Can BMR be really low?

janbacani1

I've tried losing weight before and I should know this but it's been a long time and I need some reassurance I guess...:) So I weigh and measure all my food and I should have lost 1.5 lb in the past 2 weeks according to these calculations but instead I lost 0.6 lb...I know it's not excess water retention as I haven't changed the foods I eat (I eat the same things pretty much daily) so I'm sort of freaking out and worrying that my BMR is less than 1200......I should know this but if anyone could explain if there is scientific proof that BMR can't be that low, I would really appreciate it. And I'm also not near my menstrual cycle and I always weigh first thing in the morning after using the restroom and before eating.

kommodevaran

You can't control water weight fluctuations, they just happen. You need several weeks to see a weight trend. How fast you can lose, depends on your weight (fat stores).

TrishSeren

What calculations are you using?

L1zardQueen

We need your stats.

kimny72

Water weight fluctuates all the time for many reasons, not just what you eat. And 2 weeks is way too soon to draw any conclusions on whether your numbers are accurate or not. You need at least 4-6 weeks to see a trend.

tess5036

Weight loss would be so much easier if it were linear. However, while statistics exist regarding the average amount of deficit required to lose a pound of fat, they do vary, and in addition there are some of those that tend to loose in 'whooshes'. this happens where you do everything right and weight should be coming off, but it isn't. Then one week a lot more come off unexpectedly, more than expected for a single week. There are a number of theories around why this happened, but I don't think any have been scientifically proven. However, it is a phenomena which can occur, I speak from personal experience. Trust the system, keep eating at a deficit, and you will lose weight, but it may take several weeks to show on the scales.

If you are not losing weight, then it's more likely that you don't have as large a deficit as you think. this could be weighing and logging errors, you could be overestimating your calorie expenditure from exercise, or it could be that your deficit is not as great as MFP don't give you anything below 1200 calories.

What are your stats?

staticsplit

Also, if you are someone who menstruates, it's even harder to be super accurate. My weight tends to go up by 4-5 pounds around the TOM.

janbacani1

tess5036 wrote: »

Weight loss would be so much easier if it were linear. However, while statistics exist regarding the average amount of deficit required to lose a pound of fat, they do vary, and in addition there are some of those that tend to loose in 'whooshes'. this happens where you do everything right and weight should be coming off, but it isn't. Then one week a lot more come off unexpectedly, more than expected for a single week. There are a number of theories around why this happened, but I don't think any have been scientifically proven. However, it is a phenomena which can occur, I speak from personal experience. Trust the system, keep eating at a deficit, and you will lose weight, but it may take several weeks to show on the scales.

If you are not losing weight, then it's more likely that you don't have as large a deficit as you think. this could be weighing and logging errors, you could be overestimating your calorie expenditure from exercise, or it could be that your deficit is not as great as MFP don't give you anything below 1200 calories.

What are your stats?

Thank you everyone, this is helpful. Thank you for the reassurance that if I trust the system it will eventually happen. I am 5'3'' and my weight is 120 lb, calculations are based on a 1200 calorie BMR, I am sedentary:)

LivingtheLeanDream

janbacani1 wrote: »

tess5036 wrote: »

Weight loss would be so much easier if it were linear. However, while statistics exist regarding the average amount of deficit required to lose a pound of fat, they do vary, and in addition there are some of those that tend to loose in 'whooshes'. this happens where you do everything right and weight should be coming off, but it isn't. Then one week a lot more come off unexpectedly, more than expected for a single week. There are a number of theories around why this happened, but I don't think any have been scientifically proven. However, it is a phenomena which can occur, I speak from personal experience. Trust the system, keep eating at a deficit, and you will lose weight, but it may take several weeks to show on the scales.

If you are not losing weight, then it's more likely that you don't have as large a deficit as you think. this could be weighing and logging errors, you could be overestimating your calorie expenditure from exercise, or it could be that your deficit is not as great as MFP don't give you anything below 1200 calories.

What are your stats?

Thank you everyone, this is helpful. Thank you for the reassurance that if I trust the system it will eventually happen. I am 5'3'' and my weight is 120 lb, calculations are based on a 1200 calorie BMR, I am sedentary:)

At your current weight which is healthy, 0.5lb a week loss is what you should be aiming for.
You have lost already, it is going to be darned slow when you have minimal fat to shift. Give it time.