BMR......ME AGAIN!!!

alex6971
alex6971 Posts: 51 Member
edited November 10 in Health and Weight Loss
As u have guessed by now i am very confused by this.

I am 178lbs, 5ft 6 in (66 in) and am 26 years of age.

I work my BMR at 1617.30. Is this right.

I have desk job where i do little or no movement all day. I go swimming twice a week for an hour and to an aerobic dance class twice a week for an hour.

My question is how may calories roughly should i be eating a day?

Some people say the 1200 set my MFP is right and others say i should be eating my BMR.

Someone please help me!!!!!!

Replies

  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Nobody can tell you what will work for you, but I can tell you what works for me...
    I'm 43, 5'8", weighs 174 lbs and want to lost between 15 and 20 lbs....
    When Iate 1200 per day, I lost a bit and then it all stopped, until I started eating at my BMR - 1530....
  • lilybug13
    lilybug13 Posts: 154
    Are you trying to lose weight? If not, eat your BMR. If yes, eat -250 calories for every 1/2 lb a week you intend to lose.

    MFP doesn't let you go below 1200, so I think that you probably have it set at lose 1 lb per week, which translates to 1617.30-500 = 1117.30, which is less than 1200, so it rounds up.
  • jlhill7
    jlhill7 Posts: 226 Member
    I have been wondering the same thing. The nearest thing I can figure out is this: If your BMR is say 1500 and you only eat 1200 a day there is a -300 so in a week you would loose approx a 1/2 pound. Just a guess cause this has always confused me also
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    My understanding is you should eat around 500 cals lower than your BMR.
  • roro73
    roro73 Posts: 153 Member
    I lose weight eating at my BMR (1420). I feel like I'm starving & deprived if I go below that so I don't. I do however make sure that most days I earn the extra 220 calories via exercise but I don't kick myself if I didn't exercise that day. This is a bit confusing but if you set your goal to "maintain" it'll tell you what calories you need to stay the same as you are...you can change it right back and it won't mess anything up. This really helped me because I know it takes 1760 for me to maintain my weight. So if I eat my 1420, even though MFP says I'm over for the day because I have it set to lose 1lb a week (1260)...in reality I still actually have a defecit that day of 340...I'm ok if that happens a few days a week. Remmber this is a marathon, not a sprint :)
  • glenbabe
    glenbabe Posts: 303 Member
    I keep to the settings on MFP .....as they are working for me got no grumbles with it.....you can find your BMR on MFP and just go with that......of course you have to be honest with your settings when you start or it will not give you accurate answers but as long as you do it correctly its not a bad reading.....as i have lost weight my BMR has reduced because my body mass is smaller.......its gone from 1840 to 1344 as I have progressed.....but because of my age and lifestle my settings it gives me are at the lowest you can go.However my son who is younger and heavier has a much higher setting for his basic calories it reduces as you progress.
    As far as the excercise goes this appears to be a matter of personal choice its there if you want it and you will still lose weight as long as your loggings are accurate of course.....I tend to only eat them when I am really hungry so I dont give in and end up binging on unhealthy food....this works for me
  • roro73
    roro73 Posts: 153 Member
    My understanding is you should eat around 500 cals lower than your BMR.

    To lose weight, you need to have a defecit below your maintenance level, not the BMR. If you'd like to lose weight, you need 500 cals lower per day than your maintenance level. Your metabolism will slow down if you eat below your BMR.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    I work my BMR at 1617.30. Is this right.

    Yes. But it only an approximation. (A better way is to use the Katch-McArdle formula. But you need a good understanding of your BF % for that.)


    Why are you questioning it? Are you in a plateau? 1200 calories is about a 1.4lb per week loss for you. You can't go any lower than this, but if it's working and you fee ok, why do you want to change it?

    It may be more enjoyable and sustainable for you to be a little more conservative. For a 1 pound per week loss (at a sedentary activity factor) you would have to eat about 1420 calories a day. If you eat at your BMR (1600), you will lose about 0.5lb per week.

