Difference between RMR and Maintainence

HarrisonR8 · 07-03-2009, 07:25 AM

If someone wants to create a deficit should they use their RMR or Maintainence? Mine are completely different, when I calculate my RMR it's about 1550, but when I use different sites and figure out my maintainence it always gives me numbers like 2100+.

missjane · 07-03-2009, 08:07 AM

Your RMR is how many calories you would burn if you just laid in bed all day, didn't move, nothing. You maintenance calories need to take into account your activity level on top of RMR.

chaddukes · 07-03-2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarrisonR8

If someone wants to create a deficit should they use their RMR or Maintainence? Mine are completely different, when I calculate my RMR it's about 1550, but when I use different sites and figure out my maintainence it always gives me numbers like 2100+.

By RMR do you mean Resting Metabolic Rate? I usually see BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) but I'm assuming that they are the same thing. If so, then the BMR, or RMR is the calories that your body burns just regulating your body, keeping the heart pumping, etc. Its the amount of energy you would expend even if you were in a coma.

Maintenance is usually calculated as some multiple of your BMR. Like BMR x 1.5 for moderately active people. But, of course everyone is different. And that number may not always be accurate.

I use my maintenance number (which is around 2600 for me) and calculate my deficit off of that number. So, if I want a 500 calorie deficit I'll east 2,100 cals per day. Then I'll have to monitor my results. If I'm sure that I'm eating 2100 cals. (weighing food, logging everything right down to the grams of splenda) and I'm losing more than one pound per week, then my maintenance is actually higher than the suggested 2,600. If I'm losing less than one pound, or nothing then perhaps my maintenance is actually lower.

If you want a more accurate way of finding out what your maintenance is then get Go Wear Fit or someother heart rate monitor to see what you're really expending.

Don't calculate your deficit of off your BRM (or RMR). That would have you eating at a massive deficit. While that might be ok for a day or two, it will cause serious problems if you try to maintain it! People are generally advised to never eat below thier BMR. I don't necessarily agree with that. You don't want to eat below your BMR for days on end, but its not harmful if you put one or two days of eating below your BMR, and have programmed refeeds.

***Wow, Miss Jane, how did I miss your post above me. Did it really take me 20 minutes to wirte this post?

HarrisonR8 · 07-03-2009, 08:38 AM

I got myself confused and meant to say AMR ( I think that's it), basically I took my BMR and mult. it by my daily activities (not including exercise)..I used a formula that Jillian MIchaels uses ....take your BMR and mult 1.1 if you are office worker, 1.2 if you are a salesperson, 1.3 if you are a trainer 1.4 if you are a construction worker, now she claims that the number you end up with is the number you would burn just doing your dialy activities and basically just living, now when I use sites that provide your maintainence that number is much higher

Aoife · 07-03-2009, 08:48 AM

The multiplier may be different, and most likely those sites count your regular exercise as part of your activity. Really, what you need to do, what we all need to do, is go with one of those reasonable numbers (sometimes just pick), find out if that's maintenance for us, and then tweak when it isn't till we find our maintenance at a given weight and activity level, and then move on from there. My real number is waaaay lower than any formula gives me.

LaraT · 07-03-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarrisonR8

I got myself confused and meant to say AMR ( I think that's it), basically I took my BMR and mult. it by my daily activities (not including exercise)..I used a formula that Jillian MIchaels uses ....take your BMR and mult 1.1 if you are office worker, 1.2 if you are a salesperson, 1.3 if you are a trainer 1.4 if you are a construction worker, now she claims that the number you end up with is the number you would burn just doing your dialy activities and basically just living, now when I use sites that provide your maintainence that number is much higher

That is one way of figuring your daily burn but keep in mind if you also workout you need to take that into consideration with the higher activity multiplier. You get that total number to find your maintenance with exercise. To lose weight, you then subtract from there. Typically by 300-500 calories/per day unless you have lots to lose then you can subtract more but from what I recall you are more or less very close to your goal, right?

chaddukes · 07-03-2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarrisonR8

.I used a formula that Jillian MIchaels uses ....

Well, there's the problem.

LaraT · 07-03-2009, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aoife

My real number is waaaay lower than any formula gives me.

Mine too

Lost Dog · 07-03-2009, 09:52 AM

Use RMR/BMR x activity level to start, but remember that any number is an estimate. It's an attempt at "scientific." Some people go with body weight x 9, 10, 12 calories to lose weight... Either way, pick a number and start tracking. If you don't lose, drop more until you do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaraT

Mine too

Mine, too.

dianas · 07-03-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aoife

My real number is waaaay lower than any formula gives me.

Me 3 or 4 here also lost count. I'm also finding some discrepancy in my own numbers in that my maintenance predicted by actual weight loss is a lot lower than the amount of calories I can eat on a diet break and still maintain my weight.