I Don't Eat My BMR, is this OK?

sugarandspice27
sugarandspice27 Posts: 521 Member
edited December 18 in Health and Weight Loss
MY LAWD this is all so confusing! So I'm at my first month here at MFP and I'm feeling fit and fabulous after dropping some weight. I just have a clarifying question about the calories that I'm eating. I eat around 1700 per day and I'm really happy with this, and of course I'm experiencing an initial weight loss. My question is: my BMR is estimated over 2100 calories a day. Do I need to eat at least this much? I can give you my info and maybe someone else can figure this out for me because I'm super confused about it all.

5'7"
CW: 315
30 years old

I don't want to lose a bunch of weight and then stall out because I'm not eating the proper amount of food. I want to make sure that I start this off right, and I'm currently averaging about 2-3lb/week and I'm THRILLED with this. I like the amount of food I'm eating and keep it clean during the week and get more lenient on the weekends, but of course still staying within my calories guidelines and this seems to be working great so far. It's only been 4 weeks. I just want to establish good habits because I want to be able to maintain this for the rest of my life.


EDIT: Well I just checked the Katch McGardle BMR and it says my BMR is 1635. SO according to that I'm doing just fine. I guess it's subjective to what my BMR ACTUALLY IS!
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Replies

  • MissKris14
    MissKris14 Posts: 65 Member
    No you definitely don't need to eat that much. 1700 is probably a good number, especially if you're working out. The way you should calculate it is figure out how much you're burning a day, they just make sure you have a deficit, either through eating less or exercising (generally you shouldn't have more than 1000 calorie deficit, because this leads to plateauing).

    Congrats on your success so far!
  • jenj1313
    jenj1313 Posts: 898 Member
    This made sense to me - I'll let you read it for yourself to see if it makes sense to you:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map

    If you follow the link to fat2fitradio that is in the post, it will help you calculate your calorie intake based on your BMR, your body fat percentage (they have a calculator that will do an estimate +/- 2% if you don't know offhand) and your goal weight and goal body fat percentage.

    You can get off in the weeds quick if you start reading every link on there, but I just used it for the numbers as described in my original reference above.

    Good luck!!

    Jen
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    You should net your BMR
  • next_bold_move
    next_bold_move Posts: 15 Member
    My understanding is that it's best to eat one's BMR, since to do less than this is to run the risk of stalling out/slowing one's weight loss by slowing one's metabolism. I've seen people who only broke through plateaus by adjusting calories UP. It might be helpful to set some small mini goals and look at what the calorie allowances are for those. Keep the end in mind, of course, but also remember you'll have to pass through 50 pounds lost to get to 100 pounds lost, and the mini-goals may help keep your metabolism revved.

    This blogger has some good information on his 100 pound weight loss and always eating one's BMR: http://fatboykris.blogspot.com/p/calculating-calorie-intake.html
  • sugarandspice27
    sugarandspice27 Posts: 521 Member
    SO IS 1700 TOO LOW FOR ME?
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    SO IS 1700 TOO LOW FOR ME?

    If it is below your BMR, then yes.
  • BAtobe
    BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
    I believe it is too low. Read here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    Go to groups and look for "Eat More to Weigh Less" lots of fabulous info there!
  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,280 Member
    i would say try to eat what your BMR is. right now it is 2100 you say. but as you lose weight, it will get less. if you don't eat enough for your body weight, you will risk losing muscle. so i would go ahead and start with 2100 and once you've lost 20 lb maybe check and see what your BMR is, it shoudl be lower. 2100 isn't really a lot of calories. i eat that some days and i'm 5'4" 125. i exercise a lot, but that is probably my maintenance calories.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    . I eat around 1700 per day and I'm really happy with this, and of course I'm experiencing an initial weight loss

    Sounds good. Your body may reduce its metabolic rate in response to reduced calories, and will certainly reduce it proportional to reductions in weight, but you can jump that fence when you come to it as you recalculate your goals some way down the road.

    You can be nutritionally complete at practically any calorie level if you pay attention to what you're eating and / or use supplements, so the debate is about whether you can fuel your deficit from calories out of fat storage - 30 cals per day per pound of body fat has been suggested as one measure of the capacity of this.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    SO IS 1700 TOO LOW FOR ME?

    unlikely. Yo're happy, you're losing weight. But I haven't looked at *what* you're eating.
  • soulynyc
    soulynyc Posts: 302 Member
    i'm trying to figure out if i'm eating to low as well. thanks for the question..
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    I would say simply eat 1700-2000 cals daily and start a simple exercise routine...as u lose then adjust accordingly ....if you workout and use a HRM..then I probably would eat back half the cals to start with if hungry..I wouldnt get so caught up on exact numbers the goal is to make better choices and be more active.
  • sugarandspice27
    sugarandspice27 Posts: 521 Member
    Well I just checked the Katch McGardle BMR and it says my BMR is 1635. SO according to that I'm doing just fine. I guess it's subjective to what my BMR ACTUALLY IS!
  • BAtobe
    BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
    SO IS 1700 TOO LOW FOR ME?

    unlikely. Yo're happy, you're losing weight. But I haven't looked at *what* you're eating.