    Remember, when you can only lose 1/2 - 1 pound a week, there is little room for error in logging food and exercise. There is also a chance that water retention will mask your fat loss. So, decide on a calorie goal and keep up the good work and be patient!!
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    My understanding is you should eat around 500 cals lower than your BMR.

    To lose weight, you need to have a defecit below your maintenance level, not the BMR. If you'd like to lose weight, you need 500 cals lower per day than your maintenance level. Your metabolism will slow down if you eat below your BMR.

    Ah, see, I didn't know that. I got it wrong, I thought it was 500 less than BMR. Thank you for clearing that up for me :)
  • EroseT23
    EroseT23 Posts: 74 Member
    You're not supposed to eat less than your BMR. Your BMR is the amount of calories your body needs just to survive every day. It uses those calories to fuel your organs, respiratory system and brain function. Stuff like that. Your BMR is the amount of calories you would burn if you were in a coma all day.

    There is a second number you need to know: your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). You can figure out that number here:
    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

    To lose weight, it is recommended you eat less than your TDEE (like lilybug13 said, 250 calories for every 0.5lb a week). I still wouldn't recommend going below your BMR, ever.

    Good luck and I hope this helps. =)
  • MrsLong1980
    MrsLong1980 Posts: 181 Member
    Eat what MFP tells you - it isn't rocket science. You put in the figures (age, sex, activity level, weight, height etc. etc.) and how much you want to lose and it gives you a goal calories. This is your net so calories eaten minus calories burnt from exercise equals goal calories. That's it ...
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Read this and the confusion should clear:
    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/

    Edit: did the math for you...

    Using Mifflin St Jeor equation:

    Your BMR is approx 1730

    Then add the x1.2 multiplier for sedentary activity level:

    Your total daily energy expenditure is approx 2075

    Eat 500 cals a day less than that to lose 1lb per week (1575 cals per day)

    If you exercise, eat most of the calories you burn back on top of that. (i.e. if you burn 300 cals then eat somewhere around 1875 cals for the day instead)

    This isn't an exact science because your metabolism is so unique and complex. Do the above for a few weeks and see what happens. If you're not losing dial the cals back a bit, if you're losing too fast, eat a bit more.

    Hope that helps.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    A calorie deficit is created by subtracting a ceritan amount off of a person's TEE (or TDEE), not BMR.

    BMR (Basal metabolic rate): This is a term which refers to the minimum level of energy required to sustain your basic body functions such as breathing, digestion and circulation.

    NEAT (Non-Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The energy requirements added by activities of day to day life. Things such as walking, talking, shopping, working, sitting, brushing your teeth, and even laughing. This also includes what people term INCIDENTAL EXERCISE, and is one of the most variable factors involving calorie requirements in a person.

    EAT (Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): This is the energy requirements that are added to your requirements through planned exercise.

    TEF (Thermogenic effect of feeding): The energy requirements associated with eating.

    TEE (Total Energy Expenditure): This is your total daily energy requirement and is the sum of the above (BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF).
  • alex6971
    alex6971 Posts: 51 Member
    Are you trying to lose weight? If not, eat your BMR. If yes, eat -250 calories for every 1/2 lb a week you intend to lose.

    MFP doesn't let you go below 1200, so I think that you probably have it set at lose 1 lb per week, which translates to 1617.30-500 = 1117.30, which is less than 1200, so it rounds up.

    1617.30 is my BMR before i x it by anything. I would say i am lightly active so 1617.30 x 1.375= 2223.7875.

    So MFP now has given me 1460 to eat as i changed from -2lb a week to -1lb. I am eating too much or not enough?
  • lisakyle_11
    lisakyle_11 Posts: 420 Member
    My understanding is you should eat around 500 cals lower than your BMR.

    wrong! depending on your goals.... subtract 500 (or an even lesser amount) from your TDEE.
  • roro73
    roro73 Posts: 153 Member
    My understanding is you should eat around 500 cals lower than your BMR.

    To lose weight, you need to have a defecit below your maintenance level, not the BMR. If you'd like to lose weight, you need 500 cals lower per day than your maintenance level. Your metabolism will slow down if you eat below your BMR.

