Over BMR under TDEE???

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Hi guys,

Not trying to beat a dead horse with a stick here, but I haven't found a clear answer in the message boards with a quick search. I understand if I eat at my TDEE I'll basically not gain or lose weight, but I have also read that you shouldn't eat below your BMR. I have a lot of weight to lose, and MFP puts my calorie level at 1250. However, I used a BMR calculator and it said my BMR is 1754.

Question is, should I eat more than 1754?

Stats:
5' 7.5"
207 lbs.
Female
Goal weight 160 lbs.

Estimated TDEE: 2426
Estimated BMR: 1754

Thanks!!!
«13

Replies

  • neveahnadira
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    BMR is the amount of cals you burn if you are lying on your bed doing nothing. So on a normal day you'd be burning 1500 cals more than that atleast! So please please please eat above your BMR. Your body needs it! Maintain a net of your BMR minimum.
  • reddcat
    reddcat Posts: 314 Member
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    bump.
  • tabi26
    tabi26 Posts: 535 Member
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    My BMR is 1438, so i set MFP at 1450. I don't usually NET my BMR, but I do eat around 1600 colories on average everyday (depending on if I'm hungry or not).

    I should add that since increasing my goal to 1450, I no longer feel deprived, or hungry at night (I'm a binge eater, so not being hungry at night has been a HUGE improvement for me). And since the increase (las Monday) I've lost over 2 pounds! :)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Take your TDEE and subtract a percentage of it (say 25%) for moderate weight loss and net that number each day.

    You should never eat below your BMR for any extended period of time. A day here or a couple of days there is fine, but you don't want to sustain a net cal intake that is less than your BMR.
  • smilebhappy
    smilebhappy Posts: 811 Member
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    bump to read later :)
  • chelle4282
    chelle4282 Posts: 58 Member
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    Thanks for posting this... I've been wondering too!
  • MelissaGraham7
    MelissaGraham7 Posts: 403 Member
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    Take your TDEE and subtract a percentage of it (say 25%) for moderate weight loss and net that number each day.

    You should never eat below your BMR for any extended period of time. A day here or a couple of days there is fine, but you don't want to sustain a net cal intake that is less than your BMR.

    This is spot on. I spent almost a year at the 1250 calories set by MFP, working out, etc. in a plateau the entire time. Recently started following a low glycemic index diet, low bad carbs, higher protein, and following the above recommendations - upping my calories to 1695/day and have lost almost 4 pounds in 10 days. I am doing a 15% less than my TDEE as I am near the end of what I want to lose with 20 pounds to goal. It works and I have more energy and feel generally better. Eat HEALTHY but eat more - just don't increase your calorie intake with poor choices. Keep the food healthy.
  • AlexPflug
    AlexPflug Posts: 132 Member
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    Thank you for your responses. If my BMR was over 1700 calories, why would MFP set me at 1250? My activity level on MFP is sedentary. I'm terrified that if I eat 1700 calories I will gain all the weight back I lost at 1250.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Just we're all talking about the same thing...
    originally posted by joejvvca71 in this thread:
    www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/510406-tdee-is-everything

    1. BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): This is the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your body if you were comatose (base level).

    2. NEAT (Non-Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie of daily activity that is NOT exercise (eg: washing, walking, talking, shopping, working). ie: INCIDENTAL EXERCISE! It is something that everyone has a good amount of control over & it is the MOST important factor in your energy expenditure. It is what helps keep 'constitutionally lean' people LEAN (they fidget)!

    3. EAT (Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie requirements associated with planned exercise. Unless someone is doing a whole heap of exercise (eg: two or more hrs training a day) it usually doesn't add a stack of calories to your requirements (30 minutes of 'elliptical training isn't going to do it')

    4. TEF (Thermic effect of feeding): The calorie expenditure associated with eating. REGARDLESS of what myths you have been told - this is NOT dependent on MEAL FREQUENCY. It is a % of TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED (and 15% of 3 x 600 cal meals is the same as 15% of 6 x 300 cal meals). It varies according to MACRONUTRIENT content and FIBER content. For most mixed diets, it is something around 15%. Protein is higher (up to 25%), carbs are variable (between 5-25%), and fats are low (usually less than 5%). So -> More protein and more carbs and more fiber = HIGHER TEF. More FAT = LOWER TEF.

    5. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expedenture): Total calories burned. BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF = TDEE

    with that said, do you still mean BMR?
  • AlexPflug
    AlexPflug Posts: 132 Member
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    Just we're all talking about the same thing...
    originally posted by joejvvca71 in this thread:
    www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/510406-tdee-is-everything

    1. BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): This is the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your body if you were comatose (base level).

    2. NEAT (Non-Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie of daily activity that is NOT exercise (eg: washing, walking, talking, shopping, working). ie: INCIDENTAL EXERCISE! It is something that everyone has a good amount of control over & it is the MOST important factor in your energy expenditure. It is what helps keep 'constitutionally lean' people LEAN (they fidget)!

    3. EAT (Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie requirements associated with planned exercise. Unless someone is doing a whole heap of exercise (eg: two or more hrs training a day) it usually doesn't add a stack of calories to your requirements (30 minutes of 'elliptical training isn't going to do it')

    4. TEF (Thermic effect of feeding): The calorie expenditure associated with eating. REGARDLESS of what myths you have been told - this is NOT dependent on MEAL FREQUENCY. It is a % of TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED (and 15% of 3 x 600 cal meals is the same as 15% of 6 x 300 cal meals). It varies according to MACRONUTRIENT content and FIBER content. For most mixed diets, it is something around 15%. Protein is higher (up to 25%), carbs are variable (between 5-25%), and fats are low (usually less than 5%). So -> More protein and more carbs and more fiber = HIGHER TEF. More FAT = LOWER TEF.

