Not supposed to eat under BMR number? HELP.

crazyjkgirl
crazyjkgirl Posts: 123 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I've heard and gathered that it's not recommended to eat less than your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) in calories daily. Well, according to this website, my BMR is 1485 calories. According to another site, it's around 1565 calories.

However, MFP currently puts me at 1480 calories daily allowance to loose a pound a week. If I'm not supposed to eat less than my BMR, how is it then going to be possible for me to loose weight?

I exercise when I have time but as a part time employed, full-time college student-- it's not always so easy to fit in. I also feel like it's important to note that I haven't lost a single tenth of a pound or gained in the past two weeks.

What's the deal?

Replies

  • ldbenincasa
    ldbenincasa Posts: 66
    Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns just to survive, like if you stayed in bed all day and did nothing. Obviously, you are not doing nothing, so you are burning more calories than your BMR. On average, a 500 cal/day deficit equals 1 lb/wk lost. If you are eating too few calories (like under your BMR) your body will think it is starving and hold on tight to anything it gets. This is survival. I would try eating a little more. My BMR is 1185. MFP has my base allowance for calories set at 1200, to lose under a lb/wk. I also exercise 4-6 days/wk. I eat back nearly all of my exercise calories, keeping me at an overall deficit, and I have lost weight easily this way.
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