    Ah, see, I didn't know that. I got it wrong, I thought it was 500 less than BMR. Thank you for clearing that up for me :)

    No problem...this is totally a learning process for me too. I've just been doing a lot of research on it lately and love it...love the fact that it's not a diet but a way of life and it's working...slowly but surely :)
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 962 Member
    Let's have a science class. :smile: From Wikipedia:

    Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), and the closely related resting metabolic rate (RMR), is the amount of daily energy expended by humans and animals at rest. BMR decreases with age generally (as people usually don't maintain lean body mass) and with the loss of lean body mass. Increasing muscle mass increases BMR.

    About 70% of a human's total energy expenditure is due to the basal life processes within the organs of the body (see table). About 20% of one's energy expenditure comes from physical activity and another 10% from thermogenesis, or digestion of food (postprandial thermogenesis). For the BMR, most of the energy is consumed in maintaining fluid levels in tissues through osmosis, and only about one-tenth is consumed for mechanical work, such as digestion, heartbeat, and breathing.





    So.... your BMR (or RMR) is the amount of calories your body burns at rest, just to support the healthy function of all your organs and keeping your body's processes running smoothly. You don't want to be dipping below this amount on a regular basis.

    One MFP, your TDEE is the figure that is your estimated calorie burn created by digestion and your normal daily activity (aside from exercise). When you add in exercise, that number goes up for the day, so MFP gives you more calories to eat in order to keep you at a deficit amount that will work with the weight loss rate you've selected.
  • EroseT23
    EroseT23 Posts: 74 Member
    Are you trying to lose weight? If not, eat your BMR. If yes, eat -250 calories for every 1/2 lb a week you intend to lose.

    MFP doesn't let you go below 1200, so I think that you probably have it set at lose 1 lb per week, which translates to 1617.30-500 = 1117.30, which is less than 1200, so it rounds up.

    1617.30 is my BMR before i x it by anything. I would say i am lightly active so 1617.30 x 1.375= 2223.7875.

    So MFP now has given me 1460 to eat as i changed from -2lb a week to -1lb. I am eating too much or not enough?

    You mentioned in your original post that you have a desk job, so you might want to count yourself as "sedentary" and then add in your swimming and other stuff as added exercise. I have almost the same stats as you, I'm 5'6", 24, and about 183, and I've been having really consistent success with my goal at 1600. (Ignore my diary for the past couple weeks, I've been on a logging break. No gains, though! =) It was just an experiment.)
  • roro73
    roro73 Posts: 153 Member
    Are you trying to lose weight? If not, eat your BMR. If yes, eat -250 calories for every 1/2 lb a week you intend to lose.

    MFP doesn't let you go below 1200, so I think that you probably have it set at lose 1 lb per week, which translates to 1617.30-500 = 1117.30, which is less than 1200, so it rounds up.

    1617.30 is my BMR before i x it by anything. I would say i am lightly active so 1617.30 x 1.375= 2223.7875.

    So MFP now has given me 1460 to eat as i changed from -2lb a week to -1lb. I am eating too much or not enough?

    What is your maintenance calorie level according to MFP?
  • alex6971
    alex6971 Posts: 51 Member
    Are you trying to lose weight? If not, eat your BMR. If yes, eat -250 calories for every 1/2 lb a week you intend to lose.

    MFP doesn't let you go below 1200, so I think that you probably have it set at lose 1 lb per week, which translates to 1617.30-500 = 1117.30, which is less than 1200, so it rounds up.

    1617.30 is my BMR before i x it by anything. I would say i am lightly active so 1617.30 x 1.375= 2223.7875.

    So MFP now has given me 1460 to eat as i changed from -2lb a week to -1lb. I am eating too much or not enough?

    What is your maintenance calorie level according to MFP?

    Not sure what this is sorry? Its all a bit scientific for me.
  • alex6971
    alex6971 Posts: 51 Member
    Are you trying to lose weight? If not, eat your BMR. If yes, eat -250 calories for every 1/2 lb a week you intend to lose.

