MFP warning about eating under BMR

CoderGal
CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it possible for MFP to give warning to people eating under their BMR instead of capping out at 1200 calories? Or to state somewhere (like under Tools>BMR) that eating under that amount is not sustainable? There's a lot of people out there who are unaware of this so you get cases where 5'9 women are eating 1200 calories because this is what they think is right because this site tells them to do it despite the fact it's well under their BMR. And how are they suppose to know this isn't healthy if the site doesn't warn them? I even seen a case where a 19 year old man of average height was eating 1200 calories a day which just doesn't seem right to me.
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Replies

  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I second this motion.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Yes, these are good points raised. Too many people use the MFP calculator and start eating at 1200, which is below RMR... NOT good. There's a widespread belief that eating at this level is what it takes... this is misleading at the very least.
  • tanniewannie
    tanniewannie Posts: 13 Member
    I agree. I thought this site was correct as i've been eating 1200, where can I go to find out my real Cals??
  • ElPumaMex
    ElPumaMex Posts: 367 Member
    Like many other good ideas, this one will probably not prosper due to Legal implications.

    The moment that MFP starts giving specific guidelines/advice, they are exposed to lawsuits.
    Sad, but true.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    I agree. I thought this site was correct as i've been eating 1200, where can I go to find out my real Cals??

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ is a good one.

    MFP uses good calculations (Mifflin St Jeor, if I'm not mistaken), it just takes out the activity factor and gives you back "exercise calories"... which can be misunderstood, misused, abused, etc.
  • tanniewannie
    tanniewannie Posts: 13 Member
    My BMR is 1510.6. So what does that mean??? Do I eat 1510 cals per day to stay at this weight?? Or do I eat that to loose. I'm lost. help!!
  • MrLeeParker
    MrLeeParker Posts: 49
    I agree. I also don't like how MFP uses 1200 as a blanket number for minimum cals. I only get warning on healthy amounts if I eat below that, but I need a lot more because of my size. I only made that mistake once because of a 10 hour shift.
  • awmejia
    awmejia Posts: 147 Member
    I follow a 1200 cal diet but it is with dr.'s supervision. I agree that not everyone should jump on a diet at that amount.
  • carpp107
    carpp107 Posts: 99
    I, also, got stuck into low calorie thinking for a period of time (2000 calories).....I quickly hit a plateau to which I could not lose weight.......I then started to eat more (3000-3200 calories)....More in terms of healthy, clean foods and not only did I start to lose weight but I'v realized a surge in strength that I haven't seen since I was in my late 20's.

    I have several female friends that have adopted this lifestyle with me and can tell you that they have seen the best results in terms of weight (fat) loss when they eat in the 1500-1800 calorie range......Along with heavy strength training as well (which I know is another debate entirely).......

    -Rob
  • debgilbert1955
    debgilbert1955 Posts: 15 Member
    I've wondered the exact same thing. I don't think the explanations on this site are very clear.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Like many other good ideas, this one will probably not prosper due to Legal implications.

    The moment that MFP starts giving specific guidelines/advice, they are exposed to lawsuits.
    Sad, but true.
    They give you advice for eating under 1200...I just hope this can be switched to bmr instead of 1200...or even stating something on the tools>BMR page that this should not be used long term or something...anything...There's a lot of people starving themselves because they're going with the guidelines MFP sets without knowing it's not healthy for them.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    I agree.

    Although I don't understand why people just don't use the tools here HONESTLY and accurately. If you actually input the correct info, it's unlikely to give you "bad" numbers. The low 1200 numbers are given to people who choose "Sedentary" and "Lose two pounds a week." Almost no one is Sedentary. And unless they have 50 or more pounds to lose, they shouldn't be set at two pounds. The site will prompt you to choose more reasonably, but people override the tool.

    One of the big problems these days on the Boards is the ten thousand different ways to calculate what you should be eating.

    I lost over 50 pounds by using this site only. I've kept it off. I didn't go to ten different sites to try to figure things out. I did it the way this site is set up. I used all the numbers given to me. I think people make it harder by trying to speed up the process, and reading too many forum threads.

    Keep it simple.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    My BMR is 1510.6. So what does that mean??? Do I eat 1510 cals per day to stay at this weight?? Or do I eat that to loose. I'm lost. help!!
    To lose. BMR is your energy expenditure before you even move a muscle in the day. It's how much you burn in a coma.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    I agree.

