BMR 1429 calories

[concretejungle]

Just used a bmr calculator online, which gave a result of 1429 calories.

Thats to maintain my weight, isn't it?! It's not a lot.

I read that to lose 1lb a week i would need a calorie deficit of 3500 a week.

That means it eating 929 calories a day???

Seems very little to me

That's your BMR with how much exercise? As you move more, then the amount you can eat and maintain weight goes up. A couple of hours twice a week of exercise that makes you out of breath will probably get you to over 2000 to maintain.

So set yourself a daily target of 1200 cals (use a food diary app and don't cheat) and then exercise your way up at least 1700 (the food diary apps can track you to this too). There is your 500/day or 3500/week without going too low.

Just resist eating any of the calories you burn in exercise!

(Yes I know that means more than 500/day theoretically - I find that it is a bit 'out' on the actual weight lost!)

Thank you.

That number was without any exercise or activity. I don't ((currently) do any exercise, but am moderately active (desk job, but two young kids).

Writing that down makes me realise it needs to change! I'm time poor (and relatively unfit) so need to think about what exercise I can fit in and enjoy! Maybe I'll start with 10k steps a day.

BMR is the calories your body needs just to exist.

TDEE is what you should be looking at - BMR plus the calories you use up from activity.

You don't have to eat 500 cals less than TDEE, 929 sounds miserable, maybe try for a lower deficit, it'll be slower, but more sustainable.

No, your BMR is your basal metabolic rate..that's how may calories you need just to exist, and never move..your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure - your BMR scaled up for how much activity you do each day. Ideally you need to eat above your BMR, but below your TDEE to lose weight - but do be conservative in estimating your activity level when using a TDEE calculator. That is where many people go wrong, they over estimate how much they move and thus allow themselves too high a calorie target for their true level of activity.

My BMR is only a little bit above that, and I work from home at a desk so move very little unless I make myself. I find it very hard to lose weight, currently need to lose at least a stone and a half. I feel your pain! I find a FitBit helpful to track and motivate me, but the only solution really is to move more. (Need to take my own advice!)

Please heed Watermelon's advice, you want to go and calculate your TDEE and create your deficit from there, it will probably be around 13-1400 calories. No female should eat under 1200 calories per day unless advised by their doctor.

Thank you all!! TDEE is about 1700, so taking off 500 gives me a much more sensible target of 1200.

Now all I need is to find my motivation 🤪