    MFP doesn't let you go below 1200, so I think that you probably have it set at lose 1 lb per week, which translates to 1617.30-500 = 1117.30, which is less than 1200, so it rounds up.

    1617.30 is my BMR before i x it by anything. I would say i am lightly active so 1617.30 x 1.375= 2223.7875.

    So MFP now has given me 1460 to eat as i changed from -2lb a week to -1lb. I am eating too much or not enough?

    You mentioned in your original post that you have a desk job, so you might want to count yourself as "sedentary" and then add in your swimming and other stuff as added exercise. I have almost the same stats as you, I'm 5'6", 24, and about 183, and I've been having really consistent success with my goal at 1600. (Ignore my diary for the past couple weeks, I've been on a logging break. No gains, though! =) It was just an experiment.)

    Ahhh now i see where MFP has got the figures from. My BMR at sedentary is 1940.76 minus the 500 defecit gives you 1440 that MFP is now giving me. So does this mean i can also eat my exercise cals back on top of the 1440?

    I am sorry to be a pain but i have suffered an eating disorder in the past and i want to make sure i am not starving my body while at the same time lose weight.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 962 Member
    Ahhh now i see where MFP has got the figures from. My BMR at sedentary is 1940.76 minus the 500 defecit gives you 1440 that MFP is now giving me. So does this mean i can also eat my exercise cals back on top of the 1440?

    I am sorry to be a pain but i have suffered an eating disorder in the past and i want to make sure i am not starving my body while at the same time lose weight.


    Just follow MFP's calorie recommendation and you'll be all right :) Although a lot of the exercises calculate the calorie burn too high, so you don't necessarily have to eat every singe calorie.

    If you want to double check things, this is a good calculator: http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Are you trying to lose weight? If not, eat your BMR. If yes, eat -250 calories for every 1/2 lb a week you intend to lose.

    MFP doesn't let you go below 1200, so I think that you probably have it set at lose 1 lb per week, which translates to 1617.30-500 = 1117.30, which is less than 1200, so it rounds up.

    1617.30 is my BMR before i x it by anything. I would say i am lightly active so 1617.30 x 1.375= 2223.7875.

    So MFP now has given me 1460 to eat as i changed from -2lb a week to -1lb. I am eating too much or not enough?



    You mentioned in your original post that you have a desk job, so you might want to count yourself as "sedentary" and then add in your swimming and other stuff as added exercise. I have almost the same stats as you, I'm 5'6", 24, and about 183, and I've been having really consistent success with my goal at 1600. (Ignore my diary for the past couple weeks, I've been on a logging break. No gains, though! =) It was just an experiment.)

    Keep in mind most people arent truly sedentary. If you walk a lot at work or if you have a young child its recommended to be lightly active. Also the 500 calorie rule doesnt always work and you are better off taking 20%. The closer you are to your goal the more you need to eat.

    Also eating below your bmr is not recomended as its an adaptive tool and it will cause it to slow down. So if your tdee is 2200 calories then aiming for 1750 is a good choice.
  • roro73
    roro73 Posts: 153 Member
    I just calculated your stats on MFP to give you an example...

    To maintain your current weight you would need to eat 1950 calories a day...you can find this if you go back to your diary settings and set your goal to maintain your current weight instead of losing 1/2lb, 1lb or 2lbs per week.

    Your BMR according to MFP is 1560 (this is just for basic life functions such as sleeping, breathing etc..no physical activity included)...you can find this under the "tools" tab at the top of the page.

    So according to everything I've learned and what I'm doing, you can eat your BMR of 1560 and should make this the minimum of what you eat daily and still lose 3/4 of a pound a week without any exercise, however, if you exercise you add them to your diary and you choose whether you want to eat those calories back or not (if you don't eat them back, you'll lose more weight depending on the defecit...it takes a 3500 calorie defecit to lose 1lb). Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, depends on how hungry I am. It is definitely a little confusing but in my opinion I think it's best to eat at or above your BMR if you want long term weight loss without damaging your metabolism.
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