    Although I don't understand why people just don't use the tools here HONESTLY and accurately. If you actually input the correct info, it's unlikely to give you "bad" numbers. The low 1200 numbers are given to people who choose "Sedentary" and "Lose two pounds a week." Almost no one is Sedentary. And unless they have 50 or more pounds to lose, they shouldn't be set at two pounds. The site will prompt you to choose more reasonably, but people override the tool.

    One of the big problems these days on the Boards is the ten thousand different ways to calculate what you should be eating.

    I lost over 50 pounds by using this site only. I've kept it off. I didn't go to ten different sites to try to figure things out. I did it the way this site is set up. I used all the numbers given to me. I think people make it harder by trying to speed up the process, and reading too many forum threads.

    Keep it simple.
    I set it to sedentary, and loose .5 pounds a week and it gave me 1200 (my bmr is more then that) and I didn't override anything. As a person who never had to loose weight until last year, I had no idea what was an unreasonable amount to loose in a week...and if you ask around you get even more unreasonable answers.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    I agree.

    Although I don't understand why people just don't use the tools here HONESTLY and accurately. If you actually input the correct info, it's unlikely to give you "bad" numbers. The low 1200 numbers are given to people who choose "Sedentary" and "Lose two pounds a week." Almost no one is Sedentary. And unless they have 50 or more pounds to lose, they shouldn't be set at two pounds. The site will prompt you to choose more reasonably, but people override the tool.

    One of the big problems these days on the Boards is the ten thousand different ways to calculate what you should be eating.

    I lost over 50 pounds by using this site only. I've kept it off. I didn't go to ten different sites to try to figure things out. I did it the way this site is set up. I used all the numbers given to me. I think people make it harder by trying to speed up the process, and reading too many forum threads.

    Keep it simple.
    I set it to sedentary, and loose .5 pounds a week and it gave me 1200 (my bmr is more then that) and I didn't override anything. As a person who never had to loose weight until last year, I had no idea what was an unreasonable amount to loose in a week...and if you ask around you get even more unreasonable answers.

    But, you probably aren't Sedentary. That's my point. And you had 27 pounds to lose? You are doing it wrong.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    My BMR is 1510.6. So what does that mean??? Do I eat 1510 cals per day to stay at this weight?? Or do I eat that to loose. I'm lost. help!!
    To lose. BMR is your energy expenditure before you even move a muscle in the day. It's how much you burn in a coma.

    If this is your BMR, eating here will supply required nutrients (hopefully)... you will probably "thrive" at a little higher though, just fyi.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    My BMR is 1510.6. So what does that mean??? Do I eat 1510 cals per day to stay at this weight?? Or do I eat that to loose. I'm lost. help!!

    That's the thing, it's complicated. And everything's based on averaged calculations, which makes for a good hopeful educated guess (which by my books is fine). You can find TDEE calculators online. They usually tell you which calculation they're using, and give you an estimate on how many calories you burn a day. I ended up using sedentary (office job) and eat back my exercise calories.

    Google TDEE. Personally, I eat at maintenance and loose weight.

    Here's an example of a calculator:
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    If you don't have any health problems or taking medications that make you magically gain weight, you should loose weight using this (I'm loosing about a pound a week)

    Edit: I vote for the link JennieAL posted above :P
  • LovesGG
    LovesGG Posts: 241 Member
    I agree.

    Bump.
  • doonesbury
    doonesbury Posts: 281 Member
    The site DOES warn!! If you complete your food diary and have consumed too few calories, there's a warning!
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    I agree.

    Although I don't understand why people just don't use the tools here HONESTLY and accurately. If you actually input the correct info, it's unlikely to give you "bad" numbers. The low 1200 numbers are given to people who choose "Sedentary" and "Lose two pounds a week." Almost no one is Sedentary. And unless they have 50 or more pounds to lose, they shouldn't be set at two pounds. The site will prompt you to choose more reasonably, but people override the tool.

    One of the big problems these days on the Boards is the ten thousand different ways to calculate what you should be eating.

    I lost over 50 pounds by using this site only. I've kept it off. I didn't go to ten different sites to try to figure things out. I did it the way this site is set up. I used all the numbers given to me. I think people make it harder by trying to speed up the process, and reading too many forum threads.