    5. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expedenture): Total calories burned. BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF = TDEE

    with that said, do you still mean BMR?

    I believe so. I used a couple online BMR calculators and got the same answer. I keep reading everywhere that I shouldn't eat below my BMR, but I've been eating at 1250 for almost 3 months. I'm worried if I bump up almost 500 calories, I will reverse my weight loss.
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
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    i vote up your calories to 1800 so that you're above your BMR but still have a good deficit off your TDEE. Has worked for me! Congrats in realizing MFP tells us to eat too little :o)
  • HotBodUnderConstruction
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    I believe so. I used a couple online BMR calculators and got the same answer. I keep reading everywhere that I shouldn't eat below my BMR, but I've been eating at 1250 for almost 3 months. I'm worried if I bump up almost 500 calories, I will reverse my weight loss.

    I completely understand your concern. Just speaking from personal experience, I've upped my caloric intake from 1200 to 1430 (I used an online calculator as well) and on days I exercise I eat approximately 70-80% of my exercise calories to make sure that I'm still netting ~1430 I'm still "losing" weight...but more importantly I'm dropping inches.
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
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    That is 1800 WITH exercise calcualted in. I did my TDEE *with* exercise and then I took my TDEE, multiplied it by 7 to get a weekly TDEE and then took 3500 off that (3500 deficit a week = 1lb lost) and then took that number and divided it by seven days to get a gross daily calorie amount (therefore eating my exercise cals back over the week instead of day by day)

    ... oh, and join this group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/17-women-eating-2-000-calories-per-day WE'RE AWESOME!! :o)
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,179 Member
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    Just we're all talking about the same thing...
    originally posted by joejvvca71 in this thread:
    www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/510406-tdee-is-everything

    1. BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): This is the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your body if you were comatose (base level).

    2. NEAT (Non-Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie of daily activity that is NOT exercise (eg: washing, walking, talking, shopping, working). ie: INCIDENTAL EXERCISE! It is something that everyone has a good amount of control over & it is the MOST important factor in your energy expenditure. It is what helps keep 'constitutionally lean' people LEAN (they fidget)!

    3. EAT (Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie requirements associated with planned exercise. Unless someone is doing a whole heap of exercise (eg: two or more hrs training a day) it usually doesn't add a stack of calories to your requirements (30 minutes of 'elliptical training isn't going to do it')

    4. TEF (Thermic effect of feeding): The calorie expenditure associated with eating. REGARDLESS of what myths you have been told - this is NOT dependent on MEAL FREQUENCY. It is a % of TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED (and 15% of 3 x 600 cal meals is the same as 15% of 6 x 300 cal meals). It varies according to MACRONUTRIENT content and FIBER content. For most mixed diets, it is something around 15%. Protein is higher (up to 25%), carbs are variable (between 5-25%), and fats are low (usually less than 5%). So -> More protein and more carbs and more fiber = HIGHER TEF. More FAT = LOWER TEF.

    5. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expedenture): Total calories burned. BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF = TDEE

    with that said, do you still mean BMR?

    I believe so. I used a couple online BMR calculators and got the same answer. I keep reading everywhere that I shouldn't eat below my BMR, but I've been eating at 1250 for almost 3 months. I'm worried if I bump up almost 500 calories, I will reverse my weight loss.



    try raising it by 500 for two weeks and see how it goes. You will not reverse your progress in two weeks, if it seems OK then stay there or raise / lower from there.
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
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    ^^ he's right. Trying something for a few weeks and seeing what happens won't undo your progress :o) you may gain some but it should come off after your metabolism's adjusted to the increase
  • AlexPflug
    AlexPflug Posts: 132 Member
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    Thank you guys. It makes me feel better that others have come to this conclusion, with positive effects. I will have to adjust my eating habits to basically eat 50% more than I have for months. LOL. I will try it for a couple of weeks as suggested and see how it works. Thank you!!
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
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    I'd give it a few weeks actually. When I upped my calories it took my body/metabolism about six weeks to adjust and stop yoyoing. I went up about 4lbs and then dropped- all while eating about 1800-2000 cals a day. I had done so much long term damage to my metabolism (most of a year eating MFP's recommended low 1380 cal level to lose pound a week) that it took quite awhile for my body to recover. Give it at least a month ok? Come join the women eating 2000+ cals a day group. We're really supportive with eachother, great at answering questions and chat about everything and anything everyday :o)
  • divinesoul
    divinesoul Posts: 48 Member
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    I'd give it a few weeks actually. When I upped my calories it took my body/metabolism about six weeks to adjust and stop yoyoing. I went up about 4lbs and then dropped- all while eating about 1800-2000 cals a day. I had done so much long term damage to my metabolism (most of a year eating MFP's recommended low 1380 cal level to lose pound a week) that it took quite awhile for my body to recover. Give it at least a month ok? Come join the women eating 2000+ cals a day group. We're really supportive with eachother, great at answering questions and chat about everything and anything everyday :o)

    I didn't know about the group. Joined!:flowerforyou:

    12994052.png
  • AlexPflug
    AlexPflug Posts: 132 Member
    Options
    I'd give it a few weeks actually. When I upped my calories it took my body/metabolism about six weeks to adjust and stop yoyoing. I went up about 4lbs and then dropped- all while eating about 1800-2000 cals a day. I had done so much long term damage to my metabolism (most of a year eating MFP's recommended low 1380 cal level to lose pound a week) that it took quite awhile for my body to recover. Give it at least a month ok? Come join the women eating 2000+ cals a day group. We're really supportive with eachother, great at answering questions and chat about everything and anything everyday :o)

    I will give it a few weeks. I hope it works well. And thank you for the invite. I joined the group. :-)
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
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    ALright! Glad to spread the word. I love all the ladies over there :o) great group.