from exercising for a few days and still have a deficit of 500cals?

    At this rate I'm never gonna lose another stone and I still got a fat tummy and not in my 30" levi's yet although they are falsely advertised.. they don't actually fasten around the waist they fasten just above the hips and my tummy is still 35 " (even though my ACTUAL waist is only an inch off!) :sad:
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    Your deficit isn't calculated from your BMR. My BMR on here is 1308. My daily activity before exercise is about 1800. My TDEE (with exercise) is usually 2100 or higher.
  • kleavitt1992
    kleavitt1992 Posts: 592 Member
    Your deficit isn't calculated from your BMR. My BMR on here is 1308. My daily activity before exercise is about 1800. My TDEE (with exercise) is usually 2100 or higher.

    this^^^
  • gyte
    gyte Posts: 5
    ok I am confused! you got to eat bmr + exercise right?
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    ok I am confused! you got to eat bmr + exercise right?
    No. You get to eat (BMR x daily activity factor) - weight loss deficit + exercise.

    If you're sedentary in your day-to-day life, the daily activity factor is about 1.25. So for a hypothetical BMR of 1300, the daily maintenance calories for that person would be 1625. Then the site subtracts your calorie deficit (250 calories for every half pound per week you wish to lose - but this net goal will never be below 1200). THEN when you exercise those calories are added in to maintain your weight loss deficit.
  • baybeejulia
    baybeejulia Posts: 218 Member
    I'm really small, so my BMR is 1126... So eating 1200 a day technically means I'm not creating a deficit. But when you have to remember that BMR is at rest. So when you factor in simple movement you'll go up to atleast to 1400 or so. Plus when I exercise I burn about 600-700 in a two hour session. It's been going well for me so far, I've lost 5 kg... So I say stick to 1200, don't drop it any lower because you burn a lot more calories in a day than any calculator can calculate. Also, don't forget that eating right and exercising speeds up your metabolism. So after a while your body will start burning a lot more calories than before..
  • chaitrex
    chaitrex Posts: 94 Member
    Exercise is good, but so is rest! As you approach your goal, you also have to just be patient. Your weight loss is going to slow down. I've started trying to build muscle instead of create a calorie deficit lately, as I'm in a similar situation.
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