BMR vs MFP daily calorie allowance

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ceap
ceap Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm pretty new to MFP and am getting slightly confused by the posts on BMRs. Using a website to calculate my BMR which i read in one post (i think the link is http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr), my BMR works out as 1855. But i don't understand that according my MFP i should be eating 1320 to achieve my goal, which is to lose 1.5pounds a week. There's obviously a significant difference between the two numbers, and I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me which is the right amount. The more posts i read, the more confused I get!

Thanks x

Replies

  • justinamay0535
    justinamay0535 Posts: 132 Member
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    Im confused by this as well, bumping for anyone who knows!
  • natini
    natini Posts: 347 Member
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    Are you sure you went to the BMR calculator on MFP? It sounds like you are not comparing the same numbers. When I go to MFP and Fit 2 Fat Radio my BMR is only a 50 calorie difference on the two sites.

    MFP does not include any exercise in their calculations. You have to earn the exercise calories and then you can eat them. Fit 2 Fat Radio includes exercise in their calculations. I recommend using one site and sticking with it. Comparing all of the different sites will confuse you because they calculate it differently.
  • Teko03
    Teko03 Posts: 14 Member
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    After reading ( http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/boost-weight-loss-by-knowing-your-bmr.aspx ) you also need to know your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) --- which is found by multiplying your BMR by a certain number (depending on your activity/workout level). I think where people often make the mistake is choosing "Sedentary" for their activities level, when they should actually be Lightly Active. After changing mine to lightly active I found that MFP was only about 200 calories off from where it should probably be. My TDEE is estimated at about 2516. So adding (or subtracting rather) a 500 calorie deficit (loss of 1 pound per week) to that to would place me at about 2000, which isn't far off from MFP 1830.


    An added FYI:
    As a guide to minimum calorie intake, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 calories per day for men. Even these calorie levels are quite low.
  • Dmaxsgirl
    Dmaxsgirl Posts: 49 Member
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    I have the same problem as CEAP. I'm still confused. When I calculate using another site, after I subtract the 500 calories it says I should be eating around 1800, but MFP has me at 1400. The only thing I can think of that is different is that I have increased my activity since beginning MFP. Maybe that has allotted for the difference?
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    I have the same problem as CEAP. I'm still confused. When I calculate using another site, after I subtract the 500 calories it says I should be eating around 1800, but MFP has me at 1400. The only thing I can think of that is different is that I have increased my activity since beginning MFP. Maybe that has allotted for the difference?

    MFP doesn't include exercise, the other site would, so by the time you did some exercise, your 1400 from MFP could match the 1800 you have from the other site.
  • yuliyax
    yuliyax Posts: 288
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    You should never eat below your bmr, it is different to mfp because your goal isn't set right. And mfp puts nearly everyone into around 1200 which is not good. He is a guide :
    "75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal, If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal, If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal, If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal."
    So try changing your mfp goal to around 1800 (with sedentary level) and eat at least half of your calories back.
    Usefull links -http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539912-why-eating-exercise-calories-is-so-important
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/567092--read-this-figuring-out-your-calorie-goals
    Hope I helped.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    MFP wants you to work out to eat.
    Fat 2 Fit wants you to eat to workout.

    So by using fat to fits numbers you wont be eating back any calories and its smart to change MFP settings and remove the workouts weekly and weekly burn info from settings.

    Fat 2 Fit will give you a number thats 20% below your TDEE.
    By eating that daily youll maintain LBM (mostly) and tend to burn off fat.
  • DMarkSwan
    DMarkSwan Posts: 56 Member
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    Using the BMR calculator under the tools tab here, I get 1709. This is the estimated calories I would need lying in bed all day. I list myself as sedentary because I sit at a desk 8 hours a day and list my goal as losing 0.5lbs/week. My MFP goal is 1880. Presumeably that means my estimated calorie usuage including normal activity at a sedentary level would be 1880+250=2130. But if I tried to lose 1.5lbs/week my calorie goal would be 1380 which would be dangerous for me. One, it's below my BMR and going below that for any more than a day puts your body into survival mode where your metabolism slows and your body uses muscle in addition to fat for energy, further depressing your metabolism. Two, below 1800 for a man isn't recommended either. All this makes sense, because I'm only a few pounds from my goal weight. So if your calorie goal is below your BMR, that means your weight loss goal is too aggressive.
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
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    MFP wants you to work out to eat.
    Fat 2 Fit wants you to eat to workout.

    So by using fat to fits numbers you wont be eating back any calories and its smart to change MFP settings and remove the workouts weekly and weekly burn info from settings.

    Fat 2 Fit will give you a number thats 20% below your TDEE.
    By eating that daily youll maintain LBM (mostly) and tend to burn off fat.

    This is a very good way to explain the difference! :drinker:
  • jenbreeze72
    jenbreeze72 Posts: 23 Member
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    OK, I would like to spin this off just a little. The numbers are all swimming in my head!

    I had my metabolic rate tested, and my resting metabolic rate is 1788. I'm 5'7", 173#, and want to lose a pound or two a week. I am currently nursing a herniated disc in my back and my activity level is almost nothing - walking around daily with no specific exercise.

    I have MFP profile set up for lightly active, 0 workouts/week, goal of 1# loss a week, and it calculates that I should consume 1520 calories a day.

    Does this make sense? Should I truly be eating below my RMR? What should I really be taking in daily in order to lose weight and keep my metabolism going?

    Thanks for any clarity you can give me! Since my back injury and change in activity level, I just can't figure these numbers out.
  • jenbreeze72
    jenbreeze72 Posts: 23 Member
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    To add a bit more to the picture, I went to fat2fitradio.com and used the military body fat calc to determine my body fat is 24%.

    Using that number, I figured my BMR using the Catch-McArdle formula and came up with 1656 cals (which is lower than my actual, tested BMR). That determines that, in order to lose weight and get to my goal of 155#, i need to consumer 1747 cals with a sedentary lifestyle, 2002 cals with a lightly active lifestyle, 2257 cals with a moderately active lifestyle.

    Where do I go from here?
  • jenbreeze72
    jenbreeze72 Posts: 23 Member
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    bump

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