    Keep it simple.
    I set it to sedentary, and loose .5 pounds a week and it gave me 1200 (my bmr is more then that) and I didn't override anything. As a person who never had to loose weight until last year, I had no idea what was an unreasonable amount to loose in a week...and if you ask around you get even more unreasonable answers.

    But, you probably aren't Sedentary. That's my point. And you had 27 pounds to lose? You are doing it wrong.

    The most exercise I got was walking to the bathroom or the kitchen for food. :P Especially over the last few weeks (strep throat). If I walked from my car to class and back I'd log it and eat those calories back.

    Besides, Sedentary puts my TDEE at about 1660. No idea why it thought 1200. Either way i had no idea that was really low for me for quite some time.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    The site DOES warn!! If you complete your food diary and have consumed too few calories, there's a warning!

    But that warning is a set standard and completely non-appropriate as most people need that very warning WAY before they net under 1200.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    The site DOES warn!! If you complete your food diary and have consumed too few calories, there's a warning!
    only for less then 1200. For a lot of people, thats very very little.
  • ANewLucia
    ANewLucia Posts: 2,081 Member
    I absolutely agree...I found out the hard way...that is why I did my own research on BMR, TDEE and started a "Eat More to Weigh Less" group...it isn't healthy to eat below BMR....
  • tanniewannie
    tanniewannie Posts: 13 Member
    My BMR is 1510.6. So what does that mean??? Do I eat 1510 cals per day to stay at this weight?? Or do I eat that to loose. I'm lost. help!!

    That's the thing, it's complicated. And everything's based on averaged calculations, which makes for a good hopeful educated guess (which by my books is fine). You can find TDEE calculators online. They usually tell you which calculation they're using, and give you an estimate on how many calories you burn a day. I ended up using sedentary (office job) and eat back my exercise calories.

    Google TDEE. Personally, I eat at maintenance and loose weight.

    Here's an example of a calculator:
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    If you don't have any health problems or taking medications that make you magically gain weight, you should loose weight using this (I'm loosing about a pound a week)

    thank you so much I will look into it for sure!!
  • krystle_swope
    krystle_swope Posts: 47
    Thanks for that link!!!
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Thanks for that link!!!

    No problem, there's all kinds and a lot of them give varying answers. This is why I decided to eat at 'maintenance' to loose weight.

    Edit: It just occurred to me that you might have been talking to Jennie :P On the link now. What a nice little Link! Thanks Jennie :P
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    See this thread for some frightening truths on people under eating on this site:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/555093-what-is-everyones-daily-calorie-goal
    A quote from the above thread:
    What in the world.... why are so many people eating below their BMR?

    If you're exercing and, you know, living, you really REALLY need to be eating more than your BMR.

    BMR = The calories your body needs to survive just lying there doing absolutely nothing.
    Probably because MFP lets them and doesn't warn or anything... It really should calculate out BMR and issue an informative warning, if nothing else, for when people are shooting so high as to eat below their it.

    I'm giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, here... I *hope* nobody would knowingly, purposely, strive to net below their BMR...
  • NinjaChickie
    NinjaChickie Posts: 118 Member
    I've gotten a message a couple of times when I've submit my daily log that it was an unhealthy amount and my body would find it tough to continue at that level for very long. I'm not sure what the criteria are for that message to pop up though, I've tried submitting early a few times to see if I can trigger it. Definitely if your gross cals is under 1200, but only sometimes if your net is under 1200.
  • bzmommy34
    bzmommy34 Posts: 229 Member
    bump
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    See this thread for some frightening truths on people under eating on this site:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/555093-what-is-everyones-daily-calorie-goal
    A quote from the above thread:
    What in the world.... why are so many people eating below their BMR?

    If you're exercing and, you know, living, you really REALLY need to be eating more than your BMR.

    BMR = The calories your body needs to survive just lying there doing absolutely nothing.
    Probably because MFP lets them and doesn't warn or anything... It really should calculate out BMR and issue an informative warning, if nothing else, for when people are shooting so high as to eat below their it.

    I'm giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, here... I *hope* nobody would knowingly, purposely, strive to net below their BMR...

    I am fully in support of this. Obviously, since you just quoted me saying it was a good idea.

    MFP takes off 500 cals per day if you want to lose 1lb per week, and 1000 if you choose 2lbs (which many people do despite having a rather small amount of weight to lose). Sometimes the 500 calorie deficit will put you below BMR, and often the 1000 will.

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