Using BMR to calculate calorie intake


(Joyce) #1

I seem to get very different calculations on different tools when I look at my BMR . Any recommendations for a good one? Or is this something I shouldn’t care about and instead focus on calculating macros?


(Allie) #2

Just count carbs, keep them as low as possible, ideally below 20g.


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #3

Welcome to the forums!

The essence of a well-formulated ketogenic diet is to eat in a way that works with our body, instead of against it. Insulin is the primary fat-storage hormone; elevated insulin traps fat in our fat cells. It also does systemic damage to the body. So minimising carb intake (we recommend less than 20 g/day) in order to lower serum insulin levels is the key. Then, it’s important to get enough protein. Then, to replace the energy lost from cutting carb intake, we add fat to satiety.

The reason we eat fat is that it has a minimal effect on our insulin level. With insulin low, the body has access to our stored fat and will use any excess to support its energy needs. Eating to satiety not only eliminates the need to calculate calories or macros, but it also assures that we will get enough food without overeating.

In the first few weeks, it may take quite a bit of food to satisfy your hunger, but give it time; if you have excess stored fat to shed, your appetite will drop noticeably in three or four weeks’ time. If it doesn’t, at that point you can worry about your caloric intake, but until then, eat to satisfy your hunger.


(Robin) #4

If you are a personality type that truly enjoys the measuring, charting, etc and they serve as motivators, go for it.
If you are satisfied to simply follow keto basics, do that.

It’s individual. I charted macros when I first began to get a basic understanding for what I could eat and stay under 20g carbs. Since then, I don’t chart anything. But many folks on here share impressive data on their intake and progress of all sorts of measurement.


#5

It’s impossible to calculate, there may be a very big personal factor, it happens.
I only had some vague idea about mine because I had a time when I lost fat without exercise and my body does it according to calories, apparently (this is a pretty strong hypothesis due to my experiences but not everyone is this simple). I don’t know my current one, it was long ago and these things are subject to change. My body and activity level changed too…
It’s okay as I can’t calculate my eaten calories either and my activity is the biggest mystery of all. I still guess something, I don’t need exact things, I don’t care about 200 kcals (I never can hope for that accuracy, even if I would avoid my staple item that is impossible to track well) but in the end, I just should eat the best I can and we will see.


#6

I use the above regularly to recalculate my BMR as I lose weight.

That said, no calculator can accurately calculate your BMR so use any calculators as a rough guide.

If you are just getting started, I’d say just focus on staying under 20g carbs for now.


#7

These are the two I’ve found to be the best.

The MAPS one isn’t keto specific, but when it’s done and you drag the carbs down it’ll readjust everywhere else.

Whatever you go with, track everything, weigh yourself daily and watch the trends. You’ll have ups and downs, but the trend is what matters. Each week, take a look and see if you need to adjust until you find where your tipping point really is. After a while if you don’t have much luck you can also have your RMR tested, not too expensive and pretty accurate. Calculators had mine WAY off and I wasn’t losing, that’s what got me on track, but mine was artificially screwed from fasting too much, shouldn’t be an issue for most.