Understanding BMI, BMR, TDEE...

[Wishimaywishimight]

I started using MFP a while ago and find it to be a very useful too. I'm not looking to lose much more, very nearly at my target weight but I'm a small bit confused about BMR, TDEE etc (only started reading about these very recently).

I entered my details into an online calculator and the information produced said that my TDEE is 1317 and that if I want to lose weight then I need to be eating 15 - 20% under this. 20% less than 1317 would be 1,053 which is pretty low I think!

I have been losing pretty much 1lb per week on 1,200 per day (midweek). Sometimes I go over by as many as 400 - 600 cals on Saturday and Sunday but I then reduce mid-week to maybe 1,100 for a couple of days and overall its worked out pretty well.

For reference I am 49, 5ft 3ins and currently weigh 8stone 2 so just want to lose another 2 - 4lbs. I am however going on holiday at the weekend for 11 days and with the best will in the world I will not be sticking to 1200 per day so will most likely put on 5/6lbs and I want to be able to lose this as quickly as possible when I get home as I know from experience that the longer I just leave the extra weight the less likely I am to do anything about it.

Just wondering if anyone can really explain the BMR, TDEE figures and whether 1200 is fine or should I really be aiming lower at maybe 1,050 which I think I would struggle with if I tried to stick to it every day (well, 5 days a week anyway).

BMI and TDEE calculators are estimates, you are quite aware that for you your numbers are different.

Those TDEE figures look about right, to be honest, given your size. I'm 5ft7 and about 62 kilos and my TDEE is only about 1600. The only way to increase your TDEE (or BMR - same thing - just the calories your body uses to live each day) is to get more muscle on your frame. Bear in mind that you will use more calories if you're active - your TDEE is the amount of calories you use simply to carry out basic biological functions like breathing. If you have a reasonably active lifestyle (10,000 steps a day, exercise every so often), then you'd need a good few more calories just to maintain.
All that said, it's not recommended to go below 1,200 calories a day no matter what your size, because it's simply impossible to get the nutrients your body needs on such a low intake of food and you risk losing bone density and muscle, so if you need to create a bigger calorie deficit, you need to move more :)

Do you have a fitbit? I find mine really helpful because it syncs with My Fitness Pal and gives me a calorie adjustment for my activity, not just exercise but the steps I take throughout the day.

Thanks Girl (sorry, I don't post much & don't know how to bold!).

I don't hav a Fitbit but do wear a pedometer from Monday to Friday and usually reach 10,000 4/5 times a week by walking for 30 mins at lunchtime and getting off the bus a couple of stops early etc. I do a fair bit of exercise but chose 'light exercise' when entering my info in the TDEE calculator as, while I do exercise DVDs 5 mornings p/w they vary from low impact such as Pilates or toning programmes through Davina, Jillian, boxing, kettle bells and up to Sean T's T25 so some much more calorie burning than others. In the evenings I do 10 mins skipping and 20 mins hoola hooping to trim my waist.

I think I will stick to 1100 to 1200 mid week and a bit more at the weekends as it has worked pretty effectively so far. If things stall though I will go under 1100. Many thanks!