Hypermetabolism?

collectingblues

maybyn wrote: »

collectingblues wrote: »

I'm so confused right now. At my dietitian's urging -- I keep meticulous food logs, weigh everything to the gram (except for fish/meat, which is in ounces), and am active, yet have gone months without losing anything -- I had RMR testing done this morning. She suspected that due to years of an eating disorder (and never doing a sharp restriction, but being super active without actually fueling those workouts), I was dealing with a reduced metabolism/adaptive thermogenesis.

The reality? The testing showed that my RMR is about 30 percent higher than would be expected in someone with my height/weight/body fat.

Now, obviously I don't know how recent this is. But I'm so confused and angry that I keep *meticulous* logs, and I can't actually lose weight, despite eating at a supposed deficit. Because even if I were off, it would have to be in the ballpark of 300-500 calories a day, based on these number -- and I can say with 99 percent confidence that I'm not off to the tune of 300-500 calories a day.

I meet with her next week, and I'll email her, too, but I'm so angry, and confused, and upset. Has anyone else dealt with this? Usually when you hear of hypermetabolism, it's in ED-recovery patients who are still losing weight when being refed. I don't understand how I've got the increased metabolism, but no weight loss to go with it.

I highlighted the 2 bolded parts because I wondered how you knew what the "expected RMR was for someone your height/weight/body fat".

If you are talking about online calculators, then are you certain you used an RMR calculator as opposed to a BMR calculator?

RMR is typically higher than a BMR.

Mine for example is approx 200 cals more when I use online calculators.

It was the prediction printed out from the BodPod -- which I had done immediately before. Even the tech made a comment about how wow, you're better than it thought you would be.

maybyn

collectingblues wrote: »

maybyn wrote: »

collectingblues wrote: »

I'm so confused right now. At my dietitian's urging -- I keep meticulous food logs, weigh everything to the gram (except for fish/meat, which is in ounces), and am active, yet have gone months without losing anything -- I had RMR testing done this morning. She suspected that due to years of an eating disorder (and never doing a sharp restriction, but being super active without actually fueling those workouts), I was dealing with a reduced metabolism/adaptive thermogenesis.

The reality? The testing showed that my RMR is about 30 percent higher than would be expected in someone with my height/weight/body fat.

Now, obviously I don't know how recent this is. But I'm so confused and angry that I keep *meticulous* logs, and I can't actually lose weight, despite eating at a supposed deficit. Because even if I were off, it would have to be in the ballpark of 300-500 calories a day, based on these number -- and I can say with 99 percent confidence that I'm not off to the tune of 300-500 calories a day.

I meet with her next week, and I'll email her, too, but I'm so angry, and confused, and upset. Has anyone else dealt with this? Usually when you hear of hypermetabolism, it's in ED-recovery patients who are still losing weight when being refed. I don't understand how I've got the increased metabolism, but no weight loss to go with it.

I highlighted the 2 bolded parts because I wondered how you knew what the "expected RMR was for someone your height/weight/body fat".

If you are talking about online calculators, then are you certain you used an RMR calculator as opposed to a BMR calculator?

RMR is typically higher than a BMR.

Mine for example is approx 200 cals more when I use online calculators.

It was the prediction printed out from the BodPod -- which I had done immediately before. Even the tech made a comment about how wow, you're better than it thought you would be.

Hmm, okay. That's good news then.

If all your numbers are accurate and you're in a true calorie deficit, then yes, you're right, you should be losing weight - even if you're already in a healthy weight range. It may be a slower loss with a small deficit but still there should be a loss. (My experience anyway).

Perhaps give it a couple more months to see if your weight's drifting down? If not, then maybe a diet break like what's been suggested?

TimothyFish

collectingblues wrote: »

I'm so confused right now. At my dietitian's urging -- I keep meticulous food logs, weigh everything to the gram (except for fish/meat, which is in ounces), and am active, yet have gone months without losing anything -- I had RMR testing done this morning. She suspected that due to years of an eating disorder (and never doing a sharp restriction, but being super active without actually fueling those workouts), I was dealing with a reduced metabolism/adaptive thermogenesis.

The reality? The testing showed that my RMR is about 30 percent higher than would be expected in someone with my height/weight/body fat.

Now, obviously I don't know how recent this is. But I'm so confused and angry that I keep *meticulous* logs, and I can't actually lose weight, despite eating at a supposed deficit. Because even if I were off, it would have to be in the ballpark of 300-500 calories a day, based on these number -- and I can say with 99 percent confidence that I'm not off to the tune of 300-500 calories a day.

I meet with her next week, and I'll email her, too, but I'm so angry, and confused, and upset. Has anyone else dealt with this? Usually when you hear of hypermetabolism, it's in ED-recovery patients who are still losing weight when being refed. I don't understand how I've got the increased metabolism, but no weight loss to go with it.

RMR can help you make estimates, but other than that it doesn't matter. You can have the highest RMR in the world but if you aren't eating less than you are burning then you won't lose weight.

AnnPT77

Placebo/nocebo effects?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17792517

This is not pure snark. Expectation and belief are surprisingly effective levers, even physically.