    So, basically you will get differences of opinion. Do your research on both and make an educated decision. :smile:
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    SO IS 1700 TOO LOW FOR ME?

    You're not going to get a consensus on this. Some people will say yes and some people will say no.

    Usually setting 2lbs/week weightloss works okay when you have 75+ lbs to lose.
  • BAtobe
    BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
    If you want to eat your BMR (and you are), make sure you are eating your NET. So, if you exercise and burn cals, you would likely want to eat those.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    i'm trying to figure out if i'm eating to low as well. thanks for the question..

    In order to be properly helped you should open up your diary, otherwise people can only guess. But go to fat2fitradio.com and checkout their calculators.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    If you want to eat your BMR (and you are), make sure you are eating your NET. So, if you exercise and burn cals, you would likely want to eat those.

    ^THIS
  • SaraSweetheart
    SaraSweetheart Posts: 34 Member
    Eat whatever your BMR is decreased by only 10-20%. Anything over that will put your body into starvation mode and any weight loss will be temporary. When you get to less of a weight, the minimum amount of calories you can eat is 1200 NET (after exercise deductions)... because that is the MINIMAL amount your brain needs to function. However, I wouldn't recommend that. Your brain may be hungrier than the average brain!
  • theartichoke
    theartichoke Posts: 816 Member
    If you have energy and are seeing the results you want at this calorie level then don't change anything. The more overweight we are the better our bodies can handle a high caloric deficit. At this weight our intakes are not static. They will change (increase) as our weight decreases and especially as we become more active and fit. Go by how you feel and look. Take measurements. If you have energy, your clothes are getting loose and your mind is clear, you're fine. If any of these things tank out on you then moving to NET your BMR is the next step. Good luck to you!
  • sugarandspice27
    sugarandspice27 Posts: 521 Member
    Eat whatever your BMR is decreased by only 10-20%. Anything over that will put your body into starvation mode and any weight loss will be temporary. When you get to less of a weight, the minimum amount of calories you can eat is 1200 NET (after exercise deductions)... because that is the MINIMAL amount your brain needs to function. However, I wouldn't recommend that. Your brain may be hungrier than the average brain!

    Hahahahaha! Best thing I've heard in a while. I believe I have QUITE a hungry brain. lol
  • Theresafinallygetsitright
    Theresafinallygetsitright Posts: 157
    Well I just checked the Katch McGardle BMR and it says my BMR is 1635. SO according to that I'm doing just fine. I guess it's subjective to what my BMR ACTUALLY IS!

    Yep! I am using their numbers as my goals instead of mfps and feel better!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I guess it's subjective to what my BMR ACTUALLY IS!

    indeed, and if you dig into the BMR correlations you might find that they are based on a population of 1930s conscripts in fascist Italy or similar. When BMR cals are tested on real populations there's usally at least 30% outside an acceptable range of accuracy.

    If you eat x and lose weight then you know that your energy expenditure is y, where y > x. Not sure it helps to start micro-analysing the components of y while it's working, leta lone knowing the actual values of x and y.

    My weight loss app Libra reckons I have a 750 calorie per day deficit, based on my weight loss over some weeks (weighted average).
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    because that is the MINIMAL amount your brain needs to function

    the brain uses 400 - 600 calories per day, not 1200. It still works if you don't eat for a few hours or even a day.
  • lillebanon
    lillebanon Posts: 214 Member
    I just wrote a blog post that you may find helpful.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/lillebanon/view/my-take-on-eating-more-to-weigh-less-254554

    Katch-McArdle is a good way to go because it accounts for your BF% and lean mass in its calculations, whereas some of the other calculators don't. My favorite calculators are linked in my blog post.
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
    I think it depends! How acurate is that BMR estimate? I go by the calcualtion at the gym because I know it takes into accound muscle mass etc! I am still eating less than that but I am trying to increase my food steadily! I was a bad eater before and I skipped a lot of meals hence why I am building up to it!

    You need to make an acurate estimation and then go by how you feel I think!!
  • Phoenix59
    Phoenix59 Posts: 364 Member
    Eat whatever your BMR is decreased by only 10-20%. Anything over that will put your body into starvation mode and any weight loss will be temporary. When you get to less of a weight, the minimum amount of calories you can eat is 1200 NET (after exercise deductions)... because that is the MINIMAL amount your brain needs to function. However, I wouldn't recommend that. Your brain may be hungrier than the average brain!

    No...do not eat below your BMR. The BMR is the MINIMAL amount your body needs to function. The decrease should come from your TDEE.
  • soulynyc
    soulynyc Posts: 302 Member
    ok.. here goes.. i will open my diary.. All help is welcomed!
  • soulynyc
    soulynyc Posts: 302 Member
    i'm trying to figure out if i'm eating to low as well. thanks for the question..

    In order to be properly helped you should open up your diary, otherwise people can only guess. But go to fat2fitradio.com and checkout their calculators.

    ok im opening.
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